Gerontology Commons^™

The Influence Of Strength-Training Exercises On The Functional Fitness In Older Adults, Susie Engle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of strength-training exercises on the functional fitness in older adults. The original convenience sample consisted of 658 participants who attended group strength-training classes offered through the Cooperative Extension Service. The Senior Fitness Test was used to assess baseline fitness levels at the beginning and end of the 12-week strength-training program. Data was collected from 2008 to 2015. Of the 658 participants, 110 were aged 60 to 94 and presented posttest scores occurring approximately 12 weeks after pretest dates. Of the 110 subjects, 99 were female and 11 were male. The …

Staff Interactions And Affect In Persons With Dementia: An Observational Study Of A Memory Care Unit, Keirstin V. Meyer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It is estimated that the number of people in the United States living with dementia in 2015 will nearly triple by the year 2050. With no cure for dementia, we are faced with providing care in a way that maximizes well-being. The majority of prior research focused on the best ways to reduce behavioral problems and mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety. The objective of this study was to increase knowledge about the social influences on well-being in persons with dementia, particularly from staff in residential memory care units. This study found that the most common interaction type from …

Neural Activity Reveals Effects Of Aging On Inhibitory Processes During Word Retrieval, Ranjini Mohan

Open Access Dissertations

Word retrieval difficulties are one of the most frustrating problems in older adults. Poorer access to phonological (speech sound) representation of the target word has been postulated as the underlying deficit, supported by findings of improvement in word retrieval after phonological priming. But the great variability in naming performance among older adults may reflect cognitive scaffolding or compensatory neurophysiological processes related to maintenance or decline of naming abilities. In order better understand aging effects in the underlying neurophysiological changes associated with phonological retrieval, the present study examined electrophysiological correlates of phonological priming and word retrieval in adults across the lifespan. …

Fear Conditioning And Extinction In Youth With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Joseph F. Mcguire, Scott P. Orr, Monica S. Wu, Adam B. Lewin, Brent J. Small, Vicky Phares, Tanya K. Murphy, Sabine Wilhelm, Daniel S. Pine, Daniel Geller, Eric A. Storch

Psychology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Fear acquisition and extinction are central constructs in the cognitive-behavioral model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which underlies exposure-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Youth with OCD may have impairments in fear acquisition and extinction that carry treatment implications. We examined these processes using a differential conditioning procedure.

METHODS: Forty-one youth (19 OCD, 22 community comparisons) completed a battery of clinical interviews, rating scales, and a differential conditioning task that included habituation, acquisition, and extinction phases. Skin conductance response (SCR) served as the primary dependent measure.

RESULTS: During habituation, no difference between groups was observed. During acquisition, differential fear conditioning was observed …

Alzheimer's Biomarkers Are Correlated With Brain Connectivity In Older Adults Differentially During Resting And Task States, Yang Jiang, Haiqing Huang, Erin Abner, Lucas S. Broster, Gregory A. Jicha, Frederick A. Schmitt, Richard Kryscio, Anders H. Andersen, David Powell, Linda J. Van Eldik, Brian T. Gold, Peter T. Nelson, Charles D. Smith, Mingzhou Ding

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and tau-related neurodegeneration are pathologic hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The utility of AD biomarkers, including those measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), in predicting future AD risk and cognitive decline is still being refined. Here, we explored potential relationships between functional connectivity (FC) patterns within the default-mode network (DMN), age, CSF biomarkers (Aβ₄₂ and pTau₁₈₁), and cognitive status in older adults. Multiple measures of FC were explored, including a novel time series-based measure [total interdependence (TI)]. In our sample of 27 cognitively normal older adults, no significant associations were found between levels of Aβ …

Factors Associated With Unmet Needs Among African-American Dementia Care Providers, P. J. Desin, Allison M. Caban-Holt, Erin L. Abner, Linda J. Van Eldik, Frederick A. Schmitt

