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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Relationship Between Age And Pre-End Stage Renal Disease Care In Elderly Hemodialysis Patients, Rubette Harford Phd, Msn, Rn
Relationship Between Age And Pre-End Stage Renal Disease Care In Elderly Hemodialysis Patients, Rubette Harford Phd, Msn, Rn
Dissertations
Purpose: The primary purpose of this dissertation was to examine the relationship between age and receipt of three components of pre-end stage renal disease care prior to first initiation of hemodialysis, and to explore the implications of differences in interpretation of funding policies for dialysis services in Puerto Rico and the U.S. mainland. Background: The growing burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a national public health concern, particularly within the aged population. It is estimated that more than 25 million Americans are living with some level of kidney disease, with an increasing prevalence noted with increasing age (Coresh et …
Nutrition, Appetite And Weight Loss In Elders Living In Long-Term Care Facilities, Karene Marie Goodman
Nutrition, Appetite And Weight Loss In Elders Living In Long-Term Care Facilities, Karene Marie Goodman
Dissertations
Abstract Elders living in long-term care facilities often experience weight loss. Weight loss in elders has been shown to increase their risk of death. Existing research has identified numerous factors associated with appetite and weight loss in elders. Dementia, depression, acute and chronic illness, and medications have all been identified as potential causes of decreased appetite and weight loss in elders. Only a few nutritional and appetite assessment tools exist, and these tools are not widely used in long-term care facilities. The purpose of this descriptive study was to validate the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ), an appetite assessment tool …
Caregivers Of Older Adults: Burden, Perception Of Strain, And Health, Juana Ferrerosa Phd, Msn, Rn, Phn
Caregivers Of Older Adults: Burden, Perception Of Strain, And Health, Juana Ferrerosa Phd, Msn, Rn, Phn
Dissertations
Background: By the year 2030, the older population in the United States is projected to double from 35 to 70 million. Consequently, increasing the number of informal caregivers required to care for an aging population. Research suggests that levels of caregiver strain and their ability to cope can impact the health of caregivers. Tsai's (2003) Middle-Range Theory of Caregiver Stress guided this study and was modified to present an innovative approach which used perceived caregiver strain as a specific stressor in the Control Process of the model; it provided a basis for examining caregiver strain and its effect on the …
Breast Health And Mammography Screening In Older Women, Martha A. Ibarra Phd, Msn, Anp, Rn
Breast Health And Mammography Screening In Older Women, Martha A. Ibarra Phd, Msn, Anp, Rn
Dissertations
Age-related health disparities in breast cancer screening are a public health concern. From 2002 to 2006, the median age for newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer was 61 years and the median age for breast cancer mortality was 68 years of age (Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results [SEER], 2009). Mammography is the best available screening tool for breast cancer detection (Susan G. Komen Foundation, 2008). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS, 2006) reported that only about half of older women who are eligible for mammograms through Medicare obtain a mammogram every two years. The literature identifies psychosocial barriers, …
Documentation: Delirium In The Hospitalized Older Adult, Jacqueline Fitzgerald Close Phd
Documentation: Delirium In The Hospitalized Older Adult, Jacqueline Fitzgerald Close Phd
Dissertations
Background: Delirium is a common, life threatening and preventable geriatric syndrome. Because this condition is frequently addressed by administering dangerous antipsychotic drugs, it is imperative that accurate systematic assessments are charted to determine the actual need for these medications. The purpose of the study was to describe medical record documentation of a systematic assessment of delirium in older adults who had been administered an antipsychotic medication. Methods: A descriptive correlational retrospective design was used for this medical record data based study. The setting was a 107 bed acute care community hospital located in southern California. Inclusion criteria were medical records …
Nutritional Status And Clinical Outcomes Of Residents Admitted To A Nursing Home, Sheryl Nespor Phd
