Geriatrics Commons^™

Healthy Aging Website: Providing Online Occupation Based Information, Haley Caruthers, Samantha Talavera, Stephanie Vera, Jackeline Ulloa

Student Research Posters

Older adults (OAs) over the age of 65 are the fastest growing age group in the United States. They are also the fastest growing population of Internet users as they use the Internet to access health information related to optimizing independence, productivity, and social engagement. Although there is an abundant amount of information available that is devoted to healthy aging, the validity of the information can be questionable and the information may be confusing.

Dominican University of California’s (DUC) Healthy Aging website contains relevant and evidence-based research, including activities and local community based programs that promote healthy aging. To expand …

When The Challenges Of Aging And Visual Impairment Collide: Working Together To Build A Toolbox Of Rehab Ideas Of Best Care For Older Adults, Regula H. Robnett, Kathy Clarrage

Occupational Therapy Faculty Presentations

Workshop/presentation by Regi Robnett, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, professor in the UNE Department of Occupational Therapy and Kathy Clarrage, COMS, Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist for the State of Maine. Given at the North East Chapter of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired (NEAER) conference, this presentation encouraged health care providers to work as a team to care for older, visually impaired adults. The professional audience included orientation and mobility specialists, vision rehabilitation therapists, low vision specialists, administrators in the field of blindness, social workers in the field of blindness and vocational rehabilitation counselors.

Performance-Based Tools For Assessing Functional Performance In Individuals With Mild Cognitive Impairment, Patricia Da Cunha Belchior, Melanie Holmes, Nathalie Bier, Carolina Bottari, Barbara Mazer, Alexandra Robert, Navaldeep Kaur

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: It is now recognized that individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) face subtle functional declines that can compromise performance in everyday tasks. However, it is still not clear how to capture these declines in the clinical setting. Thus, the goal of this study was to conduct a scoping review to identify performance-based tools for which the psychometric properties have been evaluated with the MCI population.

Methods: A scoping review of the scientific literature was performed with the guidance of a health science librarian in searching the MEDLINE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, and EMBASE databases from their inception until May 2014.

Results: …

Staying Sharp: The Cutting Edge Of Research On Cognition And Aging, Regula H. Robnett

Occupational Therapy Faculty Presentations

Workshop PowerPoint presentation given June 11, 2015, for the 25th Maine Geriatrics Conference in Bar Harbor, Maine. Presentation reviews the latest evidence on cognition and aging. While there is an overwhelming amount of data out there, it is crucial to be informed consumers so the information can be used to enhance one's own life and the lives of others. As people age, changes occur in the brain that can impact learning, memory, and overall daily performance. However, techniques based on promoting preserved skills, embracing new learning, and providing contextual adaptations can be used to improve overall performance. Workshop presentation included …

Dementia In The Context Of Disability, Rosanne Dizazzo-Miller, Fredrick D. Pociask

Department of Health Care Sciences

Patients and caregivers often associate dementia with devastation and a loss of productive contribution to society. People with dementia are often depicted as confused individuals struggling through embarrassing episodes, followed by a loss of independence. The burden and devastation of the diagnosis on the families of people with dementia is exacerbated by their assumption of the role of caregiver with inadequate preparation or training. Disability scholars, in contrast, offer physical and occupational therapists a nontragic view of disability that recognizes the importance of countering the stigma and discrimination that too often accompany dementia. This case example of a woman diagnosed …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Primary Care, Priti Patel

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

The Capstone Project is focused on communicating, influencing and educating other health care professionals regarding the role of occupational therapy in the future model of primary care delivery initiated by the adoption of the Affordable Care Act and the Triple Aim Initiative. Currently, primary care, the largest health care platform in United States, is not inclusive of occupational therapy services. Occupational therapists have the scope, knowledge and understanding to be part of the redesigned team model of primary care. Educating those currently working in primary care about adding occupational therapy services can have a significant impact on the profession of …

Efficacy Of A Cognitive Training Program For Individuals With Moderate Cognitive Impairment: Evaluating Cognition, Erica Catherine Johnson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of a cognitive training program among those with moderate cognitive impairment. A total of 23 individuals participated in the study and were randomly assigned to a wait-list control group or a cognitive training program that consisted of 24 cognitive classes for a total of 12 weeks. The cognitive training classes aimed to activate the six primary cognitive domains impacted with dementia, reaction time, attention, memory, language, visual-spatial skills, and executive functioning. All participants were evaluated with a battery of neurocognitive assessments pre-and post-treatment. The findings tentatively support the use …

Grip Strength, Multimorbidity, And Disability, Amy M. Yorke

Dissertations

The presence of two or more chronic health conditions, also known as multimorbidity, is one of the most prevalent health disorders experienced by adults. Adults with multimorbidity and functional limitations represent clinical and financial challenges to the current health care system. The purpose of this three-paper dissertation is to examine the relationship between grip strength, multimorbidity, and the prediction of disability in adults. Data from the 2008 Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative, longitudinal study completed on Americans age 50 years and over, are used for the dissertation.

The objective of the first paper is to investigate the …

An Examination Of Executive Function, Mild Cognitive Impairment And Fall Risk In Community Dwelling Older Adults, Jennifer A. Blackwood

Dissertations

The aim of this three-paper dissertation was to examine the relationship between fall risk, executive function (EF) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in community dwelling older adults. Papers one and two describe how mild changes in cognition influence performance on four measures of fall risk, the Five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSTS), usual gait speed, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and the Activities Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) in a group of community dwelling older adults. The third paper describes if participation in a progressively challenging domain specific computerized cognitive training intervention influenced performance on measures of …

Functional Improvement In Older Adults After A Falls Prevention Pilot Study, Pei-Fen J. Chang, Yong-Fang Kuo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Falls are a costly, disabling, and life-threatening risk in the elderly. Improvements in physical function, balance, lower extremity strength, and health-related quality of life are hypothesized to help mitigate fall risk. In this pilot study, six women and men with an average age of 81 years participated in a 6-week exercise and education program created to reduce risk of falls. Evaluations were made at baseline and at 6 weeks on four tests: the Functional Status Questionnaire, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Six-minute Walk Test, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life–BREF 26-question test. Scores indicated significant improvement in …