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Racial and ethnic minorities currently comprise 20% of the U.S. population; in 2050, this figure is expected to rise to 42%. As a result, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the 5th leading cause of death for people aged 65 and older, is likely to increase in these groups. Most dementia caregiving for these populations comes from family and friends, especially among families with lower socioeconomic status. A convenience sample of 30 African-American dementia caregivers was interviewed to determine unmet needs. Participants expressed a limited desire for formal services, such as support groups, legal advice, case management, and homemaker services. Instead, commonly expressed …

Bullying In Senior Living Facilities: A Qualitative Study, Felicia Jo Vandenest

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Resident-to resident bullying has attracted some attention in the popular press and is well-known to many who work with seniors in long-term care facilities. However, this is very little empirical literature that has address the topic of "senior bullying". The aim of the proposed qualitative study is to better understand the phenomenon of resident-to-resident bullying from the perspective of staff who work in long-term care facilities. Staff members (n=45) responded to a combination of open- and close-ended interview questions regarding their observations of senior-to-senior bullying. Results indicate that the majority of staff members (98%) have observed resident-to-resident bullying within senior …

Chronic Pancreatitis, Pain, And Anxiety In An Alcohol And High Fat Mouse Model, Tiffanie Clinkinbeard

Theses and Dissertations--Gerontology

Homeodynamic space (HDS) shrinks as vulnerability increases with aging and repeated damage to the cells. HDS is lost in alcoholic pancreatitis patients due to overconsumption of alcohol, smoking, and high fat diets. Etiologically relevant animal models for study of chronic pancreatitis (CP) are needed. In order to begin filling this gap a central purpose of this dissertation research was to examine relationships between the alcohol and high fat diet (AHF) and pancreatitis with attention to hypersensitivity and anxiety-like behaviors. The AHF diet induced pancreatitis described here etiologically mimics human risk factors of AHF consumption for advancement to alcoholic CP.

In …

Comt And Oprm1 Genotype Associations With Daily Knee Pain Variability And Activity Induced Pain, Lynn M. Martire, Stephanie J. Wilson, Brent J. Small, Yvette P. Conley, Piotr K. Janicki, Martin J. Sliwinski

Aging Studies Faculty Publications

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a common and increasingly prevalent condition that is one of the primary causes of chronic pain. Staying physically active protects against disability from knee OA but is also very challenging. A critical but unexamined question is whether patients at greatest risk for becoming less active are those with a genetic predisposition for greater sensitivity to daily pain.

Aims: We examined day-to-day variability in knee OA pain for patients with different variants of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and whether patients with a specific genotype experience more pain following …

A Qualitative Pilot Study Of Aging Women’S Physical Activity Experiences In One University Fitness And Wellness Center, Alexis Hobbs

Online Theses and Dissertations

Physical inactivity is one of the driving risk factors for developing health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (World Health Organization, 2003). The prevalence of these diseases increases with the aging process, which renders participation in physical activity crucial among the aging population. There is strong evidence that physical activity reduces the risk of these health disparities and disabilities (Young & Dinan, 2005), however despite these well-documented benefits, aging women still remain sedentary. This study examined the phenomenon of women 55 years of age or older and their lived experiences of participating in physical activity within a university …

Motives For Participation In Triathlons Among Midlife To Older Black Women: A Mixed Method Study, Candace Brown

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Research has established the positive link between physical activity and its impact on health among adults. Generally, as people get older, they are less likely to be active. Black women comprise 13% of the women in the US but constitute 52% of women who are inactive. Existing articles on exercise motivation among Black women have generally assessed sedentary individuals. Little research has examined the motivations to exercise among physically active Black women. METHODS: Guided by the regulators of the Self Determination Theory, the 56 item Motivations of Marathoners Scales for Triathletes (MOMS-T) was used to assess the motives of …

Walking-Induced Fatigue Leads To Increased Risk In Older Adults, S. Morrison, S. R. Colberg, H. K. Parson, S. Neumann, R. Handel, E. J. Vinik, J. Paulson, A. I. Vinik

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background- For older adults, falls are a serious health problem, with more than 30% of people older than 65 suffering a fall at least once a year. One element often overlooked in the assessment of falls is whether a person's balance, walking ability, and overall falls risk is affected by performing activities of daily living such as walking.