Nutritional Status And Clinical Outcomes Of Residents Admitted To A Nursing Home, Sheryl Nespor Phd
Dissertations
Purpose The purpose of this research study was to describe the nutritional status (well nourished, at risk for malnutrition, or malnourished) of residents admitted to nursing homes and adverse clinical outcomes in those residents after four weeks. Methodology A descriptive, correlational design utilizing medical record data was used to examine the relationship between nutritional status and adverse clinical outcomes of weight loss and pressure ulcers. Results The sample (n=69) was predominately Caucasian (90%) with 38% having one or more pressure ulcers on admission. Most of the residents were admitted from an acute care facility (97%) and were either malnourished or …
Battery And Abuse In The Elderly: A Forensic Analysis, Amy Y. Carney Phd, Mfs, Np
Battery And Abuse In The Elderly: A Forensic Analysis, Amy Y. Carney Phd, Mfs, Np
Dissertations
Elder abuse is a recognized social problem in the United States. First labeled as "granny battering" and originally studied under the umbrella of family violence, maltreatment of the elderly has received more funding and research in recent years. Multiple aspects of elder abuse have been examined in the literature including measures for detection, assessment, and documentation. Although studies have examined the circumstances surrounding abuse as well as theories of causation and characteristics of the abuser and the abused, studies of the relationship between the abuser and the abused are less well documented. The purpose of this research was to examine …
Spirituality And Symptom Self Management Of Osteoarthritis, Lois M. Kannan Phd
Spirituality And Symptom Self Management Of Osteoarthritis, Lois M. Kannan Phd
Dissertations
Healthcare providers need to identify holistic self-care techniques that are endorsed by patients as effective strategies for symptom management of osteoarthritis, which is the single most common cause of disability in older adults. Research in this area may direct the development of interventions to ensure that older adults are afforded every opportunity to remain active and productive, with an improved health related quality of life, despite age related musculoskeletal conditions. The purpose of this study was to describe the relationships among symptom experience, symptom management, and symptom outcome based on spiritual well-being. A quantitative, descriptive, correlational, and noninterventional study design, …
Mortality Prognostication In Long-Term Care Residents: The Mds-Chess Scale, Caroline Etland Phd, Msn, Cns
Mortality Prognostication In Long-Term Care Residents: The Mds-Chess Scale, Caroline Etland Phd, Msn, Cns
Dissertations
Quality end of life (EOL) care for the elderly continues to be a challenge, in part due to late referral for palliative and/or hospice services. The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of the MDS-CHESS scale (Hirdes, Frijters & Teare, 2003) in predicting 6-month mortality in a stable American nursing home (NH) population. A secondary aim was to determine any differences in mortality between the 2 sites. A sample of 191 residents of two NHs was analyzed in a retrospective, correlational cohort study, using data collected from the federal MDS database. Correlational statistics and logistic regression were …
Older Single Women In Transition: Moving To A Supportive Retirement Community, Linda L. Hansen-Kyle Phd
Older Single Women In Transition: Moving To A Supportive Retirement Community, Linda L. Hansen-Kyle Phd
Dissertations
This study explored role changes, resilience, social, and health challenges encountered by older women who transitioned to a retirement community that provided social, health, and safety support structures. The aim of this study was to analyze and describe the transition from the viewpoint of the participants. Although previous research has shown transitions lead to psychosocial, emotional, physical, and health changes, the importance of this study stems from the lack of research on older women moving to supportive communities and their unique challenges. A convenience sample of 39 women, aged 70-94, who had been living alone before moving to a church …
Access To Care: The Experience Of Community-Dwelling Older Adults Receiving Medicare And Medicaid, Mary Ann Simanello Phd, Msn, Rn
Access To Care: The Experience Of Community-Dwelling Older Adults Receiving Medicare And Medicaid, Mary Ann Simanello Phd, Msn, Rn
Dissertations
