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Aging In Hanover: A Community Needs Assessment, Caitlin E. Coyle, Beth Rouleau, Ceara Somerville

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA), within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Town of Hanover. The report supports the Council on Aging’s objective to identify and serve the needs of residents age 55 and older. The contents of this report are meant to inform the Town of Hanover, the Hanover Council on Aging (COA), the Senior Center, and organizations that work with and on behalf of older residents of Hanover for the purposes of COA mission fulfillment alongside planning and coordination of …

Dementia Risk Reduction In The African Context: Multi-National Implementation Of Multimodal Strategies To Promote Healthy Brain Aging In Africa (The Africa-Fingers Project), Chinedu Momoh, Rachel Maina, Lukoye Atwoli, Karen Blackmon, Edna Bosire, Gloria Chemutai, Linda Khakali, Sylvia Mbugua, Zul Merali, Olivera Nesic Taylor,, Anthony Ngugi, Cyprian Mostert, Eunice Muthoni, Roselyter Riang’A, Mansoor Saleh, Shahin Sayed, Jasmit Shah

Brain and Mind Institute

Dementia prevention in Africa is critically underexplored, despite the continent's high prevalence of modifiable risk factors. With a predominantly young and middle-aged population, Africa presents a prime opportunity to implement evidence-based strategies that could significantly reduce future dementia cases and mitigate its economic impact. The multinational Africa-FINGERS program offers an innovative solution, pioneering culturally sensitive, multidomain interventions tailored to the unique challenges of the region. Leveraging insights from landmark global studies such as Worldwide-FINGERS and Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, the program employs a multideterminant precision prevention framework, grounded in community based systems dynamics. Africa-FINGERS further integrates cutting-edge state-of-the-art multimodal biomarker …

Genomic Analysis Of Intracranial And Subcortical Brain Volumes Yields Polygenic Scores Accounting For Variation Across Ancestries, Luis M García-Marín, Adrian I Campos, Santiago Diaz-Torres, Jill A Rabinowitz, Zuriel Ceja, Brittany L Mitchell, Katrina L Grasby, Jackson G Thorp, Ingrid Agartz, Saud Alhusaini, David Ames, Philippe Amouyel, Ole A Andreassen, Konstantinos Arfanakis, Alejandro Arias-Vasquez, Nicola J Armstrong, Lavinia Athanasiu, Mark E Bastin, Alexa S Beiser, David A Bennett, Joshua C Bis, Marco P M Boks, Dorret I Boomsma, Henry Brodaty, Rachel M Brouwer, Jan K Buitelaar, Ralph Burkhardt, Wiepke Cahn, Vince D Calhoun, Owen T Carmichael, Mallar Chakravarty, Qiang Chen, Christopher R K Ching, Sven Cichon, Benedicto Crespo-Facorro, Fabrice Crivello, Anders M Dale, George Davey Smith, Eco J C De Geus, Philip L De Jager, Greig I De Zubicaray, Stéphanie Debette, Charles Decarli, Chantal Depondt, Sylvane Desrivières, Srdjan Djurovic, Stefan Ehrlich, Susanne Erk, Thomas Espeseth, Guillén Fernández, Irina Filippi, Simon E Fisher, Debra A Fleischman, Evan Fletcher, Myriam Fornage, Andreas J Forstner, Clyde Francks, Barbara Franke, Tian Ge, Aaron L Goldman, Hans J Grabe, Robert C Green, Oliver Grimm, Nynke A Groenewold, Oliver Gruber, Vilmundur Gudnason, Asta K Håberg, Unn K Haukvik, Andreas Heinz, Derrek P Hibar, Saima Hilal, Jayandra J Himali, Beng-Choon Ho, David F Hoehn, Pieter J Hoekstra, Edith Hofer, Wolfgang Hoffmann, Avram J Holmes, Georg Homuth, Norbert Hosten, M Kamran Ikram, Jonathan C Ipser, Clifford R Jack, Neda Jahanshad, Erik G Jönsson, Rene S Kahn, Ryota Kanai, Marieke Klein, Maria J Knol, Lenore J Launer, Stephen M Lawrie, Stephanie Le Hellard, Phil H Lee, Hervé Lemaître, Shuo Li, David C M Liewald, Honghuang Lin, W T Longstreth, Oscar L Lopez, Michelle Luciano, Pauline Maillard, Andre F Marquand, Nicholas G Martin, Jean-Luc Martinot, Karen A Mather, Venkata S Mattay, Katie L Mcmahon, Patrizia Mecocci, Ingrid Melle, Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Nazanin Mirza-Schreiber, Yuri Milaneschi, Thomas H Mosley, Thomas W Mühleisen, Bertram Müller-Myhsok, Susana Muñoz Maniega, Matthias Nauck, Kwangsik Nho, Wiro J Niessen, Markus M Nöthen, Paul A Nyquist, Jaap Oosterlaan, Massimo Pandolfo, Tomas Paus, Zdenka Pausova, Brenda W J H Penninx, G Bruce Pike, Bruce M Psaty, Benno Pütz, Simone Reppermund, Marcella D Rietschel, Shannon L Risacher, Nina Romanczuk-Seiferth, Rafael Romero-Garcia, Gennady V Roshchupkin, Jerome I Rotter, Perminder S Sachdev, Philipp G Sämann, Arvin Saremi, Muralidharan Sargurupremraj, Andrew J Saykin, Lianne Schmaal, Helena Schmidt, Reinhold Schmidt, Peter R Schofield, Markus Scholz, Gunter Schumann, Emanuel Schwarz, Li Shen, Jean Shin, Sanjay M Sisodiya, Albert V Smith, Jordan W Smoller, Hilkka S Soininen, Vidar M Steen, Dan J Stein, Jason L Stein, Sophia I Thomopoulos, Arthur W Toga, Diana Tordesillas-Gutiérrez, Julian N Trollor, Maria C Valdes-Hernandez, Dennis Van T Ent, Hans Van Bokhoven, Dennis Van Der Meer, Nic J A Van Der Wee, Javier Vázquez-Bourgon, Dick J Veltman, Meike W Vernooij, Arno Villringer, Louis N Vinke, Henry Völzke, Henrik Walter, Joanna M Wardlaw, Daniel R Weinberger, Michael W Weiner, Wei Wen, Lars T Westlye, Eric Westman, Tonya White, A Veronica Witte, Christiane Wolf, Jingyun Yang, Marcel P Zwiers, M Arfan Ikram, Sudha Seshadri, Paul M Thompson, Claudia L Satizabal, Sarah E Medland, Miguel E Rentería

