Overview and Categorization of Robots Supporting Independent Living of Elderly People: What Activities Do They Support and How Far Have They Developed.

Science.gov (United States)

Bedaf, Sandra; Gelderblom, Gert Jan; De Witte, Luc

2015-01-01

Over the past decades, many robots for the elderly have been developed, supporting different activities of elderly people. A systematic review in four scientific literature databases and a search in article references and European projects was performed in order to create an overview of robots supporting independent living of elderly people. The robots found were categorized based on their development stage, the activity domains they claim to support, and the type of support provided (i.e., physical, non-physical, and/or non-specified). In total, 107 robots for the elderly were identified. Six robots were still in a concept phase, 95 in a development phase, and six of these robots were commercially available. These robots claimed to provide support related to four activity domains: mobility, self-care, interpersonal interaction & relationships, and other activities. Of the many robots developed, only a small percentage is commercially available. Technical ambitions seem to be guiding robot development. To prolong independent living, the step towards physical support is inevitable and needs to be taken. However, it will be a long time before a robot will be capable of supporting multiple activities in a physical manner in the home of an elderly person in order to enhance their independent living.

Elderly people with chronic disease in the knowledge society

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahl, Mads Ronald

2007-01-01

elderly people use it? The focus of this paper is to evaluate whether elderly Danes with chronic disease use the internet to seek knowledge on health information. The study was conducted among 2000 Danes over 60 years of age as a cross-sectional survey using a postal questionnaire. The theoretical...... foundation of the study was a constructivistic evaluation of the problem domain followed by a quantitative evaluation. The results showed that elderly people with a chronic disease do not use the internet as source for health information any different then elderly people without chronic disease. Thus chronic...... diseases were not found to be a motivation factor or determinant for using the internet as tool to increase personal knowledge on general health information. Furthermore it showed that elderly people who reported having a good general health were more often users than elderly having a suboptimal general...

[Emotional distress in elderly people with heart disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez Santamaría, Emilia; Lameiras Fernández, María; González Lorenzo, Manuel; Rodríguez Castro, Yolanda

2006-06-30

To analyse the emotional distress associated with ageing, and its prevalence among elderly people who suffer from heart disease. Personal interviews with elderly people with and without heart problems. Interviews were conducted in public hospitals and old people's homes in the south of Galicia, Spain. The sample was made up of 130 elderly people (65 with heart problems and 65 without). The Inventory of Coping Strategies, of Halroyd and Reynolk (1984); Scheir, Caver, and Bridges Test (1984); the Life Satisfaction Scale of Diener, Emmuns, Larsen, and Griffen (1985); Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (1965); and an instrument to measure Associated Symptoms (SCL-90; Derogatis, 1975). Elderly people with heart problems experienced greater anxiety and had lower self-esteem than those without such problems. Heart patients also tended to suffer more phobic anxiety and to retreat from social interaction more. With the passing of time, heart patients over 60 showed more anxiety, irritability and psychosomatic disorders. This study clearly shows the existence of emotional distress in elderly heart patients. This makes it particularly important to conduct risk-prevention programmes, since a lot of heart disease is brought on by unhealthy conduct.

Health-Related Quality of Life Measures for Physically Active Elderly in Community Exercise Programs in Catalonia: Comparative Analysis with Sedentary People

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Jesús Fortuño-Godes

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To evaluate Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL, medication used, and Stock of Health Capital (SHC in physically active elderly participants in Community Exercise Programs (CEPs compared to a sedentary group. Methods. EuroQol standardized instrument was completed by physically active elderly (n = 2,185 who participated in CEPs. Common items were compared to HRQoL data of 1,874 sedentary elderly people, taken from the Catalan Health Survey 2006 (CHS’06. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS outcomes and medication used were assessed through parametric statistics. Dimensions of health conditions were compared, between sedentary people and physically active elderly participants in CEPs. SHC results were obtained combining the EuroQol scores and Life Expectancy (LE values. An economic value of €34,858.70 was assigned to these years of LE. Results. Physically active subjects had better HRQoL values (75.36 in males and 70.71 in females than CHS’06 sedentary subjects (58.35 in males and 50.59 in females. Medication used was different between physically active subjects (1.89 in males and 2.87 in females and CHS’06 sedentary subjects (4.34 in males and 4.21 in females. SHC data for physically active elderly (€465,988.31/QALY in males and €522,550.31/QALY in females were higher than for CHS’06 sedentary subjects (€363,689.33/QALY in males and €346,615.91/QALY in females.

Frequency of leisure activities and depressive symptomatology in elderly people: the moderating role of rumination.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Fernández, Virginia; Márquez-González, María; Losada-Baltar, Andrés; Romero-Moreno, Rosa

2014-02-01

The positive effects of leisure activities on depressive symptomatology are well known. However, the extent to which emotional regulation variables moderate that relationship has scarcely been studied, especially in older people. The aim of this study is to analyze the moderating role of rumination in the relation between leisure activities and depressive symptoms. Participants in this study were 311 people, aged 60 to 90 years (mean age: 71.27 years; SD: 6.99; 71.7% women). We evaluated depressive symptomatology, frequency of leisure activities, and rumination. We carried out a hierarchical regression analysis to confirm the moderating role of rumination. We obtained a model that explains 39.4% of the variance of depressive symptomatology. Main effects were found for the frequency of leisure activities (β = -0.397; p moderating role in the relation between leisure activities and depressive symptomatology. A risk profile of elderly people may consist of those who engage in low levels of leisure activities but also use more frequently the dysfunctional emotional regulation strategy of rumination.

Elderly people's perceptions of using Wii sports bowling - A qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Glännfjord, Fredrik; Hemmingsson, Helena; Larsson Ranada, Åsa

2017-09-01

The Nintendo Wii is a gaming console with motion-sensitive controls that is making inroads into health care and rehabilitation. However, there is still limited knowledge on how elderly people perceive the use of such a product. The aim of this study was to examine how the use of the Wii Sports Bowling in an activity group was perceived by elderly people. The data consisted of observations and interviews with participants who used Wii Sports Bowling and was analysed with content analysis. The findings are described in three themes; 'The use of the Wii Sports game', 'Engagement in the game' and 'Social interaction around the activity'. Wii Sports Bowling was described as easier to play compared to real-life bowling and was enjoyable and a social activity. The opportunity to meet the group each week was important for the participants. Playing the game resulted in signs of immersion and a flow-like state. The Wii was perceived to be easy to use, to provide a way to socialize with peers and to give opportunities to participate in activities in a new way. More studies regarding elderly people's experiences and apprehensions regarding new technology such as gaming consoles and virtual reality are needed.

An Exergame Concept for Improving Balance in Elderly People

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nawaz, Ather; Waerstad, Mathilde; Omholt, Kine

2014-01-01

Video exercise games (exergames) are becoming increasingly popular among elderly people. Many elderly experience reduced balance and muscle strength which make them at increased risk of falling. Muscle strength and balance training are the key components for preventing function decline and falls...... concept had a simple design, and included balance and muscle strengthening exercises related to real life activities. In the results of the workshop, the study provides eight design recommendations for exergame design for seniors....

The Effect of Endurance Training on a Few Kinematics Parameters Ingait of Non-Active Elderly People

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Heydar Sadeghi

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Investigating the effect of endurance training program onthe gait pattern of non-active elderly people. Methods & Materials: This study has been done by a semi-experience method with 23 old men and women by the average and standard deviation of 70.50±6.9 years old (n=14 people of exercise group, n=9 people of control group. The exercise group took part in this program for eight weeks and three sessions per week. The crude data includes speed gait, stride length, percentage of statement in stance phase, cadence and range of motion on upper body joints have been taken by using of softwares such as AutoCAD R14.0, ulead10, windows media player and CGA, in two levels before and after exercise program in two exercise and controlgroup and then analyzed by the software Spss15. Results: Significant differences shown in rang of motion of hip joint increases in toe off (P=0.05 at stance phase. Also we observed decreasing of statement in stance phase (P=0.01 in comparing pre-exercise ones. Conclusion: notice to research findings, endurance training increases range of hip motion by strengthening the flexor and extensor muscles of hip that causes improved dynamic balance and reinforcement standing balance between groups of society. As a result Endurance training can be used as an important factor to strengthen standing balance and to increase dynamic balance, doing this training isadvised in daily activity of non-active elderly people.

A daily living activity remote monitoring system for solitary elderly people.

Science.gov (United States)

Maki, Hiromichi; Ogawa, Hidekuni; Matsuoka, Shingo; Yonezawa, Yoshiharu; Caldwell, W Morton

2011-01-01

A daily living activity remote monitoring system has been developed for supporting solitary elderly people. The monitoring system consists of a tri-axis accelerometer, six low-power active filters, a low-power 8-bit microcontroller (MC), a 1GB SD memory card (SDMC) and a 2.4 GHz low transmitting power mobile phone (PHS). The tri-axis accelerometer attached to the subject's chest can simultaneously measure dynamic and static acceleration forces produced by heart sound, respiration, posture and behavior. The heart rate, respiration rate, activity, posture and behavior are detected from the dynamic and static acceleration forces. These data are stored in the SD. The MC sends the data to the server computer every hour. The server computer stores the data and makes a graphic chart from the data. When the caregiver calls from his/her mobile phone to the server computer, the server computer sends the graphical chart via the PHS. The caregiver's mobile phone displays the chart to the monitor graphically.

Evaluation of physical activity programmes for elderly people - a descriptive study using the EFQM' criteria

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Santos Rute

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the past years, there has been a growing concern in designing physical activity (PA programmes for elderly people, because evidence suggests that such health promotion interventions may reduce the deleterious effects of the ageing process. Quality is an important issue when designing a PA programme for older people. Some studies support the Excellence Model of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM as an operational framework for evaluating the quality of an organization. Within this context, the aim of this study was to characterize the quality management models of the PA programmes developed by Portuguese Local Administration to enhance quality of life for elderly people, according to the criteria of the EFQM Excellence Model. Methods A methodological triangulation was conducted in 26 PA programmes using questionnaire surveys, semi-structured interviews and document analysis. We used standard approaches to the statistical analysis of data including frequencies and percentages for the categorical data. Results Results showed that Processes (65,38%, Leadership (61,03%, Customer results (58,46 and People (51,28% had high percentage occurrences of quality practices. In contrast, Partnerships and resources (45,77%, People results (41,03%, Policy and strategy (37,91%, Key performance results (19,23% and Society results (19,23% had lower percentage occurrences. Conclusions Our findings suggest that although there are some good practices in PA programmes, there are still relevant areas that require improvement.

ATTITUDE TO FUNCTIONAL FOOD AMONG ELDER PEOPLE FROM THE WIELKOPOLSKA REGION BASED ON THEIR LIFE ACTIVITY – PILOT STUDY

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Anna Jędrusek-Golińska

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Due to the increasing share of the elderly in the population of developed countries and studies that indicate that aging is positively correlated with poorer nutritional status, it would make sense to spread the consumption of functional foods among seniors. The aim of the work was to determine the perception of functional food by elderly people depending on their vital activity. In the study survey questionnaire was used, consisting primarily of closed questions. In direct survey participated 140 people at the age of 65 from the Wielkopolska region. Women accounted for 66% of the respondents. Respondents were divided into 2 groups – active physically and mentally (respondents doing sports every day, leading social and charitable activities, participants in classes at the University of the Third Age, and less-active. The answers were analysed Chi-square test α = 0.05 signifi cance level (Statistica Soft Ware 7.0. On the basis of the carried out study were found better attitudes towards functional foods among people with more active life. More than a half of the “active” respondents had no concern with respect to functional foods, while 20% of the people from “inactive” group believed the products to be promoted as healthy only as an advertising ploy. Most of the “active” respondents associated functional food as pro-healthy food. The application of functional foods can translate into improving health quality of life of older people, which is why it is worthwhile to support activation measures of seniors and increase their knowledge of these products.

Equilibrium and muscle flexibility in elderly people subjected to physiotherapeutic intervention

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Mariane Fernandes Ribeiro

2016-09-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the equilibrium and flexibility of elderly people submitted to a training program involving physical therapy exercises. Six elderly people were selected, average age 69.66 years. Wells’s Bench and the Functional Reach Test (FRT plus Timed Up and Go Test (TUG were employed respectively to assess muscle flexibility and balance analysis. Tests were performed before and after the exercise program which consisted of thirty-five 50 min physical therapy group sessions, twice a week, with stretching exercises, gait training, active exercises, postural correction exercises and breathing exercises. Statistical analysis was done with Sigma-Stat® 3.5. Assessments occurred before and after sessions, and the final test was undertaken after 35 sessions. There was a statistically significant increase in the flexibility of the posterior muscle chain. In the TUG test, the group achieved a shorter time after treatment, with statistical significance between tests. There was a statistically significant increase in the average FRT after the sessions. Current study showed better results in the execution of tests evaluated after the program of physiotherapy activities, contributing towards the improvement of muscle flexibility and balance of elderly people.

Is the digital divide between young and elderly people increasing?

OpenAIRE

Paul, Gerd; Stegbauer, Christian

2005-01-01

Elderly people still play a minor role in research on information needs and usage patterns of Internet users. Online research and advocacy groups look optimistically at the (economic and social) potential of the active and technology–skilled elderly; other approaches dealing with the social appropriation of technology see obstacles and stress the dangers of an increasing digital divide between generations. Our objective is to refer to taken for granted normative assumptions of the digital div...

Alcohol, smoking, and physical activity related to respiratory infections in elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Horst-Graat, van der J.M.; Terpstra, J.S.; Kok, F.J.; Schouten, E.G.

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Elderly people show an increased risk of acute respiratory infections and their complications. This increased susceptibility may be the result of immunosenescence. If lifestyle factors could influence the risk of the infections, this could result in great public health relevance. We

An exploratory discrete-time multilevel analysis of the effect of social support on the survival of elderly people in China

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Zhixin; Jones, Kelvyn; Wang, Wenfei Winnie

2015-01-01

This study undertakes a survival analysis of elderly persons in China using Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey 2002–2008. Employing discrete-time multilevel models, we explored the effect of social support on the survival of elderly people in China. This study focuses on objective (living arrangements and received support) and subjective activities (perceived support) of social support, finding that the effect of different activities of social support on the survival of elderly people varies according to the availability of different support resources. Specifically, living with a spouse, financial independence, perceiving care support from any resource is associated with higher survival rates for elderly people. Separate analysis focusing on urban elderly and rural elderly revealed broadly similar results. There is a larger difference between those perceiving care support from family or social service and not perceiving care support in urban areas comparing to those in rural areas. Those who cannot pay medical expenses are the least likely to survive. The higher level of economic development in province has no significant effect on the survival of elderly people for the whole sample model and the elderly people in urban areas; however, there is a negative influence on the survival of the rural elderly people. PMID:25703671

Fall prevalence, time trend and its related risk factors among elderly people in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Hong; Ouyang, Peng

2017-11-01

To study the fall prevalence, time trends and related risk factors among elderly people in the Chinese mainland from 2011 to 2013. Our data were from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2011 and 2013. The population sample included people aged 60 years and over. Whether the person had experienced fall accident in the last two years was used to measure fall incidence. The time trend and age groups were investigated through the chi-square test. The related risk factors were examined based on the binary logistic regression model. In 2011, 19.64% (95% CI, 18.66%, 20.67%) of elderly people experienced fall incidents and in 2013, 19.28% (95% CI, 18.46%, 20.13%) of elderly people experienced fall incidents. However, no significant difference was seen in the fall prevalence between 2011 and 2013. The fall prevalence among elderly people aged 66-70 declined significantly while that among people aged over 80 showed an increasing time trend. The fall prevalence was affected significantly by factors including age (66-70), gender, marital status, self-rated health, quantity of chronic diseases, quantity of disability items, activities of daily living and physical functioning. It is revealed the fall prevalence showed no increment from 2011 to 2013 but at a high level. More efforts should be made to reduce the fall prevalence, and special attention should be paid to the elderly people aged over 80 and older. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The influence of exercise intervention upon quality of life and activity of daily living in elderly people who use nursing care insurance services

OpenAIRE

竹内, 亮

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to confirm the importance of enhancing quality of life (QOL) and activity of daily living (ADL) in elderly people, and to examine methods of exercise intervention for QOL and ADL outcomes in elderly people who use nursing care insurance services. Chapter 2 clarifies the relationship between QOL, ADL, and changes in the level of independence in elderly residents. Higher QOL outcomes (sense of well-being, satisfaction with social support, independence, and beh...

Demand of elderly people for residential care: an exploratory study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Bilsen, P.; Hamers, J.; Groot, W.; Spreeuwenberg, C.

2006-01-01

Background: Because of the rapid aging population, the demand for residential care exceeds availability. This paper presents the results of a study that focuses on the demand of elderly people for residential care and determinants (elderly people's personal characteristics, needs and resources) that

Mobile phones and elderly people: a noisy communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Stamato, Cláudia; Moraes, Anamaria de

2012-01-01

Knowing the users is capital for building user-friendly digital interfaces. One way to think about the users is considering their familiarity with this technology. This article presents the results of twelve interviews with elderly people residing in the so-called South Zone of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) who have used mobile phones over at least one year. It is part of the Doctor's Thesis "Mobile phones for elderly people - usability for social integration" ("Celulares para idosos - usabilidade a serviço da integração social"), which is targeted at ascertaining if the current mobile phones are user-friendly for elderly people. Through the technique of Guided Interviews, we found usage time, criteria for choice of phones, reasons for changes, preferences, and manners of use. Preliminarily, we have noticed differences in the behavior of the participating users and performed a qualitative analysis according to groups of age and gender.

Dance Movement Therapy with Elderly People with Pakinson's and Alzheimer's Diseace

OpenAIRE

Nitschová, Aneta

2016-01-01

This bachelor thesis focuses on the application of dance movement therapy with elderly people with certain limitations. The aim of the thesis is to describe the effects of dance movement therapy on elderly people who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases - Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. The thesis also points to the fact that although the dance movement therapy is a very suitable supplementary method of elderly people care, it does not get much attention in the Czech Republic, ...

[Frailty, disability and multi-morbidity: the relationship with quality of life and healthcare costs in elderly people].

Science.gov (United States)

Lutomski, Jennifer E; Baars, Maria A E; Boter, Han; Buurman, Bianca M; den Elzen, Wendy P J; Jansen, Aaltje P D; Kempen, Gertrudis I J M; Steunenberg, Bas; Steyerberg, Ewout W; Olde Rikkert, Marcel G M; Melis, René J F

2014-01-01

To assess the independent and combined impact of frailty, multi-morbidity, and activities of daily living (ADL) limitations on self-reported quality of life and healthcare costs in elderly people. Cross-sectional, descriptive study. Data came from The Older Persons and Informal Caregivers Minimum DataSet (TOPICS-MDS), a pooled dataset with information from 41 projects across the Netherlands from the Dutch national care for the Elderly programme. Frailty, multi-morbidity and ADL limitations, and the interactions between these domains, were used as predictors in regression analyses with quality of life and healthcare costs as outcome measures. Analyses were stratified by living situation (independent or care home). Directionality and magnitude of associations were assessed using linear mixed models. A total of 11,093 elderly people were interviewed. A substantial proportion of elderly people living independently reported frailty, multi-morbidity, and/or ADL limitations (56.4%, 88.3% and 41.4%, respectively), as did elderly people living in a care home (88.7%, 89.2% and 77,3%, respectively). One-third of elderly people living at home (31.9%) reported all three conditions compared with two-thirds of elderly people living in a care home (68.3%). In the multivariable analysis, frailty had a strong impact on outcomes independently of multi-morbidity and ADL limitations. Elderly people experiencing problems across all three domains reported the poorest quality-of-life scores and the highest healthcare costs, irrespective of their living situation. Frailty, multi-morbidity and ADL limitations are complementary measurements, which together provide a more holistic understanding of health status in elderly people. A multi-dimensional approach is important in mapping the complex relationships between these measurements on the one hand and the quality of life and healthcare costs on the other.

Tolerance for uncertainty in elderly people

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KHRYSTYNA KACHMARYK

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study. The aim of the paper is a comparison of tolerance to uncertainty in two groups of elderly: the students of the University of the Third Age (UTA and older people who are not enrolled but help to educate grandchildren. A relation to uncertainty was shown to influence on decision making strategy of elderly that indicates on importance of the researches. Methods. To obtain the objectives of the paper the following methods were used: 1 Personal change readiness survey (PCRS adapted by Nickolay Bazhanov and Galina Bardiyer; 2 Tolerance Ambiguity Scale (TAS adapted by Galina Soldatova; 3 Freiburg personality inventory (FPI and 4 The questionnaire of self-relation by Vladimir Stolin and Sergej Panteleev. 40 socially involved elderly people were investigated according the above methods, 20 from UTA and 20 who are not studied and served as control group. Results. It was shown that relations of tolerance to uncertainty in the study group of students of the University of the Third Age substantially differ from relations of tolerance to uncertainty in group of older people who do not learn. The majority of students of the University of the Third Age have an inherent low tolerance for uncertainty, which is associated with an increase in expression personality traits and characteristics in self-relation. The group of the elderly who are not enrolled increasingly shows tolerance of uncertainty, focusing on the social and trusting relationship to meet the needs of communication, and the ability to manage their own emotions and desires than a group of Third Age university students. Conclusions. The results of experimental research of the third age university student’s peculiarities of the tolerance to uncertainty were outlined. It was found that decision making in the ambiguity situations concerning social interaction is well developed in elderly who do not study. The students of the University of Third Age have greater needs in

CARDIOVASCULAR BENEFITS AND POTENTIAL HAZARDS OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE IN ELDERLY PEOPLE

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Mauri Kallinen

2005-04-01

Full Text Available Large and consistent beneficial effects with few adverse effects have been found in relation to physical exercise in selected samples of elderly subjects. However, thus far, it has not been confirmed to what extent the effects of physical exercise among elderly people are beneficial or even harmful in population-based studies. Additionally, the role of exercise testing among elderly people remains unclear. Firstly, the effects of prolonged physical training on cardiovascular fitness in 66-85-year-old women were examined in a cross-sectional study. Secondly, the predictive value of exercise-test status and results, including exercise capacity for survival, were studied in 75-year-old men and women. Thirdly, the effects of an endurance and strength training programme were examined in women aged 76 to 78 years in a population-based randomized controlled trial. Finally, the cardiac-adverse effects of acute exercise in the form of a cycle ergometer test were clarified in 75-year-old men and women. In the maximal exercise tests the mean peak oxygen uptake was respectively 26.2 and 18.7 ml·kg-1·min-1 among the physically active and less active control women. High cycling power (Watts per kg body weight in the completed ergometer test was associated with decreased risk for death (multivariate HR 0.20; CI 0.08 - 0.50. The 18-week strength training resulted in a 9.4% increase in peak oxygen uptake while the endurance training improved peak oxygen uptake by 6.8%. A significant increase in cycling power in W/kg was found in the strength and endurance training groups compared to controls. Five cases of cardio- or cerebrovascular health problems emerged in the exercise training groups. These health problems were not directly related to physical exertion. In the final study 23 and 7% of the exercise tests in men and women, respectively, were prematurely terminated because of cardiac arrhythmia or ST segment depressions. Using various study designs and

[Multidisciplinary guideline 'Recognition and treatment of chronic pain in vulnerable elderly people'].

Science.gov (United States)

Achterberg, Wilco P; de Ruiter, Corinne M; de Weerd-Spaetgens, Chantal M E E; Geels, Paul; Horikx, Annemieke; Verduijn, Monique M

2012-01-01

Chronic pain in vulnerable elderly people is still poorly recognized and treated, both at home and in hospitals and care and nursing homes. Vulnerable elderly people experience and express pain differently to relatively healthy adults, especially when they suffer from cognitive impairment or specific conditions. Determining the nature and severity of the pain requires the use of pain assessment instruments that have been validated for use in vulnerable elderly people. Effective treatment of pain demands careful diagnosis and pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions that have proven effectiveness in vulnerable elderly people. The combination of multiple morbidity and poly-pharmacy increases the chance of side-effects and complications. In addition, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of many drugs are different in vulnerable elderly people. The advice is to start with a lower dose of pain medication and gradually build up a level on the basis of pain relief and side-effects ('start low, go slow!').

Nutrition and oral status in elderly people

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Mitsuyoshi Yoshida

2014-02-01

Full Text Available This study reviewed the relationship between oral status and nutritional disorders such as obesity and sarcopenia. A literature search was performed using PubMed to find articles published in and after 2000 by using the following search terms: elderly, nutrition, tooth, tooth loss, mastication, and oral function. Although the literature search revealed that further well-designed studies are difficult controlling all confounding factors thought to influence nutritional status, it may be concluded that tooth loss leads to decreased vegetable and fruit intake and results in nutritional disturbance. This was especially prominent in elderly people who required nursing care. Moreover, although it is becoming clear that not wearing dentures increases the risk of undernutrition, the effect of denture therapy remains debatable. Elderly people in need of nursing care should be studied in future investigations on the relationship between nutrition and oral status because this population is at risk of malnutrition considering both functional and structural problems.

Ethnicity, social support, and depression among elderly chilean people

OpenAIRE

Gallardo-Peralta, Lorena; Sánchez-Moreno, Esteban; Barrón López de Roda, Ana; Arias Astray, Andrés

2014-01-01

Recent evidence regarding the relationship between social support and depression in elderly people shows the important role of ethnicity. This research describes the characteristics of social support in a sample of elderly people aged 60 and above living in northern Chile (n = 493), and analyzes the differences in the relationship between social support and depression between an indigenous group (Aymara population, n = 147) and a nonindigenous group (white, Caucasian, mestizo, n = 346). Vario...

Relationships between Age, Daily Physical Activity, Antioxidant Capacity and Oxidative Stress among Middle-aged and Elderly People

OpenAIRE

Tanabe, Kai; Masuda, Kazumi; Ajisaka, Ryuichi; Matsuda, Mitsuo; Hirayama, Aki; Nagase, Shoji; Kono, Ichiro; Kuno, Shinya

2006-01-01

The effects of age and daily physical activity (PA) on antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress remains unclear, especially among advanced age population. Thus the present study evaluated antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress status, taking into account age and PA in healthy middle-aged and elderly people (45-92 years, n=436; 166 males and 270 females). The advanced age subjects were classified in groups according to their age. Data collected from young male subjects (18-26 years, n=36) ...

Assessing Human Activity in Elderly People Using Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Alcalá, José M; Ureña, Jesús; Hernández, Álvaro; Gualda, David

2017-02-11

The ageing of the population, and their increasing wish of living independently, are motivating the development of welfare and healthcare models. Existing approaches based on the direct heath-monitoring using body sensor networks (BSN) are precise and accurate. Nonetheless, their intrusiveness causes non-acceptance. New approaches seek the indirect monitoring through monitoring activities of daily living (ADLs), which proves to be a suitable solution. ADL monitoring systems use many heterogeneous sensors, are less intrusive, and are less expensive than BSN, however, the deployment and maintenance of wireless sensor networks (WSN) prevent them from a widespread acceptance. In this work, a novel technique to monitor the human activity, based on non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM), is presented. The proposal uses only smart meter data, which leads to minimum intrusiveness and a potential massive deployment at minimal cost. This could be the key to develop sustainable healthcare models for smart homes, capable of complying with the elderly people' demands. This study also uses the Dempster-Shafer theory to provide a daily score of normality with regard to the regular behavior. This approach has been evaluated using real datasets and, additionally, a benchmarking against a Gaussian mixture model approach is presented.

Metabolic syndrome and physical activity in southern Brazilian community-dwelling elders: a population-based, cross-sectional study

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Reichert César L

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background - The association between a sedentary lifestyle and obesity is well documented, and is linked to an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS. There is some evidence that information regarding the health benefits of physical activity is beginning to impact on the elderly people and is beginning to change their behavior. We aimed to investigate the level of physical activity undertaken by elderly people with MS and those without this condition. Methods - We evaluated 362 community-dwelling elders of Novo Hamburgo, southern Brazil. Diagnosis of MS was based on the International Diabetes Federation criteria and the physical activity (PA level was estimated by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Analysis of covariance was carried out to verify associations between MS risk factors and the level of PA. Logistic regression was used to estimate the MS odds ratio for each level of PA. Results - No significant association was found between MS and the level of physical activity, irrespective of sex. The odds ratio for the presence of MS adjusted for sex and age and using insufficiently active elderly people as reference was 1.04 (95% CI, 0.6 to 1.7 in sufficiently active elderly people and 1.15 (95% CI, 0.7 to 2.0 in very active elderly people. Conclusion - The elderly citizens of a southern Brazilian community who were diagnosed with MS presented the same levels of PA as the individuals who did not have this diagnosis. This may imply that information on the importance of physical activity has already reached this higher risk population.

