Geriatrics Commons^™

Does Assisted Living Provide Assistance And Promote Living?, Sheryl Zimmerman, Robyn Stone, Paula Carder, Kali Thomas

Institute on Aging Publications

Assisted living has promised assistance and quality of living to older adults for more than eighty years. It is the largest residential provider of long-term care in the United States, serving more than 918,000 older adults as of 2018. As assisted living has evolved, the needs of residents have become more challenging; staffing shortages have worsened; regulations have become complex; the need for consumer support, education, and advocacy has grown; and financing and accessibility have become insufficient. Together, these factors have limited the extent to which today's assisted living adequately provides assistance and promotes living, with negative consequences for aging …

Improving Occupational Therapy Student Utilization Through A Community Engagement Program For Individuals With Dementia, Andrew Stevenson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The contents of this doctoral project include an introduction to some of the difficulties people with dementia face in regard to engaging in the community, and how that may impact their health. It goes on to support how occupational therapists (OTs) have the skills to provide treatment addressing this issue but have faced difficulty entering settings such as memory care. A literature review demonstrates some of the positive benefits that can result from providing people with dementia opportunities for community engagement and reveals some of the difficulties associated with providing quality dementia care. This helps to explain the purpose of …

Occupational Therapy-Led Tai Chi: Elevating Perceived Competence In Daily Activities Among Semi/Fully Retired Adults, Lester Buenviaje

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This doctoral capstone project explored the impact of a Tai Chi intervention led by the occupational therapy student researcher, on self-perceived competence and engagement in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) among semi/fully retired adults at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Using the Occupational Self-Assessment (OSA) questionnaire, the project measured changes in participants' confidence and abilities before and after the participation of the Tai Chi program.

The Tai Chi intervention was a six-week Tai Chi program designed to accommodate the physical and cognitive capabilities of semi-retired and retired adults. This program not only …

Correlational Analysis Of Sarcopenia And Multimorbidity Among Older Inpatients, Wenjing Xia, Kang Luo, Ziwei Gu, Jianping Hu, Xintong Liu, Qian Xiao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia and multimorbidity are common in older adults, and most of the available clinical studies have focused on the relationship between specialist disorders and sarcopenia, whereas fewer studies have been conducted on the relationship between sarcopenia and multimorbidity. We therefore wished to explore the relationship between the two.

METHODS: The study subjects were older patients (aged ≥ 65 years) who were hospitalized at the Department of Geriatrics of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between March 2016 and September 2021. Their medical records were collected. Based on the diagnostic criteria of the Asian Sarcopenia Working Group in …

Improving Health And Wellness In Patients With Frailty Traits, Jessica Lyndsay Moore, Cassandra Nelson

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Frailty is an age-related syndrome characterized by impairments in strength, endurance, mobility, and cognitive function (Panayi et al., 2019). Studies show that frailty increases vulnerability during stressful events such as hospitalization and is linked to poor recovery (Peeler et al., 2022). In addition to poor recovery, frail patients are at risk for increased dependence, reduced occupational performance, and reduced occupational engagement (Kawaguchi et al., 2017). Purpose: This capstone project aimed to improve health and wellness in individuals with frailty traits by implementing a comprehensive program focused on improving strength, functional capacity, nutrition intake, stress management, cognitive health, and social wellness.

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In The Recognition, Assessment, And Treatment Of Presbyvestibulopathy, Jennifer Hill, Ellen Hudgins, Sharon Leonard

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Sensory functions decline with age, and the likelihood of having multiple sensory impairments increases with age, potentially leading to decreased physical activity and performance, decreased social participation, poorer quality of life, and greater health care spending. Presbyvestibulopathy (PVP), a diagnosis established in 2019, is a vestibular dysfunction or loss related to the aging process characterized by mild bilateral vestibular deficits, chronic dizziness, unsteadiness, gait disturbance, and/or recurrent falls. Given the potential impact of vestibular dysfunction on occupational performance and participation in meaningful activities, occupational therapy’s (OT) role in PVP is evident; however, limited literature exists specific to OT and vestibular …

Care For Caregivers: Exploring Occupational Therapy's Role In Caregiver Support, Mariah Mendez, Amy Lyons-Brown, Negin Zare

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Care for Caregivers explores the challenges of spousal and remote caregivers to determine how occupational therapy can assist through program development.

The Stress Of Measuring Plantar Tissue Stress In People With Diabetes-Related Foot Ulcers: Biomechanical And Feasibility Findings From Two Prospective Cohort Studies, Chantal M Hulshof, Madelyn Page, Sjef G Van Baal, Sicco A Bus, Malindu E Fernando, Lisette Van Gemert-Pijnen, Kilian D R Kappert, Scott Lucadou-Wells, Bijan Najafi, Jaap J Van Netten, Peter A Lazzarini