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Subcortical brain structures are involved in developmental, psychiatric and neurological disorders. Here we performed genome-wide association studies meta-analyses of intracranial and nine subcortical brain volumes (brainstem, caudate nucleus, putamen, hippocampus, globus pallidus, thalamus, nucleus accumbens, amygdala and the ventral diencephalon) in 74,898 participants of European ancestry. We identified 254 independent loci associated with these brain volumes, explaining up to 35% of phenotypic variance. We observed gene expression in specific neural cell types across differentiation time points, including genes involved in intracellular signaling and brain aging-related processes. Polygenic scores for brain volumes showed predictive ability when applied to individuals of diverse …

Sex Differences In Hypertension And Its Management Throughout Life, Wan-Jin Yeo, Rahul Abraham, Aditya L Surapaneni, Pascal Schlosser, Shoshana H Ballew, Bige Ozkan, Carina M Flaherty, Bing Yu, Joseph V Bonventre, Chirag R Parikh, Paul L Kimmel, Ramachandran S Vasan, Josef Coresh, Morgan E Grams

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The prevalence of hypertension and uncontrolled hypertension may differ by age and sex.

Methods: We included participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study at seven study visits over 33 years (visit 1: 15 636 participants; mean age, 54 years; 55% women), estimating sex differences in prevalence of hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg; diastolic blood pressure ≥80 mm Hg; or self-reported antihypertension medication use) and uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg) using unadjusted and comorbidity-adjusted models.

Results: The prevalence of hypertension increased with age from 40% (ages, 43-46 …

低收入年長照顧者面對的挑戰研究報告, Chak Kwan, Dickon Chan, Ka Chung, Tom Kwong, Meng Soi, Florence Fong, Sheung Wan, Wanda Wong, Chi Ho Liu, Shuk Yan Yuen, Wai Tung Ng

APIAS Research Report 研究報告

研究目的
隨著人口老化、壽命延長，以及長期病患數目的增加，更多人需要非正規照顧。香港缺乏針對年長及低收入照顧者的文獻，本研究旨在瞭解他們照顧家人的經歷、面對之困難，以及現有支援服務對他們有否幫助。

研究方法
本研究於2024年3月至6月期間，採用深度訪談 (in-depth interview) 方式，訪問了30位60歲以上，正接受政府財政援助計劃的低收入照顧者。收集的訪問數據，以主題分析方法 (thematic analysis) 處理。

