Digital Commons Network^™

Housing Dynamics Of Older Americans In The 21st Century, Tim Murray

Doctoral Dissertations

The Life-Cycle Hypothesis suggests that households save during their working years and then draw down those savings in retirement. Housing equity constitutes a large portion of most retiree’s savings portfolios, yet older households are not using their accumulated housing equity to help increase consumption in retirement and often die with large sums of housing equity. This dissertation explores housing equity use by older Americas in three ways. Chapter 1 looks at homeownership and moving rates of older Americans and how having a guaranteed source of income from a defined benefit plan may have mitigated some of the effects of the …

Dementia Education: What Are The Needs Of Post-Secondary Students In London, Ontario?, Tri Le

Student Work - Community Studies

Dementia is a chronic and progressive syndrome characterized by the disturbance of multiple brain functions. As of 2008, an estimated 500,000 Canadians will have a dementia diagnosis and is predicted to rise to 1.1 million Canadians in 2038. A lack of dementia awareness has been identified by McCormick Dementia Services. This study examines the current dementia knowledge of a small cross-section of post-secondary students in London, Ontario. A sample size of twenty-eight participants took an online survey in which students identified that they were able to recognize and had sufficient knowledge of dementia. The survey revealed that although adequate knowledge …

Embracing The Views Of Those Who Matter The Most: An Approach Towards A More Sustainable Recreational Program For Older Adults, Apurva Desai

Student Work - Community Studies

Introduction: With age, older adults may face increasing challenges to community recreational participation. This is usually not for the lack of programming, rather, it may be the result of older adults not finding the programming to be as meaningful. Among other issues, there may be little to no opportunity for self-determination (defined as, having a perceived sense of control over one’s environment), which has been shown to be a critical factor for successful aging. Older adults are usually not at the center of the process; programs are instead primarily driven by the needs of the organization. Community recreational facilities, such …

Toward An Understanding Of Behavioral And Sensory Experiences When Living With Dementia And Related Disorders: An Environmental Gerontology Perspective, Elizabeth K. Rhodus

Theses and Dissertations--Gerontology

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia create challenges for those living with neurodegenerative cognitive impairment and their care partners. Pharmacological approaches for treatment of challenging behaviors seen in dementia have limited success and serious side effects. Because of this, nonpharmacological approaches are being investigated with increasing frequency. Of particular interest are nonpharmacological approaches involving environmental stimulation to change behaviors. Success of such approaches relies on sensory processing systems, personal preferences, and environmental congruence. There is limited evidence describing behaviors of persons with cognitive impairment in relation to these components. Currently, there is no guiding model for implementation of environmental and …

Longitudinal Associations Between Functional Disability, Depression, And Suicide In Middle-Aged And Older Adults, Julie Ann Lutz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Suicide is a significant public health problem among older adults in the United States and around the world. There has been little research to date on longitudinal change in functional disability and depressive symptoms, both of which have been posited to be associated with suicide risk among middle-aged and older adults, and their association with death by suicide. The aims of this study were to 1) characterize longitudinal change in functional disability and depressive symptoms separately; 2) characterize the directional associations between functional disability and depressive symptoms in bivariate models; and 3) determine how different patterns of change among these …

The Efficacy Of A Group Visual Art Bereavement Intervention With Older Adults, Rachel E. Weiskittle

Theses and Dissertations

Research on expressive art interventions for bereavement has burgeoned in recent years. Studies have supported their effectiveness in facilitating participants’ adjustment to loss (e.g., Rosner, Kruse, & Hagl, 2010; Uttley, 2015) and have revealed the frequency with which they are clinically implemented (Thompson & Neimeyer, 2014). Clinicians and recipients of expressive art interventions advocate for their helpfulness in grief processing (e.g., Gamino, 2015). Publications have highlighted particular visual art modules that facilitate adaptive adjustment to loss by providing avenues for self-expression, meaning making and continuing bonds with the deceased (Neimeyer, 2016), but few studies have quantitatively investigated whether they improve …

Assessing The Relationship Between Acute And Chronic Health Conditions And Transportation Disadvantage And Quality Of Life Among Older Adults In Tarrant County, Texas, James Craig Keaton

Social Work Theses - Archive

By the year 2035, for the first time in US history, there will be more older adults in the US than individuals under the age of 18 (Vespa, 2018), and Tarrant County, Texas is the fastest growing community in the country (US Census Bureau, 2018), with older adults comprising a significant portion of that growth (United Way Tarrant County Community Assessment, 2015). Accompanying this, older adults are among the most at-risk individuals for acute and chronic health problems and are the highest utilizers of health care (Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program, 2018). Syed, Gerber, and Sharp (2013) report the …

Weight Management Counselling Among Community Pharmacists: A Scoping Review, Meagen Rosenthal, Lori M. Ward, Jason Teng, Seena L. Haines

Faculty and Student Publications (Open Access)

No abstract provided.

