Geriatrics Commons^™

A Smartwatch Step-Counting App For Older Adults: Development And Evaluation Study, George Boateng, Curtis L. Petersen, David Kotz, Karen L. Fortuna, Rebecca Masutani, John A. Batsis

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: Older adults who engage in physical activity can reduce their risk of mobility impairment and disability. Short amounts of walking can improve quality of life, physical function, and cardiovascular health. Various programs have been implemented to encourage older adults to engage in physical activity, but sustaining their motivation continues to be a challenge. Ubiquitous devices, such as mobile phones and smartwatches, coupled with machine-learning algorithms, can potentially encourage older adults to be more physically active. Current algorithms that are deployed in consumer devices (eg, Fitbit) are proprietary, often are not tailored to the movements of older adults, and have …

Characterization And Comparison Of Human Glioblastoma Models, Julia A. Schulz, Louis T. Rogers, Richard J. Kryscio, Anika M. S. Hartz, Björn Bauer

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the deadliest cancers. Treatment options are limited, and median patient survival is only several months. Translation of new therapies is hindered by a lack of GBM models that fully recapitulate disease heterogeneity. Here, we characterize two human GBM models (U87-luc2, U251-RedFLuc). In vitro, both cell lines express similar levels of luciferase and show comparable sensitivity to temozolomide and lapatinib exposure. In vivo, however, the two GBM models recapitulate diferent aspects of the disease. U87-luc2 cells quickly grow into large, well-demarcated tumors; U251-RedFLuc cells form small, highly invasive tumors. Using a new method to assess …

Mentorship In The Field Of Aging: Purposes, Pivots, And Priorities, Patricia W. Slattum, Tiffany R. Washington, Sarah Dys, Patricia M. D’Antonio, Tonya J. Roberts, Matthew Lee Smith

Health Behavior Research

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is a multi-disciplinary organization dedicated to advancing the field of aging and improving the lives of older adults. With a long-standing commitment to mentorship and career development, this article focuses on GSA’s Mentoring Consultancies and Career Conversations events and their pivot to meet the needs and demands of current and future gerontologists amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This article provides a description of these events in the context of planning, content, and member engagement. Recommendations are provided to other organizations seeking to enrich their membership through mentorship and career development activities.

Let's Get Physical: Exploring The Socioemotional Motivators Of Group Exercise For Older Adults, Tessneem S. Hasan, Alyssa R. Minton, Jason Snyder, Joseph A. Mikels

DePaul Discoveries

Approximately 75% of active adults in the U.S. do not meet the recommended levels of overall physical activity (CDC, 2021a). Given the beneficial impact of physical activity on health, an 8-week long, evidence-based group exercise program—Fit & Strong! (F&S!)—was created to improve the health of older adults (Hughes et al., 2004, 2006, 2010). Despite the clear physical benefits of F&S!, it remains unknown what motivates F&S! participants to initially participate in the program and also throughout the program. Drawing from core notions of socioemotional selectivity theory (SST; Carstensen, 2006), research has found that older adults are highly motivated to exercise …

Emergency Department Policies To Improve Care Experiences For Older Adults During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anita Chary, Shan Lliu, Lauren Southerland, Lauren Cameron Comasco, Kei Ouchi, Christopher R. Carpenter Md, Msc, Edward W Boyer, Aanand D. Naik, Maura Kennedy

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

n/a

Can Variables From The Electronic Health Record Identify Delirium At Bedside?, Ariba Khan, Kayla Heslin, Michelle Simpson, Michael L. Malone

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Delirium, a common and serious disorder in older hospitalized patients, remains underrecognized. While several delirium predictive models have been developed, only a handful have focused on electronic health record (EHR) data. This prospective cohort study of older inpatients (≥ 65 years old) aimed to determine if variables within our health system’s EHR could be used to identify delirium among hospitalized patients at the bedside. Trained researchers screened daily for delirium using the 3-minute diagnostic Confusion Assessment Method (3D-CAM). Patient demographic and clinical variables were extracted from the EHR. Among 408 participants, mean age was 75 years, 60.8% were female, and …

An Il1rl1 Genetic Variant Lowers Soluble St2 Levels And The Risk Effects Of Apoe-Ε4 In Female Patients With Alzheimer’S Disease, Yuanbing Jiang, Xiaopu Zhou, Hui Yi Wong, Li Ouyang, Fanny C. F. Ip, Vicky M. N. Chau, Shun-Fat Lau, Wei Wu, Daniel Y. K. Wong, Heukjin Seo, Wing-Yu Fu, Nicole C. H. Lai, Yuewen Chen, Alzheimer’S Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Charles D. Smith, Gregory A. Jicha, Peter A. Hardy, Partha Sinha, Elizabeth Oates, Gary Conrad

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Changes in the levels of circulating proteins are associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), whereas their pathogenic roles in AD are unclear. Here, we identified soluble ST2 (sST2), a decoy receptor of interleukin-33–ST2 signaling, as a new disease-causing factor in AD. Increased circulating sST2 level is associated with more severe pathological changes in female individuals with AD. Genome-wide association analysis and CRISPR–Cas9 genome editing identified rs1921622, a genetic variant in an enhancer element of IL1RL1, which downregulates gene and protein levels of sST2. Mendelian randomization analysis using genetic variants, including rs1921622, demonstrated that decreased sST2 levels lower AD …