研究結果

• 九成被訪者的平均每月收入為$5,000或以下。低收入年長照顧者年齡中位數為72歲，平均患有2種長期疾病。每周照顧時數中位數為42小時，照顧年期中位數為8.5年。
• 被照顧者年齡中位數為78歲，全部都有長期病或癌症，平均患有2種疾病。
• 被訪者提供多方面的照顧工作，包括膳食 (97%)、陪診 (37%)、家居清潔 (33%) 和協助如廁 (27%)。
• 被訪照顧者面對多方面的壓力。經濟方面，由於被照顧的家人體弱，需要乘坐的士覆診，亦要自費購買特定藥物和保健品，財政壓力大。
• 被照顧者自理能力低，情緒不穩定，照顧者經常要處理厭惡性清潔工作，身心俱疲，出現焦慮和失眠。
• 八成被訪者要獨力照顧家人，支援網絡薄弱。
• 照顧者使用服務遇上數方面困難，包括不懂得使用電子預約平台、社區缺乏緊急和突發需要的暫托服務、服務質素差和收費過高。

政策建議

• 放寬照顧者津貼門檻，低收入家庭即使正在領取其它社會保障津貼及受照顧人沒有輪候院舍服務，亦可領取。
• 推行更具彈性和設置24小時緊急支援服務，應付照顧者即時及突發需要。
• 簡化暫托服務程序和提供接送支援，並且發展「長者社區保姆」服務。
• 加強外展接觸有需要照顧者，盡快設立照顧者資料庫，以識別高危照顧者。
• 立法制定照顧者政策 (Carers’ Policy)，推行「照顧者統一評估」，並根據評估結果提供合適服務。

Impact Of Diabetes Self-Management Education On Hemoglobin A1c Levels In The Rural Patient Population, Barbara Adomakomensah Sarpong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The global prevalence of type 2 diabetes is one of the greatest health threats in society, especially in the rural population. Rural healthcare data analysis has proved a need for type 2 diabetes control education. Despite the existence of helpful diabetes control interventions, rural diabetes patients still struggle to maintain healthy behaviors, with about 60% of the patients recording hemoglobin A1c levels above 9. Many suffer severe conditions (e.g., stroke, kidney failure, and heart attacks) because of poor management of the condition. The project examined the impact of diabetes self-management education on hemoglobin A1c levels in the rural patient population. …

Association Analysis Of Mitochondrial Dna Heteroplasmic Variants: Methods And Application, Xianbang Sun, Katia Bulekova, Jian Yang, Meng Lai, Achilleas N Pitsillides, Xue Liu, Yuankai Zhang, Xiuqing Guo, Qian Yong, Laura M Raffield, Jerome I Rotter, Stephen S Rich, Goncalo Abecasis, April P Carson, Ramachandran S Vasan, Joshua C Bis, Bruce M Psaty, Eric Boerwinkle, Annette L Fitzpatrick, Claudia L Satizabal, Dan E Arking, Jun Ding, Daniel Levy, Chunyu Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We rigorously assessed a comprehensive association testing framework for heteroplasmy, employing both simulated and real-world data. This framework employed a variant allele fraction (VAF) threshold and harnessed multiple gene-based tests for robust identification and association testing of heteroplasmy. Our simulation studies demonstrated that gene-based tests maintained an appropriate type I error rate at α = 0.001. Notably, when 5 % or more heteroplasmic variants within a target region were linked to an outcome, burden-extension tests (including the adaptive burden test, variable threshold burden test, and z-score weighting burden test) outperformed the sequence kernel association test (SKAT) and the original burden …

Senescence Biomarkers And Trajectories Of Frailty And Physical Function After Kidney Transplantation, Elizabeth C Lorenz, Byron H Smith, Hani M Wadei, Girish Mour, Cassie C Kennedy, Carrie A Schinstock, Walter K Kremers, Andrea L Cheville, Latonya J Hickson, Elizabeth J Atkinson, Thomas A White, Andrew D Rule, Nathan K Lebrasseur

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cellular senescence is a biological mechanism of aging and age-related diseases. The aim of this study was to examine whether senescence biomarkers are associated with frailty and physical function trajectories in patients undergoing kidney transplantation (KT). We also discussed the relationship between senescence biomarkers and KT function. In this multicenter study, we prospectively assessed plasma levels of senescence biomarkers, frailty as measured by the Physical Frailty Phenotype, and physical function as measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery prior to KT. Frailty, physical function, and KT function were also measured 1 year after KT. Variable associations were assessed using Cox …

Iglon5 Frequency In Idiopathic Rem Sleep Behavior Disorder: A Multicenter Study, Ronald Postuma, Jennifer Mcleland, Albert A. Davis, Yo-El S. Ju, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Idiopathic/isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) has been strongly linked to neurodegenerative synucleinopathies such as Parkinson disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy. However, there have been increasing reports of RBD as a presenting feature of serious and treatable autoimmune syndromes, particularly IGLON5. This study's objective was to investigate the frequency of autoantibodies in a large cohort of participants with iRBD.