Center on Aging Staff Publications

Reducing high mechanical stress is imperative to heal diabetes-related foot ulcers. We explored the association of cumulative plantar tissue stress (CPTS) and plantar foot ulcer healing, and the feasibility of measuring CPTS, in two prospective cohort studies (Australia (AU) and The Netherlands (NL)). Both studies used multiple sensors to measure factors to determine CPTS: plantar pressures, weight-bearing activities, and adherence to offloading treatments, with thermal stress response also measured to estimate shear stress in the AU-study. The primary outcome was ulcer healing at 12 weeks. Twenty-five participants were recruited: 13 in the AU-study and 12 in the NL-study. CPTS data …

Trends In Medicare Utilization And Reimbursement For Hematology/Oncology Procedures From 2012 To 2023: A Geriatric Oncology Perspective, Julijana Conic, Thomas Reske

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Objectives: Given the scarcity of data exploring reimbursement trends in the field of hematology/oncology, we sought to characterize these trends for common procedures in this field from 2012 to 2023. Methods: Using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Physician Fee Schedule Look-Up Tool we collected reimbursement data for 40 hematology/oncology procedure codes from 2012 to 2023. Data was adjusted to 2023 United States (US) dollars using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Results: From 2012 to 2023 gross reimbursement for the facility price decreased 4.4% and increased 9.2% for the non-facility price. When adjusted for inflation, compensation decreased 96.1% and …

Human Brain Glycoform Coregulation Network And Glycan Modification Alterations In Alzheimer's Disease, Qi Zhang, Cheng Ma, Lih-Shen Chin, Sheng Pan, Lian Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite the importance of protein glycosylation to brain health, current knowledge of glycosylated proteoforms or glycoforms in human brain and their alterations in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is limited. Here, we report a proteome-wide glycoform profiling study of human AD and control brains using intact glycopeptide-based quantitative glycoproteomics coupled with systems biology. Our study identified more than 10,000 human brain N-glycoforms from nearly 1200 glycoproteins and uncovered disease signatures of altered glycoforms and glycan modifications, including reduced sialylation and N-glycan branching and elongation as well as elevated mannosylation and N-glycan truncation in AD. Network analyses revealed a higher-order organization of brain …

Tavr In Older Adults, Abdulla A Damluji, Gwen Bernacki, Jonathan Afilalo, Radmila Lyubarova, Ariela R Orkaby, Min Ji Kwak, Scott Hummel, James N Kirkpatrick, Mathew S Maurer, Nanette Wenger, Michael W Rich, Dae Hyun Kim, Roberta Y Wang, Daniel E Forman, Ashok Krishnaswami

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Calcific aortic stenosis can be considered a model for geriatric cardiovascular conditions due to a confluence of factors. The remarkable technological development of transcatheter aortic valve replacement was studied initially on older adult populations with prohibitive or high-risk for surgical valve replacement. Through these trials, the cardiovascular community has recognized that stratification of these chronologically older adults can be improved incrementally by invoking the concept of frailty and other geriatric risks. Given the complexity of the aging process, stratification by chronological age should only be the initial step but is no longer sufficient to optimally quantify cardiovascular and noncardiovascular risk. …

The Mda’S Michigan Donated Dental Services (Dds) Program: How To Serve The Elderly And Disabled In Your Community And Build Your Team (Without Leaving Your Office!), April Stopczynski

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

April Stopczynski, MDA Manager of Access and Prevention, sheds light on the Michigan Donated Dental Services (DDS) program, elucidating its impact on individuals through poignant patient narratives and dentist testimonials. The article illustrates how DDS bridges the gap in dental care for the elderly, disabled, and financially compromised individuals in Michigan. The program not only restores smiles but also transforms lives by providing much-needed dental treatment through volunteer dentists and labs. This article presents the value of DDS for patients, providers, dental team members and the greater community. Information is provided on how to participate in this transformative program.

Does A Reduction In Receiving Assistance With Daily Activities Among Older Adults In Mexico Indicate An Increase In Unmet Needs Or A Decrease In Needs For Care?, Brian Downer, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Philip Cantu, Matthew Miller, Rebeca Wong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: The percentage of older adults in Mexico with difficulty completing activities of daily living (ADL) who receive assistance from family appears to be decreasing. We compared 2 birth cohorts of older adults in Mexico to investigate whether this trend reflects an increase in unmet caregiving needs or a decrease in the need for care.

METHODS: We selected Mexican Health and Aging Study participants aged 60-76 in 2001 (n = 4,805) and 2018 (n = 6,494). ADL tasks were dressing, walking, bathing, getting in and out of bed, and toileting. Participants who reported difficulty with an ADL were asked if …

Ongoing Study Of The Association Of Apoe Gene Polymorphisms With Cognitive Impairment In The Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Population, Jaime Miguel L. Saveron, Daniela Gamez, Chun Xu

Research Symposium

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD), a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, exhibits a significant genetic component. In addition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a key risk factor for AD. While certain demographic factors and genetic variants associated with AD and cognitive impairment have been identified in non-Hispanic populations, limited research exists on this subject within the Hispanic population, particularly in the Rio Grande Valley. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the APOE gene, specifically its ε4 allele, and cognitive impairment in the Hispanic population of the Rio Grande Valley.

