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Erc Accumulation And Premature Aging: An Investigation Of The Deletion Of Ash1 In The Budding Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Ranor C B Basa

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis concerns the asymmetric mechanism by which the "molecular aging clock" is reset in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is of great interest considering that many organisms' cells--including human stem cells--undergo this process. When yeast divides, it ages a generation, while daughter cells begin life at generation zero. One theory surrounding this process in yeast is the extrachromosomal rDNA circle (ERC) aging theory. ERCs are generated spontaneously in mother cells as they age, and thus accumulate exponentially in older cells. Daughter cells from young mothers benefit from asymmetric aging, but as mothers age, they produce daughters that …

Influences On Health Related Quality Of Life In Community Dwelling Adults Aged 60 Years And Over, Hilary Beth Greenberger

Theses and Dissertations

Interest in patient-reported health care outcomes such as health related quality of life (HRQL) has increased dramatically over the past two decades. Typically, HRQL has been conceptualized as having at least three domains: physical, psychological, and social functioning. Although research has attempted to identify factors that influence HRQL,few studies have simultaneously examined how various factors impact HRQL in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a causal model to identify factors influencing HRQL. The constructs and observed variables hypothesized to influence HRQL included medical burden, housing satisfaction, socioeconomic status,religion/spirituality, age, gender, and marital status.Three hundred …

Production Of Conjunctions And T-Units By The Elderly, Benjamin Haymond

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent research indicates a change in healthy elderly adult language capabilities. More specifically, Shadden (1997) and Ryan (1996) state that language competence is less affected by the processes of aging than production. The topic of this research examined specifically the production of conjunctions from the perspective of Halliday and Hasan (1976) in procedural and narrative discourse by the elderly. The hypothesis stated that the relationship between age and conjunctions produced would be non-significant. In a cross-sectional study, 17 subjects between the ages of 60-86 were interviewed and the transcripts analyzed.;Results supported the hypothesis of a non-significant relationship between age and …

The Effects Of Contextual Factors On Dyadic Everyday Problem Solving In Adulthood, Tara L. Neely

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examined individual and dyadic everyday problem solving in 45 younger, middle-aged, and older adult married couples. The goal of the study was to investigate the effects of age, gender, collaboration, marital characteristics, and basic cognition on everyday problem-solving. Two research questions were addressed. First, were there group differences across three phases of problem solving? Second, what was the frequency of individual change, and which factors predicted improvement, stability, or decline? When addressing the first question, there was a significant four-way interaction, F (4, 78) = 2.83, p < .05, eta = .12, between participant age, gender, problem-solving condition, and problem-solving phase, emphasizing the multidimensionality of everyday cognition. When addressing the second question, a larger percentage of individuals who collaborated reliably improved compared to individuals who worked alone. Furthermore, basic cognitive abilities, education, and marital factors significantly accounted for individual reliable change in everyday problem solving.

Intraindividual Variability And Relations Between Daily Affect And Physical Activity Among Community -Dwelling Older Women, Jenessa C. Steele

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The current study investigated individual and group-level daily relations between affect and physical activity among 37 non-sedentary community-dwelling older women. The study expected that (a) positive affect would hold a significant, positive synchronous relation with physical activity and (b) negative affect would hold a significant, negative synchronous relation with physical activity over six consecutive days. Women over age 55 (M = 71.5, SD = 9.4) participated by completing four daily assessments (8am, 12pm, 4pm, 8pm) of positive and negative affect and physical activity on a hand-held computer Monday through Saturday. Affect was measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule …

Operant Conditioning In Older Adults With Alzheimer's Disease, Adam P. Spira

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Behavioral interventions are commonly implemented to manage agitation in older adults with dementia. However, the extent to which operant conditioning can occur in this population is unclear. The present study used a button-pressing task to evaluate the sensitivity of the responding of individuals with probable Alzheimer's disease to changes in schedules of reinforcement. Results indicate that operant conditioning can occur in older adults with AD. Specifically, three participants with AD exhibited responding that was highly sensitive to a transition from a fixed interval schedule to an extinction schedule. One participant's responding was sensitive to a more subtle transition. Comparison data …

Variants Of Volunteerism Among Mature Adults Within Communities Of Northeast Tennessee., Martha Wilcox Edwards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A purposive study conducted among mature adults aged 55 and older in Northeast Tennessee examined variants of volunteerism as well as volunteer needs of agencies and organizations and what percent of volunteers in those agencies fall within the specified age group. Mature volunteers in the region match profiles of other studies -- predominantly white, married, homeowners, who are protestant, females with educational levels beyond high school, and who have income levels above the regional average. Findings show that most volunteers attend religious services at least once each week but found no association between gender and informal volunteerism, between health and …