METHODS: Participants were enrolled in the North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy cohort with polysomnography-confirmed iRBD, free of parkinsonism and dementia. Plasma samples were systematically screened for the autoantibodies IGLON5, DPPX, LGI1, and CASPR2 using plasma …

2024-2025 Academic Catalog, The University Of Alabama In Huntsville

Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Examining Technology Of Senior Citizens In Rural Areas, Bob D. Lee

Visions in Leisure and Business

The needs of the rural senior population are quite different than other groups because of their geographic location. This is especially true because of the technology needs of the seniors. This article is an examination of some of the critical issues that influence how technology is currently used and what improvements should be made to improve their quality of life. An important aspect of the purpose is to examine these issues from a future perspective.

Direction, Yawei Wang

Visions in Leisure and Business

No abstract provided.

Technology And Its Influence In Program Development For Seniors, Sandy Gaietto

Visions in Leisure and Business

Programs are the primary contact level that influences the lifestyle of seniors. There is a great diversity of programs and it is important that the proper program be applied to have a maximum influence upon the individual. It is essential that there be a critical needs assessment in order to select the best programs. This also requires a continuous evaluation to assess the impacts of the selected programs. Technology is advancing so rapidly that the appropriate platform also has an influence. The pedagogical approach is very important in the senior adapting to these new technologies. One of the most influential …

Perspective Annotation, Yu Liu

Visions in Leisure and Business

A critical review of selected sources helped develop a better perspective about successful models and points the direction to the needed future of technology for older adults. The diversity of selected approaches was identified in the different literature sources. There is not a consistent position on technology, but there is agreement that it must be individualized and progressively applied through pedagogical friendly approaches. This will greatly aid any technology now and in the future.

Promoting E-Inclusion To Improve Quality Of Life For Older Adults: Challenges, Opportunities, And Solutions, Brian Kibet, Yawei Wang

Visions in Leisure and Business

This paper aims to uncover the interlinkage between older adults and technology, focusing on the use of technology to enrich the lives of this group of people while also acknowledging the dynamic nature of this demographic. Modern technology is developing at a breakneck pace, and this brings several advantages by improving the lives of older adults, such as efficiently managing their health through tele-rehabilitation, connecting with their family and friends through social networks and games, and online classes. However, such benefits come hand in hand with challenges like physical and mental health issues, technology phobia and illiteracy, and perceived redundancy …

Strategies And Best Practices To Improve Job Satisfaction And Determine Optimum Workload For Nurses In Texas Long-Term Care Facilities, Oluwayomi Toyin Olatunde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Long-term care facilities have experienced a workforce crisis for years. This workforce primarily encompasses direct care workers that include registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs). This integrative review searched empirical and non empirical literature within the past five years related to long-term care facilities nurses’ perceptions of the impact of workload on job satisfaction. The study employed the Job Demand-Control (JDC) framework to determine the demand and control measures influencing LTC nurse job satisfaction. The literature search revealed five main themes which included: reduced workload, improved workplace environment, organizational support, development opportunities, and CNA …

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Strategies And Best Practices To Improve Job Satisfaction And Determine Optimum Workload For Nurses In Texas Long-Term Care Facilities, Oluwayomi Toyin Olatunde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Long-term care facilities have experienced a workforce crisis for years. This workforce primarily encompasses direct care workers that include registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs). This integrative review searched empirical and non empirical literature within the past five years related to long-term care facilities nurses’ perceptions of the impact of workload on job satisfaction. The study employed the Job Demand-Control (JDC) framework to determine the demand and control measures influencing LTC nurse job satisfaction. The literature search revealed five main themes which included: reduced workload, improved workplace environment, organizational support, development opportunities, and CNA …

Strategies And Best Practices To Improve Job Satisfaction And Determine Optimum Workload For Nurses In Texas Long-Term Care Facilities, Oluwayomi Toyin Olatunde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Long-term care facilities have experienced a workforce crisis for years. This workforce primarily encompasses direct care workers that include registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs). This integrative review searched empirical and non empirical literature within the past five years related to long-term care facilities nurses’ perceptions of the impact of workload on job satisfaction. The study employed the Job Demand-Control (JDC) framework to determine the demand and control measures influencing LTC nurse job satisfaction. The literature search revealed five main themes which included: reduced workload, improved workplace environment, organizational support, development opportunities, and CNA …

International Leadership Opportunities, Gwen D. Sherwood

Leadership Connection

Members of the Leadership Succession Committee will discuss opportunities for serving as an international leader in the Honor Society. Open positions and position descriptions will be identified during this session as well as qualifications and time commitment required.