Emotional Sphere in Elderly People: Age and Regional Differences

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Shagidaeva A.B.

2014-08-01

Full Text Available We present a study of the negative aspects of the emotional sphere in elderly man: depression and loneliness. Empirical research was carried out in Moscow and Grozny involving elderly people living in families and in geriatric centers (201 subjects, as well as with middle-aged people (132 subjects. We used the following methods: Zung differential diagnosis of depressive states inventory in adaptation by T.I. Balachova and D. Russell and M. Ferguson Loneliness scale (UKL in adaptation by N.E. Vodopyanova. It is shown that at the present stage of development of society, middle-aged people already have quite high level of depression and pronounced sense of loneliness. We confirmed the hypothesis that the preservation of the negative aspects of the emotional sphere in elderly people is less dependent on the conditions of life at the micro level (family or gerontology center and more dependent from the living conditions at the macro level (socio-economic situation in the region. In Grozny, a city of more complex socio-economic situation, negative emotional states are more pronounced than in Moscow.

[Fall risk assessment and knee extensor muscle activity in elderly people].

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Oya, Yukiko; Nakamura, Masumi; Tabata, Emi; Morizono, Ryo; Mori, Sachiko; Kimuro, Yukari; Horikawa, Etsuo

2008-05-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze relationships between the history of falls, tripping, sway, and knee extensor muscle strengths as a tool for fall risk assessment in elderly people. We examined effective fall prevention measures. We investigated 102 elderly volunteers in the community. The subjects were classified according to history of falls, tripping, sway and 5 performance tests conducted to assess fall risk including Timed up-and-go test (TUG), Functional Reach test (FR), Hand grip and Reaction time (RT). In addition, the time serial data of the knee extensor muscle strength were acquired using a hand-held dynamometer. In comparison to the non-faller group, the faller group showed a significantly higher incident rate of tripping and sway. A frequency analysis using the Maximum Entropy Method revealed that the fallers group showed lower peak frequency (p=0.025). Also, the slope of the logarithmical spectrum was less steep in the fallers group (p=0.035). Also results from analysis of the peak force latency from the beginning of measurement to 50%, 80%, and 100% muscle strength, also showed that the faller group took more time for maximal voluntary contraction. The frequency analysis of the time series date of peak force latency of knee extensor muscle strength revealed that the muscle activity differs in faller compared to non-fallers. This study suggested that knee extensor muscle isometric performance could possibly be used as a new tool for fall risk assessment. We concluded that exercises to raise maximal muscle strength and muscle response speed are useful for the prevention of falls.

Food security for community-living elderly people in Beijing, China.

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Cheng, Yang; Rosenberg, Mark; Yu, Jie; Zhang, Hua

2016-11-01

Food security has been identified as an important issue for elderly people's quality of life and ageing in place. A food security index composed of three indicators (food intake, food quality and food affordability) was developed to measure the food security status of community-living elderly people. Food security was then examined among community-living elderly in the central urban districts of Beijing, China. Data were collected by a questionnaire survey in the summer of 2013 and the response rate was 78.5%. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were applied to analyse food security and the associations between food security and demographic and socioeconomic factors. The results showed that 54.2% of the surveyed elderly experienced food security. Participants with better education (OR = 1.68) and better health (OR = 1.47) were more likely to experience food security. The young-old were less likely to experience food security than the older old (OR = 0.94). Elderly people who lived with their children were less likely to experience food security than those who lived alone (OR = 0.43). The results of impact factors on food security highlight both similarities with studies from more developed countries and the unique challenges faced in a rapidly changing China with its unique social, cultural and political systems. The food security index we developed in this study is a simple and effective measure of food security status, which can be used in surveys for evaluating the food security status of elderly people in the future. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Relationships between street characteristics and perceived attractiveness for walking reported by elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Borst, H.C.; Miedema, H.M.E.; Vries, S.I. de; Graham, J.M.A.; Dongen, J.E.F. van

2008-01-01

Walking is important for the health of elderly people. Previous studies have found a relationship between neighbourhood characteristics, physical activity and related health aspects. The multivariate linear regression model presented here describes the relationships between the perceived

Elder people and ICT. A commitment to bridging the digital divide

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Margarita Rosa Pino Juste

2015-05-01

Full Text Available With increasing life expectancy and growth of knowledge and information, ICT enable elderly people to increase and improve their individual and social development and optimize their quality of life from a technical, economic, political and cultural viewpoint.The present study aims to analyze the use that elderly people make of ICT. The method used for the study is descriptive using the questionnaire technique to verify the knowledge that elderly people have on ICT, interest, tools and difficulties of access.Results show that elderly people consider poor their ICT skills, using them primarily to communicate with friends and family. Most of them can use the e-mail, can open, print and attach a file and use Internet search engines to find information, the lowest values are associated with spreadsheets, databases and statistical packages. They consider ICT as being useful to help building communication, developing integration, generating information among people and improving intergenerational relationship, gathering information not readily accessible by other means and learning new skills. They have no fear when using them, consider attainable their learning and see many possibilities in its use and therefore worth spending time and effort but feel that society is too dependent on computers. In conclusion, we consider essential to improve access for elderly people to ICT as an important tool for improving their quality of life and there are no major difficulties for effective management.

Ethnicity, Social Support, and Depression Among Elderly Chilean People.

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Gallardo-Peralta, Lorena P; Sánchez-Moreno, Esteban; López De Roda, Ana Barrón; Arias Astray, Andrés

2015-01-01

Recent evidence regarding the relationship between social support and depression in elderly people shows the important role of ethnicity. This research describes the characteristics of social support in a sample of elderly people aged 60 and above living in northern Chile (n = 493), and analyzes the differences in the relationship between social support and depression between an indigenous group (Aymara population, n = 147) and a nonindigenous group (white, Caucasian, mestizo, n = 346). Various dimensions of social support were considered: structural elements, functional social support according to source, and community participation. The results show the existence of significant differences in the characteristics and dimensions of social support depending on sex, ethnicity, and marital status. Further, the central role of the family group is observed for both Aymara and nonindigenous elderly people. The hierarchical regression models obtained result in notable differences in the role of the structural, functional, and community elements of support in explaining depression for the ethnic groups considered.

Cognitive assessment on elderly people under ambulatory care

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Bruna Zortea

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: to evaluate the cognitive state of elderly people under ambulatory care and investigating the connection between such cognitive state and sociodemographic variables, health conditions, number of and adhesion to medicine. Methods: transversal, exploratory, and descriptive study, with a quantitative approach, realized with 107 elderly people under ambulatory care in a university hospital in southern Brazil, in november, 2013. The following variables were used: gender, age, civil status, income, schooling, occupation, preexisting noncommunicable diseases, number and type of prescribed medications, adhesion, mini-mental state examination score, and cognitive status. Data was analyzed through inferential and descriptive statistics. Results: the prevalence of cognitive deficit was of 42.1% and had a statistically significant connection to schooling, income, civil status, hypertension, and cardiopathy. Conclusion: nurses can intervene to avoid the increase of cognitive deficit through an assessment of the elderly person, directed to facilitative strategies to soften this deficit.

Robots to motivate elderly people: present and future challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gallego Pérez, J.; Lohse, M.; Evers, Vanessa

2013-01-01

In this paper we argue for the development of new methodological approaches to create and evaluate robots for elderly-care, which offer support for the psychological determinants of the quality of life of elderly people. Relevant determinants, such as mood, self-efficacy and happiness are discussed

Dietary protein intake in Dutch elderly people : a focus on protein sources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tieland, Michael; Borgonjen-Van den Berg, Karin J.; Van Loon, Luc J. C.; de Groot, Lisette C. P. G. M.

2015-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Sufficient high quality dietary protein intake is required to prevent or treat sarcopenia in elderly people. Therefore, the intake of specific protein sources as well as their timing of intake are important to improve dietary protein intake in elderly people. OBJECTIVES: to assess the

Dietary protein intake in Dutch elderly people: a focus on protein sources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tieland, C.A.B.; Borgonjen-van den Berg, K.J.; Loon, van L.J.C.; Groot, de C.P.G.M.

2015-01-01

Introduction: Sufficient high quality dietary protein intake is required to prevent or treat sarcopenia in elderly people. Therefore, the intake of specific protein sources as well as their timing of intake are important to improve dietary protein intake in elderly people. Objectives: to assess the

Older people's perspectives on an elderly-friendly hospital environment: an exploratory study

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Karki S

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Sushmita Karki,1 Dharma Nand Bhatta,1,2 Umesh Raj Aryal3 1Department of Public Health, Nobel College, Pokhara University, Kathmandu, Nepal; 2Faculty of Medicine, Epidemiology Unit, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand; 3Department of Community Medicine, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu, Nepal Background: Many older people are vulnerable with multiple health problems and need of extensive care and support for quality of life. The main objective of this study was to explore the older people's perspectives on an "elderly-friendly" hospital. Methods: Hospital was stratified by four domains including government, semi-government, community, and private. We interviewed 33 hospitalized older patients and four hospital managers between June and December 2014 in Kathmandu, Nepal, using purposive sampling technique. We executed a qualitative content analysis step with extensive review of the interviews. Final name of the theme was given after the agreement between the research team and experts to improve trustworthiness. Elderly-friendly services, expectation from government and hospital, and health policy related to senior citizen were developed as main themes. Results: Most of the participants were satisfied with the behavior of health personnel. However, none of the health personnel were trained with geriatric health care. Elderly-friendly hospital guidelines and policy were not developed by any hospitals. Older people health card, advocacy for older people's health and benefit, and hospital environment were the common expectations of older patients. Government policy and budget constraint were the main obstacles to promote elderly-friendly health care services. Conclusion: Elderly-related health policies, physical environments of hospital, elderly-friendly health manpower, advocacy, and other facilities and benefits should be improved and developed. There are urgent needs to develop elderly-friendly hospital policies and guidelines that

Physical activity and stress coping in the elderly

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Fernando de Andréa

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: To analyze the value of a physical activity program on stress coping of the elderly. Methods: Intervention study with a group of 18 elderly people referred by the Geriatric Service of Hospital das Clínicas of the Universidade de São Paulo, who attended a supervised exercise program, evaluated by the human activity profile and the coping questionnaire. Results: In the coping and functional performance scales, increased stress coping capacity and improvement of daily activities were found after exposure to a physical activity program. Conclusions: The practice of supervised and regular physical activity, combining aerobic, resistance, stretching, and respiratory exercises, yields positive effects in the coping capacity and in the accomplishment of the daily activities.

Neurophysiological basis of creativity in healthy elderly people: a multiscale entropy approach.

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Ueno, Kanji; Takahashi, Tetsuya; Takahashi, Koichi; Mizukami, Kimiko; Tanaka, Yuji; Wada, Yuji

2015-03-01

Creativity, which presumably involves various connections within and across different neural networks, reportedly underpins the mental well-being of older adults. Multiscale entropy (MSE) can characterize the complexity inherent in EEG dynamics with multiple temporal scales. It can therefore provide useful insight into neural networks. Given that background, we sought to clarify the neurophysiological bases of creativity in healthy elderly subjects by assessing EEG complexity with MSE, with emphasis on assessment of neural networks. We recorded resting state EEG of 20 healthy elderly subjects. MSE was calculated for each subject for continuous 20-s epochs. Their relevance to individual creativity was examined concurrently with intellectual function. Higher individual creativity was linked closely to increased EEG complexity across higher temporal scales, but no significant relation was found with intellectual function (IQ score). Considering the general "loss of complexity" theory of aging, our finding of increased EEG complexity in elderly people with heightened creativity supports the idea that creativity is associated with activated neural networks. Results reported here underscore the potential usefulness of MSE analysis for characterizing the neurophysiological bases of elderly people with heightened creativity. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Depression and subjective economy among elderly people in Asian communities: Japan, Taiwan, and Korea.

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Imai, Hissei; Chen, Wen-ling; Fukutomi, Eriko; Okumiya, Kiyohito; Wada, Taizo; Sakamoto, Ryota; Fujisawa, Michiko; Ishimoto, Yasuko; Kimura, Yumi; Chang, Chia-Ming; Matsubayashi, Kozo

2015-01-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the cross-cultural relationship between depressive state and subjective economic status, as well as subjective quality of life (QOL) and activities of daily living (ADL) among elderly people in communities in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. We studied 595 subjects aged 65 years or older in three Asian communities (261 subjects in T town in Japan, 164 in D town in Taiwan, and 170 in H town in Korea). The Geriatric Depression Scale-15, a self-rating questionnaire assessing ADL, subjective QOL, social situations, and past and current medical status, was used. Depression of the elderly was associated with dependence in basic ADL, subjective QOL, and subjective sense of low economic status. After adjusting for the effects of age, sex, and basic ADL, subjective sense of low economic status was closely associated with depression in community-living elderly people in all three communities in Asia. In conclusion, absolute and objective economic status is an important contributing factor to depressive state or psychosocial deterioration, however, we should pay more attention to the roles of perception of low economic status in determining depressive state in community-dwelling elderly people. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Elderly people with visual impairment in The Netherlands].

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Limburg, J J; Keunen, J E E; van Rens, G H M B

2009-09-01

To estimate the number of elderly people with visual impairment in The Netherlands, now and in the future. Possibilities for intervention are discussed. Estimates are based on a recent report on behalf of Foundation InZicht, ZonMw, in which prevalence data from population-based studies on blindness and low vision and its causes in The Netherlands, western Europe, The United States and Australia are related to the latest demographic data for The Netherlands. Of the 16.4 million Dutch in 2008 2.4 million (14.7%) are 65 years of age and older. Of this last group 155,000 persons are living in nursing homes or residential homes, the others are living in their own homes. In 2008 an estimated 77,000 persons are blind and 234,000 have low vision. Of them 79% is 65 years of age or older. Of the older people in care institutions 20% is blind (32,000) and 22% has low vision (34,000). In 62% of them the visual impairment is treatable or could have been prevented ('avoidable'). Of the older people living independently 1.2% is blind (27,000) and 6.8% has low vision (154,000). In 57% of them the affliction is avoidable. In 2008 247,000 elderly suffer from a visual impairment that could have been treated or prevented in 143,000 (58%) of them. Screening and treatment of elderly in care institutions seems indicated, as is health education to and goal-oriented screening of elderly who live independently.

[Gender-specific manifestations of daily physical activity and sedentary behaviour in elderly people of Surgut].

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Loginov, S I; Malkov, M N; Nikolayev, A Yu

2017-01-01

Objective of the study was to establish gender-specific characteristics of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior in elderly people living in Yugra North. 295 residents of Surgut (102 men aged 62,9±5,3 years, 35%; 193 women aged 61,9±3,8 years, 65%) were subject to a IPAQ-RU questionnaire. The study revealed the gender-specific differences in body length and mass, body mass and body fat indices. It was detected that more energy is spent on the housework and physical activity in the country (moderate-intensity physical activity for women and high-intensity one for men). The study data showed no statistically significant gender-specific differences in general physical activity. Sedentary behavior is more popular among men rather than women (2543 vs 2441 min/week). 47% of low-active men and 56% of women reported the sitting times of 6-9 hours per day, 42% - 9-12 hours per day. Actions need to be taken to increase physical activity which is low at the moment and decrease sedentary behavior which is currently on the high level.

Home-Living Elderly People's Views on Food and Meals

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Ellinor Edfors

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background. The aim of the study was to describe home-living elderly people's views on the importance of food and meals. Methods. Semistructured interviews with twelve elderly people. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results. Respondents described how their past influenced their present experiences and views on food and meals. Increased reliance on and need of support with food and meals frequently arose in connection with major changes in their life situations. Sudden events meant a breaking point with a transition from independence to dependence and a need for assistance from relatives and/or the community. With the perspective from the past and in the context of dependency, respondents described meals during the day, quality of food, buying, transporting, cooking, and eating food. Conclusions. Meeting the need for optimal nutritional status for older people living at home requires knowledge of individual preferences and habits, from both their earlier and current lives. It is important to pay attention to risk factors that could compromise an individual's ability to independently manage their diet, such as major life events and hospitalisation. Individual needs for self-determination and involvement should be considered in planning and development efforts for elderly people related to food and meals.

Self-care of elderly people after the diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

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Araujo, Graciela Machado de; Leite, Marinês Tambara; Hildebrandt, Leila Mariza; Oliveski, Cinthia Cristina; Beuter, Margrid

2018-01-01

to characterize the seropositive elderly for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in their socio-demographic aspects; to understand how the elderly take care of themselves from the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS. Qualitative, descriptive, exploratory research conducted at a Voluntary Counseling and Testing Center with 10 elderly people receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS. The data were analyzed according to the content analysis. Data show the elderly people's lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission, the experience of being elderly and having HIV/AIDS, caring for oneself and life after diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in their daily lives. Final considerations: The diagnosis of HIV/AIDS seropositivity in the elderly generates a blend of feelings and fears that lead to food changes, adherence to treatment and the renunciation of daily and social habits, manifested as ways of self-care.

Aging, physical activity and sports injuries. An overview of common sports injuries in the elderly.

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Kallinen, M; Markku, A

1995-07-01

Illness and aging both cause many structural and functional alterations in the human body, rendering elderly people liable to overloading of the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems. It should, however, be kept in mind that immobilisation and inactivity have even more deleterious effects on structures and functions in the elderly than in younger adults. Most physically active elderly people are selected individuals with respect to their superior health and physical capacity compared with inactive persons of the same age, thus making it possible to further improve their physical capacity. They will, however, be affected by some of the drawbacks of physical overloading, mostly due to the diminished ability of aging body systems to adapt to high levels of loading. The safety margin of an exercise dose tends to decline with aging. Exertional injuries are common among the elderly, and are connected mostly with degenerative aging processes. Acute injuries are common in those elderly people participating in sport activities which demand high coordination, reaction time, and balance capabilities, such as ball games, down-hill skiing, and gymnastics. Muscle has been reported to be the most commonly acutely injured tissue among active elderly athletes. The lower extremities are the most susceptible to injury. A large proportion of injuries (acute and exertional) are mild and can be treated by brief cessation of training and competition activities. Some of the injuries are, however, long term and cause disability not only during training and competition, but also in the normal activities of daily living. It is important that these injuries are treated as soon as possible and in the most effective way, similarly to injuries suffered by younger people. In treating elderly people, it is most important to avoid the detrimental effects of immobilisation; this requires active treatment and rehabilitation with compensatory exercise therapy. The best 'treatment' for sports

Hypotensive responses to common daily activities in institutionalized elderly. A potential risk for recurrent falls.

Science.gov (United States)

Jonsson, P V; Lipsitz, L A; Kelley, M; Koestner, J

1990-07-01

Transient hypotension may be one of many factors contributing to the high prevalence of falls among elderly people. To determine the frequency and magnitude of hypotensive responses to common daily activities, and their potential relationship to falls in the elderly, we examined blood pressure (BP) and heart rate during a standardized series of activities in 38 institutionalized recurrent fallers (age, 87 +/- 6 years), 20 institutionalized nonfallers (age, 85 +/- 5 years), and 10 healthy young control subjects (age, 24 +/- 3 years). The coefficient of variation for systolic BP during all activities was higher in elderly subjects (fallers, 14% +/- 5%; nonfallers, 12% +/- 3%) than in young control subjects (8% +/- 1%). In contrast, the coefficient of variation for heart rate during all activities was higher in young subjects than in the elderly subjects. Elderly subjects had marked BP reduction following meals and nitroglycerin, which was significantly greater in fallers than in nonfallers, independent of the cause of the fall. Thus, institutionalized elderly have marked BP variability and hypotensive responses to meals and nitroglycerin. A decline in BP during common preload-reducing stresses may predispose some elderly people to falls.

[Home automation for elderly people in the process of losing their autonomy].

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Muller, Philippe

2012-01-01

The safety of elderly people, particularly dependent at night, is a major factor in preventingthem from remaining in their own home. An experiment in Corrèze using domotics and advanced remote assistance services and involving around one hundred elderly people living at home, took place from summer 2009 to autumn 2010.

Memory complaints are frequent but qualitatively different in young and elderly healthy people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ginó, Sandra; Mendes, Tiago; Maroco, João; Ribeiro, Filipa; Schmand, Ben A.; de Mendonça, Alexandre; Guerreiro, Manuela

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: Subjective memory complaints are frequently reported by the elderly. There is less information about the characterization of subjective memory complaints in young people. OBJECTIVE: To determine different memory complaints between young and elderly people with the use of the Subjective

Memory complaints are frequent but qualitatively different in young and elderly healthy people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ginó, S.; Mendes, T.; Maroco, J.; Ribeiro, F.; Schmand, B.A.; de Mendonca, A.; Guerreiro, M.

2010-01-01

Background: Subjective memory complaints are frequently reported by the elderly. There is less information about the characterization of subjective memory complaints in young people. Objective: To determine different memory complaints between young and elderly people with the use of the Subjective

Comparison of Some Cardiovascular Risk Factors between Active and Sedentary Elderly Men

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H. Najafgholizadeh

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Background: One of the major problems threatening the world’s people are cardiovascular diseases, accounting for 30% of the deaths. The factors exposing people to this danger are called risk factors. Objective: This study aimed to compare the cardiovascular risk factors and C-reactive protein between active and sedentary elderly men. Methods: The study was a descriptive comparison of two groups that were conducted in Rasht city in 2015. The subjects of this study consist of 30 active elderly men and 30 sedentary elderly men who were selected non-randomly and purposefully. Inclusion criteria of research for active subjects were have regular physical activity at least six months and don’t use cigarette and pills that affect profile lipids and inclusion criteria for sedentary subjects were don’t have regular physical activity and also don’t use cigarette and pills that affect profile lipids. The measured cardiovascular risk factors of subjects include fasting blood sugar (FBS, triglyceride (TG, total cholesterol (TC, highdensity lipoprotein (HDL, low-density lipoprotein (LDL, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL, glycated haemoglobinA1c (HbA1c, and C-reactive protein (CRP. The statistical methods used for data analysis are Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, t-student, and U Mann-Whitney with significance level less than 0.05. Findings: The t-student exam shows that cardiovascular risk factors, including FBS, TG, TC, HDL, VLDL, HbA1c, and CRP, in active elderly men are lower than sedentary elderly men. This difference is also statistically significant (P≤0/01. Conclusion: The study showed that cardiovascular risk factors in active elderly men are less than sedentary ones. However, 80% of active elderly men had still at least one or several cardiovascular risk factors.

Orofacial pain conditions and impact on quality of life in community-dwelling elderly people in Hong Kong.

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Luo, Yan; McMillan, Anne S; Wong, May C M; Zheng, Jun; Lam, Cindy L K

2007-01-01

To determine orofacial pain (OFP) characteristics, associated disability, and effect on quality of life in elderly community-dwelling Chinese people. A cross-sectional survey involving elderly people registered with the Family Medicine Unit of the University of Hong Kong served as the sampling frame. Elderly people with recent OFP symptoms and a comparison control group without OFP participated. Standard questions were asked about OFP conditions in the previous month and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and pain-related disability questions were administered prior to a standard clinical examination. Ninety-five people with OFP and 100 people without OFP participated. The median number of pain symptoms per subject was 2.0. Toothache was the most common symptom (58.9%); shooting pain across the face and muscle tenderness were the least common (6.3%). More than half of the pain participants described moderate to severe OFP. The prevalences of patients with neurological/vascular (NV), musculoligamentous/soft tissue (MST), or dentoalveolar (DA) OFP were 35.8%, 33.7%, and 30.5%, respectively. Chronic OFP was common (80%). The mean OHIP-14 summary score was significantly higher in OFP subjects than controls (P or = 4, indicating greater psychological distress, were more common in OFP subjects than controls (P life activities, and in 9.9% it affected ability to work. OFP had a substantial detrimental impact on daily life activities, psychological distress level, and quality of life in Chinese elders. MST and DA conditions had the greatest adverse impact on quality of life.

Suicide in elderly people: a literature review.

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Minayo, Maria Cecília de Souza; Cavalcante, Fátima Gonçalves

2010-08-01

A literature review was carried out focusing on the main factors associated with suicidal ideation, attempts and completed suicide in elders. The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, PsychINFO, SciELO and Biblioteca Virtual em Violência e Saúde da BIREME (BIREME's Violence and Health Virtual Library), referring to the period from 1980 to 2008. Fifty-two references were selected and analyzed. They showed a strong relationship among suicide ideation, attempt and completion in elderly individuals, which results from the interaction of complex physical, mental, neurobiological and social factors. Suicide associated with depression in the elderly can be prevented, provided the person is properly treated. In Brazil, it is necessary to invest in research, given the persistent increase in suicide rates among aged people, especially among males.

Physical activity and its importance for the health of elderly

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Paulina Sztandera

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction and aim of the study. World society is aging. In Poland, in 2015 the proportion of older people is almost 23%, and the world is 12%. Forecasts show that by 2050 this proportion will reach 32.7%, the world 22%, and 1 in 5 people will be 60+. The purpose of the study was to analyze the literature of physical activity and its benefits to elderly people’ health. Actual knowledge. The health condition worsens with age, the number of long-term health problems and chronic diseases rising with age. These problems are mainly related to cardiological problems, joint problem and diabetes. The World Health Organization has pointed out that physical activity has measurable effects on the health of the elderly. Summary.From the available literature, there is clearly a positive effect of physical activity on the health of people in the third period of life. Physical activity started in any age will have beneficial health effects associated with improved functional status, improved quality of life and mood.

Elderly people need an eye examination before entering nursing homes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Hanne; Tubæk, Gitte

2017-01-01

INTRODUCTION: It is well documented that eye diseases develop with ageing and thus more elderly people have a visual handicap. It is important that the elderly are examined well, that they have the correct prescription and optimal aids. This is especially applicable to those residing in nursing...

Postural balance and functional independence of elderly people according to gender and age: cross-sectional study

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Helen Benincasa Nakagawa

Full Text Available ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Aging causes changes in men and women. Studies have shown that women have worse postural balance and greater functional dependence than men, but there is no consensus regarding this. The aim of this study was to compare the balance and functional independence of elderly people according to sex and age, and to evaluate the association between postural balance and the number of drugs taken. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional at a state university. METHODS: 202 elderly people were evaluated regarding balance (Berg Scale, independence (Barthel Index, age, sex, number of medications and physical activity. RESULTS: The subjects comprised 117 women (70.2 ± 5.6 years old and 85 men (71.1 ± 6.9 years old. For balance, there was no significant difference regarding sex, but there was a difference regarding age (P < 0.0001. For functional independence, there was a difference regarding sex (P = 0.003, but not regarding age. The variables of age, medications and physical activity were significant for predicting the Berg score. For the Barthel index, only age and sex were significant. Elderly people who took three or more medications/day showed higher risk of falling than those who took up two drugs/day (odds ratio = 5.53, P < 0.0001, 95% confidence interval, 2.3-13.0. CONCLUSIONS: There was no sexual difference in relation to postural balance. However, people who were more elderly presented a high risk of falling. Functional dependence was worse among females. There was an association between the number of medication drugs and risk of falling.

The Association Between Physical Activity, Mental Status, and Social and Family Support with Five Major Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases Among Elderly People: A Cross-Sectional Study of a Rural Population in Southern China.

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Huang, Xiang; Yang, Huajie; Wang, Harry H X; Qiu, Yongjun; Lai, Xiujuan; Zhou, Zhiheng; Li, Fangjian; Zhang, Liwei; Wang, Jiaji; Lei, Jimin

2015-10-21

Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs) have become the top threat in China. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of major NCDs among the elderly population in rural areas in southern China and explore its associated social determinants. A multistage cluster random sampling methodology was adopted to select a total of 9245 rural elderly people from 3860 rural households in Guangdong Province. Interviews and physical examinations were performed to collect patient information. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore factors associated with the presence of major NCDs. Over one-third (38.5%) of the study population suffered from five major NCDs. The grade of activities of daily living (ADL), mental status, and social relationship of elderly people without NCDs were better than those with NCDs. The major factors associated with the presence of NCDs among the elderly people included age (70-79 years group and 80-89 years group), education level (senior high/technical secondary school and junior college and above), mental status (concentration, enrichment and happy life and memory), relationship with neighbours, activities of daily living (ADL) (being able to climb three floors and bend over), physical activity, marital status (bereft), and living conditions (with offspring and family members). The study identified several social determinants associated with the presence of major NCDs. A higher level of family support and physical exercise might contribute to improved physical condition, mental status, and ADL among the elderly people in rural areas in southern China.