Factors Influencing Middle-Aged And Older Latin American Women's Participation In Physical Activity, Stephanie Vaughn Phd

Dissertations

Ethnographic methodology was used to explore the factors that influence middle-aged and older Latin American women's participation in physical activity. Semi-structured interviews and field observations were used to elicit information from the twenty five Latin American women in this study sample. Perceptions of health, the health activities in which the women engage, and the factors that influenced their participation in physical activity comprised the three categories of responses. Facilitators and barriers were identified as the two primary groups and were further sorted into intrinsic or extrinsic factors. A sense of self, decreased feelings of stress, wellbeing, managing chronic disease, the …

Elderly American And The Internet: E-Mail, Tv News, And Entertainment Websites, Michael L. Hilt, Jeremy Harris Lipschultz

Communication Faculty Publications

Older Americans, like other groups, vary in their use of the Internet. The participants for this study—elderly computer users from a Midwestern mid-size sample—used e-mail and considered it the most important Internet function. It was common for them to use e-mail with family and friends on a regular, if not daily, basis. When this group of older people did surf the Web, they were more likely to seek information about their special interests rather than visiting mass media sites. They were most likely to use Google.com or Yahoo.com to find sites dealing with weather, health, games, jokes, and entertainment. Additionally, …

Examining Predictors Of Marital Satisfaction Among Age-Similar And Age-Discrepant Older Couples, Kristi A. Barnes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sociocultural and demographic trends suggest the importance of examining the marital experience among older adults, and those who are in non-traditional marriages in particular. The current study examined the marital experiences of middle-aged and older individuals who are involved in long-term (15 yrs. or longer) age-similar (n = 35) and age-discrepant marriages (n = 35). All information was gathered through telephone interviews. Analysis of variance tests examined mean differences as a function of type of marriage (2; ADM and AS) and gender (2). These analyses revealed no differences between marriage types on a number of measures of marital satisfaction. However, …

Adjustment To Relocation To An Assisted Living Facility, Lisa Whipple Drozdick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Assisted living has become the fastest growing senior housing alternative for older adults, yet little research has been conducted with residents of assisted living. Relocation involves a major life change and is associated with health problems, poor adjustment, and increased mortality. Research on relocation into nursing homes suggests declines in health and psychological well-being frequently follow relocation and are greatest one to two months following entry into the facility. Control over the decision to relocate and control within the facility following relocation have been related to physical and mental health. Assisted living residents are similar to nursing home residents so …

Women, Health, And Aging In Yup'ik/Cup'ik Culture, Scarlett Hopkins Hutchison

Anthropology

Knowledge of cultural beliefs about health and how they influence life choices and intervention is essential in forming health policy and health promotion programs to meet the growing needs of aging minority populations. This thesis explores cultural beliefs, experiences, and expectations of health and well-being of Yup'ik/Cup'ik women in two rural communities in southwestern Alaska. Interviews were conducted with fifteen women to address two key research questions: (1) how Yup'ik/Cup'ik women define health and well-being; and (2) what environmental, social, and cultural factors contribute to healthy Yup'ik/Cup'ik aging. While many health beliefs and practices appear very different from those current …

A Preliminary Investigation Of Sense Of Humor And Purpose In Life, Sandra Batten

Student Work

It was hypothesized that sense o f humor is related to purpose in life. A convenience sample o f 136 undergraduates completed the Modified Purpose in Life test (Chang & Dodder, 1983-84) and the Multidimensional Sense o f Humor Scale (Thorson & Powell, 1993). The overall correlation between the two scales in this sample was .30 ( p < .001). The sub-scales o f the MSHS that related most robustly to purpose in life were Coping ( r = . 3 1 , p < .001) and Attitude Toward Humor and Humorous People ( r = .45, p < .001).

Impact Of Early Childhood Perceptions And Experiences On Oral Health Practices In Later Life, Johnna Marie Guzzi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Older adults are at a higher risk for numerous oral and systemic diseases. Oral conditions experienced by the elderly are believed to be cumulative. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between early childhood dental care practices/experiences and perceived oral health needs of persons 60 years of age and older who are participants of three West Virginia facilities for the elderly (N = 90). Individuals were interviewed utilizing a two-part 21-item survey. Data analyses, including analysis of variance and tests of chi square, were conducted using the JMP program. Although individuals felt dental health was …

Factors Related To The Information Needs And Desired Level Of Participation Of Older Women Engaged In Medical Decision Making, Ronald Ralph Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Previous research suggests that older adults prefer less information and involvement in medical decision-making scenarios than younger adults. No previous research has empirically explored the factors that might influence the information and involvement preferences of older adults in medical decision-making scenarios. The present study involved an investigation of the influence of four factors on information and involvement needs: the complexity of the medical information, cognitive abilities, attitudes toward medical authority and health locus of control beliefs. Complexity was defined by contrasting reading levels (i.e., medical scenarios written at the 4th- vs. 11th-grade reading level). Cognitive abilities were measured using the …

