Geropsychology Commons^™

Exploring Touch: Art Therapy With Older Adults, Katherine Gilpatrick

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Touch is an incredible tool that allows humans to connect with one another. It is instrumental in art therapy as we work with different populations and materials. Touch can occur in many ways but must be clearly defined in the therapeutic space, especially regarding ethical codes. This paper explored touch within senior living communities across different levels of care, including dementia care. A variety of art materials were used including drawing materials, collage, clay, and digital art. Art experiences were documented and analyzed through journaling and reflective artmaking. Four patterns emerged when examining the results including connection to product, differences …

The Association Of Burden And Social Engagement With Depression In Caregivers Of Adults By Age, Danielle Leigh Forbes

Master's Theses

As life expectancy begins to increase, the need for familial caregivers is growing. The aging of care recipients often means that those providing care continue to get older as well. Previous studies focus little on the differences between older and younger caregivers and rather combine them all into one group. The purpose of this study is to understand whether the caregiving experience is related to the age of the caregiver. Depression, burden, and social engagement, based on the descriptors of leisure, work, and social relationships, were studied in conjunction with the age of the caregivers. This study consisted of 63 …

Changing Public Perception Of Dementia: The Effect And Credibility Of Three Informational Models., Diana Hedrick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Since the 1970s, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia have been portrayed in a medicalized, symptom-focused manner to help spread awareness, improve diagnosis, and push for treatment research. In recent decades, there has been movement towards a biopsychosocial, person-centered approach that considers social and psychological factors that interact with biological diseases processes. Common biopsychosocial approaches retain an emphasis on deficits and symptoms. New research has integrated positive psychology constructs and dementia. This integration of positive psychology principles and dementia care and research has the potential to more accurately capture the experience of having dementia. Objectives: This dissertation tested how the portrayal …

The Use Of Non-Immersive Virtual Reality As A Functional Rehabilitation Tool For Older Adults With Cognitive Decline, Ross M. Divers

LSU Master's Theses

There is currently no cure for age-related cognitive decline or dementia and current pharmacologic interventions have had limited success at improving daily functioning. Consequently, older adults who experience cognitive decline require assistance with daily activities, which can be quite expensive and lead to caregiver burden. Repeated performance of everyday tasks has been shown to improve performance but requires supervision and direction by another person. The present study evaluated a low-cost computer training program that will use non-immersive virtual reality to enable participants with dementia or cognitive decline to independently practice meaningful everyday activities (e.g., meal preparation). Participants (N= 8) with …

A Secondary Data Analysis Of The Prevalence Of Reported Dementia And Subjective Cognitive Decline Across U.S. National Surveys, Matthew C. Picchiello

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Within the United States, many large-scale, nationally representative studies exist with the goal of tracking and monitoring aspects of health. These studies are often used to establish the prevalence of dementia and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) in the population. The goal of the current study is to examine how different population-based studies probe respondents about conditions related to cognitive impairment, and to assess similarities and differences in point estimates. We reviewed eight studies and identified comparable items related to dementia and SCD. We calculated design-appropriate point prevalence estimates and compared weighted estimates across studies, finding a wide range and statistically …

Analyzing The Use Of A Montessori-Based Activity & Its Effect On Engagement & Affect In Persons With Dementia: A Replication Study, Emilee J. Andersen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Activities are an essential element in institutionalized settings for persons with dementia. Challenges are faced, however, when developing and implementing stimulating and meaningful activities for this population. Over the past two decades, Montessori-based activities (MBAs) have been investigated as a means for meeting the needs of persons with dementia residing in long-term care facilities. MBAs were developed to enhance the quality of life for individuals experiencing dementia through maximization of engaging and meaningful activities. The purpose of the current study was to expand on the empirical literature related to the use of MBAs for persons with dementia by replication of …