Drinking Behaviors And Health In Old Age, Kaleigh Knapp

Master's Theses and Capstones

Alcohol abuse among the elderly population is rapidly becoming a widespread public health concern. As it goes undetected and undiagnosed in many within this age cohort, there is an increased need to further examine the effects of alcohol consumption on physical and mental health. This study investigated how and to what extent drinking behaviors affect physical and mental health in older people. Data came from the 2012 and 2014 Health and Retirement study, a nationally representative survey of Americans aged 51 and older. Our sample was restricted to people who participated in both waves of the survey from 2012 and …

Occupational Responses Of Older Adults Following Partner Loss, Carol Huang, Jane Song, Peter Behr, Stephanie Sterner

Student Research Posters

Spousal loss has been frequently identified as a life stressor that can greatly impede one’s ability to age at home. The purpose of this study is to identify the occupational changes that commonly result after this event and their impacts on one’s ability to age in place. This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological research design. Eight participants were recruited from an educational program for older adults and were interviewed using a semi-structured interview format. Researchers transcribed and coded all interviews to determine emergent themes. Two major categories of themes were found: occupational and intrinsic responses. The areas of occupation that …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Female Retirement Living Seniors And Their Social Relationships, Kathy Procyk

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Objective

This research examines the lived experiences of seniors living within a retirement home (RH) and their social relationships with friends, family, and RH peers. The phenomena is explored through two perspectives (the senior and their support person) in order to better understand how retirement home living affects individuals’ social patterns and social well-being.

Methods

The theoretical orientation used to guide this study was phenomenology. After completing a background questionnaire, one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 women living in a retirement home and 7 primary support persons. Interviews were transcribed verbatim for further data analysis. Field notes, member checks, …

Preconceptional Health Behavior Change In Women With Overweight And Obesity: Prototype For Smart Strong Healthy Women Intervention, Frank T. Materia, Joshua M. Smyth, Kristin E. Heron, Marianne Hillemeier, Mark E. Feinberg, Patricia Fonzi, Danielle Symons

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: The prevalence of maternal perinatal obesity is rising, and in turn, increases health risks and morbidity for both mother and child. Past evidence suggests the preconceptional Strong Healthy Women (SHW) intervention can reduce multiple biobehavioral risk factors for adverse perinatal health. The SHW intervention, however, was time- and resource-intensive to deliver. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies provide an opportunity to expand intervention reach while reducing implementation cost and burden. Previous research suggests that preconceptional women are broadly supportive of using smartphones for behavior change, yet few studies have elicited their specific preferences for a targeted mHealth intervention. The objective of …

Facing Obstacles As A Senior, Catherine Mccarthy

All Student Theses and Dissertations

Seniors are individuals who need the most assistance because they are a growing population in our society. It is estimated that by the year 2020, those 65 years and over will reach 55 million and those 85 years and over will number 7.3 million. Seniors need the most attention because daily items such as personal care, preparing a meal, going to the grocery store or housework become very challenging. This is when you need to acquire services that can help daily for these tasks. The Department of Aging plays a vital role when becoming a senior over the age of …

Improving Transitions In Care For People With Dementia: The Cared Tool, Yuwen Deng, Jamie Bisset, Silk Lim, Maryssa Edwards

Community Engaged Learning Final Projects

Transitions in Care are challenging for people with dementia due to impairments in communication and disorientation from being in a foreign environment. Transitions in care have lead to incidents of unnecessary physical and chemical restraints of this vulnerable population. To investigate how to optimize care transitions, qualitative descriptive information was collected through three personal interviews to gain a broader understanding of mechanisms of care transitions in London, ON. After conducting interviews and literature review, the CARED Tool was developed. The CARED Tool promotes social inclusion of patients with dementia through recognizing that people with dementia have complex needs, thereby allowing …

Legacy Of Research In Japanese Gerontology, Elijah Beaudoin

International ResearchScape Journal

No abstract provided.