Aging in Place within Elderly People in the Southwest Iran

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Laleh Fani Saberi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Iran and its aged society are facing some issues that significantly impact the current social structures in Iran. It will continue to do so on their growing as elderly with negative impacts on communal relations and unjust distribution of resources based on a gender basis that will affect the aging in place (AiP. The study aims to investigate the AiP within aged people and modifying role of the gender variables within it. Methods: This study describes the current AiP of the aged people in Ahwaz city in the southwest Iran from a gender perspective. The population available for the study was citizens 60 years of age and older (N=51594 in Ahwaz city. Sampling method was cluster-ratio based on municipal zones, ethnicity, and gender with sample size 382 (195 male and 187 female. The data were analysed by descriptive statistics, F-test and geographical information system. Results: Economically poor situation of the aged samples especially aged women, and their health status was moderated by low quality of nutrition and high prevalence of chronic conditions. For example, Arabs, Persian and Lor received low mean scores of 59.41, (SD= 7.332, 58.09 (SD= 11.963, and 57.02, (SD= 7.963 respectively in the health status. AiP characteristics are poor and discrimination was especially significantly prominent among elderly females. Multiple regression were found to modify AiP at the first step. The GLM reported that gender-ethnic discrimination directly affected AiP and high prevalent amongst elderly minority females. Conclusion: The current urban environment, in the southwest Iran, seems is unable to meet healthy needs of aged people. It needs to adjust upon gender and other relevant characteristics to monitor equality of outcomes for aged and minorities. The future research needs to focus on effect of ethnicity and gender-related issues on AiP, especially in developing countries like Iran. sure activities and mental health, provides evidence for

Energy requirements and physical activity level of active elderly people in rural areas of Cuba. Highlights and achievements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez-Trianna, M.

2002-01-01

Physical activity levels (PALs) values of urban elderly of developed countries obtained by the DLW-method are usually higher than the recommendations of the Expert Committee on Energy and Protein. This underestimation should be more evident for the rural elderly

Effects of physical and sporting activities on balance control in elderly people

Science.gov (United States)

Perrin, P. P.; Gauchard, G. C.; Perrot, C.; Jeandel, C.

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Balance disorders increase with aging and raise the risk of accidental falls in the elderly. It has been suggested that the practice of physical and sporting activities (PSA) efficiently counteracts these age related disorders, reducing the risk of falling significantly. METHODS: This study, principally based on a period during which the subjects were engaged in PSA, included 65 healthy subjects, aged over 60, who were living at home. Three series of posturographic tests (static, dynamic with a single and fast upward tilt, and dynamic with slow sinusoidal oscillations) analysing the centre of foot pressure displacements or electromyographic responses were conducted to determine the effects of PSA practice on balance control. RESULTS: The major variables of postural control were best in subjects who had always practised PSA (AA group). Those who did not take part in PSA at all (II group) had the worst postural performances, whatever the test. Subjects having lately begun PSA practice (IA group) had good postural performances, close to those of the AA group, whereas the subjects who had stopped the practice of PSA at an early age (AI group) did not perform as well. Overall, the postural control in the group studied decreased in the order AA > IA > AI > II. CONCLUSIONS: The period during which PSA are practised seems to be of major importance, having a positive bearing on postural control. It seems that recent periods of practice have greater beneficial effects on the subject's postural stability than PSA practice only at an early age. These data are compatible with the fact that PSA are extremely useful for elderly people even if it has not been a lifelong habit. 


 PMID:10205695

Field study of visual and biological light conditions of independently-living elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aarts, M.P.J.; Westerlaken, A.C.

2005-01-01

A field study was carried out to learn more about the influence of light on the lives of elderly people . The results should lead to the development and design of a light concept for elderly people that will improve their everyday health and well-being. Methods: Ninetyone independently-living

Being part of an enacted togetherness: narratives of elderly people with depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyman, Anneli; Josephsson, Staffan; Isaksson, Gunilla

2012-12-01

In this article, we explored how five elderly persons with depression engaged in everyday activities with others, over time, and how this was related to their experience of meaning. Repeated interviews and participant observations generated data that was analysed using a narrative approach. Analysis identified togetherness as an acted relation, "enacted togetherness", emphasising how the act of doing everyday activities with someone created togetherness and belonging, and being part of an enacted togetherness seemed to be a way for the participants to negotiate and construct meaning. Opportunities for doing things together with someone were closely associated to the place where the participants lived. Furthermore, engagement in activities together with others created hope and expectations of future acting. Findings from this research can extend our understanding of how participating in everyday activities is experienced as a social process including change over time, presenting the perspective of elderly people themselves. In light of these findings, we highlight the need to consider how opportunities to become part of an enacted togetherness can be created. Also, we aspire to contribute to the debate on how to understand the complexity related to social aspects of ageing and add to the emerging understanding of everyday activities as transactional, incorporating people and the environment in a dynamic process that goes beyond the individual. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Review Study on Effective Factors in Prevention of Falling and Osteoporosis Fracture in Elderly People

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Roghayeh Esmaieli

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim The geriatric process consists of stages of progressive and unrevisable changes during the life. This change starts from the age of 35 to 40, but usually a person over 60 years old is considered as elderly. With regard to the geriatric physiopathology process, osteoporosis and the following bone fracture caused by a fall, is one of the most common and serious problems in elderly people. Other important factors responsible for old people`s bedridden at hospital are respectively as follow: femoral fractures, sub durra hemorrhage, and injury or damage of brain. Only after being involved in a problem or injury the elders notice the risk factors and the ways to prevent them. Therefore, the investigation and recognition of precaution measures are necessary in case of osteoporosis and falling in elder people. The primary prevention of falling in elderly people is the prevention of osteoporosis. Therefore, screening of peripheral and central bone density is necessary for those who are at risk.The present article is a review study which has been prepared by gathering and reviewing thirty articles about recognition of risk factors and preventing osteoporosis and falling down in elderly people. From review of literature it was concluded that the following measures should be taken in order to prevent the elderly people from any kind of injury:A - Identification and Assessment of elderly people with high risk exposure B - Decreasing or eliminating the risk factors by:- Body & physical exercise - Taking tablets - Appropriate diet- Multiple interventions

Effects of hearing aids on cognitive functions and depressive signs in elderly people.

Science.gov (United States)

Acar, Baran; Yurekli, Muge Fethiye; Babademez, Mehmet Ali; Karabulut, Hayriye; Karasen, Rıza Murat

2011-01-01

With the physical, emotional and cognitive effects of senility, elderly people, especially those with impaired hearing, need rehabilitation for improving their life conditions. Hearing aids are frequently used to improve their daily life communications and activities. The aim of this study was to report the cognitive and psychological benefits of using hearing aids by the elderly people, over the age of 65. This was a prospective, single-arm interventional study in 34 elderly subjects with hearing impairment who answered the geriatric depression scale-short form (GDS) questionnaire and the mini mental state examination (MMSE) test, prior to, and 3 months following the use of hearing aid, after obtaining the patients' consent to participate in study. Patients with evidence of focal neurological loss with clinical examination, a confusional state, sudden hear loss and severe tinnitus were not included in the study. Scores of the effects of hearing aids on mood and cognitive functions were compared for each subject, before and after, and between males and females. After 3 months of using a hearing aid, all patients showed a significant improvement of the psychosocial and cognitive conditions, and all of them showed betterment of their problems, i.e., the social communication and exchanging information. In conclusion, for the elderly people with the effects of hearing aids in presbycusis and due to the significant improvement in psychological state and mental functions, using and being adaptable to hearing aids is a good solution. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using case-based reasoning to detect risk scenarios of elderly people living alone at home

OpenAIRE

Lupiani, Eduardo; Juarez, Jose M.; Palma, Jose; Sauer, Christian; Roth-Berghofer, Thomas

2014-01-01

In today’s ageing societies, the proportion of elderly people living alone in their own homes is dramatically increasing. Smart homes provide the appropriate environment for keeping them independent and, therefore, enhancing their quality of life. One of the most important requirements of these systems is that they have to provide a pervasive environment without disrupting elderly people’s daily activities. The present paper introduces a CBR agent used within a commercial Smart Home system, d...

Gerontological contributions to the care of elderly people in long-term care facilities

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Vanessa da Silva Antonio Coimbra

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze Brazilian scientific productions from the last 11 years which show the contributions of nursing to elderly people in long-term care facilities. Method: This is an integrative literature review. The search took place in the Virtual Health Library (VHL in the BDENF and LILACS databases and the SCIELO virtual library, between June and October 2016, using the keyword long-term care facility and the descriptors nursing and geriatrics. Results: Eleven studies were selected, published 2005 and 2016, with various methodological approaches that enabled discussion of the proposed objective. Conclusion: The contributions of nursing to institutionalized elderly people were linked to health promotion measures, as well as simple interventions, such as listening, interacting, offering recreation and helping in psychoaffective relationships. These activities contributed to raising the self-esteem of the individuals.

[Relationships among health-promoting activities, going out and perceived transportation problems of elderly people living in a small town far from the nearest train station].

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimoto, T; Kawata, C

1999-03-01

To estimate the change in health-promoting activities among elderly people affected by community organizing environments, we examined the relationships among health-promoting activity, going out and perceived transportation problems. A questionnaire was sent to 567 men and women aged 60 years old and over living in a small town in Kanagawa prefecture between July 27 and August 12 in 1995. The questionnaire consisted of 42 items concerning health, social ability of daily living (including the desire to participate in social activities), attitude toward health-promoting activities, and perceived transportation problems. A total of 397 people responded and the answers from 368 people were analyzed after excluding responses from those unable to go out by themselves and those who seldom went out. Single regression analysis and multiregression analysis were used with the sum of responses for each question representing factors related to health-promoting behavior. A probability level of 5 percent was considered significant. The reliability of the data was examined with Cronbach's coefficient alpha. Coefficients of determination for health promoting behavior were 42% in men and 48% in women. In both men and women, age, social ability of daily living and attitudes toward health-promoting behavior were related to health-promoting activity. In women, more actively going out was related to more active health-promoting activity. Higher perception of transportation problems had a negative effect on going out. In men, neither of these factors had any relationship with health-promoting activity. In men, poorer health conditions were related to more active health-promoting activity, but in women, there was no relationship between those factors. These results show that there are gender differences in the relationships among the factors related to health-promoting activities in elderly people. In women, a higher perception of transportation problems restrained actively going out and

[Nutritional care of elderly people with chronic alcoholism].

Science.gov (United States)

Brugerolles, Héléna; Mathy, Fabrice; Emery, Sophie; Hervé, Christian

2014-01-01

The management of elderly people with chronic alcoholism involves several players, including dieticians.Without stigmatisingthe person or apportioning blame, the challenge is to enable them to become a player in their treatment. Long-term support is required.

Images of Aging in Institutionalized and Non-Institutionalized Elderly People

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Marlene Lopes

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study was to assess and compare images and stereotypes of aging in institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly people. This is a descriptive study using a survey. Method: The instruments used were a sociodemographic questionnaire and the ImAges scale. A total of 120 elderly people, aged between 65 and 99 years, participated in this study. Results: Statistically significant differences were found, for the scale’s three factors, between institutionalized and non-institutionalized older adults. In the factor “dependence, sadness and old-fashioned”, the institutionalized participants presented a higher number of negative images and stereotypes (M = 51.8; DP = 6.01 than the non-institutionalized participants (M = 49.0; DP = 7.85, these differences were significant (t(118 = -2.16; p < 0.05. In the “maturity, activity and affectivity” factor, there were also significant differences (t(118 = 2.04; p < 0.05, the non-institutionalized participants present higher rates of positive images and stereotypes (M = 20.2; DP = 3.28, when compared to institutionalized participants (M = 19.0; DP = 3.310. Conclusion: The results suggested that institutionalized older adults presented more negative aging images than non-institutionalized.

Active video gaming to improve balance in the elderly

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lamoth, C.J.; Caljouw, S.R.; Postema, K.

2011-01-01

The combination of active video gaming and exercise (exergaming) is suggested to improve elderly people's balance, thereby decreasing fall risk. Exergaming has been shown to increase motivation during exercise therapy, due to the enjoyable and challenging nature, which could support long-term

The implementation of the functional task exercise programme for elderly people living at home

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Fleuren Margot A H

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Functional Task Exercise programme is an evidence-based exercise programme for elderly people living at home. It enhances physical capacity with sustainable effects. FTE is provided by physiotherapists and remedial therapists. Although the intervention was found to be effective in a Randomised Controlled Trial, we may not assume that therapists will automatically supply the programme or that elderly people will automatically join the programme. This study protocol focuses on identifying determinants of implementation, developing implementation strategies and studying the effects of the implementation in daily practice. Methods/Design Phase 1: The systematic identification of determinants of the implementation of FTE among therapists and the elderly. A questionnaire study was conducted in a random sample of 100 therapists, and interviews took place with 23 therapists and 8 elderly people (aged 66 to 80 years. The determinants were broken down into four categories: the characteristics of the environment, the organisation, the therapists, and the training programme. Phase 2: Developing and applying strategies adapted to the determinants identified. Fifteen physiotherapists will be trained to provide FTE and to recruit elderly people living at home. The therapists will then deliver the 12-week programme to two groups of elderly, each consisting of six to twelve people aged 70 years or older. Phase 3: Study of implementation and the impact. To study the actual use of FTE: 1 therapists record information about the selection of participants and how they apply the key features of FTE, 2 the participating elderly will keep an exercise logbook, 3 telephone interviews will take place with the therapists and the elderly and there will be on-site visits. The effects on the elderly people will be studied using: 1 the Patient-Specific Questionnaire, the Timed Up and Go test and a two performance tests. All tests will be performed at

Effect of multi-sensory balance training for unsteady elderly people: pilot study of the "Reykjavik model".

Science.gov (United States)

Kristinsdottir, Ella Kolbrun; Baldursdottir, Bergthora

2014-01-01

To evaluate effects of combined mechano- and proprioceptive, vestibular and fall-prevention training on postural control, functional ability, confidence in activities of daily living (ADL) and frequency of falls among unsteady elderly people. Subjects were 37 elderly outpatients attending physiotherapy because of instability. Treatment consisted of 18 multisensory balance training sessions. RESULTS from Sensory Organization Test, Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test, 30-m normal and fast walk with a turn, Ascending-Descending 11 steps and Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale were compared before and after training. Information was gathered about number of falls 1 year prior to training, during training period and for 6 months after completion of training. Significant improvement was observed in all measured parameters (p falls in the year prior to the study. Six subjects reported seven falls during the training period and seven subjects reported 17 falls in the 6 months follow-up period. Combined vestibular, proprioceptive and fall-prevention training improve postural control, functional ability, confidence in ADL and might even decrease the risk of falling among elderly people.

[Examination results and autopsy findings in assaults on elderly people].

Science.gov (United States)

Bode-Jänisch, Stefanie; Havermann, Robert; Germerott, Tanja; Fieguth, Armin

2010-01-01

As the percentage of elderly people in the population grows, violence against persons of advanced age constitutes an increasing social problem. The findings of the clinical forensic examinations (CE group) and autopsies performed on elderly violence victims (> or = 60 years) between 1999 and 2008 at the Institute of Legal Medicine of the Hanover Medical School were retrospectively analysed. In all, the study material comprised 55 victims of the CE group (35 females and 20 males, median age 73.5 years) and 55 autopsies (33 females and 22 males, median age 72.7 years). In most of the autopsy cases, the suspect was a family member or partner. In contrast, the alleged perpetrator was a stranger in most cases of the CE group. Blunt force injuries were most often found in the CE group victims (63.6%). Altogether, 38.2% (CE group) and 20.0% (autopsy cases) of the violent assaults were associated with robbery. In the majority of the CE cases, the victims suffered potentially or acute life-threatening injuries. In summary, the analysis shows that elderly people frequently become victims of robbery and blunt force injury. In most homicides of old people, the perpetrator is familiar to the victim. In surviving elderly violence victims, the assault is more likely to be reported to the police if the suspect is a stranger.

Agri-business for elderly people through the Internet

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Kenji Hashimoto

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The leaf business of Irodori is an example of a successful enterprise realized by connecting elderly people and local agricultural resources in a peripheral area with an aging population. In the process of developing the business, Irodori has overcome three difficulties with regard to information systems. Firstly, it overcame the distances between the peripheral producing regions and the consumer markets in urban areas. Secondly, it overcame the disadvantageous condition of being based in a mountain village with a low population density, where it is difficult to develop a communications infrastructure. Thirdly, it overcame the difficulty and burden that elderly people felt regarding the use of a personal computer and the Internet. The example of Irodori can be considered as a model case when considering the exploitation of regional resources and strategies for utilizing them through 'informatization'.

Quality of care: from the perspective of elderly people: the QUOTE-Elderly instrument.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sixma, H.J.; Campen, C. van; Kerssens, J.J.; Peters, L.

2000-01-01

Background: patient views on the quality of care are usually assessed by means of patient satisfaction questionnaires. Aim: to develop an instrument that would: (i)produce data to the expectations and experiences of non-institutionalized elderly people, (ii) contain items that has been formulated in

Sheltered housing or community dwelling: quality of life and ageism among elderly people.

Science.gov (United States)

Bodner, Ehud; Cohen-Fridel, Sara; Yaretzky, Abraham

2011-10-01

Previous studies have found correlations between negative perceptions of old age and perceived quality of life (QoL) among elderly people. It has also been suggested that a denial of aging mechanism is employed and might support ageist attitudes among private-sheltered housing tenants compared with elderly people who live in the community and experience intra-generational interactions. Therefore, we hypothesized that tenants of sheltered housing will report more ageist attitudes towards people of their own age, and report a lower QoL than elderly people who live in the community. The sample included 126 volunteers, aged between 64 and 94 years, who live in private-sheltered housing (n = 32) or in the community (n = 94). The participants completed the Fraboni scale of ageism, and a QoL Inventory (SF-36). People, and men in particular, who live in sheltered housing, reported more intergenerational ageist attitudes than men and women who live in the community. Tenants in sheltered housing expressed lower evaluations of their mental health, but higher evaluations on "social functioning" (QoL scales). Women from sheltered housing reported better mental health than men. Gender and some QoL scales were associated with higher ageism. Differences in ageist attitudes between both dwelling places can be interpreted according to Social Identity Theory, which refers to the impact of the ingroup on social attitudes. Differences in QoL can be understood by the accessibility of social activities in private-sheltered housing. Gender differences in ageism and QoL can be explained by women's better social adjustment. Findings should be regarded with caution because of the small sample.

Body composition and energy metabolism in elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser, M.

1995-01-01

This thesis describes several studies related to the three components of energy balance in elderly people: body composition, energy expenditure, and energy intake.

Body composition. The applicability of the body mass index, skinfold thickness method, and

Assertive community treatment for elderly people with severe mental illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Stobbe, Jolanda; Mulder, Niels C L; Roosenschoon, Bert-Jan; Depla, Marja; Kroon, Hans

2010-10-19

Adults aged 65 and older with severe mental illnesses are a growing segment of the Dutch population. Some of them have a range of serious problems and are also difficult to engage. While assertive community treatment is a common model for treating difficult to engage severe mental illnesses patients, no special form of it is available for the elderly. A special assertive community treatment team for the elderly is developed in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and tested for its effectiveness. We will use a randomized controlled trial design to compare the effects of assertive community treatment for the elderly with those of care as usual. Primary outcome measures will be the number of dropouts, the number of patients engaged in care and patient's psychiatric symptoms, somatic symptoms, and social functioning. Secondary outcome measures are the number of unmet needs, the subjective quality of life and patients' satisfaction. Other secondary outcomes include the number of crisis contacts, rates of voluntary and involuntary admission, and length of stay. Inclusion criteria are aged 65 plus, the presence of a mental disorder, a lack of motivation for treatment and at least four suspected problems with functioning (addiction, somatic problems, daily living activities, housing etc.). If patients meet the inclusion criteria, they will be randomly allocated to either assertive community treatment for the elderly or care as usual. Trained assessors will use mainly observational instruments at the following time points: at baseline, after 9 and 18 months. This study will help establish whether assertive community treatment for the elderly produces better results than care as usual in elderly people with severe mental illnesses who are difficult to engage. When assertive community treatment for the elderly proves valuable in these respects, it can be tested and implemented more widely, and mechanisms for its effects investigated. The Netherlands National Trial Register NTR1620.

Role of Internal and External Religious Beliefs in Mental Health and Rate of Depression in Elderly People

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Fazel Bahrami

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The present research is aimed at surveying the role of (internal and external religious orientation in the mental health and the extent of depression in elderly people residing in welfare centers and the society. Methods: The study has been conducted through post-event and correlation method by using stochastic and cluster sampling in 230 cases of elderly people at senior citizens` homes, affiliated with the Welfare Organization, and public places (mosques and parks which are gathering centers for the elderly people of society, both male and female. The cases were initially screened in terms of recognition complications. Then 28-question tests on general health and depression of Beck and Alport`s test on religious approach were completed and the results were analyzed by using Pierson and Manvitni`s dependent statistical tests. Results: Results showed that there is a significant correlation between the religious orientation and depression of the elderly people. That is, the more the scores of external religious orientation rise, the more the scores of disorder in mental health and depression increase. There is also a meaningful difference between mental health, depression and religious orientation of the elderly people who are residence and non-residence of the society. That is, the elderly people who live in the centers enjoy a more external religious orientation and disorder of mental health and more depression as compared to the group of the elderly people residing in the society. Discussion: The external religious belief has a correlation with disorder in the mental health and depression as well as internal religious belief. Moreover, mental disorders and depression among the resident elderly people are higher than non residents, while resident elderly people have a more external religious approach.

The spiritual well-being of elderly people: a study of a French sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco-Gonzalez, Lucy; Rioux, Liliane

2014-08-01

The aim of our research was to identify predictors of the spiritual well-being of elderly people. More specifically, we postulated that subjective well-being and its components would be predictors of spiritual well-being, and more so than age and health status. We invited 133 people aged 60-95 to complete a questionnaire that included the French adaptation (Velasco and Rioux in Revue Canadienne des Sciences du Comportement 41(2):102-128, 2009) of Paloutzian and Ellison's (Loneliness: A sourcebook of current theory, research and therapy, Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1982) Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Ryff and Essex's (Psychol Aging 7:507-517, 1992) Psychological Well-Being Scale (translated by Lapierre and Desrochers 1997), Salamon and Conte's (Meas Eval Guid 15(3):194-200, 1982) Life Satisfaction in the Elderly Scale (validated by Rousseau and Dubé in 1993), and the French version (Blais et al. in Can J Behav Sci 21:210-223, 1989) of Diener et al. (J Pers Assess 49:71-75, 1985) Satisfaction with Life Scale. The results only partially confirm our hypothesis, because only satisfaction with life as a whole and two items in "Life Satisfaction in the Elderly Scale" make it possible to predict the spiritual well-being of elderly people. Moreover, neither health status nor age was found to be a significant predictor of spiritual well-being. This research helps understand better the links between the concept of spiritual well-being and that of subjective well-being of elderly people and could contribute to the development of a tool that could take into account the spiritual well-being of elderly people, whether they be believers, agnostic, or atheist.

Natural light exposure, healthy elderly people and sleep : a field study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aarts, M.P.J.; Schoutens, A.M.C.; Stapel, J.C.

2006-01-01

Among 14 independently living, mobile and healthy elderly people in The Netherlands was conducted to see whether exposure duration of high intensity, natural, light is related to sleep quality, and more general the amplitude of the sleep-wake cycle. The elderly wore for 5 consecutive days in summer

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS OF LABOR ACTIVITY OF ELDERLY MAN

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Lyusova O.V.

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In modern Russian society occurred deformation traditions of respect and maintain the credibility of the elderly, and the socio-economic situation has deteriorated. An important condition to characterize the elderly is related to labor activity. expressed doubts surrounding their professionalism and high-quality and modern education. In society there are negative stereotypes about the elderly: Edil accusations of conservatism, the inability to take risks, tolerance for young. Old age pensioners perceived themselves as age losses, shrinking circle of social contacts, there is social exclusion, significant interpersonal contacts become strained. The psychological diagnosis of labor socialization of older employees 40 people participated. Conducted an empirical study it possible to identify the factors of labor activity in old age: the age and state of health; desire to raise the level of material well-being, the need to work, enthusiasm labor process, achievement motivation, the need for communication with the team; desire for samooaktualizatsii, positive self-esteem, internal locus of control. Working pensioners have high situational anxiety, adequate to the achievement of the objectives, an adequate assessment of its internal and external quality, high life satisfaction, motivation tends to focus on the process and result, reflexivity, subjectivity, have no fear of being rejected, is well adapted to society. Workers older people have average values of introversion, neuroticism, psychoticism.

Vitamin D receptor variability and physical activity are jointly associated with low handgrip strength and osteoporosis in community-dwelling elderly people in Taiwan: the Taichung Community Health Study for Elders (TCHS-E).

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, F-Y; Liu, C-S; Liao, L-N; Li, C-I; Lin, C-H; Yang, C-W; Meng, N-H; Lin, W-Y; Chang, C-K; Hsiao, J-H; Li, T-C; Lin, C-C

2014-07-01

We studied 472 elders to assess joint association of vitamin D receptor (VDR) variability and physical activity on low handgrip strength (LHS) and osteoporosis (OST). Our findings showed that higher risks of OST were associated with physically inactive elders with some specific VDR variations, highlighting the importance of promotion program for physical activity. The aim of this study was to determine the joint association between VDR variability and physical activity on LHS and OST in community-dwelling elders. Bone mineral density of the lumbar spine (LS), the femoral neck (FN), and the total hip were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs7975232, rs1544410, rs2239185, and rs3782905) of the VDR gene were examined in 472 participants. Physical inactivity and each of the four SNPs were jointly associated with a significantly greater risk of LHS in people than that associated with each of the VDR SNPs or low physical activity alone. Physically inactive men with the AG or AA genotype of rs2239185 had a significantly greater risk of overall, LS, and FN OST than those of physically active men with the GG genotype [odds ratio (OR) 3.57, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.10-11.65; OR 4.74, 95 % CI 1.43-15.70; and OR 5.06, 95 % CI 1.08-23.71, respectively]. Similarly, physically inactive women with the CG or CC genotype of rs3782905 and the AG or AA genotype of rs1544410 had a significantly greater risk of FN OST than physically active women with the GG genotype (OR 5.33, 95 % CI 1.23-23.06 and OR 5.36, 95 % CI 1.11-25.94, respectively). VDR polymorphisms and physical activity are jointly associated with LHS and OST in elders. Health care programs should promote physical activity among elders as a cost-effective way to prevent LHS and OST, especially in those who may be genetically predisposed.

Elderly people's perceptions of how they want to be cared for: an interview study with healthy elderly couples in Northern Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrefors, Christina; Sävenstedt, Stefan; Axelsson, Karin

2009-06-01

Many countries encounter a demographic change where the number of elderly people will increase. As a result, the number of very old people needing care, services and medical assistance will increase. Care in the private home is often described as providing the best alternative for many elderly people. The aim of this study was to describe elderly people's perceptions of how they wanted to be cared for, from a perspective of becoming in need of assistance with personal care, in the future. Twelve couples of healthy elderly people living in a couple hood participated in an interview study. They were all 70 years and older and received no kind of professional care or social support. Open individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with the support of written vignettes. The vignettes were formed as scenarios that described three levels of caring needs where the elderly people would become ill. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the interviews. The findings were interpreted in one main theme: maintaining the self and being cared for with dignity to the end. The theme was built from three categories: at home as long as possible, professional care at nursing home when advanced care is needed and fear of being abandoned. The categories reflect the perception that when minimum help was needed, care and support by the partner and nursing staff were preferred. As the scenarios changed to being totally dependent on care, they preferred care in a nursing home. There was a pervading concern of the risk of not being seen as an individual person and becoming a nobody with no meaningful relations. Thus, there must be a singular goal to support old people, in all stages of their lives, through the recognition and affirmation of self, and providing care with dignity to the end.