Objective- This study assessed the immediate impact of incline walking at a moderate pace on falls risk, leg strength, reaction time, gait, and balance in 75 healthy adults from 30 to 79 years of age. Subjects were subdivided into 5 equal groups …

Experiencing The Death Of A Formerly Abusive Parent, Heather Spence

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

It is well documented that approximately 25–33% of children experience abuse, many of those at the hands of a primary caretaker. Within the literature on child maltreatment, there exists a paucity of research about the long-term effects of early maltreatment on adult attachments with the previous abuser, including the experiences of adults who experience the death of their previous caretakers. Additionally, most of the research on grief and bereavement assumes positive affect for the deceased by survivors. This dissertation is an in-depth examination of five adults, aged 50–70 years old, who experienced the recent death of a parent or stepparent …

The Happy Boomer: Baby Boomer Life Satisfaction Through Affect And Feeling Of Belonging, Brooke Christina-Marie Massey

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The age cohort of 65 years and older is a growing population. It is part of the group referred to as Baby Boomers, the generation born between the years 1946-1964. It will be the largest population to reach late adulthood to date. In the United States alone, the Baby Boomer cohort is expected to reach 70 million by 2030. In response to this growing elderly population much research has been conducted on Baby Boomer quality of life issues. Such research uncovered the phenomenon known as the well-being paradox. The well-being paradox refers to the findings that older adults' life satisfaction …

Preserving Personhood In Individuals With Cognitive Impairment: A Caregiver's Role, Maren Legg

Honors Projects

This project consists of an educational program for informal caregivers in the Bowling Green community on preserving personhood in individuals with cognitive impairments through caregiving experiences. The program was based on a copious amount of research regarding personhood, how personhood relates to individuals experiencing cognitive impairment, and how care provided by caregivers can be provided in a way that promotes and preserves an individual’s personality, personhood, and selfhood.

The program was developed over the span of four months and incorporates models of personhood, behaviors that threaten and preserve or promote personhood, as well as practical suggestions for strategies in how …

A Phenomenological Study Of Anticipated Intimacy And Sexual Expression Needs Of Aging Male And Female Baby Boomers., Charles Shawn Oak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the phenomenon of how heterosexual Baby Boomers define and understand intimacy, sexual expression, along expectations and desires relating to their respective expressions across the lifespan through their individual experiences and reflections. A set of guiding questions were used in a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative research design. Data was gathered from thirteen subjects (n=13) using the Rappaport Time Line (RTL) that was used to develop individualized semi-structured interviews and follow-up interviews that were professionally transcribed. These were coded to identify emergent themes. Results of the study provided insight into the phenomenon of how heterosexual …

Engaging Older Adults To Build Social Capital, Beverly K. Lunsford, Danielle Janes

Nursing Faculty Publications

Countries are considering the healthcare implications as the proportion of older adults increases, including rising healthcare costs and resources needed as more adults want to "age in place" or continue living in the community. More in home resources and support services will be needed for older adults to continue living independently at homes. Older adults are an incredibly untapped resource with a continuing need to contribute to society and a willingness to help others. Older adults are working longer than ever before, so they have the potential to build their own social capital for meeting the needs of aging colleagues. …

What Job Can You Get Without A Diploma? Gender Discrimination Against Relapsed Ex-Sex Workers, Resna Anggria Putri, Johanna Debora Imelda

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This study aims at describing the subordination and marginalization of ex-commercial sex workers in Indramayu District. This qualitative research was conducted through in-depth interview and observation on 5 (five) interesting case studies whose data, then, was triangulated to ensure the valid-ity and reliability of the data. The results of the study showed that there were gender discrimination in the form of subordination and marginalization in education and employment which are applied at different periods, i.e.: before and after they worked as prostitutes. Hence, it is then caused them relapse working as prostitutes without any other opportunity to get more normative …

Health And Mental Health Of Older Asian Americans: A Comparative Study Of Chinese, Filipino, Asian Indian, And Other Asian/Pacific Islander Elders, Jing Tan