Finding My Niche Through Fellowship In Stti's Gerontological Nursing Leadership Academy, Mary Catherine Rawls, Ellen Flaherty, Claudia Jean Beverly

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Leadership skills are developed via examination of self using the Kouzes-Posner practice model (Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, Encourage the Heart) in three domains: Individual Leadership Development, Advancing Nursing Practice through Inter-professional Team Project Leadership and Expanding the Scope of Influence.

Enduring Chronic Kidney Disease: An Investigation Of Psychosocial Factors And Life Satisfaction In Older Adults Receiving Dialysis Treatment, Bailee Sobotka

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Chronic kidney disease is a condition during which the kidneys begin to shut down and no longer filter blood efficiently. Once the disease has progressed far enough, dialysis treatments are mandatory to sustain life. To further understand how older adults receiving dialysis treatments cope with their disease, psychosocial factors were evaluated to investigate possible correlations with life satisfaction using a Life Satisfaction Index Z (LSI-Z). Expected correlations with life satisfaction were sociability, financial satisfaction, importance of spirituality, and activities of daily living scores. Interviews were conducted with 30 dialysis patients and results were analyzed using various statistical measures. Significant correlations …

Cultural Dissonance Of Elder Learners In Beginning Literacy And Language Classrooms, Lisa Vogl

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Elder learners face unique barriers in LESLLA classrooms. Using qualitative research and semistructured interviews, this study analyzed data from fourteen low-literate elders and their instructor participated in interviews with a bilingual interpreter and observations in a beginning language and literacy classroom. Elders compared their prior learning experiences, based in Indigenous Knowledge, with their experiences in Western classrooms. Themes identified provide important implications for further LESLLA research.

Evaluating Preference Stability Among Individuals With Alzheimer’S Disease, Sabrine Maali

Thesis Projects

In the behavior-analytic field, preference assessments are conducted to determine specific items to use as reinforcers to reduce aberrant behavior as well as increase appropriate behavior. We examined the consistency of preference-assessments results among individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) to ensure effective reinforcers are used in behavioral interventions. Specifically, we examined if identified reinforcers remained consistent for individuals with AD throughout the study or if preferences shifted. The experimental procedure consisted of a series of multiple-stimulus preference assessments without replacement (MSWO); data were analyzed for preference shifts. Results showed variability with one individual’s preferences, whereas the other individual’s preferences remained …

Race And Income Disparities In Disaster Preparedness In Old Age, Katherine M. Cox

Master's Theses and Capstones

Objective: Older adults are one of the most vulnerable populations impacted by disasters and communities continue to struggle addressing preparedness. This study investigated to what extent income status and race/ethnicity in old age interplayed with disaster preparedness.

Methods: Data came from the 2010 Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative panel survey of older Americans over 51 years old. Our sample was restricted to respondents who participated in a special survey about disaster preparedness (N=1,705). Disaster preparedness was measured as a score, which includes 13 variables related to personal, household, program, and medical preparedness. Race/ethnicity was categorized by White, Black, …

Improving Patients' Health Literacy Level And Ability To Take Their Medication As Prescribed, Wanda Chukwu

DNP and Student Works

Community health nurses responsible for managing the care of sick patients have a responsibility in knowing how to prevent the progression of diseases and the promotion of self-management skills. There is a need to incorporate strategies that empower patients to be integral members of the health care team. This process can be achieved by breakdown communication barriers that assume that the health care provider has given the patient the appropriate health information

In The Information Age, Do Dementia Caregivers Get The Information They Need? Semi-Structured Interviews To Determine Informal Caregivers’ Education Needs, Barriers, And Preferences, Kendra Peterson, Howard Hahn, Amber J. Lee, Catherine A. Madison, Alireza Atri

Dartmouth Scholarship

Most patients with dementia or cognitive impairment receive care from family members, often untrained for this challenging role. Caregivers may not access publicly available caregiving information, and caregiver education programs are not widely implemented clinically. Prior large surveys yielded broad quantitative understanding of caregiver information needs, but do not illuminate the in-depth, rich, and nuanced caregiver perspectives that can be gleaned using qualitative methodology. We aimed to understand perspectives about information sources, barriers and preferences, through semi-structured interviews with 27 caregivers. Content analysis identified important themes

Attitudes Of Health Professions' Students Toward Older Adults, Michele M. Shuman

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Thursday, July 21, 2016 and Friday, July 22, 2016:

