Geriatric Nursing Commons^™

Physical Activity, Daily Step Counts And Functional Ability In Older Adults: Using Nhanes Database, Chunfang(Maggie) Chen

Doctoral Dissertations

Maintaining functional ability and independence are essential in the healthcare of older adults. Physical activity(PA) has been acknowledged as effective and economical health promotion strategies in older population. However, the amount of PA needed to maintain functional ability in older adults remains unclear. This investigation used PRISM Dose-response Curves Stimulation Variable slope model to explore the relationships between the amount of PA and functional ability in community-dwelling young-old, middle-old and old-old age group adults. ANOVA analysis was used to examine the relationship between functional ability and self-perceived active level changes compared to 10 years ago. NHANES 2005-2006 older participants datasets …

Improving Mental Healthcare For Older Adults: Community Based Screening For Social And Emotional Loneliness And Major Depressive Disorder, Eunice Kowalczyk

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

Purpose: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a devastating mental health disorder affecting older adults that is often misdiagnosed or untreated due to a lack of screening and the stigma that MDD symptoms are a normal and expected part of aging. The goal of this quality improvement (QI) project was to implement a community-based screening intervention to identify community-dwelling older adults at risk for or suffering from MDD, and facilitate further evaluation and care.

Methods: Participants were community dwelling older adults, age 56 and older, in Massachusetts. Two screening tools were administered in two sites that screened for social and …

Using Motivational Interviewing To Increase Walking And Functional Ability In Older Adults: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Erin Lamoureux

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if brief motivational interviewing (MI) sessions would increase daily steps and functional ability in older adults. Regular exercise in the older adult can slow the physical, psychological, and functional decline that is often associated with aging. However, only 25% of adults aged 65 and older meet the suggested physical activity recommendations of the American Heart Association and the National Institute of Health. Understanding what may contribute to the initiation and adherence of exercise within the older adult population might identify interventions that would successfully increase physical activity. This study focused specifically on …