Methods: A total of 269 Hispanic subjects, aged 60 and above, with …

Bipolar Symptoms, Somatic Burden And Functioning In Older-Age Bipolar Disorder: A Replication Study From The Global Aging & Geriatric Experiments In Bipolar Disorder Database (Gage-Bd) Project, Martha Sajatovic, Farren B.S Briggs, Kaylee Sarna, Joy Yala

Faculty Scholarship

Objectives: The Global Aging & Geriatric Experiments in Bipolar Disorder Database (GAGE-BD) project pools archival datasets on older age bipolar disorder (OABD). An initial Wave 1 (W1; n = 1369) analysis found both manic and depressive symptoms reduced among older patients. To replicate this finding, we gathered an independent Wave 2 (W2; n = 1232, mean ± standard deviation age 47.2 ± 13.5, 65% women, 49% aged over 50) dataset. Design/Methods: Using mixed models with random effects for cohort, we examined associations between BD symptoms, somatic burden and age and the contribution of these to functioning in W2 and the …

Teaching Empathy: Comparison Of A Virtual Reality Experience Using Head-Mounted Display Versus Group Streaming, Dana Villmore, Elizabeth Dyer, Marilyn R. Gugliucci

Physician Assistant Faculty Publications

Empathy, an integral component of bedside manner, correlates with good healthcare provision. Training physician assistant (PA) students using Head-Mounted Display (HMD) virtual reality (VR) contributed to significant empathy increases. This pilot study, which relied on a retrospective analysis, compared a VR experience using HMD to a streamed modality (due to COVID safety) with PA students to measure empathy. We hypothesized that fully immersive, interactive HMD VR would lead to a statistically significant increase in empathy versus the streaming modality. The “Alfred Lab” VR allows viewers to “embody” a 74-year-old African American man with vision and hearing loss. The University of …

Heterogeneity And Overlap In The Continuum Of Linguistic Profile Of Logopenic And Semantic Variants Of Primary Progressive Aphasia: A Profile Analysis Based On Multidimensional Scaling Study, Gaia Chiara Santi, Francesca Conca, Valentina Esposito, Cristina Polito, Silvia Paola Caminiti, Cecilia Boccalini, Carmen Morinelli, Valentina Berti, Salvatore Mazzeo, Valentina Bessi, Alessandra Marcone, Sandro Iannaccone, Se-Kang Kim, Sandro Sorbi, Daniela Perani, Stefano F Cappa, Eleonora Catricalà

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) diagnostic criteria underestimate the complex presentation of semantic (sv) and logopenic (lv) variants, in which symptoms partially overlap, and mixed clinical presentation (mixed-PPA) and heterogenous profile (lvPPA +) are frequent. Conceptualization of similarities and differences of these clinical conditions is still scarce.

METHODS: Lexical, semantic, phonological, and working memory errors from nine language tasks of sixty-seven PPA were analyzed using Profile Analysis based on Multidimensional Scaling, which allowed us to create a distributed representation of patients' linguistic performance in a shared space. Patients had been studied with [

RESULTS: Patients' profiles were distributed across a …

The Utility Of Interventional Anesthesia, Kylie Daguio, Kiley Jackson, Samantha Boever, Andrew Chang, James Keane, Leonard B. Goldstein

SOMA Faculty Publications

no abstract

Decreasing Polypharmacy In Older Adults With Cancer: A Pilot Cluster-Randomized Trial Protocol, Erika Ramsdale, Mostafa Mohamed, Holly M Holmes, Lisa Zubkoff, Jessica Bauer, Sally A Norton, Supriya Mohile

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Polypharmacy is prevalent in older adults with cancer and associated with multiple adverse outcomes. A single-site, cluster-randomized clinical trial will enroll older adults with cancer and polypharmacy starting chemotherapy and will assess the effectiveness and feasibility of deprescribing interventions by comparing two arms: a pharmacist-led deprescribing intervention and a patient educational brochure.

Materials and methods: The study will be conducted in two phases. In phase I, focus groups and semi-structured individual interviews will guide adaptation of deprescribing interventions for the oncology clinic (phase Ia), and eight patients will undergo the pharmacist-led deprescribing intervention with iterative adaptations (phase Ib). In …

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Data For Foot Skin Oxygen Saturation In Healthy Subjects, Mehmet A Suludere, Arthur Tarricone, Bijan Najafi, Lee Rogers, Michael C Siah, Gu Eon Kang, Lawrence A Lavery

Center on Aging Staff Publications

Our objective was to evaluate normative data for near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in 110 healthy volunteers by Fitzpatrick skin type (FST) and region of the foot. We obtained measurements of the dorsum and plantar foot using a commercially available device (SnapshotNIR, Kent Imaging, Calgary Canada). On the dorsum of the foot, people with FST6 had significantly lower oxygen saturation compared to FST1‐5 (p <  0.001), lower oxyhaemoglobin compared to FST2‐5 (p = 0.001), but there was no difference in deoxyhaemoglobin. No differences were found on the plantar foot. When comparing dorsal and plantar foot, there was higher oxyhaemoglobin (0.40 ± 0.09 vs. 0.51 ± 0.12, p <  0.001) and deoxyhaemoglobin (0.16 ± 0.05 vs. 0.21 ± 0.05, p …