Translating Cognistat And The Use Of The Cognitive Interview Approach: Observations And Challenges, Maria Isabel E. Melgar, Miguel A. Ramos Jr, Carla Krishan A. Cuadro, Camille Therese C. Yusay, Erika Kimberly R. King, Denise Hazelyn A. Maramba

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

Cognitive functioning is a salient issue among people in the late adulthood stage where mental health declines with age. A common cognitive disability among elders is Dementia including Alzheimer’s disease. Cognitive screening tools such as the Mini- Mental Status Examination and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment are most commonly used to measure the cognitive ability areas leading to a diagnostic evaluation. COGNISTAT as a neuropsychological instrument is a recent screener being introduced to a few outpatient clinics. In this study; COGNISTAT is translated to Filipino for the first time using a rigorous procedure and pilot tested on elderly volunteers in local …

Exogenous Short Chain Fatty Acid Effects In App/Ps1 Mice, Diana J. Zajac, Benjamin C. Shaw, David J. Braun, Stefan J. Green, Joshua M. Morganti, Steven Estus

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Elucidating the impact of the gut microbiome on Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is an area of intense interest. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are major microbiota metabolites that have been implicated as a mediator of gut microbiome effects in the brain. Here, we tested the effects of SCFA-treated water vs. saline-treated water on APPswe/PSEN1dE9 mice maintained under standard laboratory conditions. Mice were treated with SCFAs from five months of age until ten months of age, when they were evaluated for microbiome profile, impaired spatial memory as evaluated with the radial arm water maze, astrocyte activation as measured by Gfap expression and …

Sex Differences In The Genetic Architecture Of Cognitive Resilience To Alzheimer’S Disease, Jaclyn M. Eissman, Logan Dumitrescu, Emily R. Mahoney, Alexandra N. Smith, Shubhabrata Mukherjee, Michael L. Lee, Phoebe Scollard, Seo Eun Choi, William S. Bush, Corinne D. Engelman, Qiongshi Lu, David W. Fardo, Emily H. Trittschuh, Jesse Mez, Catherine C. Kaczorowski, Hector Hernandez Saucedo, Keith F. Widaman, Rachel F. Buckley, Michael J. Properzi, Elizabeth C. Mormino, Hyun Sik Yang, Theresa M. Harrison, Trey Hedden, Kwangsik Nho, Shea J. Andrews, Douglas Tommet, Niran Hadad, R. Elizabeth Sanders, Douglas M. Ruderfer, Katherine A. Gifford, Xiaoyuan Zhong, Neha S. Raghavan, Badri Vardarajan, Margaret A. Pericak-Vance, Lindsay A. Farrer, Li San Wang, Carlos Cruchaga, Gerard D. Schellenberg, Nancy J. Cox, Jonathan L. Haines, C. Dirk Keene, Andrew J. Saykin, Eric B. Larson, Reisa A. Sperling, Richard Mayeux, Michael L. Cuccaro, David A. Bennett, Julie A. Schneider, Paul K. Crane, Angela L. Jefferson, Timothy J. Hohman

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Approximately 30% of elderly adults are cognitively unimpaired at time of death despite the presence of Alzheimer's disease neuropathology at autopsy. Studying individuals who are resilient to the cognitive consequences of Alzheimer's disease neuropathology may uncover novel therapeutic targets to treat Alzheimer's disease. It is well established that there are sex differences in response to Alzheimer's disease pathology, and growing evidence suggests that genetic factors may contribute to these differences. Taken together, we sought to elucidate sex-specific genetic drivers of resilience.

We extended our recent large scale genomic analysis of resilience in which we harmonized cognitive data across four cohorts …

Enlarged Perivascular Spaces Are Negatively Associated With Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scores In Older Adults, Timothy J. Libecap, Valentinos Zachariou, Christopher E. Bauer, Donna M. Wilcock, Gregory A. Jicha, Flavius D. Raslau, Brian T. Gold

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Emerging evidence suggests that enlarged perivascular spaces (ePVS) may be a clinically significant neuroimaging marker of global cognitive function related to cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD). We tested this possibility by assessing the relationship between ePVS and both a standardized measure of global cognitive function, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and an established marker of cSVD, white matter hyperintensity volume (WMH) volume. One hundred and eleven community-dwelling older adults (56–86) underwent neuroimaging and MoCA testing. Quantification of region-specific ePVS burden was performed using a previously validated visual rating method and WMH volumes were computed using the standard ADNI pipeline. Separate …

Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Daily Life, Mood, And Behavior Of Adults With Down Syndrome, Sigan L. Hartley, Victoria Fleming, Brianna Piro-Gambetti, Annie Cohen, Beau M. Ances, Michael A. Yassa, Adam M. Brickman, Benjamin L. Handen, Elizabeth Head, Mark Mapstone, Bradley T. Christian, Ira T. Lott, Eric Doran, Shahid Zaman, Sharon Krinsky-Mchale, Frederick A. Schmitt, Christy L. Hom, Nicole Schupf

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Background: The Down syndrome population has been disproportionately affected by Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in terms of experiencing severe illness and death. Societal efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 may also have taken a heavy toll on the daily lives of individuals with Down syndrome.