Dietary Protein Intake in Dutch Elderly People: A Focus on Protein Sources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Tieland

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Sufficient high quality dietary protein intake is required to prevent or treat sarcopenia in elderly people. Therefore, the intake of specific protein sources as well as their timing of intake are important to improve dietary protein intake in elderly people. Objectives: to assess the consumption of protein sources as well as the distribution of protein sources over the day in community-dwelling, frail and institutionalized elderly people. Methods: Habitual dietary intake was evaluated using 2- and 3-day food records collected from various studies involving 739 community-dwelling, 321 frail and 219 institutionalized elderly people. Results: Daily protein intake averaged 71 ± 18 g/day in community-dwelling, 71 ± 20 g/day in frail and 58 ± 16 g/day in institutionalized elderly people and accounted for 16% ± 3%, 16% ± 3% and 17% ± 3% of their energy intake, respectively. Dietary protein intake ranged from 10 to 12 g at breakfast, 15 to 23 g at lunch and 24 to 31 g at dinner contributing together over 80% of daily protein intake. The majority of dietary protein consumed originated from animal sources (≥60% with meat and dairy as dominant sources. Thus, 40% of the protein intake in community-dwelling, 37% in frail and 29% in institutionalized elderly originated from plant based protein sources with bread as the principle source. Plant based proteins contributed for >50% of protein intake at breakfast and between 34% and 37% at lunch, with bread as the main source. During dinner, >70% of the protein intake originated from animal protein, with meat as the dominant source. Conclusion: Daily protein intake in these older populations is mainly (>80% provided by the three main meals, with most protein consumed during dinner. More than 60% of daily protein intake consumed is of animal origin, with plant based protein sources representing nearly 40% of total protein consumed. During dinner, >70% of the protein intake originated from

Dietary Behaviors of Elderly People Residing in Central Iran: A Preliminary Report of Yazd Health Study (YAHS

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Davood Bahrami

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Food habits play important roles in maintaining physical and mental health and preventing chronic illnesses in the elderly. The aim of the present study was to investigate dietary behaviors of elderly people residing in Yazd city which is located in central Iran. Methods: The present analysis was conducted on 1684 participants entered to Yazd Health Study (YAHS aged over 60 years during 2014-2015. Demographic characteristics, health status, physical activity, economic status, education and dietary behaviors were collected by using a validated questionnaire. Results: Our analysis revealed that only 1.2% of the elderly consumed more than two servings of dairy per day. Furthermore only 3 and 9.8 percent of elders consumed more than three servings/day of vegetables and fruits, respectively. The study also showed that 22.9% ate more than five servings of sugar per day, 22.5% took more than four units of legumes weekly, 56.1% ate two to three servings of poultry per week, 77% reported eating fast foods for at least once a week, 47.8% consumed canned foods less than once a week of and 86.3% reported taking breakfast for at least five times a week. For cooking 18.9% of elderly still use hydrogenated vegetable oils, 52.8% of the elderly did not separate visible fats from red meat before cooking, 65.8% chose high-fat dairy and  24% of older people reported using frying and grilling as their primary cooking method. Our findings also suggest that dietary behavior is different between elder men and women. Conclusion: Unhealthy dietary habits, including low vegetables, fruits and dairy products intake, are highly prevalent among elderly people residing in Yazd. Community based interventions targeting this age group, in order to improve their dietary intake, are highly recommended.

[Study of intrinsic risk factors for falls in institutionalized elderly people].

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de Menezes, Ruth Losada; Bachion, Maria Márcia

2008-01-01

The objective of this research was to identify intrinsic risk factors that predispose elderly people living in long-term institutions in the city of Goiânia (GO) to falls. The present descriptive transversal study was carried out in six long-term institutions for seniors in the city of Goiânia. The investigated sample consisted of 95 elderly that fitted the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A questionnaire was used for collecting clinical data related to health-disease conditions; cognitive data; capacity to develop basic daily life activities and equilibrium and gait. In general terms, as pointed out the literature, the examined elderly presented different fall risk factors such as: motor difficulty in lower limbs (90%), visual deficit (81,1%), use of 3 or more kinds of medicines (59,7%), suspected depression (37,9%), lack of equilibrium/unstable unipodal support (37,9%) abnormally decreased height in step (32,6%). The obtained data allow us to set indicators for the increase in falls among the studied sample, demonstrating the need for creating strategies for health promotion, prevention of injuries and rehabilitation.

Association between memory complaints and incident Alzheimer's disease in elderly people with normal baseline cognition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geerlings, M. I.; Jonker, C.; Bouter, L. M.; Adèr, H. J.; Schmand, B.

1999-01-01

Results of previous studies suggest that memory complaints may predict cognitive decline and dementia among elderly people in whom cognitive impairment is already apparent. However, cognitive decline is often a gradual process, and elderly people may notice that their memory deteriorates before

Low vitamin D status is associated with reduced muscle mass and impaired physical performance in frail elderly people.

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Tieland, M; Brouwer-Brolsma, E M; Nienaber-Rousseau, C; van Loon, L J C; De Groot, L C P G M

2013-10-01

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status has been associated with muscle mass, strength and physical performance in healthy elderly people. Yet, in pre-frail and frail elderly people this association has not been studied. The objective of this study was to explore the association between vitamin D intake and serum 25(OH)D status with muscle mass, strength and physical performance in a pre-frail and frail elderly population. This cross-sectional study included 127 pre-frail and frail elderly people in The Netherlands. Whole body and appendicular lean mass (ALM) (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry), leg strength (one repetition maximum), handgrip strength and physical performance (short physical performance battery) were measured, and blood samples were collected for the assessment of serum 25(OH)D status (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry). In addition, habitual dietary intake (3-day food records) and physical activity data (accelerometers) were collected. In total, 53% of the participants had a serum 25(OH)D level below 50  nmol/l. After adjustment for confounding factors, 25(OH)D status was associated with ALM (β=0.012, P=0.05) and with physical performance (β=0.020, PVitamin D intake was associated with physical performance (β=0.18, P0.05). In this frail elderly population, 25(OH)D status is low and suggests a modest association with reduced ALM and impaired physical performance. In addition, vitamin D intake tended to be associated with impaired physical performance. Our findings highlight the need for well-designed intervention trials to assess the impact of vitamin D supplementation on 25(OH)D status, muscle mass and physical performance in pre-frail and frail elderly people.

Aging and quality of life of elderly people in rural areas

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Juliana Ladeira Garbaccio

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the quality of life and health of elderly in rural areas of Minas Gerais State’s center-west. Method: Cross-sectional study, in four municipalities of Minas Gerais State, by interviewing elderly people. Associations between socio-demographic and quality of life variables were tested, separated into “satisfactory”/“unsatisfactory” with values from the median of positive answers. It was used the chi-square test, Fisher’s test and regression. Results: 182 elderly answered the questions and showed a relation with the “satisfactory” quality of life - bivariate (p < 0.05: age by 69 years (61.6%, married (61.7%, living by 54 years in rural areas (68%, with no financial support (59.5%, living with someone else (61%, non-smoker (60%, presenting good health (76.7%, satisfied with life (69.6%; regression: not having financial support, living with someone else and not smoking. Conclusion: Elderly people in rural areas present good quality of life/health in the cognitive aspect, access to services, goods, habits, but awareness must be constant due to their weakness.

Factors Predictive of Alcohol Consumption among Elderly People in a Rural Community: A Case Study in Phayao Province Thailand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hongthong, D.; Wongchaiya, P.; Somrongthong, R.; Kumar, R.

2016-01-01

Background: Alcohol consumption is recognized as a public health issue. Study objectives were to identify factors predictive of alcohol consumption among elderly people in Phayao province Thailand, where there was high prevalence of alcohol consumption. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Four hundred elderly people participated in a survey. Data was collected by face-to-face interviews. Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine the factors predictive of alcohol consumption among the study subjects. Results: One thirds of elderly (31.7 percent) had consumed alcohol in their lifetime, and (15.7 percent) of them were current drinkers. Following univariate analysis, seven factors included gender, working, sickness, smoking, quality of life (QOL), daily activities and economic recession were identified as being significantly associated with drinking (p<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed four factors to be predictive of alcohol among elderly people: gender (OR=6.02, 95 percent CI=3.58-10.13), smoking (OR=4.34, 95 percent CI=2.57-7.34), economic recession (OR=2.79, 95 percent, CI=1.66-4.71), and QOL (OR=1.86, 95 percent, CI=1.09-3.16). Conclusion: Gender (male) and smoking were strongly predictive factors of elderly alcohol consumption. Hence, an effort to reduce alcohol consumption should be placed on male elderly and those who smoke. (author)

Malaysian government dentists' experience, willingness and barriers in providing domiciliary care for elderly people.

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Othman, Akmal Aida; Yusof, Zamros; Saub, Roslan

2014-06-01

To assess Malaysian government dentists' experience, willingness and barriers in providing domiciliary care for elderly people. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered postal questionnaire targeting government dentists working in the Ministry of Health in Peninsular Malaysia. Seven hundred and eleven out of 962 dentists responded with a response rate of 74.0%. Only 36.1% of the dentists had experience in providing domiciliary care for elderly people in the past 2 years with mean number of visit per year of 1. Younger dentists below the age of 30 and those with confidence in providing the service were the most willing to undertake domiciliary care for elderly patients (OR=13.5, pworking condition (64.4%). The majority of Malaysian government dentists had not been involved in providing domiciliary care for elderly patients. Apart from overcoming the barriers, other recommendations include improving undergraduate dental education, education for elderly people and carers, improving dentist's working condition, and introducing domiciliary financial incentive for dentist. © 2012 The Gerodontology Society and John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Mortality in relation to the type of household among elderly people living in a community.

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Nakanishi, N; Nakura, I; Nagano, K; Yoneda, H; Takatorige, T; Shinsho, F; Tatara, K

1998-03-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether there is an association of mortality with the type of household in elderly people. A cohort of 1,352 elderly people aged 65 years and over at baseline in October 1992 was followed for 42 months. Follow-up was completed for 1,266 (93.6%) (172 deceased and 1,094 alive). From the analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test, male sex, older age group (75 years and over), no satisfaction with present dwelling, disability, no use of health checks, no practices of daily preventive health promotion, no participation in social activities, and no finding life worth living (no Ikigai) were univariately statistically significantly related to mortality. Furthermore, elderly people living with their spouse only or living alone had higher survival rates than those living with their spouse and children or living with their children, and the curves among the four subclasses of household were significantly different. From the Cox proportional hazards model, living with a spouse only remained as an independent predictor for survival, and living alone was not an increased risk factor for mortality, controlling for sex, age, housing conditions, disability, use of health management, and psychosocial conditions.

How well do elderly people cope with uncertainty in a learning task?

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Chasseigne, G; Grau, S; Mullet, E; Cama, V

1999-11-01

The relation between age, task complexity and learning performance in a Multiple Cue Probability Learning task was studied by systematically varying the level of uncertainty present in the task, keeping constant the direction of relationships. Four age groups were constituted: young adults (mean age = 21), middle-aged adults (45), elderly people (69) and very elderly people (81). Five uncertainty levels were considered: predictability = 0.96, 0.80, 0.64, 0.48, and 0.32. All relationships involved were direct ones. A strong effect of uncertainty on 'control', a measure of the subject's consistency with respect to a linear model, was found. This effect was essentially a linear one. To each decrement in predictability of the task corresponded an equal decrement in participants' level of control. This level of decrement was the same, regardless of the age of the participant. It can be concluded that elderly people cope with uncertainty in probability learning tasks as well as young adults.

Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and the sexual behavior of elderly people presenting to health examination centers in Korea.

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Choe, Hyun-Sop; Lee, Seung-Ju; Kim, Chul Sung; Cho, Yong-Hyun

2011-08-01

Sexually transmitted infections are diseases provoking a great social and economic burden as well as health-related problems, and with the aging of society and the extension of life expectancy sexually transmitted infections in the elderly have drawn more attention these days. For the management of sexually transmitted infections in this population, basic epidemiological data need to be established. In this study, 1,804 persons from the general population aged over 60 years visiting health examination centers were tested for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, and interviewed about the patterns of sexual behavior of elderly people through questionnaires. The prevalence rates of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia recorded were 0.222% (4/1804), 0 (none), and 0.776% (14/1804), respectively. The results of the survey showed that the sexual life of the elderly people was currently active, and the sexual behavior of chlamydia patients was distinguished in some characteristics from that of the general participants. Political management to prevent sexually transmitted infections needs to be continued in elderly people as it is in other age groups. More detailed follow-up studies are necessary to determine the incidence and prevalence rates of the diseases in the elderly population in future, and the results of this study are considered to be useful as basic data for such studies.

Emotions generated by food in elderly French people.

Science.gov (United States)

Narchi, I; Walrand, S; Boirie, Y; Rousset, S

2008-11-01

Eating behaviour depends partly on food preference, which may be determined by different types of emotions. Among the emotions generated by food, disgust and pleasure are common and can lead to increased and reduced food consumption. We tested the hypothesis that (1) elderly men and women felt different emotions towards food, and (2) low energy intake is related to negative emotions towards food. In February 2004, a convenience sample of elderly participants was recruited locally by telephone. Food intake of 52 elderly people, aged 63-80 years, was monitored throughout each day for one week and made it possible to assign the elderly people to two groups (low and high energy intake from food consumption data). One month later, each of them assessed their likes or dislikes towards 30 food pictures (vegetables, cheeses, fruits, starchy foods, sweets, meat, fish, offal and eggs) using 19 emotional words (eight words with a positive valence: 'to like', 'thrilled', 'satisfaction', 'surprise', 'serene', 'amused', 'pride', 'interest', and 11 other words with a negative valence: 'disgust', 'indifference', 'guilt', 'uneasiness', 'nostalgia', 'impatience', 'doubt', 'frustration', 'embarrassment', 'disappointment' and 'lassitude'. The emotional intensities experienced with the different pictures were analysed by ANOVA for each group (men and women, small and big eaters). There were differences in likes and dislikes between men and women. Both guilty and liking scores towards food were generally higher in women than in men. Small eaters felt more doubt, unease, disappointment and indifference towards food than big eaters. In conclusion, the report of low food intake was related to more negative emotions towards foods that might be associated with the willingness to restrict food intake or to undernutrition.

Swallowing Function and Nutritional Status in Japanese Elderly People Receiving Home-care Services: A 1-year Longitudinal Study.

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Okabe, Y; Furuta, M; Akifusa, S; Takeuchi, K; Adachi, M; Kinoshita, T; Kikutani, T; Nakamura, S; Yamashita, Y

2016-01-01

Malnutrition is a serious health concern for frail elderly people. Poor oral function leading to insufficient food intake can contribute to the development of malnutrition. In the present study, we explored the longitudinal association of malnutrition with oral function, including oral health status and swallowing function, in elderly people receiving home nursing care. Prospective observational cohort study with 1-year follow-up. Two mid-sized cities in Fukuoka, Japan from November 2010 to March 2012. One hundred and ninety-seven individuals, aged ≥ 60 years, living at home and receiving home-care services because of physical disabilities, without malnutrition. Oral health status, swallowing function, taking modified-texture diets such as minced or pureed foods, nutritional status, cognitive function, and activities of daily living were assessed at baseline. The associations between malnutrition at 1-year follow-up and these related factors were analyzed using a logistic regression model. Swallowing disorders [risk ratio (RR): 5.21, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.65-16.43] were associated with malnutrition. On the other hand, oral health status did not have a direct association with malnutrition. Swallowing disorders may be associated with the incidence of malnutrition in elderly people receiving home-care. The findings indicate that maintaining swallowing function may contribute to the prevention of malnutrition in frail elderly people.

Assisted Living Systems for Elderly and Disabled People: A Short Review

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Ivo Iliev

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The number of elderly people living alone in their homes is permanently growing in the whole western world. Because of the deteriorating capabilities to sense and interact with the environment, such as memory, eye sight, hearing and mobility, the ageing populations often live with significantly degraded life quality. Many also suffer from chronic diseases that require medical treatment and periodical examinations. Different Assisted Living Systems have been proposed to cope with the problems. The goal is to enable the elderly people to live longer in their preferred environment, to enhance the quality of their live and to reduce the expenses of the public health care. The Assisted Living Systems are based on a lot of sensors, actuators and multimedia equipment, providing for the autonomy of people and assisting them in carrying out their daily activities together with available interaction with remote relatives and friends. The applied approaches and implementations are specific that limit the dissemination of the results between the object oriented groups. Besides, most of the projects require considerable funding for implementation. For the time being and especially for some countries with lower Gross Domestic Product, the efforts may be directed to creation of low-cost assistive systems performing some basic tasks, related to the need and health status of the living alone adults or disabled people, e.g. automatic fall detection and signalization, as well as instantaneous monitoring the photo-pletismographic signals together with permanently available communication interface between the caregiver and the user.

Mobile Phone Based Falling Detection Sensor and Computer-Aided Algorithm for Elderly People

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Lee Jong-Ha

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Falls are dangerous for the elderly population; therefore many fall detection systems have been developed. However, previous methods are bulky for elderly people or only use a single sensor to isolate falls from daily living activities, which makes a fall difficult to distinguish. In this paper, we present a cost-effective and easy-to-use portable fall-detection sensor and algorithm. Specifically, to detect human falls, we used a three-axis accelerator and a three-axis gyroscope in a mobile phone. We used the Fourier descriptor-based frequency analysis method to classify both normal and falling status. From the experimental results, the proposed method detects falling status with 96.14% accuracy.

Assertive community treatment for elderly people with severe mental illness

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Mulder Niels CL

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Adults aged 65 and older with severe mental illnesses are a growing segment of the Dutch population. Some of them have a range of serious problems and are also difficult to engage. While assertive community treatment is a common model for treating difficult to engage severe mental illnesses patients, no special form of it is available for the elderly. A special assertive community treatment team for the elderly is developed in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and tested for its effectiveness. Methods We will use a randomized controlled trial design to compare the effects of assertive community treatment for the elderly with those of care as usual. Primary outcome measures will be the number of dropouts, the number of patients engaged in care and patient's psychiatric symptoms, somatic symptoms, and social functioning. Secondary outcome measures are the number of unmet needs, the subjective quality of life and patients' satisfaction. Other secondary outcomes include the number of crisis contacts, rates of voluntary and involuntary admission, and length of stay. Inclusion criteria are aged 65 plus, the presence of a mental disorder, a lack of motivation for treatment and at least four suspected problems with functioning (addiction, somatic problems, daily living activities, housing etc.. If patients meet the inclusion criteria, they will be randomly allocated to either assertive community treatment for the elderly or care as usual. Trained assessors will use mainly observational instruments at the following time points: at baseline, after 9 and 18 months. Discussion This study will help establish whether assertive community treatment for the elderly produces better results than care as usual in elderly people with severe mental illnesses who are difficult to engage. When assertive community treatment for the elderly proves valuable in these respects, it can be tested and implemented more widely, and mechanisms for its effects

[Salivary flow and psychoactive drug consumption in elderly people].

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Cabrera, Marcos Aparecido Sarria; Mesas, Arthur Eumann; Rossato, Luiz Angelo; Andrade, Selma Maffei de

2007-01-01

To analyze the association between low saliva flow rates and the use of psychoactive drugs among the elderly. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 267 elderly people from 60 to 74 years of age who lived in a borough of the city of Londrina, Paraná State, Brazil. Individuals with high functional dependence or restricted to bed were excluded. Saliva flow rate was the dependent variable with values under the first tercile being considered as low flow rates (less than 0.44 ml/min). The continuous use of psychoactive drugs (antidepressant, antiepileptic, sedative, antipsychotic, hypnotic or sedative-hypnotic drugs) was the independent variable. Multivariate analysis was performed taking into account gender, age and smoking status. The majority of the elderly were women (80.5%), with a mean age of 66.5 years. Use of psychoactive drugs was observed among 31 elderly (11.6%). Mean saliva flow rate was 0.76 ml/min, lower among users of psychoactive drugs (0.67 ml/min). In the multivariate analysis, use of psychoactive drugs was associated with low saliva flow rates (psychoactive drugs and low saliva flow rates in this group of independent and non-institutionalized elderly. These conclusions stress the need of a rational use of these drugs, particularly among the elderly.

Uncertainty, the Overbearing Lived Experience of the Elderly People Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study.

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Sahaf, Robab; Sadat Ilali, Ehteram; Peyrovi, Hamid; Akbari Kamrani, Ahmad Ali; Spahbodi, Fatemeh

2017-01-01

The chronic kidney disease is a major health concern. The number of the elderly people with chronic renal failure has increased across the world. Dialysis is an appropriate therapy for the elderly, but it involves certain challenges. The present paper reports uncertainty as part of the elderly experiences of living with hemodialysis. This qualitative study applied Max van Manen interpretative phenomenological analysis to explain and explore experiences of the elderly with hemodialysis. Given the study inclusion criteria, data were collected using in-depth unstructured interviews with nine elderly undergoing hemodialysis, and then analyzed according to Van Manen 6-stage methodological approach. One of the most important findings emerging in the main study was "uncertainty", which can be important and noteworthy, given other aspects of the elderly life (loneliness, despair, comorbidity of diseases, disability, and mental and psychosocial problems). Uncertainty about the future is the most psychological concerns of people undergoing hemodialysis. The results obtained are indicative of the importance of paying attention to a major aspect in the life of the elderly undergoing hemodialysis, uncertainty. A positive outlook can be created in the elderly through education and increased knowledge about the disease, treatment and complications.

Acceptability of the Components of a Loneliness Intervention among Elderly Dutch People: A Qualitative Study

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Honigh-de Vlaming, R.; Haveman-Nies, A.; Ziylan, C.; Renes, R. J.

2013-01-01

Background: Healthy Ageing is a complex intervention aimed at reducing the prevalence of loneliness among elderly Dutch people. Purpose: This study aimed to assess how mass media communication materials, information meetings, and psychosocial courses were received by elderly people at high risk of loneliness. Methods: Face-to-face interviews with…

Institutionalized elderly people oral health status and treatment needs assessment in kathmandu district

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Sunita Khanal

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Context: In Nepal, Senior citizens are the people who are 60 years and above as defined by the senior citizen act 2063. According to the 2011 census of Nepal, there were 2.1 million elderly inhabitants which constituted 8.1% of total population of Nepal. Aim: To assess the oral health status and treatment needs of institutionalized elderly people. Objectives: To assess the periodontal status, prosthetic status, and prosthetic needs and to compare community periodontal index and the loss of attachment (LOA with age and gender. Setting and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted in six different old age homes of Kathmandu district. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted among 200 elderly living in six old age homes of Kathmandu district after obtaining consent from the concerned authorities. The clinical findings were recorded using the World Health Organization Oral Health Assessment Form 1997. SPSS version 20 software was used for data analysis and P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among 200 elderly examined, 69 (34.5% were male and 131 (65.5% were female. During probing, calculus was detected among 37.5% of people. The highest prevalence of LOA 4–5 mm was found among 40.5% of people. The prosthetic need was 83%, of which 20% required complete denture, 63% required partial denture. On applying Chi-square test, LOA score was found to be statistically significant between male and female (P = 0.015. Conclusion: The oral health status of the institutionalized elderly was found to be poor.

Survey of the Relationship Between Activity Energy Expenditure Metabolic Equivalents and Barrier Factors of Physical Activity in the Elderly in Kashan

OpenAIRE

Sadrollahi, Ali; Khalili, Zahra; Pour Nazari, Robab; Mohammadi, Majid; Ahmadi Khatir, Maryam; Mossadegh, Najima

2016-01-01

Background Physical activity in the elderly is influenced by aspects of aging that cause personal, mental, environmental, and social changes. Increases in factors that are barriers to activity cause physical energy expenditure to decrease. Objectives The aim of the present study was to survey the relationship between energy expenditure in metabolic equivalent units (MET) and factors that are barriers to physical activity in elderly people in Kashan, Iran Methods This is a descriptive analysis...

Exploring spirituality in Iranian healthy elderly people: A qualitative content analysis.

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Rahimi, Abolfazl; Anoosheh, Monireh; Ahmadi, Fazlollah; Foroughan, Mahshid

2013-03-01

Spirituality is recognized as a personally important matter to the elderly, and there are evidences of its impact on their health. The aim of this study was to explore the concept of spirituality from the perspectives of Iranian healthy elderly individuals. A conventional qualitative content analysis of carried out with 21 healthy elderly people from both male and female genders were chosen using a purposive sampling method in Tehran in 2010-2011. Data collection was done through semi structured interviews. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the participants' experiences and perceptions on spirituality, using a central question 'what characterizes the spirituality in the Iranian healthy elderly people?' THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES EMERGED FROM THE DATA ANALYSIS: (1) Spiritual health, with four sub categories including saying prayer as a calming factor; beneficence as a way to God; loss of psychological and spiritual support; faith as a way to happiness; (2) spiritual beliefs, with three sub categories including seeking help from God in difficulties; God's power over life and death; doing good deeds is the God's will; and (3) religious practice with three sub categories including saying prayer; reading Quran; and going to mosque, religious ceremonies and pilgrimage. In this study was found that spirituality was a fundamental element in elderly individuals' lives that help them to adapt with daily living conditions.

A Depth Video Sensor-Based Life-Logging Human Activity Recognition System for Elderly Care in Smart Indoor Environments

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Ahmad Jalal

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Recent advancements in depth video sensors technologies have made human activity recognition (HAR realizable for elderly monitoring applications. Although conventional HAR utilizes RGB video sensors, HAR could be greatly improved with depth video sensors which produce depth or distance information. In this paper, a depth-based life logging HAR system is designed to recognize the daily activities of elderly people and turn these environments into an intelligent living space. Initially, a depth imaging sensor is used to capture depth silhouettes. Based on these silhouettes, human skeletons with joint information are produced which are further used for activity recognition and generating their life logs. The life-logging system is divided into two processes. Firstly, the training system includes data collection using a depth camera, feature extraction and training for each activity via Hidden Markov Models. Secondly, after training, the recognition engine starts to recognize the learned activities and produces life logs. The system was evaluated using life logging features against principal component and independent component features and achieved satisfactory recognition rates against the conventional approaches. Experiments conducted on the smart indoor activity datasets and the MSRDailyActivity3D dataset show promising results. The proposed system is directly applicable to any elderly monitoring system, such as monitoring healthcare problems for elderly people, or examining the indoor activities of people at home, office or hospital.

A depth video sensor-based life-logging human activity recognition system for elderly care in smart indoor environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Jalal, Ahmad; Kamal, Shaharyar; Kim, Daijin

2014-07-02

Recent advancements in depth video sensors technologies have made human activity recognition (HAR) realizable for elderly monitoring applications. Although conventional HAR utilizes RGB video sensors, HAR could be greatly improved with depth video sensors which produce depth or distance information. In this paper, a depth-based life logging HAR system is designed to recognize the daily activities of elderly people and turn these environments into an intelligent living space. Initially, a depth imaging sensor is used to capture depth silhouettes. Based on these silhouettes, human skeletons with joint information are produced which are further used for activity recognition and generating their life logs. The life-logging system is divided into two processes. Firstly, the training system includes data collection using a depth camera, feature extraction and training for each activity via Hidden Markov Models. Secondly, after training, the recognition engine starts to recognize the learned activities and produces life logs. The system was evaluated using life logging features against principal component and independent component features and achieved satisfactory recognition rates against the conventional approaches. Experiments conducted on the smart indoor activity datasets and the MSRDailyActivity3D dataset show promising results. The proposed system is directly applicable to any elderly monitoring system, such as monitoring healthcare problems for elderly people, or examining the indoor activities of people at home, office or hospital.

The influence of physical activity and fractures on ultrasound parameters in elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Graafmans, W.C.; Bouter, L.M.; Lips, P.T.A.M.

1998-01-01

In this cross-sectional study we investigated the relationship between ultrasound measurements in the calcaneus versus daily physical activity and fractures sustained in the past in elderly subjects. Ultrasound measurements were performed at both heels, which enabled us to examine determinants of

Timed Up And Go Risk Predictor Of Falls In Elderly People Residing In The Community?

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Mayara Muniz Peixoto Rodrigues

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: evaluate the risk of falls of elderly people residing in a community in northeastern Brazil using the “Timed up and go”. Method: descriptive study, with a quantitative approach, performed with elderly people residing in a community. The collected data related to the sociodemographic and economic characteristics of episodes of falls in the last two years, regular practice of physical exercise and complaint of pain at the time of the interview; and, at last, the application of the “Timed Up and Go” test. Result: Most of the elderly were classified as free and independent and independent. There is a direct relationship between advanced age and increased time to perform the test. Conclusion: the "Timed Up and Go" test was not effective in predicting risk of falls alone and should associate with other indicators. Descriptors: Elderly people; Accidents by fall; Walking; Postural balance.

Aging and quality of life of elderly people in rural areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Garbaccio, Juliana Ladeira; Tonaco, Luís Antônio Batista; Estêvão, Wilson Goulart; Barcelos, Bárbara Jacome

2018-01-01

To evaluate the quality of life and health of elderly in rural areas of Minas Gerais State's center-west. Cross-sectional study, in four municipalities of Minas Gerais State, by interviewing elderly people. Associations between socio-demographic and quality of life variables were tested, separated into "satisfactory"/"unsatisfactory" with values from the median of positive answers. It was used the chi-square test, Fisher's test and regression. 182 elderly answered the questions and showed a relation with the "satisfactory" quality of life - bivariate (p cognitive aspect, access to services, goods, habits, but awareness must be constant due to their weakness.