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

Purpose: This study examined the health and mental health status among U.S. Chinese, Filipino, Asian Indian, other Asian/Pacific Islander (API), and non-Hispanic White older adults, using nationally representative data. Method: An aggregated data file from the National Health Interview Survey from 2000 to 2009 was analyzed. The sample included 848 Chinese, 823 Filipino, 337 Asian Indian, 1,488 “other API,” and 74,042 non-Hispanic White older adults aged 65 and older. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to compare the health and mental health status among different ethnic groups of older adults and to identify related factors. Findings: The descriptive statistics reveal …

Dinamika Program Penanggulangan Hiv Dan Aids Di Komunitas (Studi Kasus : Proses Persiapan Dan Implementasi Community Organizer Di Jakarta Utara), Edi Sugiarto, Sari Viciawati Machdum

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This research about community organizing heterogeneous in a geographic region on the issue of HIV and AIDS. The study was conducted for the prevention of HIV and AIDS has been made to key populations, individual and group (at the micro level). Research with qualitative approach and descriptive methods have found that it is not easy to organize geographic community with interven-tions on the mezzo level on the issue of HIV & AIDS with peculiarities in it. Community Organizer recruited not suitably qualified so the impact on their work. The role played not yet fully reflect the work processes at the …

Pemasaran Sosial Sebagai Upaya Meningkatkan Praktek Pemberian Asi Esklusif Bagi Ibu Hamil : (Studi Deskriptif Pada Pelaksanaan Program Kelompok Pendukung Ibu Kelurahan Rawa Buaya, Jakarta Barat), Amalia Reza Intani, Getar Hati

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This study aims to explain the social marketing of Mother Support Group Program in Rawa Buaya as the way to improve breast feeding practice for pregnant mothers and to describe the obstacle of the program. The qualitative data were collected by conducting in-depth interview and direct observation. Based on the result of this study, social marketing of Mother Support Group Program has done various social marketing steps and it is one of the way to achieve the change of pregnant mother’s behavior in order to implement breast feeding practice for the further life. This social marketing is implemented with education …

Pelatihan Terapi Autis Metode Applied Behavior Analysis (Aba) (Studi Kasus Pada Proses Pelatihan Terapi Autis Di Lembaga Pemasyarakatan Kelas 1 Tangerang, Nofri Julimet, Sofyan Cholid

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Applied behavior analysis was a method of healing autistic that have not known by the Indonesian. Meanwhile, ABA was effective and efficient in reducing the behavior of disruptive which shown in autistic. Then, the benefit of ABA was taught in a systematic, structured, and measurable. This the-sis descrubed the training process of autism therapy that carried out in prison class 1 Tangerang, the instructor was inmates X. This research used qualitative approach by using depth-interview to the informants that consist of instructor, prison officers, and trainee. The is training including the three steps. Those were pre training, whils training, and …

Modal Sosial Yang Di Miliki Anggota Kelompok Kerja (Pokja) Perilaku Hidup Bersih Dan Sehat (Phbs) Dalam Upaya Penerapan Perilaku Hidup Bersih Dan Sehat : (Studi Deskriptif Di Sekolah Menengah Pertama Negeri 107 Jakarta), Annisa Sherliany, Wisni Bantarti

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

The purpose of this research to describe the social capital that is owned by the working group members of PHBS of SMP Negeri 107 Jakarta in an effort to implement a clean and healthy living behavior. This research uses a qualitative approach and is a descriptive research through data collection techniques in-depth interviews, observation, and literature study. The results of this research shows that social capital is owned by members of the working group of PHBS of SMP Negeri 107 Jakarta can support its success in an effort to implement clean and healthy living behavior.