Objective/hypothesis: The goal of the study was to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has altered daily life (including residence, employment, and participation in adult disability day programs) and influenced the mood and behavior of adults with Down syndrome.

Methods: Between September 2020 and February 2021, caregivers of 171 adults with Down syndrome (aged …

Utilization Of Remap Conversation Tool To Improve Advance Care Completion In The Home-Based Palliative Care Community Setting, Gwendolyn Starkey

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: The World Health Organization and the American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines endorses mandatory communication skills training in care goals for seriously ill patients (Back et al., 2019). In one survey of primary care providers (PCP), 68% reported no formal training to discuss advance care planning (Comer et al., 2020). Advance care planning is essential to manage chronic conditions in our growing aging population to provide the best patient care. This manuscript aimed to discuss best practices and techniques in advance care planning and optimize skills to provide patient-centered care conversations that honor patient wishes, reduce unwanted hospitalizations, and …

Examining The Effects Of Passenger Conversation On Older Adult Driving, Allison Green, Meg Tedder, Amanda J. Mohler, Amanda M. Carpenter

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Older adults have impaired driving performance compared to other age groups, and auditory stimuli has adverse effects on driving performance (Karthaus & Falkenstein, 2016). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to expand knowledge of driving and passenger conversation within the older adult population. Participants (n = 17) completed a drive of 7.8 miles on a driving simulator twice; once without conversation and again with conversation. Both drives used the same simulated driving tasks to examine driving performance with and without conversation. Participants exhibited poorer driving performance from the first drive without conversation to the second drive with conversation, …

Avian Assisted Intervention During Covid-19 Pandemic Restrictions, Sandia Wood, Mary Thelander Hill

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational Deprivation has been a present risk [ER1] for people in inpatient hospital settings such as Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic restrictions. Clients have described their days as “boring” and “unfulfilling.” Clients experiencing extended in-patient hospitalization, who already might experience great interruptions to their treasured roles, routines, and occupations, were further restricted from recreational and social opportunities usually present in those settings. This work describes the translation of the animal assisted intervention evidence base to an occupational therapy student-developed program at a SNF to address this deficit. A vibrant avian therapy partner gave moments …

Group Therapy For Adults With Hip Replacements, Riley Burford Mot/S, Hillary Talley Mot/S, Elizabeth Seals Mot/S, Alishah Pirwani Mot/S, Tylan Wakefield Mot/S

Master of Occupational Therapy Student Critically Appraised Topics

The purpose of our critically appraised topic is to synthesize the best current evidence regarding the feasibility of group occupational therapy and outcomes related to ADL performance. The final portfolio contains a total of four research articles. Study designs include two randomized control trials, one cohort design, and one systematic review. All studies related directly to the PICO question and were used to determine best evidence for the feasibility of group therapy of the older adult population who have hip replacements in a rehabilitation setting.

Early Integration Of Palliative Care With Curative Oncology Treatment For Patients With Advanced Cancer: Implications For Clinical Nursing Practice, Rhea Rughani

Honors Projects

Palliative care, though clinically established to improve health-related quality of life measures for patients with advanced illness, remains underutilized and largely limited to end of life care. This project aims to inform oncology nursing practice through the analysis of literature supporting the early integration of palliative care with standard curative oncology treatment for patients with clinically advanced cancer. Informed by relevant research, clinical practice guidelines, and improved specialty palliative care training, oncology nurses and nurse practitioners are ideally situated to advocate for and initiate early palliative care integration, to holistically improve the standard approach to complex cancer care.

Strategies To Combat Ageism In Emergency Medicine, Anita N. Chary, Lauren Cameron Comasco, Anita Rohra, Shan Lliu

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

N/a

Evaluation Of The University Of Nebraska Medical Center’S 4ms Geriatric Training Program At Nebraska Medicine Midtown, Holly M. Sesker

Capstone

In 2015, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) created the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) to address geriatric workforce challenges and improve the health outcomes of older adults. The GWEP redefines care delivery through a movement for age-friendly healthcare guided by evidence-based practices that align with the 4Ms: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility. The 4Ms identify the key issues that should drive the decision-making and care for every older adult. 4Ms training sessions were conducted at the Nebraska Medicine Midtown Clinic and evaluated through a cross-sectional survey administered to both residents (trainees) and attendings (trainers). Data was collected …

Literature Review: Palliative Care In The Emergency Department, Alice Chang, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna, Neelesh Parikh

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

With current medical advances, our patient population continues to age. This poses new challenges for healthcare practitioners to provide for elderly patients with complex and multifactorial medical needs. Particularly, this is a growing challenge in the emergency department (ED), where patients often present towards the last months of their lives. A study conducted by UCSF indicates 75% of patients in their last 6 month of life visited the ED. 56% to 99% of older adults do not have advance directives available at ED presentation. Therefore, ED visits towards the end of life is an opportune teaching moment for physicians to …