Uncertainty, the Overbearing Lived Experience of the Elderly People Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study

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Robab Sahaf

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The chronic kidney disease is a major health concern. The number of the elderly people with chronic renal failure has increased across the world. Dialysis is an appropriate therapy for the elderly, but it involves certain challenges. The present paper reports uncertainty as part of the elderly experiences of living with hemodialysis. Methods: This qualitative study applied Max van Manen interpretative phenomenological analysis to explain and explore experiences of the elderly with hemodialysis. Given the study inclusion criteria, data were collected using in-depth unstructured interviews with nine elderly undergoing hemodialysis, and then analyzed according to Van Manen 6-stage methodological approach. Results: One of the most important findings emerging in the main study was “uncertainty”, which can be important and noteworthy, given other aspects of the elderly life (loneliness, despair, comorbidity of diseases, disability, and mental and psychosocial problems. Uncertainty about the future is the most psychological concerns of people undergoing hemodialysis. Conclusion: The results obtained are indicative of the importance of paying attention to a major aspect in the life of the elderly undergoing hemodialysis, uncertainty. A positive outlook can be created in the elderly through education and increased knowledge about the disease, treatment and complications.

Uncertainty, the Overbearing Lived Experience of the Elderly People Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study

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Sahaf, Robab; Sadat Ilali, Ehteram; Peyrovi, Hamid; Akbari Kamrani, Ahmad Ali; Spahbodi, Fatemeh

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: The chronic kidney disease is a major health concern. The number of the elderly people with chronic renal failure has increased across the world. Dialysis is an appropriate therapy for the elderly, but it involves certain challenges. The present paper reports uncertainty as part of the elderly experiences of living with hemodialysis. Methods: This qualitative study applied Max van Manen interpretative phenomenological analysis to explain and explore experiences of the elderly with hemodialysis. Given the study inclusion criteria, data were collected using in-depth unstructured interviews with nine elderly undergoing hemodialysis, and then analyzed according to Van Manen 6-stage methodological approach. Results: One of the most important findings emerging in the main study was “uncertainty”, which can be important and noteworthy, given other aspects of the elderly life (loneliness, despair, comorbidity of diseases, disability, and mental and psychosocial problems). Uncertainty about the future is the most psychological concerns of people undergoing hemodialysis. Conclusion: The results obtained are indicative of the importance of paying attention to a major aspect in the life of the elderly undergoing hemodialysis, uncertainty. A positive outlook can be created in the elderly through education and increased knowledge about the disease, treatment and complications. PMID:28097174

The use of community-based social services by elderly people at risk of institutionalization: An evaluation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Bilsen, P.M.A.; Hamers, J.P.H.; Groot, W.; Spreeuwenberg, C.

2008-01-01

Objective: To examine the use of community-based social services by elderly people at risk of institutionalization, who prefer to remain at home. Methods: A study with a longitudinal design (measurements at two points in time) was conducted. Results: One hundred and thirty-four elderly people (mean

Balance control in elderly people with osteoporosis

OpenAIRE

Hsu, Wei-Li; Chen, Chao-Yin; Tsauo, Jau-Yih; Yang, Rong-Sen

2014-01-01

Osteoporosis is a prevalent health concern among older adults and is associated with an increased risk of falls that incur fracture, injury, or mortality. Identifying the risk factors of falls within this population is essential for the development of effective regimes for fall prevention. Studies have shown that muscle quality and good posture alignments are critical for balance control in elderly individuals. People with osteoporosis often have muscle weakness and increased spine kyphosis l...

Nursing care gestion of chronically ill elderly people. Policlinico 2, year 2007

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Liudmila Carbonell Sanamé

2009-01-01

Full Text Available A descriptive prospective study was made to those patients aged more than 60 years who are attended in the Policlinico 2 “Leonilda Tamayo Matos” in Isla de la Juventud during the year 2007. The study population was 1254 and 700 chronically ill elderly people were taken as representative sample, using a simple random sampling. The Mini Mental State Examination and a satisfaction survey was made to old people, all these with their informed consent. The main variables to study were: sex, age, race, civil state, educational level, work, assistance to the Grandparent’s Circle and satisfaction level. There exists a feminine predominance (61% over male, as well as the age group from 60 to 64 years old. Mixed race is the most common one (43%, followed by black (35%. 43% of these elders have secondary studies, and 64% of them are retired. The assistance to the Grandparent’s Circle is good, 338 of all the elders studied (48.2% assist to it. The results were expressed with real numbers and percentages, and were represented in bar and pie charts. There exists a predominance of arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus in the elders studied. The quality of the nursing cares to the chronically ill old people of the policlinic 2 in 2007 was good.

There is more to life than risk avoidance - elderly people's experiences of falls, fall-injuries and compliant flooring.

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Gustavsson, Johanna; Jernbro, Carolina; Nilson, Finn

2018-12-01

Falls are the most common cause of injury in all ages and are especially difficult to prevent among residential care residents. Compliant flooring that absorbs energy generated within the fall, has been proposed as a measure to prevent fall-injury, however little is known regarding the implementation aspects in clinical settings. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of falls, the risk of fall-injury, prevention in general and specifically compliant flooring as an injury preventative measure amongst frail elderly people living in a residential care facility with compliant flooring. Through this, generate a theory that further explains the underlying barriers of active prevention amongst elderly people. We used the grounded theory method and conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with eight elderly people in residential care (data collected between February and December 2017). The identified categories were Falling as a part of life, Fearing the consequences and A wish to prevent falls and injuries. Through the results it was clear that There is more to life than risk avoidance, permeated the interviews, therefore forming the grounded theory. The interviewees viewed falls as something common and normal, and were uninterested in focusing on the risk of falls. Although they wanted to prevent falls, it was often difficult to integrate preventative measures into their everyday life. They embraced the idea of an injury-reducing compliant flooring, however their main interests lay elsewhere, preferring to focus on social interaction and issues concerning daily activities. The theory generated in this paper proposes explanations on the obstacles of implementing fall prevention measures in an elderly frail population. The findings give insights as to why interest and compliance for active fall prevention measures are low. We conclude that complaint flooring, from the perspective of the residents, can work well in residential care.

Sentimentality and Nostalgia in Elderly People in Bulgaria and Greece - Cross-Validity of the Questionnaire SNEP and Cross-Cultural Comparison.

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Stoyanova, Stanislava Yordanova; Giannouli, Vaitsa; Gergov, Teodor Krasimirov

2017-03-01

Sentimentality and nostalgia are two similar psychological constructs, which play an important role in the emotional lives of elderly people who are usually focused on the past. There are two objectives of this study - making cross-cultural comparison of sentimentality and nostalgia among Bulgarian and Greek elderly people using a questionnaire, and establishing the psychometric properties of this questionnaire among Greek elderly people. Sentimentality and nostalgia in elderly people in Bulgaria and Greece were studied by means of Sentimentality and Nostalgia in Elderly People questionnaire (SNEP), created by Gergov and Stoyanova (2013). For the Greek version, one factor structure without sub-scales is proposed, while for the Bulgarian version of SNEP the factor structure had four sub-scales, besides the total score. Together with some similarities (medium level of nostalgia and sentimentality being widespread), the elderly people in Bulgaria and Greece differed cross-culturally in their sentimentality and nostalgia related to the past in direction of more increased sentimentality and nostalgia in the Bulgarian sample. Some gender and age differences revealed that the oldest male Bulgarians were the most sentimental. The psychometric properties of this questionnaire were examined for the first time in a Greek sample of elders and a trend was found for stability of sentimentality and nostalgia in elderly people that could be studied further in longitudinal studies.

Concern with falls in elderly people attended in an Integral Attention Center

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Elizandro Correia de Araújo

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Falls are concerning factors in elderly people, because they cause diverse complications. The objective of this study was to identify the level of concern with falls, associating them with self-reported diseases and history of falls of elderly attended in an Integral Attention Center. This was a descriptive study with 80 elderly. The results demonstrated an extreme concern regarding the possibility of falling for most female, married, of 60-79 years and receiving low monthly income; there is also extreme concern for those with hypertension and arthrosis. Nursing should establish integral actions to map elderly with risk of falling and, that promote awareness for these elderly and their family members regarding fall prevention measures, to prevent falls and to reduce the fear of falling.

Dietary intake of antioxidants and fats in the context of coronary heart disease prevention among elderly people

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Emilia Kolarzyk

2018-03-01

The majority of elderly people made mistakes in their nutrition. The enrichment in natural antioxidants of the diets of elderly people and the normalization of their fats consumption should become an important element of primary and secondary prophylaxis of cardiovascular diseases

Atividade física e estado de saúde mental de idosos Physical activity and mental health status among elderly people

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Tânia R Bertoldo Benedetti

2008-04-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar a associação entre nível de atividade física e o estado de saúde mental de pessoas idosas. MÉTODOS: Inquérito de base populacional com amostragem probabilística, incluindo 875 idosos da cidade de Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, em 2002. Foram aplicados os questionários: Internacional de Atividades Físicas e Brazil Old Age Schedule. Os problemas de saúde mental avaliados foram depressão e demência, além da prática de atividade física total (lazer, ocupação, deslocamentos e serviços domésticos. Após análises descritivas e bivariadas, realizou-se análise ajustada por meio de regressão logística, com ajuste para os fatores de atividade física total, atividade de lazer, escores de depressão e demência. RESULTADOS: Verificou-se associação estatisticamente significativa e inversa de demência e depressão com atividade física total e atividade física no lazer. A odds ratio ajustada para demência entre os sujeitos sedentários para atividade física total comparada à dos ativos foi de 2,74 (IC 95%: 1,85; 4,08, enquanto o respectivo valor para depressão foi de 2,38 (IC 95%: 1,70; 3,33. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados reforçam a importância de estilo de vida ativo para prevenção de problemas de saúde mental de idosos. Infere-se que a atividade física tem conseguido reduzir e/ou atrasar os riscos de demência, embora não se possa afirmar que a atividade física evita a demência.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between physical activity level and mental health status among elderly people. METHODS: This was a population-based survey with a probabilistic sample of 875 elderly people from a city of Southern Brazil, in 2002. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Brazil Old Age Schedule questionnaire were applied. The mental health problems evaluated were depressions and dementia. Total physical activity (leisure-time, occupation, transportation and housework. After descriptive and

Effectiveness of cognitive Existential Group therapy on quality of life of elderly people

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S Jalili Nikoo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background and aim: With an aging population, considering the factors affecting the quality of life more than ever is necessary. The aim of current research was to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive existential therapy on quality of life of elderly people. Methods: The current research is semi experimental with pre and post test with control group. Statistical population of research consists of all elderly people in Kahrizak nursing homes. In the first phase, the participants were selected through purposive sampling method and after responding to the quality of life questionnaire and obtaining score for enter to research they were divided in two groups of experimental and control (N = 12 per group using random sampling method.  The experimental group participated in 10 sessions of group counseling based on cognitive- existential approach and control group received no intervention. The gathered data were analyzed using covariance analysis. Results: There was no difference between pre-test and control groups, but the mean scores of post-test experimental and control groups were statistically significant. and cognitive group therapy improves quality of life is (p=0.001. Therefore it seems that cognitive-existential group therapy increase quality of life of elderly people. Conclusion: Cognitive Existential Group therapy utilizes concepts such as death, meaning, cognitive distortions and responsibility could increase the level ofquality of life of elderly people. Thus interventions based on this approach could be useful in improving the quality of life.

Physical activity and health characteristics : a survey among Dutch elderly women and men

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hombergh, van den C.E.J.

1995-01-01

To study physical activity of elderly people and its relationship with health characteristics, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 1991/1992 in Arnhem, the Netherlands, among 515 women and 497 men, aged 65 to 85 years. Habitual physical activity was assessed with a questionnaire,

Perspectives on providing good access to dental services for elderly people: patient selection, dentists' responsibility and budget management.

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Grytten, Jostein; Holst, Dorthe

2013-06-01

To suggest a model for organizing and financing dental services for elderly people so that they have good access to services. There are few studies on how dental services for elderly people should be organized and financed. This is surprising if we take into consideration the fact that the proportion of elderly people is growing faster than any other group in the population, and that elderly people have more dental diseases and poorer access to dental services than the rest of the adult population. In several countries, dental services are characterized by private providers who often operate in a market with competition and free price-setting. Private dentists have no community responsibility, and they are free to choose which patients they treat. Literature review and critical reasoning. In order to avoid patient selection, a patient list system for elderly people is recommended, with per capita remuneration for the patients that the dentist is given responsibility for. The patient list system means that the dentist assumes responsibility for a well-defined list of elderly people. Our model will lead to greater security in the dentist/patient relationship, and patients with great treatment needs will be ensured access to dental services. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S and The Gerodontology Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Food for talk: Photo frames to support social connectedness for elderly people in a nursing home

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Biemans, Margaretha Catharina Maria; van Dijk, Elisabeth M.A.G.; Norros, L.; Koskinen, H.; Salo, S.; Savioja, P.

2009-01-01

Social connectedness is crucial to someone’s well-being. A case study is conducted to test whether the social connectedness of elderly people living in a nursing home and their family and friends can be improved through a photo frame. A SIM-based photo frame is used to keep the elderly people

Scoping review of health promotion and disease prevention interventions addressed to elderly people.

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Duplaga, Mariusz; Grysztar, Marcin; Rodzinka, Marcin; Kopec, Agnieszka

2016-09-05

The ageing of modern societies remains one of the greatest challenges for health and social systems. To respond to this challenge, we need effective strategies assuring healthy active life for elderly people. Health promotion and related activities are perceived as a key intervention, which can improve wellbeing in later life. The main aim of this study is the identification and classification of such interventions addressed to older adults and elderly. Therefore, the strategy based on the scoping review as a feasible tool for exploring this domain, summarizing research findings and identifying gaps of evidence, was applied. The scoping review relies on the analysis of previous reviews of interventions aimed at older adults (55-64 years old) and elderly persons (65 years and above) assessed for their effectiveness in the framework of a systematic review and/or meta-analysis. The search strategy was based on the identification of interventions reported as health promotion, primary disease prevention, screening or social support. In the analysis, the reviews published from January 2000 to April 2015 were included. The search strategy yielded 334 systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses addressed to target groups of interest, 182 of them assessed interventions belonging to health promotion, 219 to primary prevention, 34 to screening and 35 to social support. The studies focused on elderly (65 years and above) made up 40.4 % of all retrieved reviews and those addressing population of 55 years and above accounted for 24.0 %. Interventions focused on health maintenance and improvement in elderly and older adults represent frequently combined health promotion and disease prevention actions. Many interventions of this type are not addressed exclusively to elderly populations and/or older adults but are designed for the general population. The most common types of interventions addressed to elderly and older adults in the area of health promotion include health

Social and health care needs of elderly people living in the countryside in Poland.

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Dziechciaż, Małgorzata; Guty, Edyta; Wojtowicz, Agata; Filip, Rafał

2012-01-01

The needs of elderly people living in the countryside constitute serious health, social, financial and organizational problems. To define the needs of elderly people living in the countryside regarding complex living actions. DATA COLLECTED AND METHODOLOGY: The study was carried out among 89 village citizens from the Podkarpackie Voivodeship (N=55; 61.8% women; N=34; 38.2% men) aged 61-2. Average age in the group was 76.3 (+/ -7.9 years). Research methods were 3 different questionnaires, applied to evaluate: socio-demographic data, occurrence of diseases and rehabilitation usage, mental and intellectual status, as well as the Lawton scale (IADL) assessing complex life activities. 18 subjects (20.2%) were fully functional in the scope of complex everyday activities. The highest number were independent in their financial affairs (N=52; 58.4%), preparation and taking of medicine (N=45; 50.6%), and using the telephone (N=39; 43.8%). Lack of self-reliance was most commonly observed with difficult housework (N=62; 69.7%), shopping (N=55; 61.8%), and walking distances exceeding regular walks (N=46; 51.7%). No relation was observed between gender, usage of social welfare, and self-reliance in complex everyday activities. Deterioration in efficiency in the scope of complex everyday activities was observed which progressed with age, and was worse among the unmarried subjects. A relation between material situation and independence, based on the IADL scale, was confirmed, with the exception of using the telephone. 1). People of old age living in the countryside most often need help with complex everyday housework, shopping, and walking distances exceeding regular walks. 2). With the advancement of age, the subjects need help with all IADL activities increased.

Design of an interactive digital nutritional education package for elderly people.

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Ali, Nazlena Mohamad; Shahar, Suzana; Kee, You Lee; Norizan, Azir Rezha; Noah, Shahrul Azman Mohd

2012-12-01

Designing a system for the elderly is crucial, as aging is associated with physiological changes that may impair perception, cognition and other social aspects; therefore, many aspects need consideration, especially in interface design. This study was conducted to develop a digital nutritional education package (WE Sihat) by following appropriate guidelines for elderly people to achieve better design interface and interaction. Touch-screen technology was used as a platform for user interaction. The nutritional content was based on previous nutrition studies and a lifestyle education package on healthy aging, which contains four modules. The questionnaires were distributed to 31 Malay subjects aged 60-76 years old, containing an evaluation about the overall content, graphics, design layout, colour, font size, audio/video, user-perceived satisfaction and acceptance levels. The findings showed positive feedback and acceptance. Most subjects agreed that the digital nutritional education package can increase their nutritional knowledge for a healthy lifestyle and is easy to use. The touch-screen technology was also well accepted by elderly people and can be used as a kiosk for disseminating nutrition education for healthy aging.

Literature review on monitoring technologies and their outcomes in independently living elderly people.

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Peetoom, Kirsten K B; Lexis, Monique A S; Joore, Manuela; Dirksen, Carmen D; De Witte, Luc P

2015-07-01

To obtain insight into what kind of monitoring technologies exist to monitor activity in-home, what the characteristics and aims of applying these technologies are, what kind of research has been conducted on their effects and what kind of outcomes are reported. A systematic document search was conducted within the scientific databases Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, PsycINFO and Cinahl, complemented by Google Scholar. Documents were included in this review if they reported on monitoring technologies that detect activities of daily living (ADL) or significant events, e.g. falls, of elderly people in-home, with the aim of prolonging independent living. Five main types of monitoring technologies were identified: PIR motion sensors, body-worn sensors, pressure sensors, video monitoring and sound recognition. In addition, multicomponent technologies and smart home technologies were identified. Research into the use of monitoring technologies is widespread, but in its infancy, consisting mainly of small-scale studies and including few longitudinal studies. Monitoring technology is a promising field, with applications to the long-term care of elderly persons. However, monitoring technologies have to be brought to the next level, with longitudinal studies that evaluate their (cost-) effectiveness to demonstrate the potential to prolong independent living of elderly persons. [Box: see text].

RF-Care: Device-Free Posture Recognition for Elderly People Using A Passive RFID Tag Array

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Lina Yao

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Activity recognition is a fundamental research topic for a wide range of important applications such as fall detection for elderly people. Existing techniques mainly rely on wearable sensors, which may not be reliable and practical in real-world situations since people often forget to wear these sensors. For this reason, device-free activity recognition has gained the popularity in recent years. In this paper, we propose an RFID (radio frequency identification based, device-free posture recognition system. More specifically, we analyze Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI signal patterns from an RFID tag array, and systematically examine the impact of tag configuration on system performance. On top of selected optimal subset of tags, we study the challenges on posture recognition. Apart from exploring posture classification, we specially propose to infer posture transitions via Dirichlet Process Gaussian Mixture Model (DPGMM based Hidden Markov Model (HMM, which effectively captures the nature of uncertainty caused by signal strength varieties during posture transitions. We run a pilot study to evaluate our system with 12 orientation-sensitive postures and a series of posture change sequences. We conduct extensive experiments in both lab and real-life home environments. The results demonstrate that our system achieves high accuracy in both environments, which holds the potential to support assisted living of elderly people.

Sentimentality and Nostalgia in Elderly People in Bulgaria and Greece – Cross-Validity of the Questionnaire SNEP and Cross-Cultural Comparison

Science.gov (United States)

Stoyanova, Stanislava Yordanova; Giannouli, Vaitsa; Gergov, Teodor Krasimirov

2017-01-01

Sentimentality and nostalgia are two similar psychological constructs, which play an important role in the emotional lives of elderly people who are usually focused on the past. There are two objectives of this study - making cross-cultural comparison of sentimentality and nostalgia among Bulgarian and Greek elderly people using a questionnaire, and establishing the psychometric properties of this questionnaire among Greek elderly people. Sentimentality and nostalgia in elderly people in Bulgaria and Greece were studied by means of Sentimentality and Nostalgia in Elderly People questionnaire (SNEP), created by Gergov and Stoyanova (2013). For the Greek version, one factor structure without sub-scales is proposed, while for the Bulgarian version of SNEP the factor structure had four sub-scales, besides the total score. Together with some similarities (medium level of nostalgia and sentimentality being widespread), the elderly people in Bulgaria and Greece differed cross-culturally in their sentimentality and nostalgia related to the past in direction of more increased sentimentality and nostalgia in the Bulgarian sample. Some gender and age differences revealed that the oldest male Bulgarians were the most sentimental. The psychometric properties of this questionnaire were examined for the first time in a Greek sample of elders and a trend was found for stability of sentimentality and nostalgia in elderly people that could be studied further in longitudinal studies. PMID:28344678

Perceived reasons for, opinions about, and suggestions for elders considering suicide: elderly outpatients' perspectives.

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Chen, Ying-Jen; Tsai, Yun-Fang; Ku, Yan-Chiou; Lee, Shwu-Hua; Lee, Hsiu-Lan

2014-07-01

The purposes of this study were to explore elderly outpatients' perceived reasons for, opinions of, and suggestions for elderly people considering suicide in Taiwan. Elderly outpatients (N = 83) were recruited in 2011-2012 by convenience sampling from three randomly selected medical centers in Taiwan. Data were collected in individual interviews using a semi-structured guide and analyzed by content analysis. Findings revealed that most participants had heard of elderly suicide, with television news as the main source for their information. Their opinions about elderly suicide reflected judgmental attitudes, negative emotional reactions, expectations of social welfare, and could happen after losing one's meaning in life. Their suggestions for elderly people considering suicide fell into four major themes: give up suicidal ideas, seek help, enhance social welfare, and attend religious activities. Since television news was the main source for participants' information about elderly suicide, this mass medium should be used in suicide prevention to disseminate suicide knowledge, increase access to help, and strengthen suicide-protective factors among the elderly. Furthermore, no participants mentioned depression as a reason for attempted or completed suicide among older people despite depression being a well-known suicide-risk factor. Future suicide-prevention programs should emphasize the role of depression in suicide among older people. Participants also did not suggest that older people considering suicide seek help from the health system. Thus, older people should be educated about the role of the health system in suicide prevention and trained as gatekeepers to recognize signs of suicide ideation and respond appropriately.

Relationship between functional fitness, medication costs and mood in elderly people

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Michelli Luciana Massolini Laureano

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: to verify if functional fitness (FF is associated with the annual cost of medication consumption and mood states (MSt in elderly people. Methods: a cross-sectional study with 229 elderly people aged 65 years or more at Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Coimbra, Portugal. Seniors with physical and psychological limitations were excluded, as well as those using medication that limits performance on the tests. The Senior Fitness Test was used to evaluate FF, and the Profile of Mood States - Short Form to evaluate the MSt. The statistical analysis was based on Mancova, with adjustment for age, for comparison between men and women, and adjustment for sex, for comparison between cardiorespiratory fitness quintiles. The association between the variables under study was made with partial correlation, controlling for the effects of age, sex and body mass index. Results: an inverse correlation between cardiorespiratory fitness and the annual cost of medication consumption was found (p < 0.01. FF is also inversely associated with MSt (p < 0.05. Comparisons between cardiorespiratory fitness quintiles showed higher medication consumption costs in seniors with lower aerobic endurance, as well as higher deterioration in MSt (p < 0.01. Conclusion: elderly people with better FF and, specifically, better cardiorespiratory fitness present lower medication consumption costs and a more positive MSt.

Characteristics of depression in community-dwelling elderly people as indicated by the tree-drawing test.

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Murayama, Norio; Endo, Tadashi; Inaki, Koichiro; Sasaki, Shinsai; Fukase, Yuko; Ota, Kazumi; Iseki, Eizo; Tagaya, Hirokuni

2016-07-01

The tree-drawing test (TDT) is a typical projective method, but previous studies have paid little attention to it for elderly people. We investigated the characteristics of depression in community-dwelling elderly people as indicated by the TDT. This study was a complete enumeration survey of elderly people conducted through home visits. The contents of the survey included gender, age, presence or absence of housemates, frequency of going out, the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, and TDT. The subjects were divided into three groups (normal, depressed tendency, and depressed) according to the total 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale score. In TDT, no significant difference was observed in drooping crown, shadow of the whole tree, or shadow near the base, which have been regarded as indices of depression in younger people. However, the values concerning the size of the tree, such as the height and width of the whole tree, height and width of the crown, and number of occupied areas (of the paper), were significantly lower in the depressed group than in the other groups. In addition, the width of the trunk was significantly smaller in the depressed group than in the normal group. Subjects were classified as being in a 'depressed state' if they used 40 or fewer areas for drawing (i.e. occupied areas) and a 'non-depressed state' if they used 41 or more areas. This enabled depression to be detected (sensitivity: 71.4%; specificity: 79.9%). The size of the tree in TDT is suggested to reflect characteristics of depression in elderly people, such as introversion, reserve, antisocial attitude, a feeling of inferiority, weakness of ego, and lack of vigour. Furthermore, the numbers of occupied areas were found to be relatively useful in detecting depression in elderly people. © 2015 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics © 2015 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Measurement of special access to home visit nursing services among Japanese disabled elderly people: using GIS and claim data.

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Naruse, Takashi; Matsumoto, Hiroshige; Fujisaki-Sakai, Mahiro; Nagata, Satoko

2017-05-30

Home care service demands are increasing in Japan; this necessitates improved service allocation. This study examined the relationship between home visit nursing (HVN) service use and the proportion of elderly people living within 10 min' travel of HVN agencies. The population of elderly people living within reach of HVN agencies for each of 17 municipalities in one low-density prefecture was calculated using public data and geographic information systems. Multilevel logistic analysis for 2641 elderly people was conducted using medical and long-term care insurance claims data from October 2010 to examine the association between the proportion of elderly people reachable by HVNs and service usage in 13 municipalities. Municipality variables included HVN agency allocation appropriateness. Individual variables included HVN usage and demographic variables. The reachable proportion of the elderly population ranged from 0.0 to 90.2% in the examined municipalities. The reachable proportion of the elderly population was significantly positively correlated with HVN use (odds ratio: 1.938; confidence interval: 1.265-2.967). Residents living in municipalities with a lower reachable proportion of the elderly population are less likely to use HVN services. Public health interventions should increase the reachable proportion of the elderly population in order to improve HVN service use.

Primary health care to elderly people: Occupational Therapy actions perspectives

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Cassio Batista Alves

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In Brazil, Occupational Therapy (OT was legislated in 1969, and was introduced into the Primary Health Care (PHC in the 90s. At this level of care, the OT serves various stages of human development, including aging, in a perspective of care and active aging line, seeks to optimize opportunities for health, participation and safety, using clinical reasoning in order to plan, guide, conduct and reflect their actions in producing the line of care. This career considers human activities as part of the construction of the man himself as an expertise area and seeks to understand the relationships that the active human establishes in its life and health. This study aimed to verify the actions and identify the occupational therapy line of care with the elderly in APS. This is a qualitative study that used a semi-structured interview applied during April to May 2013 with six occupational therapists that cared for older people in the APS at Uberaba-MG. The data was analyzed using the Collective Subject Discourse (CSD technique. We observed that the OT actions to produce line of care for the elderly happen according to the general public care, whether individual or group, with the team during case discussions, referrals or work management and the territory during the territorial diagnosis and networks formation, all permeated by the principles of fairness, integrity, intersectoriality and clinical reasoning in OT.

Drug prescribing and use among elderly people in Spain.

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Mas, X; Laporte, J R; Frati, M E; Busquet, L; Arnau, J M; Ibañez, L; Séculi, E; Capellà, D; Arbonés, G

1983-05-01

As a result of the lack of an adequate regulation, the supply and the use of medicines is irrational in Spain. In order to know the characteristics of the prescription and use of drugs among the elderly, two drug utilization studies were carried out. The first study was an analysis of 981 prescriptions from an outpatient clinic of the Spanish Social Security. The results show that a high proportion of fixed-dose combinations were prescribed and that drugs without any demonstrated therapeutic value are often prescribed for the elderly. The second study was a survey of 389 individuals randomly chosen among people affiliated with a pensioners' club. The results show that drug use is highly prevalent among the elderly, that many medicines without any demonstrated benefit are being taken, and that potentially harmful drugs were being used by a high proportion of patients without medical follow-up. The prevalence of the use of some particular groups of drugs is also presented.