The Effects Of Dementia Knowledge On Dementia Worry, Attitudes, Social Comfort, Empathic Concern, And Personal Distress, Alexandria Rose Ebert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The present study examined the effects of different types of dementia knowledge on attitudes and affective reactions towards persons with dementia. Work has demonstrated that individuals with higher levels of personhood-based knowledge have lower levels of personal dementia fear and higher levels of social comfort. However, to our knowledge, work has not examined dementia attitudes more broadly or differentiated causal relations among different forms of dementia knowledge and attitude outcomes. Participants (N = 334) aged 19-78 (M = 44.53, SD = 16.57) were randomized into one of five experimental conditions: (1) biomedical-knowledge (BK; read biological and medical facts about …

Handicraft Art Leisure Activities And Cognitive Reserve, Genna Mashinchi

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

With increasing age, older individuals face a higher likelihood of developing dementia. The rate of cognitive decline resulting from dementia is not equivalent for all, as some patients with dementia are able to function independently longer than others, despite having similar disease burden. The cognitive reserve (CR) theory provides one explanation for the differing rate of decline. CR suggests that there are factors — most notably, educational and occupational attainment — that can protect against the cognitive decline that is a hallmark of dementia. Although the beneficial effects of these notable CR factors are clear, they may not be modifiable. …

Dementia And Competency In United States Courtrooms: A Case Law Review, Dana Miller

Student Theses

The number of older adults in the United States is rising, as is the incidence of dementia. Older adults are coming into contact with the criminal justice system at greater rates than previously encountered. As such, individuals with dementia are likely appearing in courts at an unprecedented rate. While many civil competencies commonly related to older adults are well researched, competency in the criminal legal system has not received the same level of recognition in this population. This is particularly concerning given the growing awareness of the relevance of dementia in some criminal competencies (e.g., Madison v. Alabama, 2019). Of …

Applying A Metacognitive Framework In The Neuropsychological Assessment Of Subjective Cognitive Decline And Mild Cognitive Impairment, Susan Y. Chi

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The characterization of the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a topic of major research interest because it is critical for early diagnosis and emerging interventions. Metamemory, or knowledge about memory, including awareness of one’s own memory functions, has been investigated in AD especially in relation to how impairment in memory and executive functions contribute to unawareness of cognitive deficits, termed anosognosia. Previous research, however, has not systematically investigated metamemory functioning in older adults with prodromal dementia conditions. Therefore, we investigated metamemory accuracy in cognitively healthy older adults (HC) and those with subjective cognitive decline but intact neuropsychological test …

Assessing Preferences For Montessori-Based Activities In Persons With Memory Impairment, Katelyn Danielle Smith

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The population of older adults in the U.S is continuously increasing. With this comes an increased number of individuals with Alzheimer’s or other dementia related disease (ADRD), along with the need for quality care for these individuals. The use of activities to increase engagement has been shown to have a number of psychological benefits, especially when these activities are tailored to the abilities and preferences of the individual. However, individualizing activity programming is not always feasible for activity and care staff. The purpose of this study was to use a stimulus preference assessment to identify Montessori-based activities that persons with …

The Utility Of Music-Based Interventions In Dementia Care, Adriana C. Doerr

Dissertations

While research has investigated the impact of music-based interventions on management of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), there is limited discussion of which music-based interventions are most effective for various levels of dementia severity, or of how to determine which music-based interventions are both accessible and feasible for caregivers and nursing staff. This review sought to identify the benefits of music-based interventions in dementia care within various domains of functioning and determine whether music-based interventions are effective for various levels of dementia severity. Peer-reviewed articles and studies that evaluated the effectiveness of various music interventions or demonstrated music's …

The Use Of Behavior Skills Training And Behaviorally Based Interventions In Memory Care, Claire Gallagher

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Abstract

The current study examines the effects of using Behavior Skills Training (BST), an evidenced-based practice for teaching, to train direct care staff members in a Memory Care Community to employ a multi-component, behaviorally-based intervention with residents that have a memory impairment. This study utilizes single case methodology with a stacked AB design replicated across three staff members, three residents, and three transition environments. The design is comprised of a baseline condition, training with BST, a post-training condition with in-vivo coaching, and a maintenance probe. Results include an increase in the percent independence with which staff participants accurately complete the …