Access to care represents a leading health indicator for meeting the complex healthcare and social needs of an exploding population of older adults living in the United States. This qualitative study was undertaken to discover the essence of access to care by community-dwelling older adults with Medicare and Medicaid. Participants were recruited from a metropolitan area in Southern California. Thirteen women and men aged 65 to 91 described their experiences with accessing care during a face-to-face, audio-recorded interview. The study aimed to: describe experiences of access to care, identify facilitators and barriers to care, and describe the effects of facilitators …
Factors Influencing Middle-Aged And Older Latin American Women's Participation In Physical Activity, Stephanie Vaughn Phd
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 …
Exercise Level And Age As Related To Self-Perceived Physical Health, Mental Health, And Social Health In Older Adults, Barbara Jean Leach Phd, Msn, Rn
Exercise Level And Age As Related To Self-Perceived Physical Health, Mental Health, And Social Health In Older Adults, Barbara Jean Leach Phd, Msn, Rn
Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the level of exercise and age and self-perception of physical, mental and social health in older adults. Voluntary quota sampling was used to recruit 224 older adults aged 55 and up. The Physical Activity Questionnaire for the Elderly (Voorrips, Ravelli, Dongelmans, Deurenberg, & Van Staveren, 1990) was used to determine the current level of exercise of the older adult. Age was measured using the Demographic Questionnaire by Leach (1999) and self-perception of physical health and mental health was measured using the SF-36 Health Survey by Ware (1993). The Texas …
Getting Back: Successful Rehabilitation After A Hip Fracture, Carole Florek Hair Phd, Ms, Rn
Getting Back: Successful Rehabilitation After A Hip Fracture, Carole Florek Hair Phd, Ms, Rn
Dissertations
Fracturing a hip is a devastating experience for the older adult, and mortality and morbidity following a hip fracture are high among this vulnerable population. Mortality rates from 12 to 37 percent have been reported within one year after a hip fracture. It is estimated that 50 percent of individuals who experience hip fractures become partially dependent in activities of daily living, and 33 percent become totally dependent in activities of daily living. Reducing morbidity by improving rehabilitation outcomes is an important healthcare goal for older adults. Motivating participation in rehabilitation activities poses a challenge for professional caregivers. The purpose …
Resilience: The Lived Experience Of Elderly Widowers Following The Death Of A Spouse, Dorothy Battersby Crummy Phd, Msn, Rn
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
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 …
Being Alone: The Experience Of Elderly Homebound Females, Sharon Davis Burt Dnsc, Msn, Rn
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 …
Care Of Aging Parents: The Experiences Of Middle-Aged Filipino Women, Carmen B. Toledo Galang Dnsc, Msn, Rn
Care Of Aging Parents: The Experiences Of Middle-Aged Filipino Women, Carmen B. Toledo Galang Dnsc, Msn, Rn
Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to examine and analyze parent care as experienced by middle-aged Filipino women, particularly those who have resided in the United States for over 20 years. There is little information known about this topic; therefore, a grounded theory study design was utilized. Open-ended, semi-structured interviews of 29 Filipino women were conducted in English and/or Tagalog, and at times a combination of both languages. Data were transcribed verbatim from the audio-recorded interviews and analyzed using a constant comparative method of analytic induction. Field notes were kept and patterns of observation were analyzed according to their significance. …
Well-Being Of Elderly Women: Rural-Urban Differences, Betty J. Gale Dnsc, Ms, Rn
Well-Being Of Elderly Women: Rural-Urban Differences, Betty J. Gale Dnsc, Ms, Rn
Dissertations
Using a stress-coping theoretical framework, this path analytic study examined the effects of hardiness, self-esteem, social support, and stress on coping, service utilization, and well-being of elderly women. Fifty-five rural and fifty-five urban females living in the community comprised the sample whose mean age was 75 years. The overall level of well-being of these women was high. Hardiness was associated with greater social support and well-being. Self-esteem was related to lower stress. Hardiness and self-esteem were also associated with decreased use of emotion-focused coping. Stress had a positive relationship with service utilization and a negative relationship with well-being. Problem-focused coping …