The Lived Experience Of Aging: Listening To The Oldest-Old, Julia A. Pusztai

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Although embraced as desirable by most, living into very old age is largely unexplored as a distinct season of life, with increased, varied, and cumulative changes during a unique time of vulnerability and frailty. The purpose of this study was to listen to the oldest-old, and to explore their lived experience of growing old. This hermeneutic phenomenology study examines the experience of finding meaning and living with losses and gains in advanced old age. This study design included three separate interviews one month apart with participants over 85 years of age. Purposive sampling resulted in 13 participants, 5 being male …

The Alzheimer’S Association Dementia Care Coordination Program: A Process Evaluation, Executive Summary, Nina Silverstein, Frank Porell, Pamela Nadash

Gerontology Institute Publications

The Massachusetts/New Hampshire (MA/NH) Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association has long sought ways to systematically increase the number of families who utilize its services and support. According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2015 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures, there are 142,000 individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and the Alzheimer’s Association estimates that less than 30% of those individuals and their caregivers take advantage of its programs (Alzheimer’s Association, 2015). The MA/NH Chapter recognized that one major barrier to accessing services is a model that relies on families taking the initiative to seek out assistance.

In …

Is The Geriatric Impact Ipad Test A Valid Measurement Of Cognitive Function In Older Adults?, Heather Elise O'Dell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The number of older adults will rapidly increase within the next generation (Brookmeyer, Johnson, Ziegler-Graham, & Arrighi, 2007). Alzheimer’s disease risk increases with age, especially after age 60 (NIA, n.d.). Aging leads to a decrease in functional independence, and this side effect is exacerbated by cognitive decline (Johnson, Lui, & Yaffe, 2007). Executive function is a predictor of Alzheimer’s disease onset and progression (Zhang, Han, Verhaeghen, & Nilsson, 2007). The Geriatric ImPACTTM test is a potential new and more convenient testing methods than traditional methods used. The purpose of this research is to validate the Geriatric ImPACTTM test by comparing …

Fall Prevention Among Older Adults Living In The Community, Clarissa Silva Lopez

Theses & Dissertations

Older adults are within the fastest population growth rate in the United States, and as the population ages, the potential for falls increases (DHHS, 2011). This was a mixed-method explanatory study that investigated the perceptions of older adults regarding the usefulness, adequacy, and positive experience of fall information among older adults living in the community when received from healthcare professionals during physician’s office visits. The research questions were: 1. What is the relationship among perceptions of usefulness, adequacy, and positive experience of fall information among older adults? 2. Is there a difference in the perceptions of usefulness and adequacy among …

The Effect Of Balance-Based Torso-Weighting On Mobility, Gait, Balance, Postural Control, And Falls Efficacy In Mobility Limited Older Adults, Jennifer L. Vincenzo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Exercise is a known intervention to prevent fall risk among older adults; however, adherence is poor. Therefore, it is of interest to determine if other interventions improve function and decrease fall risk among older adults. Balance-Based Torso-Weighting (BBTW) is a non-exercise intervention that improves functional measures among adults with multiple sclerosis, yet the effectiveness of BBTW has not been assessed among older adults without progressive neurological disorders. We conducted a double-blind, randomized study to analyze the effect of BBTW on functional measures and falls efficacy among community-dwelling, mobility limited older adults after 5 days of wearing BalanceWear® for 4 hours …

Reporting Practices, Knowledge And Opinion Of Policy Regarding Drivers With Dementia Among Arkansas Neurologists And Geriatricians, Erika Martin Gergerich

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: States have various policies regarding a physician's ability or responsibility to report at-risk drivers with dementia to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Some states have mandatory reporting policies, others have optional reporting policies and some have no policy regarding this issue. Arkansas has no reporting policy regarding drivers with dementia to the DMV. Therefore, physicians in Arkansas face the risk of liability if they report a patient against their will to the DMV in good faith. Neurologists and geriatricians are often in a position to diagnose and treat individuals with dementia. Research Questions: The following three research questions …

Inclusion Of Seniors In The Design Of Assistive Technology, Margaret Rusnak

Ohio Association of Gerontology and Education Conference (2015)

Assistive technology helps many older adults complete essential tasks, thus providing them a means to remain functionally independent within their communities. However, many older adults either reject the use of devices or misunderstand their intention. The gap between design and need may be bridged through the active participation of elders in the design process. Previous studies have focused on older persons’ attitudes toward adopting new technology, emphasizing how to promote and maintain usage. Recent research reveals the necessity of including older adults in the design, research, and application of assistive technology in an effort to meet the real needs of …