Resilience: The Lived Experience Of Elderly Widowers Following The Death Of A Spouse, Dorothy Battersby Crummy Phd, Msn, Rn

Dissertations

Aged widowers are at risk for increased incidence of health problems and higher mortality rates following the death of a spouse. Mens' abilities for dealing with loss have been questioned, but little research has been done with this group. Surviving widowers provided significant insights illuminating the experience of resilience and providing relevant information regarding this population. Utilizing interpretive phenomenology, a methodology advocated by van Manen, in-depth interviews were conducted researching the lived experience of resilience among nineteen elderly widowers between 71 years and 100 years of age. Participants, identified by network sampling, lived independently and had survived the death of …

A Study Of Quality Of Life Issues In Community-Dwelling Elders, Kimberly S. Mcclane Phd

Dissertations

In the year 2000, there were approximately 35 million people in the United States who were 65 years of age or older, a ten-fold increase since 1900. The growth of this population has presented opportunities and challenges to American society. Health care needs, physical changes of aging, and the allocation of health care resources are several of the issues that need to be addressed (Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, 2000). Quality of life measurement tools have been used to assess the health and social needs of aging people both in the United States and internationally since their conception in …

Psychometric Properties Of The Social Interactions Questionnaire (Siq) In An Older Adult Sample, Kimberly Debra Kalish

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Social Interactions Questionnaire (SIQ; Kalish & Edelstein, 1996), a quick and efficient tool to measure negative social interactions. Overwhelming evidence has emerged over the past decade indicating that negative social interactions (NSIs) are strongly related to measures of mental and physical health. A critique of existing measures of NSIs reveals long and cumbersome interviews that are comprised of some, but not all, of the critical elements of NSIs. The SIQ efficiently measures these critical elements, which include (a) perceived versus structural components of NSIs, (b) seven different types of NSIs, (c) overall …

Perceptions Of Long Term Care, Miryam N. Mejia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Improving health care for the elderly in the tri-county area, especially minority aged, requires engaging with the community at large. Comprehensive changes in service delivery and accessibility to health promotion activities will improve the quality of life for an ever-growing population in the 21st century.

Psychophysiological Responses Of Older Adults To An Anxiety -Evoking Stimulus, Angela W. Lau

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to clarify the relation between anxiety and physiological responses in older adults as compared to younger adults. Heart rate (HR), skin conductance level (SCL), skin conductance response (SCR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were obtained before, during, and after exposure to a Stroop color-word naming task and a snake video from 46 female younger adults (age 18--30) and 28 female older adults (age 65--80) who were designated as either snake fearful or snake nonfearful. No significant group differences were observed on physiological measures to baseline one or during the snake …

Effect Of Preventive Home Visits By A Nurse On The Outcomes Of Frail Elderly People In The Community: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Dawn M. Dalby, John W. Sellors, Fred D. Fraser, Catherine Fraser, Cornelia Van Ineveld, Michelle Howard

Kinesiology and Physical Education Faculty Publications

Background: Timely recognition and prevention of health problems among elderly people have been shown to improve their health. In this randomized controlled trial the authors examined the impact of preventive home visits by a nurse compared with usual care on the outcomes of frail elderly people living in the community. Methods: A screening questionnaire identified eligible participants (those aged 70 years or more at risk of sudden deterioration in health). Those randomly assigned to the visiting nurse group were assessed and followed up in their homes for 14 months. The primary outcome measure was the combined rate of deaths and …

Domains Of Organizational Effectiveness Of Gerontology Centers In Higher Education, Allison Hale Nichols

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This is an exploratory study that focuses on organizational effectiveness of gerontology centers and institutes at American universities. The study was modeled after studies of organizational effectiveness in higher education by Kim Cameron of Brigham Young University. The study identifies six domains of effectiveness that are important to gerontology centers and the structural and functional models and characteristics of gerontology centers that may predict the domain in which it is effective. The target population of the study was dominant coalition members of 87 gerontology centers, namely, administrators and faculty members who have the most influence on policy, direction, and performance. …

Screening Seniors For Risk Of Functional Decline: Results Of A Survey In Family Practice, Dawn M. Dalby, John W. Sellors, Fred D. Fraser, Catherine Fraser, Cornelia Van Ineveld, Laura Pickard, Michelle Howard