Purpose: Across the world, the population of older adults is growing exponentially. This growing population will not only tax each socio-economic system in which the growth is occurring, but especially the health care systems in each respective country. For many of these older adults, as they live longer, suffer from at least one chronic illness. Older adults occupy more than half the beds in acute care institutions. Their age and health status makes older adults an especially vulnerable population who deserve the most compassionate and competent care possible. …

The Sandwich Generation Diner: Development Of A Web-Based Health Intervention For Intergenerational Caregivers, Ann M. Steffen, Joel Epstein, Nika George, Megan Macdougall

Psychology Faculty Works

Background: Women are disproportionately likely to assist aging family members; approximately 53 million in the United States are involved with the health care of aging parents, in-laws, or other relatives. The busy schedules of “sandwich generation” women who care for older relatives require accessible and flexible health education, including Web-based approaches. Objective: This paper describes the development and implementation of a Web-based health education intervention, The Sandwich Generation Diner, as a tool for intergenerational caregivers of older adults with physical and cognitive impairments. Methods: We used Bartholomew’s Intervention Mapping (IM) process to develop our theory-based health education program. Bandura’s (1997) …

Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Aging Veterans: What Works?, Heather Renee O'Dell Lewis

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious condition with debilitating symptoms which affects military veterans and has been understudied in the older population. Aside from treating the veterans of the Vietnam War and World War II, as service members from more recent conflicts age, the mental healthcare system needs to be able to treat them with empathy and effective therapies. As there is a need for future research focusing on this population, this paper reviews the current literature and utilizes Grounded theory to further the research related to PTSD in aging veterans. A selection of mental health clinicians with experience …

Examining Racial Differences Among Predictors Of Home And Community-Based Service Use And Choice And Control In Older Adults In The Money Follows The Person Program In Connecticut, Chanee Darnell Fabius

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore racial differences in home and community-based service (HCBS) use and perceived choice and control in frail elders ages 65 and older participating in the Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration program in Connecticut using the Andersen Behavioral Model of Health Service Utilization (1995). The comparison of Black and White program participants provides insight both for clinicians who work directly with frail elders and for researchers who seek to contribute to the gerontological field. This dissertation used secondary data collected from quality of life (QOL) interviews of (N=659) MFP participants who have transitioned …

Learning Through Uncertainty: A Phenomenological Study Of Older, Professional Men Coping With Involuntary Job Loss, Brian Hentz

Doctoral Dissertations

Since the 2007-08 global financial crisis, older, professional men have suffered their fair share of job losses (i.e., “mancession”). Involuntary job loss presents a challenging life transition that requires coping skills, and learning through the uncertainties of later-life job loss is a major part of the coping process. The challenge for facilitators of adult learning is to understand how these men learn from and through this life transition, and what types of learning experiences relate to adaptive coping.

The conceptual framework for this phenomenological study was developed by synthesizing research literature on coping and job loss. This framework informed the …

Leading Practices In Geriatric Care: Building A Dermal Defense Team Makes A Difference!, Desales Foster

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Monday, November 9, 2015: The task of building and maintaining a dermal defense team requires commitment from all hospital units and administration. This commitment begins with the creation of a champion role. Each unit in the hospital has a nurse champion who represents the unit and each champion performs monthly prevalence studies, educates staff, and communicates findings via email and poster presentations. Education of champions starts with NDNQI pressure ulcer education using the four modules to teach staff how to perform a prevalence study. Once this education was complete the staff rounds with the dermal defense team …

Pat Owens, Pat Owens, Kelsey Duinkerken

Jefferson Nursing Oral Histories

From a young age Pat Owens had a strong interest in nursing, and as a high school student she was even the President of her school’s Future Nurses Club. However, she also really liked home economics so when she went to college she decided to pursue home economics rather than nursing. After working as at the Dairy Council as a nutrition consultant and later at Campbell’s Soup in their test kitchen, Ms. Owens decided that she wanted to instead pursue a career in nursing. After looking into different programs in the Philadelphia area, she chose Jefferson, entering in 1990 and …

The Online Dating Preferences Of Chinese American Older Adults, Lin Jiang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recently years, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of online dating websites among adults over age 50. Nevertheless, samples collected in existing literature are mainly centered on White/Caucasian Americans. Furthermore, the only theoretical guide has been sexual strategies theory. This study fills the gap by using sexual strategies theory and acculturation theory to test Chinese American older adults dating preferences.

The sexual strategies theory discusses how males and females use different mating strategies in short-term and long-term contexts. Acculturation theory describes changes in which individuals or groups adopt another culture when it makes contact with their …