Prevention for elderly people: demand-oriented or problem-oriented?

Science.gov (United States)

Kupper, Nicolette M; Schreurs, Hanneke; Ten Klooster, Peter M; Bode, Christina; van Ameijden, Erik J C

2011-09-01

To examine the association between self-expressed information needs and corresponding observed health and lifestyle issues in elderly people. Data were used from the 2006 community health survey in Utrecht, a medium-sized city in the Netherlands. Data of 1634 people aged 55 years and older were available for analyses (response 64%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine possible associations between expressed information needs and variables on demographics, lifestyle risk behaviours, physical and psychosocial health. Several significant associations were found between information needs and corresponding health and lifestyle problems. However, the explanatory power of the observed problems was generally low, explaining only 7% of the informational needs on lifestyle, and 17% and 28% of the informational needs on physical and psychosocial health, respectively. The findings suggest that prevention amongst the elderly should not be solely based on information needs, but also on observed lifestyle and health. Implications for the use of different approaches of prevention and behavioural models underlying interventions are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prediction of Risk of Falling Among Institutionalized Elderly People in Iran

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Ahmad Ali Akbari-Kamrani

2003-07-01

Full Text Available Objective: Aging decline abilities and leads to increased risk of falling and subsequently poorer quality of life. The objective of this study was to identify a proper assessment for risk of falling among institutionalized elderly people. Materials & Methods: Prospective non–interventional methodological discriminative–validation study in order to make a comparative assessment of the discriminative validity of the two clinical assessment methods among the elderly people with/ without history of falling. The frequency of falls within 6 months among institutionalized elderly individuals was prospectively studied. Finally, those having had two or more falls within 6 months were enrolled in the faller group and those having no falls within 6 months were enrolled in the non-faller group. Twenty-one women and 33 men (mean age: 75.79, standard deviation [SD]: 8.47, range: 61-98 independent in their daily activities and able to walk 10 meters using / without assistive devices volunteered to participate in the study with awareness. Background variables included age, gender, use / nonuse of assistive devices, height, weight, number of the drugs used, and number of the diseases independent variable was history of falling and dependent variables were the results of the two functional assessment methods. In order to accomplish the aim of study, two functional assessment methods, Berg scale and Tinetti scale, were used and the validity indices of these methods were calculated. Results: Independent t test indicated a significant difference between the two groups of fallers and non-fallers in the mean scores on Berg Balance Scale (p=0.00l and Tinetti Scale (p=0.00l. Conclusion: The results of logistic regression test indicated much more discriminative validity for Berg Balance Scale test than Tinetti Scale test. Studying the validity of Berg Balance Scale assessment method showed that all validity indices should be regarded as bases for clinical decision.

A soundscape study: What kinds of sounds can elderly people affected by dementia recollect?

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Nagahata, K; Fukushima, T; Ishibashi, N; Takahashi, Y; Moriyama, M

2004-01-01

In this study, the kinds of sounds recollected by elderly people with dementia were investigated as a first step towards improving their sound environment. Onomatopoeias were presented to elderly people as keys to recollecting sounds, and they told what they imagined from each onomatopoeia. The results are summarized as follows. (1) Generally speaking, sounds from nature, such as the songs of birds and the sound of rain were recollected easily from onomatopoeias, regardless of gender. (2) Sounds of kitchen work were recollected by women only. (3) Sounds from old routines were recollected clearly. (4) Sounds that elicited feelings of nostalgia were also recollected intensely from onomatopoeias. These results show that elderly people suffering from dementia are able to recollect the sounds that had once occupied very important parts of their lives. However, these sounds in themselves are not unusual sounds in their daily lives. This suggests the importance of soundscape design in daily life.

The effect of a nutrient dense drink on mental and physical function in institutionalized elderly people.

Science.gov (United States)

Manders, M; De Groot, L C P G M; Hoefnagels, W H L; Dhonukshe-Rutten, R A M; Wouters-Wesseling, W; Mulders, A J M J; Van Staveren, W A

2009-11-01

To determine whether in the current study the supply of a nutrient dense drink has a positive effect on mental and physical function of institutionalized elderly people. A 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, intervention trial. Homes for the elderly and nursing homes in the Netherlands. Institutionalized elderly people older than 60 years, with a BMI Mental State Examination score of at least 10 points. In addition to their usual diet the participants (n=176) received either a nutrient dense drink or a placebo drink twice a day during 24 weeks. The functionality measures included cognitive function, mood, physical performance and the ability to perform activities of daily living. In the supplement group a favorable effect of the intervention drink on body weight (1.6 kg difference in change; P = .035), calf circumference (0.9 cm difference in change; P = .048), and blood values (e.g. Hcy decreased from 16.8 to 11.2 mumol/L in the supplement group) was found. In the total group no significant effect was found on functionality outcomes. However, a subgroup of participants with BMI at baseline below 24.4 kg/m2 performed better on the cognitive subscale of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (P = .09), and its language sub score (P = .01) after 24 weeks of intervention. The results in the total group of this trial suggest that the nutritional supplement used in this study improves nutritional status. Furthermore, the results of this trial suggest that it is effective as treatment for decreasing function in a subgroup of institutionalized elderly people with low BMI.

LEGO Mindstorms NXT for elderly and visually impaired people in need: A platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Halhouli, Ala'aldeen; Qitouqa, Hala; Malkosh, Nancy; Shubbak, Alaa; Al-Gharabli, Samer; Hamad, Eyad

2016-07-27

This paper presents the employment of LEGO Mindstorms NXT robotics as core component of low cost multidisciplinary platform for assisting elderly and visually impaired people. LEGO Mindstorms system offers a plug-and-play programmable robotics toolkit, incorporating construction guides, microcontrollers and sensors, all connected via a comprehensive programming language. It facilitates, without special training and at low cost, the use of such device for interpersonal communication and for handling multiple tasks required for elderly and visually impaired people in-need. The research project provides a model for larger-scale implementation, tackling the issues of creating additional functions in order to assist people in-need. The new functions were built and programmed using MATLAB through a user friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI). Power consumption problem, besides the integration of WiFi connection has been resolved, incorporating GPS application on smart phones enhanced the guiding and tracking functions. We believe that developing and expanding the system to encompass a range of applications beyond the initial design schematics to ease conducting a limited number of pre-described protocols. However, the beneficiaries for the proposed research would be limited to elderly people who require assistance within their household as assistive-robot to facilitate a low-cost solution for a highly demanding health circumstance.

Prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress disorders in elderly people residing in Khoy, Iran (2014-2015

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Towhid Babazadeh

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Psychiatric disorders such as depression, stress, and anxiety are factors that affect the quality of life, suicide and many physical problems, and socioeconomic in elders. Considering the importance of the issue and increasing the number of elderly people in this County, researchers decided to investigate the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression in the elderly health centers of Khoy, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on 383 elderly people referred to health centers in Khoy County. A random cluster sampling was used in this study where each health care is considered as a cluster. The Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21 standard questionnaire was used for data collection. The SPSS software was used for all computations. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistic, t-test, and one-way ANOVA. P < 0.050 was determined to be significant. Results: The results of this study showed that 1.3% of the elderly people suffer from very severe stress, 1.3% from severe depression, and 3.1% from severe anxiety. Likewise, the comparison between anxiety, stress, and depression disorders with demographic variables showed that there is a significant association between these disorders and sex, education, marital status, medical condition, as well as their housing conditions (P < 0.050. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated anxiety disorders, depression, and stress prevail among the elderly. In addition, some factors such as education, housing, medical condition, and marital status had significant effects on anxiety disorders, depression, and stress. Therefore, more attention is deserved in these aspects. Moreover, appropriate measures need to be taken to improve the mental health of elderly people.

Cohort study of institutionalized elderly people: fall risk factors from the nursing diagnosis

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Karine Marques Costa dos Reis

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: to determine the incidence of falls in elderly residents of long-stay institutions of the Federal District, to identify the aspects involved in the falls, in terms of risk factors, from the application of scales and the Taxonomy II of NANDA-I, and to define the level of accuracy with its sensitivity and specificity for application in the clinical nursing practice. Method: this was a cohort study with the evaluation of 271 elderly people. Cognition, functionality, mobility and other intrinsic factors were evaluated. After six months, the elderly people who fell were identified, with significance analysis then performed to define the risk factors. Results: the results showed an incidence of 41%. Of the 271 patients included, 69 suffered 111 episodes of falls during the monitoring period. Risk factors were the presence of stroke with its sequelae (OR: 1.82, 95% CI 1.01 - 3.28, p=.045, presenting more than five chronic diseases (OR: 2.82, 95% CI 1.43 - 5.56, p=.0028, foot problem (OR: 2.45, 95% CI 1.35 - 4.44, p=.0033 and motion (OR: 2.04, 95% CI 1.15 - 3.61, p=.0145. Conclusion: the taxonomy has high validity regarding the detection of elderly people at risk of falling and should be applied consistently in the clinical nursing practice.

Health Promotion Behaviors and Chronic Diseases of Aging in the Elderly People of Iranshahr*- IR Iran.

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Pishkar Mofrad, Zahra; Jahantigh, Mozhgan; Arbabisarjou, Azizollah

2015-07-13

Aging is considered as the phenomenon of the day in the health arena of the world and Iran. It is anticipated that there will be an explosion of aging population in Iran in about 2031 and 20-25% of the population will be aged over 60 years. With aging, chronic diseases also increase and diminish the functional ability of older people. On the other hand, increased healthcare costs should be also added to this issue. Health promotion is a concept of process that continues throughout life. As much as health promotion is important in children and adults, it is equally important in older people. In fact, the elderlies, as a group, also acquire many benefits from health promotion behaviors. Due to the increasing elderly population, geriatric health promotion and enhancing the health level of older people is proposed as a health priority that should be properly planned. Hence, the present study has been conducted in this regard and aims to identify behaviors of health promotion and chronic diseases of aging in the elderly people of Iranshahr-Iran. The present research is a cross-sectional descriptive study whose population consists of 425 elderly people aged 60 years and over, who lived in the city of Iranshahr*, IR Iran. The random cluster sampling method has been used to select the research samples. The required information was collected using a questionnaire which was distributed among the older people through visiting their homes; then, the collected data was statistically analyzed using the statistical software of SPSS version 13. the research findings show that the mean age of older people is and the highest frequency belongs to the age group of 60 years and the maximum age is 92 years. 69.5% of the older people were in the age group of the young elderly (60-69 years) and 44% of them lived with their married children; also 55.8%, 81.9%, 70.5%, and 74.4% of them were respectively female, illiterate, married, and unemployed. The mean score of geriatric health

An assisted-living home architecture with integrated healthcare services for elderly people.

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, Andy; Biniaris, Christos; Vergados, Dimitrios; Eppler, Arnold; Kavvadias, Christoforos; Bigalke, Olaf; Robert, Eric; Jerabek, Boro; Alevizos, Alevizos; Caragiozidis, Michael

2008-01-01

Since the population of elderly people grows absolutely and in relation to the overall population in the world, the improvement of the quality of life of elderly people at home is of a great importance. This can be achieved through the development of generic technologies for managing their domestic ambient environment consisting of medical sensors, entertainment equipment, home automation systems and white goods, increasing their autonomy and safety. In this context, the provision intelligent interactive healthcare services will improve their daily life and allowing at the same time the continuous monitoring of their health and their effective treatment. This work is supported by the INHOME Project EU IST-045061-STP, http://www.ist-inhome.eu.

Health Promotion Behaviours and Level of Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Among Elderly People in West Region of Tehran: A Cross-Sectional Survey

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Aghil Habibi Sola

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: As individuals live longer, health promotion behaviors get even more important, particularly with regard to maintaining functional independence and improving quality of life. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between health promotion behaviors and level of Activities of Daily Living (ADL and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL among elderly people in west region of Tehran. Methods & Materials: This was a descriptive-correlational study. A multi-stage sample of 410 community residents who were over 60 years old were selected from west region of Tehran. Participants who consented to participate in the study were interviewed with a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 2-part; Health Promotion Behavior Checklist and questions related to status of physical functioning, which includes activities of daily living (ADLs and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs. Descriptive statistics and T-test were used to data analysis. Results: The results of the study showed that there were significant relations between ADLs and ' exercise or walking', 'drinking milk, eating dairy and meat', 'eating vegetables and fruits', 'low salt diet' and 'low fat diet' (P<0.05. Furthermore there were significant relations between the IADLs and 'smoking cessation', 'alcohol abstinence', 'exercise or walking', 'drinking milk, eating dairy and meat', 'eating vegetables and fruits', 'low salt diet' and 'low fat diet' (P<0.05. Conclusion: Study showed, health promotion behaviors and level of ADL and IADL are related meaningfully. Health care professionals should enhance the physical functioning in elderly people by facilitating health promotion behaviors through formal health promotion programs which focus on regular diet, exercise, and regular physical check-ups which will maintain and increase a healthy and active life.

Reciprocity: A Predictor of Mental Health and Continuity in Elderly People's Relationships? A Review

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Live Fyrand

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Many studies have demonstrated that social relationships confer mental health benefits. This paper aims to identify whether and how reciprocity in social relationships predicts or is associated with mental health benefits as well as with continuity in elderly people's social relationships. The studies reviewed in this paper show that, among elders, being in a balanced or underbenefited reciprocal position predicts better mental health and life quality than being in an overbenefited position. Throughout the course of life, reciprocity evens out present and earlier reciprocal imbalances, securing continuity in close relationships—particularly between spouses and between elderly parents and adult children. In friendships, securing continuity seems to be based on the maintenance of independence based on balanced reciprocal relations, making these relationships more vulnerable. Due to the problems of conceptualization and measurement in the reviewed studies, one should be cautious in stating a final conclusion that the reciprocity norm has a universal positive effect on mental health and continuity in elderly people's relationships.

Reciprocity: A Predictor of Mental Health and Continuity in Elderly People's Relationships? A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Fyrand, Live

2010-01-01

Many studies have demonstrated that social relationships confer mental health benefits. This paper aims to identify whether and how reciprocity in social relationships predicts or is associated with mental health benefits as well as with continuity in elderly people's social relationships. The studies reviewed in this paper show that, among elders, being in a balanced or underbenefited reciprocal position predicts better mental health and life quality than being in an overbenefited position. Throughout the course of life, reciprocity evens out present and earlier reciprocal imbalances, securing continuity in close relationships-particularly between spouses and between elderly parents and adult children. In friendships, securing continuity seems to be based on the maintenance of independence based on balanced reciprocal relations, making these relationships more vulnerable. Due to the problems of conceptualization and measurement in the reviewed studies, one should be cautious in stating a final conclusion that the reciprocity norm has a universal positive effect on mental health and continuity in elderly people's relationships.

Risk of Malnutrition Evaluated by Mini Nutritional Assessment and Sarcopenia in Noninstitutionalized Elderly People.

Science.gov (United States)

Liguori, Ilaria; Curcio, Francesco; Russo, Gennaro; Cellurale, Michele; Aran, Luisa; Bulli, Giulia; Della-Morte, David; Gargiulo, Gaetano; Testa, Gianluca; Cacciatore, Francesco; Bonaduce, Domenico; Abete, Pasquale

2018-02-13

Malnutrition indices and muscle mass and strength in the elderly are poorly investigated. Moreover, malnutrition seems to be 1 of the more important factors in the cause of sarcopenia. The presence of sarcopenia and its relationship with malnutrition indices were studied in noninstitutionalized elderly people who underwent Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA). A total of 473 elderly subjects (mean age, 80.9 ± 6.6 years) admitted to CGA were studied. Malnutrition risk was evaluated with Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score, whereas muscle mass and muscle strength were evaluated by bioimpedentiometry and hand grip, respectively. Sarcopenia was assessed as indicated in the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) consensus. Overall prevalence of sarcopenia was 13.1%, and it increased from 6.1% to 31.4% as MNA decreased (P elderly subjects with sarcopenia (15.4 ± 4.2) than without sarcopenia (22.0 ± 4.0) (P = .024). Linear regression analysis showed that MNA score is linearly related both with muscle mass (r = 0.72; P elderly subjects with sarcopenia, and it is linearly related to muscle mass and muscle strength. These data indicate that MNA score, when evaluated with muscle mass and strength, may recognize elderly subjects with sarcopenia. © 2018 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Relationship of Physical Activity Facilitators and Body Mass Index in Kashan Elderly

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Zahra Khalili

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: There are many factors that affect the level of physical activity and body mass index of the elderly. The current study aimed to assess the relationship of  physical activity facilitators and body mass index of Kashan elderly. Methods: The cross-sectional study sampled 400 elderly older than 60 referred to 10 healthcare centers in Kashan, 2014, via multistage quota method. Participations were tested under demographic characters, body mass index(BMI level, and exercise benefits part of exercise benefits and barrier scale (persian  version for measurig  physical activity facilitators. Data were analyzed in SPSS software, descriptive statistic, Spearman correlation test, Chi-Square and Ordinal regression. Results: Of the participations73.6% were overweight or obese. Median and interquartile range (IQR of  physical activity facilitators was 75 and 33 respectively. The most prominent  physical activity facilitators was" physical activity increases my physical ability, (83.2%. There was a significantly inverse relationship between  physical activity facilitators  score and BMI of participants (r=-0.233, P=0.001. Ordinal regression evealed that mostly predictor of  BMI among  physical activity facilitators was "physical activity improves the quality of my work " (OR=8.683, P=0.001. Conclusion: Results identified  physical activity facilitators directly is related to improve physical circumstances of the elderly people. Surly poviding  physical activity facilitators through educational and interventional programs may improve the health status of aging population.

Effects of grab bar on utilized friction and dynamic stability when elderly people enter the bathtub.

Science.gov (United States)

Sekiguchi, Yusuke; Kato, Tomohisa; Honda, Keita; Kanetaka, Hiroyasu; Izumi, Shin-Ichi

2017-08-01

The effect of the grab bar on dynamic stability when elderly people enter the bathtub remains unclear. The purpose of the present study is to examine the age-related effect of the grab bar on dynamic stability during lateral stepping over an obstacle when entering bathtub. Sixteen young, healthy adults and sixteen elderly adults participated. The subjects performed lateral stepping over an obstacle with and without vertical and horizontal bars. Displacement and velocity of the center of mass and utilized friction, which is the required coefficient of friction to avoid slipping, were simultaneously measured by a three-dimensional motion analysis system and two force plates. A post hoc test for two-way ANOVA revealed that velocity of the center of mass in the vertical direction (pbar were significantly slower and smaller than those without the grab bar in young and elderly people. Moreover, the utilized friction at push off of the trailing leg with the vertical bar in elderly people was lower (pbar. The use of each grab bar while performing a lateral step over an obstacle may help maintaining balance in lateral and vertical directions. However, use of the vertical bar while lateral stepping over an object in elderly people may need low utilized friction to prevent slipping. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Body mass index, life-style, and healthy status in free living elderly people in Menorca Island.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferra, A; Bibiloni, M Del Mar; Zapata, M E; Pich, J; Pons, A; Tur, J A

2012-04-01

To assess the BMI, life-style, and healthy status, and explore relationships between these parameters, among Menorca's free living elderly people. A cross-sectional survey carried out in Menorca Island in 2009. A random sample (n=450) of the elderly population (≥65 years) was interviewed. Anthropometric measurements and a general questionnaire incorporating questions related to socio-demographic and life-style factors and health status were used. Approximately five per cent of elders were underweight and 60% overweight or obese. Underweight were positively and overweight and obesity negatively affected by age. The prevalence of central obesity, according to the WC cut-off points, was 66.8% in men and 85.1% in women. Low education, socioeconomic status and physical activity were risk factors for malnutrition and overweight/obesity. A possible cognitive impairment was found among elderly persons with BMIrelation between BMI and diabetes mellitus, arthritis, and chronic bronchitis, and an inverted J-shape between BMI and gastric ulcer, osteoporosis and bone fractures, cancer, and prostatitis (in men) were found. Both low and high BMI are associated with a wide range of prevalent conditions and diseases in Menorca elderly men and women.

Effects of glucose load on cognitive functions in elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zwaluw, N.L. van der; Rest, O. van de; Kessels, R.P.C.; Groot, L.C.P.G.M. de

2015-01-01

Glucose is the main fuel for the brain, and manipulation of the glucose supply may consequently affect brain function. The present review was conducted to provide an overview of studies that investigated the acute effects of glucose load on memory and other cognitive functions in elderly people. The

More important vulnerability to radiations among children and elderly people

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1998-01-01

from the studies made on the Hiroshima inhabitants having survived to the atomic bombs explosions, M. Alice Stewart showed the danger of radiations for pregnant women, children and elderly people. She has estimated that the risk of dying of a neoplasm is multiplied by two for persons aged of more than 55 years, comparatively with others adults; But for children aged of less than ten years this risk is one thousand time superior than for fifty five years old people. (N.C.)

Significance of and problems with pet companions owned by elderly people in need of care (2) Narratives concerned with "loss" and "support"

OpenAIRE

加藤, 謙介; カトウ, ケンスケ; Kensuke, KATO

2012-01-01

In this study, the relationship between pets and elderly people who need care was examined through a narrative approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four elderly residents of Nobeoka City, Miyazaki, and with professionals who have the ability to support elderly people's caring for pets (i.e. a social worker, home-care workers, a pet sitter and administrative officers). The interviewer asked about the relationship between the elderly people and their pets, specifically about...

Effect of music care on depression and behavioral problems in elderly people with dementia in Taiwan: a quasi-experimental, longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Su-Chin; Yu, Ching-Len; Chang, Su-Hsien

2017-02-01

The purpose was to examine the effectiveness of music care on cognitive function, depression, and behavioral problems among elderly people with dementia in long-term care facilities in Taiwan. The study had a quasi-experimental, longitudinal research design and used two groups of subjects. Subjects were not randomly assigned to experimental group (n = 90) or comparison group (n = 56). Based on Bandura's social cognition theory, subjects in the experimental group received Kagayashiki music care (KMC) twice per week for 24 weeks. Subjects in the comparison group were provided with activities as usual. Results found, using the control score of the Clifton Assessment Procedures for the Elderly Behavior Rating Scale (baseline) and time of attending KMC activities as a covariate, the two groups of subjects had statistically significant differences in the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Results also showed that, using the control score of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (baseline) and MMSE (baseline) as a covariate, the two groups of subjects had statistically significant differences in the Clifton Assessment Procedures for the Elderly Behavior Rating Scale. These findings provide information for staff caregivers in long-term care facilities to develop a non-invasive care model for elderly people with dementia to deal with depression, anxiety, and behavioral problems.

Low vitamin D status is associated with reduced muscle mass and impaired physical performance in frail elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tieland, C.A.B.; Brouwer, E.M.; Nienaber-Rousseau, C.; Loon, van L.J.C.; Groot, de C.P.G.M.

2013-01-01

Background/Objectives: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status has been associated with muscle mass, strength and physical performance in healthy elderly people. Yet, in pre-frail and frail elderly people this association has not been studied. The objective of this study was to explore the

Cognitive dysfunction in urban elderly people: an exploratory study using neuropsychological and neuroimaging perspective

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Sreerupa Ghose

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Cognitive impairment is an integral part of old age as well as it is a part of many neurodegenerative disorders. Early identification of cognitive impairment is necessary in order to make treatment and rehabilitation possible. Materials and methods: Keeping in mind that early identification of cognitive impairment is necessary, a sample of 20 elderly patients with memory complaints who were referred for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI with symptoms of peripheral nervous system disorder by neurologists have been assessed using neuropsychological tests and MRI, and results have been analysed using IBM SPSS 21 and DICOM software. Results: Neuropsychological test findings suggest that age, sex, and education are related to performance of the participants on different tests of cognitive functions in different ways. Scores on the tests of delayed memory and verbal fluency emerged as positive predictors of activity level. On the basis of MRI, the elderly people were identified with periventricular hyper-intensity of white matter and global cortical atrophy. A comparison of the two groups (on the basis of MRI findings suggest that elderly people with global cortical atrophy were found to be significantly more impaired on visuospatial tasks in comparison to the group with periventricular hyper-intensity of white matter, among other tests of cognitive functions. Conclusion: In spite of the absence of manifestation of dementing illness at clinical level, the participants actually exhibited underlying pathological process which can be detected with neuropsychological testing in conjunction with neuroimaging.

Effects of Individual, Spousal, and Offspring Socioeconomic Status on Mortality Among Elderly People in China

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Lei Yang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background: The relationship between socio-economic status and health among elderly people has been well studied, but less is known about how spousal or offspring’s education affects mortality, especially in non-Western countries. We investigated these associations using a large sample of Chinese elderly. Methods: The data came from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS from the years 2005 to 2011 (n = 15 355, aged 65–105 years at baseline; 5046 died in 2008, and 2224 died in 2011. Educational attainment, occupational status, and household income per capita were used as indicators of socio-economic status. Spousal and offspring’s education were added into the final models. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to study mortality risk by gender. Results: Adjusted for age, highly educated males and females had, on average, 29% and 37% lower mortality risk, respectively, than those with a lower education. Particularly among men, this effect was observed among those whose children had intermediate education only. A higher household income was also associated with lower mortality risk among the elderly. Male elderly living with a well-educated spouse (HR 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64–0.99 had a lower mortality risk than those living with a low-educated spouse. Conclusions: Both the socio-economic status of the individual and the educational level of a co-resident spouse or child are associated with mortality risk in elderly people. The socio-economic position of family members plays an important role in producing health inequality among elderly people.

Vitamin D deficiency and leisure time activities in the elderly: are all pastimes the same?

Science.gov (United States)

De Rui, Marina; Toffanello, Elena Debora; Veronese, Nicola; Zambon, Sabina; Bolzetta, Francesco; Sartori, Leonardo; Musacchio, Estella; Corti, Maria Chiara; Baggio, Giovannella; Crepaldi, Gaetano; Perissinotto, Egle; Manzato, Enzo; Sergi, Giuseppe

2014-01-01

Optimal vitamin D status is important for overall health and well-being, particularly in the elderly. Although vitamin D synthesis in the skin declines with age, exposure to sunlight still seems to help older-aged adults to achieve adequate serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels. Elderly people would therefore benefit from outdoor leisure activities, but the effects of different types of pastime on serum 25OHD levels have yet to be thoroughly investigated. To assess the association of different pastimes with 25OHD deficiency in elderly subjects. A sample of 2,349 community-dwelling elderly individuals (1,389 females and 960 males) enrolled in the Progetto Veneto Anziani was analyzed. Brisk walking, cycling, gardening and fishing were classed as outdoor activities, and dancing and gym workouts as indoor pastimes. Any activities undertaken for at least 1 hour/week during the previous month were considered as being practiced regularly. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between different pastimes and 25OHD deficiency. Serum 25OHD levels were significantly higher in individuals who engaged in outdoor pastimes (+25% in women, +27.7% in men) compared to those who did not. In particular, subjects regularly practicing gardening or cycling had higher serum 25OHD levels than those who did not, whereas 25OHD levels differed little between subjects who did or did not undertake indoor activities. Among the outdoor pastimes considered, logistic regression analysis confirmed a lower likelihood of vitamin D deficiency (25OHDvitamin D status in Caucasian elderly people, irrespective of their age, BMI and comorbidities, and of the season of the year.

[Animals used in therapy for the wellbeing of elderly people].

Science.gov (United States)

Perraud, Florence

2013-01-01

Visits by dogs to elderly people in nursing homes have shown that animals can produce unexpected and positive reactions. This led to the idea of using a retrained guide dog for the blind in therapy workshops, with patients suffering from dementia. Setting up such a project is possible and produces interesting results.

Preventive home visits to elderly people in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hendriksen, C; Vass, M

2005-01-01

During the last 20 years several randomised controlled trials have been published about preventive home visits to old people, but the benefit of the visits is still controversial and under debate. Based on a state law from the Ministry of Social Affairs in 1998, the municipalities in Denmark are ......, manageable and ongoing educational intervention towards professionals working with preventive home visits is feasible and improves older people's functional mobility.......During the last 20 years several randomised controlled trials have been published about preventive home visits to old people, but the benefit of the visits is still controversial and under debate. Based on a state law from the Ministry of Social Affairs in 1998, the municipalities in Denmark...... are obliged to offer home visits twice a year to all citizens 75 years and older. After six years with this law, there is still variation of how the law is managed and implemented. About 60% of the elderly people accept and receive the visits. Less than 50% of the municipalities have made specific guidelines...