Kinesiology and Physical Education Faculty Publications

To measure functional status, determine risk of functional decline and assess consistency between responses and standardized instruments. Design: A mailed survey which measured functional impairment, recent hospitalization and bereavement. A positive response on at least one of these factors indicated that the individual was “at risk” for functional decline. A random sample (n=73) of “at risk” subjects (specifically, family practice patients aged 70 and older) were assessed by a nurse. Results: The response rate was 89% (369/415), 59% of seniors were female and the mean age was 77.1 (SD=5.5) years. Self-reported risk, based on activities of daily living (ADLs), was …

Revising The Kogan Scale: A Test Of Local Television News Producers' Attitudes Toward Older Adults, Michael L. Hilt, Jeremy Harris Lipschultz

Communication Faculty Publications

The Kogan Attitudes Toward Old People Scale (1961) was revised and used to measure local television news producer attitudes toward elderly people. The importance of local television news in the lives of older people makes the study of producers’ attitudes relevant. A national mail survey of producers found that, whereas there were few older news producers, as a group they had positive attitudes toward older people. The study successfully reduced the Kogan scale from 34 to 22 items without altering the overall response pattern.

Giving Up And Giving In: Young Adolescents' Dilemmas When Caring For A Grandparent With Alzheimer's Disease, Diane Lee Beach Edd

Dissertations

Caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease have been studied extensively; the vast majority of caregiver research has focused on spouses and adult children, negating the impact caregiving has on younger family members. Importantly, 75% of caregivers are female; 31% of these women have children at home under the age of 12 and 23% live with a child aged 12–17. As such, adolescents will be increasingly involved in the care of Alzheimer's victims. This study sought to examine the experiences of these individuals. Specifically, what is it like for an adolescent to provide care for a grandparent afflicted with Alzheimer's disease? …

Being Alone: The Experience Of Elderly Homebound Females, Sharon Davis Burt Dnsc, Msn, Rn

Dissertations

Elderly women comprise one of the fastest growing segments of the population in the United States. This growth is due in large part to increasing longevity, and a woman's life expectancy has now reached 79 years. However, along with those added years comes an increase in morbidity and a greater likelihood of living alone. This study describes the life experience of a specific group of elderly women, those who are homebound and living alone. When elderly women are included in research, the same combination of descriptors used for the participants in this study has not been incorporated. Consequently, while much …

Management Of Common Musculoskeletal Problems: A Survey Of Ontario Primary Care Physicians, Richard H. Glazier, Dawn M. Dalby, Elizabeth M. Badley, Gillian A. Hawker, Mary J. Bell, Rachelle Buchbinder, Sydney C. Lineker

Kinesiology and Physical Education Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: In Canada, primary care physicians manage most musculoskeletal problems. However, their training in this area is limited, and some aspects of management may be suboptimal. This study was conducted to examine primary care physicians' management of 3 common musculoskeletal problems, ascertain the determinants of management and compare management with that recommended by a current practice panel. METHODS: A stratified computer-generated random sample of 798 Ontario members of the College of Family Physicians of Canada received a self-administered questionnaire by mail. Respondents selected various items in the management of 3 hypothetical patients: a 77-year-old woman with a shoulder problem, a …

Psychosocial And Sociostructural Determinants Of Mastery: The Context Of Age And Disability, Scott David Schieman

Doctoral Dissertations

The "active" and "potent" self has held a special interest to philosophers, psychologists, and sociologists since the inception of those disciplines. The present research uses sociological perspectives on social comparison and reference group theory to provide a framework for understanding the various dimensions of self-process in the context of age and disability. Specifically, this research examines associations between age, disability, and social status indicators as they impress upon personal agency or mastery.

This study uses secondary data that includes respondents aged 18 and over who resided in any of ten counties in Southwestern Ontario and were part of a two-wave …

Quality Assisted Living For Older Adults, A Study Of Three Single Family Homes, A Viable Housing Alternative To Institutionalization, Rhonda Lynn Dahlberg

Theses

Long-term care is one of the greatest threats to the financial security of older Americans and their families. People are living longer and because of this many are becoming frail, developing functional impairments and suffering from chronic illnesses. In the past, elderly people did not have many options when health problems made running a household too difficult to manage. It then became necessary to explore other housing alternatives. Previously, nursing homes were the traditional solution for individuals without the family resources to help them stay at home.

Today, new housing options are emerging. These housing options are gaining considerable attention. …

Broadcast News And Elderly People: Attitudes Of Local Television Managers, Michael L. Hilt, Jeremy Harris Lipschultz

Communication Faculty Publications

The Kogan Attitudes Toward Old People Scale was used to measure local television manager attitudes toward elderly people. Census projections have shown that the elderly population will increase dramatically in the next century. The importance of local television news in the lives of the elderly makes the study of two groups of television managers - general managers and news directors 0 found that younger news directors have a more positive attitude toward older people, while the older general managers had a less positive attitude.