A New Direction: Psychiatric Virtual Simulations To Provide Comprehensive Clinical Experiences, Kathleen Marie-Anne Huun, Andreas Martin Kummerow

Leadership Connection

Comprehensive psychiatric clinical experiences for pre-licensure nursing students can be achieved through the incorporation of multiple, content specific, virtually simulated mental health scenarios. The virtual simulations also provide a quantitative method to assess student achievement allowing for readily identifiable areas of individual strengths and weaknesses.

Your Health - Don't Leave It To Luck: Analyzing Nursing Students' Perceptions Of Self-Care, Jessica Jane Paul

Leadership Connection

A look at Kent State nursing students' perceptions of self-care before and after a health focused event based on the ANA's Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation Grand Challenge initiative.

Using Images To Elicit Leadership And Management In Nursing Praxis: A Photovoice Research, Juneau Flor Encinares Julian, Carren B. Manalo, Esteve Adrian Estiva

Leadership Connection

This study used photovoice to typify leadership from the descriptions of selected photos eidetic of management. This study will also explore, document and reflect on the experiences of the participants on their exercise of leadership and to excerpt from their own insights of what leadership means.

Transforming Nursing Education: Utilization Of The Ipad In Laboratory And Clinical Settings, Lu Ann V. Reed, Tasha Turner-Bicknell

Leadership Connection

Utilization of iPad with sophomore BSN students in skills lab and clinical sites to document patient data, and upload assignments. Our goal was to simulate the electronic medium utilized in the clinical setting, improve IT literacy and reduce overall expenses. There were challenges, rewards, and lessons learned for future success.

The Experience Of Claustrophobia In Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy, Patricia A. Dettenmeier

Leadership Connection

This dissertation explores what claustrophobia, fear of enclosed spaces, is like for people who use a machine called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) at night when sleeping to keep the throat open. What causes claustrophobia is different for individuals and their ability to use CPAP varies.

Tau Iota In Action!, Catherine Ann Kush, Pamela Newland

Leadership Connection

Tau Iota Chapter will present an overview of best practices community/global health project. Participants should expect to learn about how Tau Iota Chapter began implementing the President's Call to Action and potential startup global initiative networking.

Student Hotspotting: An Opportunity For Student Nurses To Work With High-Utilizers On Interprofessional Teams, Colin Mcnamara, Michael Arenson, Jennifer R. Dyson, Madeleine Rutledge, Sindhuja Surapaneni

Leadership Connection

Healthcare costs are driven largely by a group of high-utilizers who constitute 5% of the population but account for about 50% of expenditures. A Grady Hospital-based intervention was created to engage Atlanta's high-utilizers with teams of interprofessional students in addressing non-medical concerns that contribute to frequent utilization.

Risk Factors For Falls In Adult Stroke Patients: A Comprehensive Model, Jee Hye Yoo

Leadership Connection

The comprehensive model which could explain fall risk factors in stroke patients was constructed using theory synthesis. The model consisted of five categories, which were patients' general characteristics, physical function, neurological function, stroke-specific characteristics, and patients' medical history.

Reducing Telemetry Overuse In A Non-Intensive Care Unit: A Pilot Study, Cheary Anna Shelim, Alycia Bristol, Valerie Kaura

Leadership Connection

In a 40-bed, non-intensive care unit of a community hospital, a multidisciplinary team spearheaded a process improvement project to reduce telemetry overuse by using the IOWA Model for Evidence-Based Practice. This 4-week pilot study resulted in an increase in staff knowledge and financial savings for the organization.

Predictors Of Stress And Strain In Hispanic Caregivers, Amy M. Levi, Mona Wicks, Elizabeth A. Tolley, J. Carolyn Graff, Karen A. Karlowicz, Cathy B. Scott, Shelley I. White-Means

Leadership Connection

The purpose of this study is to build on findings from the descriptive parent study, Caregiving in the U.S. 2015, by using a multivariate analysis to identify the caregiver, care recipient, and work-related factors reported by Hispanic caregivers that contribute to their physical and financial strain, and emotional stress.