Musical Neurofeedback for Treating Depression in Elderly People

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Rafael eRamirez

2015-10-01

Full Text Available We introduce a new neurofeedback approach, which allows users to manipulate expressive parameters in music performances using their emotional state, and present the results of a pilot clinical experiment applying the approach to alleviate depression in elderly people. Ten adults (9 female, mean=84, SD=5.8 with normal hearing participated in the neurofeedback study consisting of 10 sessions of 15 minutes each. EEG data was acquired using the Emotiv EPOC EEG device. In all sessions, participants listened to music pieces preselected according to their music preferences, and were encouraged to increase the loudness and tempo of the pieces, based on their arousal and valence levels. Increased arousal, computed as beta to alpha activity ratio in the frontal cortex corresponded to increased loudness, and increased valence, computed as relative frontal alpha activity in the right lobe compared to the left lobe, corresponded to increased tempo. Pre and post evaluation of 6 participants was performed using the BDI depression test, showing an average improvement of 17.2% (1.3 in their BDI scores at the end of the study. In addition, an analysis of the collected EEG data of the participants showed a significant decrease of relative alpha activity in their left frontal lobe.

Engaging Elderly People in Telemedicine Through Gamification.

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de Vette, Frederiek; Tabak, Monique; Dekker-van Weering, Marit; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam

2015-12-18

Telemedicine can alleviate the increasing demand for elderly care caused by the rapidly aging population. However, user adherence to technology in telemedicine interventions is low and decreases over time. Therefore, there is a need for methods to increase adherence, specifically of the elderly user. A strategy that has recently emerged to address this problem is gamification. It is the application of game elements to nongame fields to motivate and increase user activity and retention. This research aims to (1) provide an overview of existing theoretical frameworks for gamification and explore methods that specifically target the elderly user and (2) explore user classification theories for tailoring game content to the elderly user. This knowledge will provide a foundation for creating a new framework for applying gamification in telemedicine applications to effectively engage the elderly user by increasing and maintaining adherence. We performed a broad Internet search using scientific and nonscientific search engines and included information that described either of the following subjects: the conceptualization of gamification, methods to engage elderly users through gamification, or user classification theories for tailored game content. Our search showed two main approaches concerning frameworks for gamification: from business practices, which mostly aim for more revenue, emerge an applied approach, while academia frameworks are developed incorporating theories on motivation while often aiming for lasting engagement. The search provided limited information regarding the application of gamification to engage elderly users, and a significant gap in knowledge on the effectiveness of a gamified application in practice. Several approaches for classifying users in general were found, based on archetypes and reasons to play, and we present them along with their corresponding taxonomies. The overview we created indicates great connectivity between these taxonomies

[Value of dynamic postural control tests on elderly people with vestibulopathy].

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Ortuño-Cortés, Miguel A; Martín-Sanz, Eduardo; Barona-de Guzmán, Rafael

2009-01-01

The stability limits and rhythmic weight shift tests study the functional capacity to achieve voluntary postural control of movement in the standing position. The objectives of this paper are to know the interest of these tests in the evaluation of elderly people with vestibular disorders and their relation with the number of falls suffered during the year prior to the study. Sixty elderly people (65-80 years old) with vestibular disorders (patients) and 60 healthy subjects (control group) of similar age were selected. According to videonystagmographic and clinical criteria, the patients group was divided into compensated and decompensated. All the subjects in the sample performed the stability limits and rhythmic weight shift tests with the NedSVE/IBV system. The number of falls of each subject was determined by a meticulous anamnesis. Compensated patients, decompensated patients and the control group had similar scores in this instrumental functional evaluation, without any statistically significant differences. None of the parameters assessed in this study correlated statistically with the subjects' number of falls during the year prior to the study. The stability limits and rhythmic weight shift tests are of little utility in the functional evaluation of the elderly with vestibular disorders and in the detection of patients with greater risk of falls.

Handgrip strength and physical activity in frail elderly

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Maria Helena Lenardt

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between handgrip strength (HS and physical activity in physical frailty elderly. METHOD Cross-sectional quantitative study with a sample of 203 elderly calculated based on the population estimated proportion. Tests were applied to detect cognitive impairment and assessment of physical frailty. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis by binary logistic regression were used, and also Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS A total of 99 (64.3% elderly showed decreased handgrip strength and 90 (58.4% elderly presented decrease in physical activity levels. There was a statistically significant difference between these two components (p=0.019, in which elderly who have decreased HS have lower levels of physical activity. For low levels of physical activity and decreased HS, there was no evidence of significant difference in the probability of the classification as frail elderly (p<0.001. CONCLUSION The components handgrip strength and physical activity are associated with the frail elderly. The joint presence of low levels of physical activity and decreased handgrip strength leads to a significantly higher probability of the elderly to be categorized as frailty.

[The development of care farming for elderly people with cognitive impairment to enhance social inclusion: A feasibility study of rice-farming care for elderly people with cognitive impairment].

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Ura, Chiaki; Okamura, Tsuyoshi; Yamazaki, Sachiko; Ishiguro, Taichi; Ibe, Masumi; Miyazaki, Mayako; Torishima, Keisuke; Kawamuro, Yu

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of rice-farming care among elderly people with cognitive impairment as a tool for social inclusion. Eight elderly individuals with cognitive impairment (7 men, 1 woman, mean age 68.3 years old) participated in the program over 25 weeks. The cognitive function, well-being, and depression were assessed before and after the program period. The degree of participants' independence during the program was also assessed. Semi-structured interviews with the participants and caregivers were held after the program period. The average participation rate was 93.0%. There were no unexpected events, and the subjects carried out farmwork almost independently. Regarding their well-being, two participants who scored below the cut-off criterion of mental health before the study scored above the cut-off after the study. Regarding depression, two participants who scored positive with a two-question case-finding instrument no longer scored positive after the study. Interviews with the participants showed that they enjoyed the program, especially because they had peers, a role, and gained positive emotions. Interviews with the caregivers showed that they had recognized for the first time what people can do with their skills. The results of the present study indicate that rice-farming was a feasible method of care with a positive impact on the well-being and depression of elderly people with cognitive impairment and enhanced their social participation, drawing out their individual strengths.

Physical frailty predicts incident depressive symptoms in elderly people: prospective findings from the Obu Study of Health Promotion for the Elderly.

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Makizako, Hyuma; Shimada, Hiroyuki; Doi, Takehiko; Yoshida, Daisuke; Anan, Yuya; Tsutsumimoto, Kota; Uemura, Kazuki; Liu-Ambrose, Teresa; Park, Hyuntae; Lee, Sanyoon; Suzuki, Takao

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether frailty is an important and independent predictor of incident depressive symptoms in elderly people without depressive symptoms at baseline. Fifteen-month prospective study. General community in Japan. A total of 3025 community-dwelling elderly people aged 65 years or over without depressive symptoms at baseline. The self-rated 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale was used to assess symptoms of depression with a score of 6 or more at baseline and 15-month follow-up. Participants underwent a structural interview designed to obtain demographic factors and frailty status, and completed cognitive testing with the Mini-Mental State Examination and physical performance testing with the Short Physical Performance Battery as potential predictors. At a 15-month follow-up survey, 226 participants (7.5%) reported the development of depressive symptoms. We found that frailty and poor self-rated general health (adjusted odds ratio 1.86, 95% confidence interval 1.30-2.66, P Examination, Short Physical Performance Battery, and Geriatric Depression Scale scores at baseline. Our findings suggested that frailty and poor self-rated general health were independent predictors of depressive symptoms in community-dwelling elderly people. Copyright © 2015 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of physical activity in the positive mental health of the elder

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Helder Miguel Fernandes

2009-03-01

Full Text Available This study aim to investigate the physical activity levels of older adults and its effect on life satisfaction, self-esteem and personal growth. A sample of 168 elderly persons of both sexes with ages between 60 and 95 years (M= 72.06, SD= 6.83 was used. Results reveal that about 41.1% of the sample is physically inactive, while only 31.5% of the older adults reported physical activity levels equal or above international recommended amounts. Correlation and comparative analysis demonstrate that physical activity participation is associated with higher levels of life satisfaction, self-esteem and personal growth, and that this effect is superior in the elderly people who practice at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity on five or more days a week.

The influence of physical activity in the positive mental health of the elder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.M. Fernandes

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This study aim to investigate the physical activity levels of older adults and its effect on life satisfaction, self-esteem and personal growth. A sample of 168 elderly persons of both sexes with ages between 60 and 95 years (M= 72.06, SD= 6.83 was used. Results reveal that about 41.1% of the sample is physically inactive, while only 31.5% of the older adults reported physical activity levels equal or above international recommended amounts. Correlation and comparative analysis demonstrate that physical activity participation is associated with higher levels of life satisfaction, self-esteem and personal growth, and that this effect is superior in the elderly people who practice at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity on five or more days a week.

A Comparative Study of Health Status and Quality of Life of Elderly People Living in Old Age Homes and within Family Setup in Raigad District, Maharashtra.

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Amonkar, Priyanka; Mankar, Madhavi Jogesh; Thatkar, Pandurang; Sawardekar, Pradeep; Goel, Rajesh; Anjenaya, Seema

2018-01-01

The traditional concept of family in India to provide support to the elderly is changing soon with disintegration of joint families. In this scenario the concept of old age homes (OAHs) is gaining momentum and the number of people seeking OAH care is rapidly increasing. However, not much is known about the quality of life (QOL) of Indian elderly staying in the OAH setup. To assess and compare the Health status, Quality of Life and Depression in elderly people living in OAHs & within family using WHOQOL -OLD questionnaire & Geriatric Depression Scale. A cross sectional study was conducted in elderly aged above 60 years of age. After taking a written consent and matching for age and sex & socioeconomic status, 60 elderly from OAHs & 120 elderly living within family setup were selected randomly. The WHOQOL-OLD standard questionnaire & GDS were used to assess quality of life & depression in elderly. The QOL of elderly in domains of autonomy, past present & future activities, social participation and intimacy was better in family setup (60.62, 70.62, 66.14 and 58.43) as compared to OAHs (51.35, 62.91, 59.47and 41.16) (pfamily setup and 5.76 in OAH's). Quality of life of elderly within family setup was better as compared to elderly in OAHs.

The Role of Motivation to Reduce Obesity among Elderly People: Response to Priming Temptation in Obese Individuals.

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Obara-Gołębiowska, Małgorzata; Brycz, Hanna; Lipowska, Małgorzata; Lipowski, Mariusz

2018-02-01

The risk of obesity-related disorders is increased among the elderly, so changing eating habits can be an important element of prevention. The main aim of this article is to consider whether looking at pictures that present either fattening food or healthy food may motivate elderly people to change their nutrition habits. Might priming different kinds of food influence the attractiveness of the food for people in late adulthood undergoing obesity therapy? Based on priming theories, we analysed the effects of the conscious processing of stimuli associated with dietary habits in individuals aged with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m². Our experiments confirmed the influence of a higher-priority goal of "slimming" on the perception and internalization of nutrition-related stimuli. In response to such stimuli, individuals who are actively involved in weight reduction and health-oriented programs use strategies for resisting temptation and to effectively "slim". We present our findings in the context of their theoretical background and practical application.

The Role of Motivation to Reduce Obesity among Elderly People: Response to Priming Temptation in Obese Individuals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Małgorzata Obara-Gołębiowska

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The risk of obesity-related disorders is increased among the elderly, so changing eating habits can be an important element of prevention. The main aim of this article is to consider whether looking at pictures that present either fattening food or healthy food may motivate elderly people to change their nutrition habits. Might priming different kinds of food influence the attractiveness of the food for people in late adulthood undergoing obesity therapy? Based on priming theories, we analysed the effects of the conscious processing of stimuli associated with dietary habits in individuals aged with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Our experiments confirmed the influence of a higher-priority goal of “slimming” on the perception and internalization of nutrition-related stimuli. In response to such stimuli, individuals who are actively involved in weight reduction and health-oriented programs use strategies for resisting temptation and to effectively “slim”. We present our findings in the context of their theoretical background and practical application.

Challenges of human resource management in the institutions for care of elderly people

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Lepir, Lj; Šćepović, D.; Radonjić, A. R.

2017-05-01

Human resources are the most important resources of any work organization or institution. They are the bearers of the work process and are key in determining the quality of a product or service. The staff employed in an institution contributes with their work to its business success which is why the institution management should pay close attention to human resources management. Functionally, the successful management of social protection institutions implies the attainment of balance in the process of satisfying interests of beneficiaries, interests of the institution management (founder-owner), and interests of the employees (service providers to elderly people). Interests of beneficiaries (elderly people) who are placed in residential care are reflected in the need for high quality and accessible services. Interests of the institution management are recognized as the need to achieve economically sustainable and profitable institution. An interest of direct service providers (employed caregivers, social workers, etc.) is in the safe premises and good working conditions. The term “human resources” in institutions of social protection implies overall knowledge, skills, abilities, creative capabilities, motivation, loyalty and personal characteristics owned by employees in the institution. It is the overall intellectual and emotional energy of employees that the management can count on and that can be engaged to achieving the objectives of the institution. The objectives of human resource management in social protection institutions are related to providing capability with job demands, fulfillment of professional and optimal number of competent workers, improving socio-economic status of employees, ensuring full time engagement of workers, improving the quality of work conditions and work environment, creating and maintaining a flexible and adaptive potential of employees, reducing resistance and increasing the sensitivity of employees to changes in the

Relationship between subjective fall risk assessment and falls and fall-related fractures in frail elderly people

OpenAIRE

Shimada, Hiroyuki; Suzukawa, Megumi; Ishizaki, Tatsuro; Kobayashi, Kumiko; Kim, Hunkyung; Suzuki, Takao

2011-01-01

Abstract Background Objective measurements can be used to identify people with risks of falls, but many frail elderly adults cannot complete physical performance tests. The study examined the relationship between a subjective risk rating of specific tasks (SRRST) to screen for fall risks and falls and fall-related fractures in frail elderly people. Methods The SRRST was investigated in 5,062 individuals aged 65 years or older who were utilized day-care services. The SRRST comprised 7 dichotom...

Neurological abnormalities and neurocognitive functions in healthy elder people: A structural equation modeling analysis

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Chan Raymond CK

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background/Aims Neurological abnormalities have been reported in normal aging population. However, most of them were limited to extrapyramidal signs and soft signs such as motor coordination and sensory integration have received much less attention. Very little is known about the relationship between neurological soft signs and neurocognitive function in healthy elder people. The current study aimed to examine the underlying relationships between neurological soft signs and neurocognition in a group of healthy elderly. Methods One hundred and eighty healthy elderly participated in the current study. Neurological soft signs were evaluated with the subscales of Cambridge Neurological Inventory. A set of neurocognitive tests was also administered to all the participants. Structural equation modeling was adopted to examine the underlying relationship between neurological soft signs and neurocognition. Results No significant differences were found between the male and female elder people in neurocognitive function performances and neurological soft signs. The model fitted well in the elderly and indicated the moderate associations between neurological soft signs and neurocognition, specifically verbal memory, visual memory and working memory. Conclusions The neurological soft signs are more or less statistically equivalent to capture the similar information done by conventional neurocognitive function tests in the elderly. The implication of these findings may serve as a potential neurological marker for the early detection of pathological aging diseases or related mental status such as mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Changing Housing for Elderly People and Co-ordination Issues in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Houben, P.P.J.A.M.

2001-01-01

The inter-sectoral policy systems of housing for elderly people in the EU-countries change with the implementation of ageing in place and by general processes of modernisation of society and welfare state. For implementation of the innovations the relevance of co-ordination between the sector

Age-related decrease in physical activity and functional fitness among elderly men and women.

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Milanović, Zoran; Pantelić, Saša; Trajković, Nebojša; Sporiš, Goran; Kostić, Radmila; James, Nic

2013-01-01

To determine differences in physical activity level and functional fitness between young elderly (60-69 years) and old elderly (70-80 years) people with the hypothesis that an age-related decline would be found. A total of 1288 participants' level of physical activity was evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire: 594 were male (mean ± standard deviation: body height 175.62 ± 9.78 cm; body weight 82.26 ± 31.33 kg) and 694 female (mean ± standard deviation: body height 165.17 ± 23.12 cm; body weight 69.74 ± 12.44 kg). Functional fitness was also estimated using the Senior Fitness Test: back scratch, chair sit and reach, 8-foot up and go, chair stand up for 30 seconds, arm curl, and 2-minute step test. Significant differences (P men. Similar results were found for the women, except no significant differences were found for the chair sit and reach and the 2-minute step test. From the viewpoint of energy consumption estimated by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, moderate physical activity is dominant. In addition, with aging, among men and women older than 60 years, the value of the Metabolic Equivalent of Task in total physical activity significantly reduces (P physical activity level and functional fitness was equal for both men and women and was due to the aging process. These differences between young and old elderly people were due to the reduction of muscle strength in both upper and lower limbs and changes in body-fat percentage, flexibility, agility, and endurance.

Effectiveness of Gestalt Therapy on Happiness of Elderly People

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Heiman Saadati

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Gestalt therapy on the happiness of elderly people. Methods & Materials: This is an experimental study with a pre-test- post-test design and control group. Sample of the study selected from elderly members of Shad Senior Social Club. 50 older members were evaluated according to inclusion/ exclusion criteria and by Abbreviated Mental Test Score. 28 participants selected and divided into 2 equal groups randomly. Oxford Happiness Scale was administered to both. Gestalt therapy sessions for the intervention group were administered in 90 minutes weekly meetings for 8 successive weeks. The post-test data collected after the last session. Data analyzed by using t-test for independent groups. Results: T-test results showed that the mean difference between the two groups were significant (P<0.01 and Gestalt therapy increased the happiness of intervention group significantly. Happiness scores of intervention group in all sub-scales were also significantly higher in post-test compared to control group (P<0.001. Conclusion: The results showed that Gestalt therapy can be helpful in enhancing positive emotions and happiness in older people. Implementation of Gestalt therapy sessions in nursing homes, and retirement centers are recommended.

Engaging Elderly People in Telemedicine Through Gamification

Science.gov (United States)

Tabak, Monique; Dekker - van Weering, Marit; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam

2015-01-01

Background Telemedicine can alleviate the increasing demand for elderly care caused by the rapidly aging population. However, user adherence to technology in telemedicine interventions is low and decreases over time. Therefore, there is a need for methods to increase adherence, specifically of the elderly user. A strategy that has recently emerged to address this problem is gamification. It is the application of game elements to nongame fields to motivate and increase user activity and retention. Objective This research aims to (1) provide an overview of existing theoretical frameworks for gamification and explore methods that specifically target the elderly user and (2) explore user classification theories for tailoring game content to the elderly user. This knowledge will provide a foundation for creating a new framework for applying gamification in telemedicine applications to effectively engage the elderly user by increasing and maintaining adherence. Methods We performed a broad Internet search using scientific and nonscientific search engines and included information that described either of the following subjects: the conceptualization of gamification, methods to engage elderly users through gamification, or user classification theories for tailored game content. Results Our search showed two main approaches concerning frameworks for gamification: from business practices, which mostly aim for more revenue, emerge an applied approach, while academia frameworks are developed incorporating theories on motivation while often aiming for lasting engagement. The search provided limited information regarding the application of gamification to engage elderly users, and a significant gap in knowledge on the effectiveness of a gamified application in practice. Several approaches for classifying users in general were found, based on archetypes and reasons to play, and we present them along with their corresponding taxonomies. The overview we created indicates great

Effects of Pilates method in elderly people: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

de Oliveira Francisco, Cristina; de Almeida Fagundes, Alessandra; Gorges, Bruna

2015-07-01

The Pilates method has been widely used in physical training and rehabilitation. Evidence regarding the effectiveness of this method in elderly people is limited. Six randomized controlled trials studies involving the use of the Pilates method for elderly people, published prior to December 2013, were selected from the databases PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, Scielo and PEDro. Three articles suggested that Pilates produced improvements in balance. Two studies evaluated the adherence to Pilates programs. One study assessed Pilates' influence on cardio-metabolic parameters and another study evaluated changes in body composition. Strong evidence was found regarding beneficial effects of Pilates over static and dynamic balance in women. Nevertheless, evidence of balance improvement in both genders, changes in body composition in woman and adherence to Pilates programs were limited. Effects on cardio-metabolic parameters due to Pilates training presented inconclusive results. Pilates may be a useful tool in rehabilitation and prevention programs but more high quality studies are necessary to establish all the effects on elderly populations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Life quality of low-vision elderly people: before and after hearing and speech intervention

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Mayla Myrina Bianchim Monteiro

2015-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Aim: To evaluate life quality of elderly people with acquired low vision before and after hearing and speech intervention. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study was made with 52 elderly people with acquired low vision. Two questionnaires that measures life quality were used in this study. The first was ‘Low Quality of Life Vision (LVQOL’ and the second the ‘National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEIVFQ-25’. The study included people with more than 60 years with acquired low vision and who accepted to participate signing the consent form. The hearing and speech therapy were made into three months, one meeting a week. The questionnaires were applied in the first and last day of the intervention. Results: The age ranged between 60 and 91 years. The macular disorder (38%, such as age-related macular degeneration, macular hole and high myopia were the main causes of visual loss. Although the tests show superior performance after the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference. On the question about difficulties seeing in general, 17 participants answered that they had much more difficulty before the intervention and only 5 participants have reported having much difficulty after the intervention. Conclusion: The intervention trended to positive results, and after the meetings, participants showed improvements in aspects of the two questionnaires used in the study, decreasing the degree of difficulty in performing activities.

Identifying meaningful activities among elderly people with demenitia: the developing process of an observation taxonomy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andresen, Mette

2014-01-01

, values and beliefs in the center formed the base in the development of the tool. Aim: To develop an observational tool which can identify meaningful activities among elderly demented nursing home residents and thereby provide staff with more knowledge and possibilities for inviting and engaging residents...

Dietary intake of energy, nutrients and water in elderly people living at home or in nursing home.

Science.gov (United States)

Engelheart, S; Akner, G

2015-03-01

There is a lack of detailed information on dietary intake in elderly people at an individual level, which is crucial for improvement of nutritional support. The aim of this study was to investigate the dietary intake in elderly people in two types of living situations. Observational study, analysing prospective data. The dietary intake was studied in elderly people living at home or in nursing home, in different cities of Sweden. A total of 264 elderly people (mean age 84) participated in the observational study. Dietary intake was measured using weighed food records and food diaries, comparing females and males. The observed dietary intake was related to Recommended intake and Lower intake level. All dietary intake and patient characteristic variables showed large individual differences (ranges). We found no significant differences (p>0.05) between those living at home and nursing home residents regarding the average intake of energy, protein and water when expressed as total intake per kg of body weight. A very low daily intake of energy (<20 kcal/kg body weight/day) was observed in 16% of the participants. For vitamin D and iron, 19% and 15%, respectively, had intakes below the Lower intake level. There was no correlation between intake of energy, protein or water and resident characteristics such as age, autonomy, morbidity, nutritional state or cognition. The large individual differences (ranges) in energy, nutrients and water show that the use of mean values when analysing dietary intake data from elderly people is misleading. From a clinical perspective it is more important to consider the individual intake of energy, nutrients and water. Ageism is intrinsic in the realm of 'averageology'.

Vitamin E supplementation protects erythrocyte membranes from oxidative stress in healthy Chinese middle-aged and elderly people.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yongye; Ma, Aiguo; Li, Yong; Han, Xiuxia; Wang, Qiuzhen; Liang, Hui

2012-05-01

Elderly people are subject to higher levels of oxidative stress than are young people. Vitamin E, as a powerful antioxidant residing mainly in biomembranes, may provide effective protection against oxidative membrane damage and resultant age-related deterioration, especially in the elderly. We hypothesized that appropriate levels of vitamin E supplementation would protect erythrocyte membranes from oxidative stress and thus improve membrane fluidity in healthy middle-aged and elderly people. To test this, we conducted a 4-month double-blind, randomized trial in which 180 healthy subjects (55-70 years old) were randomly divided into 4 groups: group C (control), and 3 treatment groups in which daily doses of 100 mg (VE1), 200 mg (VE2), and 300 mg (VE3) dl-α-tocopheryl acetate were administered. We measured plasma α-tocopherol concentration, malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase levels, erythrocyte hemolysis, and erythrocyte membrane fluidity at the beginning and end of the trial. After 4 months supplementation, plasma α-tocopherol concentrations in the 3 treatment groups had increased by 71%, 78%, and 95%, respectively (all P stress in healthy middle-aged to elderly people, at least in part by improving erythrocyte membrane fluidity and reducing erythrocyte hemolysis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plasma carotenoid concentrations in relation to acute respiratory infections in elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Graat, J.M.; Kok, F.J.; Schouten, E.G.

2004-01-01

A high plasma carotenoid concentration could improve the immune response and result in decreased risk of infectious diseases. However, data on the relationship of plasma carotenoid concentration with acute respiratory infections, which occur frequently in elderly people, are scarce. We investigated,

Determinants of disparities between perceived and physiological risk of falling among elderly people: cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Delbaere, Kim; Close, Jacqueline C T; Brodaty, Henry; Sachdev, Perminder; Lord, Stephen R

2010-08-18

To gain an understanding of elderly people's fear of falling by exploring the prevalence and determinants of perceived and physiological fall risk and to understand the role of disparities in perceived and physiological risk in the cause of falls. Prospective cohort study. Community sample drawn from eastern Sydney, Australia. 500 men and women aged 70-90 years. Baseline assessment of medical, physiological, and neuropsychological measures, with physiological fall risk estimated with the physiological profile assessment, and perceived fall risk estimated with the falls efficacy scale international. Participants were followed up monthly for falls over one year. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that perceived and physiological fall risk were both independent predictors of future falls. Classification tree analysis was used to split the sample into four groups (vigorous, anxious, stoic, and aware) based on the disparity between physiological and perceived risk of falling. Perceived fall risk was congruent with physiological fall risk in the vigorous (144 (29%)) and aware (202 (40%)) groups. The anxious group (54 (11%)) had a low physiological risk but high perceived fall risk, which was related to depressive symptoms (P=0.029), neurotic personality traits (P=0.026), and decreased executive functioning (P=0.010). The stoic group (100 (20%)) had a high physiological risk but low perceived fall risk, which was protective for falling and mediated through a positive outlook on life (P=0.001) and maintained physical activity and community participation (P=0.048). Many elderly people underestimated or overestimated their risk of falling. Such disparities between perceived and physiological fall risk were primarily associated with psychological measures and strongly influenced the probability of falling. Measures of both physiological and perceived fall risk should be included in fall risk assessments to allow tailoring of interventions for preventing falls in

Barriers to participation in physical activity and exercise among middle-aged and elderly individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Justine, Maria; Azizan, Azliyana; Hassan, Vaharli; Salleh, Zoolfaiz; Manaf, Haidzir

2013-10-01

INTRODUCTION Although the benefits of physical activity and exercise are widely acknowledged, many middle-aged and elderly individuals remain sedentary. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the external and internal barriers to physical activity and exercise participation among middle-aged and elderly individuals, as well as identify any differences in these barriers between the two groups. METHODS Recruited individuals were categorised into either the middle-aged (age 45-59 years, n = 60) or elderly (age ≥ 60 years, n = 60) group. Data on demographics, anthropometry, as well as external and internal barriers to participation in physical activity and exercise were collected. RESULTS Analysis showed no significant differences in the total scores of all internal barriers between the two groups (p > 0.05). The total scores for most external barriers between the two groups also showed no significant differences (p > 0.05); only 'cost' (p = 0.045) and 'exercise interferes with social/family activities' (p = 0.011) showed significant differences. The most common external barriers among the middle-aged and elderly respondents were 'not enough time' (46.7% vs. 48.4%), 'no one to exercise with' (40.0% vs. 28.3%) and 'lack of facilities' (33.4% vs. 35.0%). The most common internal barriers for middle-aged respondents were 'too tired' (48.3%), 'already active enough' (38.3%), 'do not know how to do it' (36.7%) and 'too lazy' (36.7%), while those for elderly respondents were 'too tired' (51.7%), 'lack of motivation' (38.4%) and 'already active enough' (38.4%). CONCLUSION Middle-aged and elderly respondents presented with similar external and internal barriers to physical activity and exercise participation. These factors should be taken into account when healthcare policies are being designed and when interventions such as the provision of facilities to promote physical activity and exercise among older people are being considered.

Age-related decrease in physical activity and functional fitness among elderly men and women

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Milanović Z

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Zoran Milanovic,1 Saša Pantelic,1 Nebojša Trajkovic,1 Goran Sporiš,2 Radmila Kostic,1 Nic James31Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia; 2Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; 3London Sport Institute, Middlesex University, London, UKAim: To determine differences in physical activity level and functional fitness between young elderly (60–69 years and old elderly (70–80 years people with the hypothesis that an age-related decline would be found.Methods: A total of 1288 participants’ level of physical activity was evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire: 594 were male (mean ± standard deviation: body height 175.62 ± 9.78 cm; body weight 82.26 ± 31.33 kg and 694 female (mean ± standard deviation: body height 165.17 ± 23.12 cm; body weight 69.74 ± 12.44 kg. Functional fitness was also estimated using the Senior Fitness Test: back scratch, chair sit and reach, 8-foot up and go, chair stand up for 30 seconds, arm curl, and 2-minute step test.Results: Significant differences (P < 0.05 were found for all Senior Fitness tests between young elderly (60–69 years and old elderly (70–80 men. Similar results were found for the women, except no significant differences were found for the chair sit and reach and the 2-minute step test. From the viewpoint of energy consumption estimated by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, moderate physical activity is dominant. In addition, with aging, among men and women older than 60 years, the value of the Metabolic Equivalent of Task in total physical activity significantly reduces (P < 0.05.Conclusions: This study found that the reduction in physical activity level and functional fitness was equal for both men and women and was due to the aging process. These differences between young and old elderly people were due to the reduction of muscle strength in both upper and lower limbs and changes in body

Validation of the Subjective Vitality Scale and study of the vitality of elderly people according to their physical activity

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Nuno Couto

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The main aim of the study was to validate the Portuguese version of the Subjective Vitality Scale - SVS for the Portuguese elderly population through of confirmatory factorial analysis. The existence of differences in the perception of subjective vitality among sufficiently active and insufficiently active older adults was also analyzed. A total of 309 Portuguese elderly (242 females, 67 males aged 60-90 years (M = 68.59, SD = 6.60 participated in this study. Of the total sample, 256 are sufficiently active, while 53 are insufficiently active. The results show that the model was adjusted to data in a satisfactory way (χ² = 28.95; df = 9; CFI = .97; TLI = .94; SRMR = .04; RMSEA = .08; RMSEA 90% CI = .05 - .12, and show a concurrent validity with the Portuguese version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale. The data obtained allow us concluding that the Portuguese version of the Subjective Vitality Scale can be used as a measure of subjective vitality in the Portuguese elderly population. It was also verified that the subjective perception of vitality is greater among individuals sufficiently active compared with their peers that do not reach the amount of practice of recommended physical activity.

Asymmetries in global-local processing ability in elderly people with the apolipoprotein e-epsilon4 allele.

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Jacobson, Mark W; Delis, Dean C; Lansing, Amy; Houston, Wes; Olsen, Ryan; Wetter, Spencer; Bondi, Mark W; Salmon, David P

2005-11-01

Previous studies have identified cognitive asymmetries in elderly people at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) by comparing standardized neuropsychological tests of verbal and spatial abilities in both preclinical AD and apolipoprotein epsilon4+ elderly groups. This prospective study investigated cognitive asymmetries within a single test by comparing cognitively intact elderly (with and without the epsilon4+ allele) on a learning and memory measure that uses global and local visuospatial stimuli. Both groups demonstrated comparable overall learning and recall. But the epsilon4+ group had a significantly larger discrepancy between their global and local learning scores and had a greater proportion of individuals with more than a one standard deviation difference between their immediate recall of the global and local elements, relative to the epsilon4- group. These findings build on previous studies identifying subgroups of elderly people at greater risk for AD who often demonstrate increased cognitive asymmetries relative to groups without significant risk factors. Copyright (c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY OF OLDER PEOPLE IN POLAND – SELECTED ISSUES

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Różański, Tomasz

2016-01-01

This article is devoted to the issues of educational activity of the elderly in Poland. Defining the term “old age” and drawing attention to the issue of human adaptation to old age were the starting points of the discussion. Next, the most important issues concerning the activity of seniors were raised. Further discussed were the conditions and objectives of the educational activity of older people. An attention was also drawn to the role of institutions, promoting education and culture, in ...

Psycho-social activity factors associated with self-rated health among community-dwelling elderly people A five-year longitudinal study.

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Yamauchi, Kanako; Saito, Isao; Kato, Tadahiro; Tanigawa, Takeshi; Kobayashi, Toshio

2015-01-01

This longitudinal study examined psychological and social activity factors related to poor self-rated health (SRH) in community-dwelling elderly people. The general health of 7,413 elderly individuals aged 65 years and over in Toon City, Ehime Prefecture, Japan was surveyed. We followed 4,372 participants, over a five-year period, after excluding those who were aged 85 years and over, had a disability, had moved away, or had died. The data from 3,358 respondents (response rate: 76.8%) were analyzed. We divided the patients into two groups based on their SRH responses: healthy, including those who answered "excellent" or "good," and unhealthy, including those who answered "not good" or "poor." We examined changes in SRH for both groups between the first survey and the survey conducted after five years. Among the healthy subjects at the first survey, we analyzed the relationship between SRH, after five years, and psycho-social activity factors using a logistic regression analysis. These factors included physical and social competence, life satisfaction, and tendency towards dementia and/or depression. SRH of both men and women significantly declined over five years. The percentage of men and women, who maintained SRH as healthy, after the 5-year follow-up period, was approximately 60% in those aged 65-74 years and 40% in those aged 75-84 years. In those aged 65-74 years, the odds ratio (OR) for a SRH of unhealthy (after five years), associated with Life Satisfaction Index-K (LSI-K) scores (at the first survey), was significantly lower at 0.85 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77-0.93) for men and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.72-0.87) for women. The OR of tendency toward depression was significantly higher at 1.68 (95% CI: 1.11-2.56) for women only. In those aged 75-84 years, the OR for a SRH of unhealthy (after five years), associated with LSI-K scores (at the first survey), was significantly lower at 0.87 (95% CI: 0.77-1.00) for men and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.80-0.99) for women. The OR

Factors related to perceived health among elderly people: the Albertina Project.

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Lindgren, A M; Svärdsudd, K; Tibblin, G

1994-07-01

The Albertina Project is an epidemiological study of the medical, social and economic situation among people aged 75 years or older in Uppsala, Sweden. In this report, health conditions, quality-of-life measures and housing problems affecting it are presented. A postal questionnaire was sent to an 11% random sample (n = 959) of the eligible population out of which 706 (74%) persons responded. Nearly one-third of the elderly people could not read a newspaper with or without glasses, more than one-third had impaired hearing, 47% had some sort of mobility problem and 66% reported some form of sleeping problem. Forty-two per cent felt lonely sometimes or often and 65% were worried, in most cases about the risk of falling. In spite of this, 87% rated their health as good and 79% were content or rather content with their situation. Even though eyesight and hearing problems were common in this study, they did not affect perceived health to any large extent. Mobility problems and sleeping problems had a greater impact. The most important factors related to perceived health were activity score, contentment and mobility problems. Contentment was affected by activity score and loneliness and the latter was in turn affected by age and type of dwelling. The practical implication of these findings is that perhaps more attention should be focused on efforts to improve old people's satisfaction with their life situation rather than on marginal improvements of their medical situation.

Comparison Between the Risky Agents Correspond to Fall in Elderly People of Urban and Rural Regions of Zabol

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Sakine Sheikh

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: the main aim of this study was the comparisons between the risky agents correspond to fall in elderly people of urban and rural regions of Zabol. Methods & Materials: The current study was a Cross sectional survey during 2010-2011 on a sample that contains 173 elderly without Cognitive impairment that are residents of Zabol and aged more than 60 years. The materials for data gathering were Questionnaires. The data was analyzed by employing version 16 of SPSS software, Central and dispersion indices, t-test, ANOVA, and Sig. (2-tailed test at the significance level of. Results: Among the internal agents, diabetes, lung problems, hearing problems, heart problems, surgery history, and high blood pleasure were significantly more in elderly adults of urban regions relative to rural ones (P<0.05. Among the external agents, the amount of physical exercises for the elderly adults of urban regions was significantly more relative to rural ones (P=0.020. The urban and rural elderly adults were in same situation after fall. Conclusion: The results show that Diabetes, lung problems, Hearing problems, and Surgery history, were the main reasons of fall for the elderly adults of urban regions. The physical activity of urban elderly adults is more than that in rural ones The main places in which the fall occurred were the yard, and then the room. The main time of fall was also the morning. Therefor these confirm that the physical activity is not enough to improve the health degree and it require more care. Control of comorbidities and Attention to environment risk factors are necessary.

Acute respiratory infections in elderly people: the role of micronutrients and lifestyle

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Graat, J.M.

2003-01-01

Acute respiratory infections are the most frequent of all infectious diseases. In popular speech common cold, flu (influenza), and pneumonia all denote acute respiratory infections. Elderly people show an increased risk of these infections and their complications. In The Netherlands about 2.000

Dietary assessment in elderly people: experiences gained from studies in the Netherlands

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Vries, de J.H.M.; Groot, de C.P.G.M.; Staveren, van W.A.

2009-01-01

Background/Objectives: In selecting a dietary assessment method, several aspects such as the aim of the study and the characteristics of the target population should be taken into account. In elderly people, diminished functionality and cognitive decline may hamper dietary assessment and require

Prevalence of remediable disability due to low vision among institutionalised elderly people.

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Winter, L.J. de; Hoyng, C.B.; Froeling, P.G.A.M.; Meulendijks, C.F.M.; Wilt, G.J. van der

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: Prevalence of remediable visual disability among institutionalised elderly people, resulting from inappropriate use or non-use of low-vision aids, is reported to be high, but largely rests on anecdotal evidence. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of binocular low vision and underlying

Prevalence and intensity of chronic pain and self-perceived health among elderly people: a population-based study

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Lilian Varanda Pereira

2014-08-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to identify the prevalence and intensity of chronic pain among elderly people of the community and to analyze associations with the self-perceived health status.METHOD: cross-sectional study with a populational sample (n=934, conducted through household interviews in the city of Goiânia, Brazil. The intensity of chronic pain (existing for 6 months or more was measured using a numerical scale (0-10 and the self-perceived health through a verbal scale (very good, good, fair, poor, very poor. For the statistical analysis, the absolute frequency and percentage, CI (95%, Chi-square test, Odds ratio, and regression analysis were used. Significance of 5%.RESULTS: The prevalence of chronic pain was 52.8% [CI (95%:49.4-56.1]; most frequently located in the lower limbs (34.5% and lumbar region (29.5%; with high or the worst possible intensity for 54.6% of the elderly people. The occurrence of chronic pain was associated with (p<0.0001 a worse self-perception of health (OR=4.2:2.5-7.0, a greater number of chronic diseases (OR=1.8:1.2-2.7, joint disease (OR=3.5:2.4-5.1 and the female gender (OR=2.3:1.7-3.0. A lower intensity of chronic pain was associated with a better self-perception of health (p<0.0001.CONCLUSION: the majority of the elderly people of the community reported chronic pain, of a severe intensity, and located in areas related to movement activities, thus influencing the morbidity and mortality of this population.

A Review of Wearable Technologies for Elderly Care that Can Accurately Track Indoor Position, Recognize Physical Activities and Monitor Vital Signs in Real Time

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Wang, Zhihua; Yang, Zhaochu; Dong, Tao

2017-01-01

Rapid growth of the aged population has caused an immense increase in the demand for healthcare services. Generally, the elderly are more prone to health problems compared to other age groups. With effective monitoring and alarm systems, the adverse effects of unpredictable events such as sudden illnesses, falls, and so on can be ameliorated to some extent. Recently, advances in wearable and sensor technologies have improved the prospects of these service systems for assisting elderly people. In this article, we review state-of-the-art wearable technologies that can be used for elderly care. These technologies are categorized into three types: indoor positioning, activity recognition and real time vital sign monitoring. Positioning is the process of accurate localization and is particularly important for elderly people so that they can be found in a timely manner. Activity recognition not only helps ensure that sudden events (e.g., falls) will raise alarms but also functions as a feasible way to guide people’s activities so that they avoid dangerous behaviors. Since most elderly people suffer from age-related problems, some vital signs that can be monitored comfortably and continuously via existing techniques are also summarized. Finally, we discussed a series of considerations and future trends with regard to the construction of “smart clothing” system. PMID:28208620

Trends and determinants of informal and formal caregiving in the community for disabled elderly people in Taiwan.

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Ku, Li-Jung E; Liu, Li-Fan; Wen, Miin-Jye

2013-01-01

Although family caregiving for elderly people has been the backbone of long-term care in Taiwan, it is not clear whether informal help from family members has diminished in recent years due to changes in social structure and traditions. The objective of this study is to examine the trend and the factors influencing the use of informal and formal caregiving among disabled elders in the community of Taiwan. Data were drawn from three waves of the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA) (1999, 2003, and 2007) to examine the receipt of help with activities of daily living (ADLs) in a nationally representative sample of Taiwanese elderly people aged 65 and older. Results showed the trend in having at least 1 of 6 ADL limitations in the community increased mildly in the past decade but a significant rise in the use of paid help compared to informal help between 1999 and 2007. Factors associated with higher likelihood of paid help use included better socio-economic status and more ADLs. However, those living with spouse only were much less likely to use paid help than those living with adult children. Findings suggest that future long-term care (LTC) policy in Taiwan should focus more on providing elders who live alone or with spouse only additional caregiving resource. Given the rapid growth of foreign care workers as primary source of caregiving, the government needs further monitoring to promote care quality and also strategies to develop needs-led home and community based care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reminiscence Therapy Improves Cognitive Functions and Reduces Depressive Symptoms in Elderly People With Dementia: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

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Huang, Hui-Chuan; Chen, Yu-Ting; Chen, Pin-Yuan; Huey-Lan Hu, Sophia; Liu, Fang; Kuo, Ying-Ling; Chiu, Hsiao-Yean

2015-12-01

Cognitive function impairments and depressive symptoms are common in elderly people with dementia. Previous meta-analyses of outdated and small-scale studies have reported inconsistent results regarding the effects of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions and depressive symptoms; therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis by including more recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with large sample sizes to investigate the immediate and long-term (6-10 months) effects of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions and depressive symptoms in elderly people with dementia. Electronic databases, including PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ProQuest, Google Scholar, and Chinese databases were searched to select eligible articles. Primary outcome measures included the scores of cognitive functions and depressive symptoms. In total, 12 RCT studies investigating the effects of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions and depressive symptoms in elderly people with dementia were included. Two reviewers independently extracted data. All analyses were performed using a random-effects model. Reminiscence therapy had a small-size effect on cognitive functions (g = 0.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.05-0.30) and a moderate-size effect on depressive symptoms (g = -0.49, 95% CI -0.70 to -0.28) in elderly people with dementia. Long-term effects of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions and depressive symptoms were not confirmed. Moderator analysis revealed that institutionalized elderly people with dementia exhibited greater improvement in depressive symptoms than community-dwelling people with dementia did (g = -0.59 vs. -0.16, P = .003). This meta-analysis confirms that reminiscence therapy is effective in improving cognitive functions and depressive symptoms in elderly people with dementia. Our findings suggest that regular reminiscence therapy should be considered for inclusion as routine care for the improvement

Perspective-Taking Judgments Among Young Adults, Middle-Aged, and Elderly People

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Ligneau-Herve, Catherine; Mullet, Etienne

2005-01-01

Perspective-taking judgments among young adults, middle-aged, and elderly people were examined. In 1 condition, participants were instructed to judge the likelihood of acceptance of a painkiller as a function of 3 cues: severity of the condition, potential side effects, and level of trust in the health care provider. In the other condition,…

Which activities threaten independent living of elderly when becoming problematic: inspiration for meaningful service robot functionality.

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Bedaf, Sandra; Gelderblom, Gert Jan; Syrdal, Dag Sverre; Lehmann, Hagen; Michel, Hervé; Hewson, David; Amirabdollahian, Farshid; Dautenhahn, Kerstin; de Witte, Luc

2014-11-01

In light of the increasing elderly population and the growing demand for home care, the potential of robot support is given increasing attention. In this paper, an inventory of activities was made that threaten independent living of elderly when becoming problematic. Results will guide the further development of an existing service robot, the Care-O-bot®. A systematic literature search of PubMed was performed, focused on the risk factors for institutionalization. Additionally, focus group sessions were conducted in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and France. In these focus group sessions, problematic activities threatening the independence of elderly people were discussed. Three separate target groups were included in the focus group sessions: (1) elderly persons (n = 41), (2) formal caregivers (n = 40) and (3) informal caregivers (n = 32). Activities within the International Classification of Functioning domains mobility, self-care, and interpersonal interaction and relationships were found to be the most problematic. A distinct set of daily activities was identified that may threaten independent living, but no single activity could be selected as the main activity causing a loss of independence as it is often a combination of problematic activities that is person-specific. Supporting the problematic activities need not involve a robotic solution.

Are old people so gentle? Functional and dysfunctional impulsivity in the elderly.

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Morales-Vives, Fabia; Vigil-Colet, Andreu

2012-03-01

Although old people may seem less impulsive than adults, numerous experimental studies report that they have inhibitory deficits. Bearing in mind that there is a relationship between inhibition processes and impulsivity, age-related inhibition deficits suggest that older people could be more impulsive than adults. The aim of the current study was to compare the functional and dysfunctional impulsivity scores obtained in a sample of elderly people (65 years old and above) with those obtained in previous studies on samples of adolescents and adults. Dickman's Impulsivity Inventory was administered to 190 individuals aged between 65 and 94 years without dementia or cognitive impairment. Results indicated that the elderly sample showed higher dysfunctional impulsivity levels than the adult samples, which is consistent with the inhibition deficits mentioned above. There were no significant differences in functional impulsivity. Furthermore, old women had higher scores than old men on dysfunctional impulsivity. This study provides evidence of age-related changes in dysfunctional impulsivity. Functional impulsivity did not show the same pattern as dysfunctional impulsivity, being quite stable across the age span. it seems, then, that impulsivity cannot be considered to decrease with age and dysfunctional impulsivity may even increase.

Lifestyle and lifestyle-related comorbidities independently associated with colorectal adenoma recurrence in elderly Chinese people

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Saiken, Adake; Gu, Fang

2016-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the lifestyle and lifestyle-related comorbidities independently associated with colorectal adenoma (CRA) recurrence in elderly Chinese people. Methods During the 5-year follow-up after the initial colonoscopy, participants aged >60 years with the diagnosis and removal of CRA underwent a complete surveillance colonoscopy, and 152 participants with CRA recurrence plus 152 participants free of recurrence were included in this analysis. Results Participants with CRA recurrence were more likely to consume less vegetables and fruits, and more red meats compared with the control group (PCRA recurrence than in the control group (PCRA recurrence (odds ratio [OR]: 1.03; PCRA recurrence, as was eating more red meats (OR: 1.01; PCRA recurrence (OR: 2.44; PCRA recurrence (OR: 3.43; Pmeats, low intake of fruits and vegetables, and the presence of hypertension and NAFLD were independently associated with an increased CRA recurrence in elderly Chinese people. This conclusion helps elderly Chinese people to make effective behavioral changes, such as smoking cessation, substitution of fruits and vegetables for red meats, and timely treatment of hypertension and NAFLD, to reduce CRA recurrence and colorectal cancer risk. PMID:27382263

User-centered development and testing of a monitoring system that provides feedback regarding physical functioning to elderly people

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Vermeulen J

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Joan Vermeulen,1 Jacques CL Neyens,1 Marieke D Spreeuwenberg,1 Erik van Rossum,1,2 Walther Sipers,3 Herbert Habets,3 David J Hewson,4 Luc P de Witte1,2 1School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; 2Research Center for Technology in Care, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Heerlen, The Netherlands; 3Expertise Center for Elderly Care, Orbis Medical Center, Sittard, The Netherlands; 4Institute Charles Delaunay, Université de Technologie de Troyes, Troyes, France Purpose: To involve elderly people during the development of a mobile interface of a monitoring system that provides feedback to them regarding changes in physical functioning and to test the system in a pilot study. Methods and participants: The iterative user-centered development process consisted of the following phases: (1 selection of user representatives; (2 analysis of users and their context; (3 identification of user requirements; (4 development of the interface; and (5 evaluation of the interface in the lab. Subsequently, the monitoring and feedback system was tested in a pilot study by five patients who were recruited via a geriatric outpatient clinic. Participants used a bathroom scale to monitor weight and balance, and a mobile phone to monitor physical activity on a daily basis for six weeks. Personalized feedback was provided via the interface of the mobile phone. Usability was evaluated on a scale from 1 to 7 using a modified version of the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ; higher scores indicated better usability. Interviews were conducted to gain insight into the experiences of the participants with the system. Results: The developed interface uses colors, emoticons, and written and/or spoken text messages to provide daily feedback regarding (changes in weight, balance, and physical activity. The participants rated the usability of the monitoring and feedback system with a mean score of 5

Promoting physical activity in sedentary elderly Malays with type 2 diabetes: a protocol for randomised controlled trial

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Sazlina, Shariff-Ghazali; Browning, Colette Joy; Yasin, Shajahan

2012-01-01

Introduction Like many countries Malaysia is facing an increase in the number of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus diabetes (T2DM) and modifiable lifestyle factors such as sedentary behaviour are important drivers of this increase. The level of physical activity is low among elderly Malay people. In Malaysia, strategies to promote physical activity in elderly Malay people with T2DM are not well documented in the research literature. This paper discusses an intervention to increase physical activity in elderly Malay people with T2DM. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of personalised feedback alone and in combination with peer support in promoting and maintaining physical activity in comparison with usual care. Methods and analysis A three-arm randomised controlled trial will be conducted among sedentary Malay adults aged 60 years and above with T2DM attending an urban primary healthcare clinic in Malaysia. The participants will be randomised into three groups for a 12-week intervention with a follow-up at 24 and 36 weeks to assess adherence. The primary outcome of this study is pedometer-determined physical activity. Glycaemic and blood pressure control, body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, balance, lipid profile, health-related quality of life, psychological well-being, social support and self-efficacy for exercise are the secondary measures. Linear mixed models will be used to determine the effect of the intervention over time and between groups. Ethical and dissemination The Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee and the Malaysian Ministry of Health's Medical Research Ethics Committee approved this protocol. The findings of this study will be presented at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration This study protocol has been registered with the Malaysian National Medical Research Registry and with the Current Controlled Trial Ltd (http

Promoting physical activity in sedentary elderly Malays with type 2 diabetes: a protocol for randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Sazlina, Shariff-Ghazali; Browning, Colette Joy; Yasin, Shajahan

2012-01-01

Like many countries Malaysia is facing an increase in the number of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus diabetes (T2DM) and modifiable lifestyle factors such as sedentary behaviour are important drivers of this increase. The level of physical activity is low among elderly Malay people. In Malaysia, strategies to promote physical activity in elderly Malay people with T2DM are not well documented in the research literature. This paper discusses an intervention to increase physical activity in elderly Malay people with T2DM. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of personalised feedback alone and in combination with peer support in promoting and maintaining physical activity in comparison with usual care. A three-arm randomised controlled trial will be conducted among sedentary Malay adults aged 60 years and above with T2DM attending an urban primary healthcare clinic in Malaysia. The participants will be randomised into three groups for a 12-week intervention with a follow-up at 24 and 36 weeks to assess adherence. The primary outcome of this study is pedometer-determined physical activity. Glycaemic and blood pressure control, body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, balance, lipid profile, health-related quality of life, psychological well-being, social support and self-efficacy for exercise are the secondary measures. Linear mixed models will be used to determine the effect of the intervention over time and between groups. ETHICAL AND DISSEMINATION: The Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee and the Malaysian Ministry of Health's Medical Research Ethics Committee approved this protocol. The findings of this study will be presented at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. This study protocol has been registered with the Malaysian National Medical Research Registry and with the Current Controlled Trial Ltd (http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN71447000/).

Differences in Waiting List Prioritization Preferences of Occupational Therapists, Elderly People, and Persons With Disabilities: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

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Raymond, Marie-Hélène; Demers, Louise; Feldman, Debbie Ehrmann

2018-01-01

To compare the preferences of occupational therapists, elderly people, and adults with disabilities regarding prioritization criteria for occupational therapy waiting lists in home care. Discrete choice experiment survey. Survey mailed to occupational therapists working in home care and community-dwelling elderly or disabled persons. A sample (N=714) of home-based occupational therapists (n=241), elderly persons from a bank of research participants (n=226), and adults with physical disabilities recruited through community organizations (n=247). Not applicable. The dependent variable was whether the referral scenario was prioritized or not in each question. The results were analyzed through logistic regression using conditional logit models. Prioritization preferences differed between groups (Ppeople who had a few falls (odds ratio vs no falls, 48.7), whereas elderly people and adults with disabilities most strongly prioritized people who were unable to enter and exit the home (odds ratio vs no difficulty entering and exiting the home, 30.8 for elderly people and 16.8 for persons with disabilities.) CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the gap between the priorities of home-based occupational therapists and their target clientele. Although further inquiry is needed to inform priority setting, the findings emphasize the importance of public or patient involvement in decisions on waiting list prioritization. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in psychosocial conditions and eventual mortality in community-residing elderly people.

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Nakanishi, Noriyuki; Fukuda, Hideki; Tatara, Kozo

2003-03-01

We evaluated the association between changes in psychosocial conditions (assessed In 1992 and 1998) and subsequent mortality through 2001 among 741 Japanese elderly people living in a city located on Osaka in 1992. After adjustment for potential predictors of mortality, the relative risk of mortality, compared with subjects who continued to participate in social activities, was 1.44 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.47-4.40), 4.03 (95% CI: 2.11-7.67), and 2.31 (95% CI: 1.28-4.17) for those who started, discontinued, and did not participate at any time, respectively. The multivariate-adjusted relative risk of mortality, compared with those who did not find human relationships difficult in either survey, was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.26-3.05) for those who did not find such relationships difficult in the second survey, 1.73 (95% CI: 1.03-2.88) for those who occasionally found them difficult, and 6.62 (95% CI: 2.43-18.03) for those who continuously did so. The multivariate-adjusted relative risk of mortality, relative to those who consistently considered life worth living (Ikigai), was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.28-1.87), 2.22 (95% CI: 1.44-3.42), and 1.46 (95% CI: 0.65-3.31) for those who found, lost, and did not find life worth living in either survey, respectively. Deterioration in psychosocial conditions as well as continuously poor psychosocial conditions may be an important determinant of mortality risk for elderly people.

Effectiveness of social behaviors for autonomous wheelchair robot to support elderly people in Japan.

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Masahiro Shiomi

Full Text Available We developed a wheelchair robot to support the movement of elderly people and specifically implemented two functions to enhance their intention to use it: speaking behavior to convey place/location related information and speed adjustment based on individual preferences. Our study examines how the evaluations of our wheelchair robot differ when compared with human caregivers and a conventional autonomous wheelchair without the two proposed functions in a moving support context. 28 senior citizens participated in the experiment to evaluate three different conditions. Our measurements consisted of questionnaire items and the coding of free-style interview results. Our experimental results revealed that elderly people evaluated our wheelchair robot higher than the wheelchair without the two functions and the human caregivers for some items.

Effect of interaction between dynapenic component of the European working group on sarcopenia in older people sarcopenia criteria and obesity on activities of daily living in the elderly.

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Kim, Yeon-Pyo; Kim, Sun; Joh, Ju-Youn; Hwang, Hwan-Sik

2014-05-01

To examine the effects of interaction between dynapenic component of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) sarcopenia and obesity (dynapenia × obesity) on activities of daily living (ADL) in older participants. Cross-sectional analysis of the Validity and Reliability of Korean Frailty Index and the Validity and Reliability of the Kaigo-Yobo Checklist in Korean Elderly studies. Six welfare facilities operated by government in South Korea. Four hundred eighty-seven community-dwelling individuals (157 males, 330 females) >65 years of age. Dynapenic component of the EWGSOP sarcopenia was defined as usual gait speed sarcopenia and obesity in the elderly is associated with multiplicative interactions rather than additive interactions in ADL. Copyright © 2014 American Medical Directors Association, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparative study of health status and quality of life of elderly people living in old age homes and within family setup in Raigad District, Maharashtra

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Priyanka Amonkar

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The traditional concept of family in India to provide support to the elderly is changing soon with disintegration of joint families. In this scenario the concept of old age homes (OAHs is gaining momentum and the number of people seeking OAH care is rapidly increasing. However, not much is known about the quality of life (QOL of Indian elderly staying in the OAH setup. Objectives: To assess and compare the Health status, Quality of Life and Depression in elderly people living in OAHs & within family using WHOQOL –OLD questionnaire & Geriatric Depression Scale Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in elderly aged above 60 years of age. After taking a written consent and matching for age and sex & socioeconomic status, 60 elderly from OAHs & 120 elderly living within family setup were selected randomly. The WHOQOL-OLD standard questionnaire & GDS were used to assess quality of life & depression in elderly. Result: The QOL of elderly in domains of autonomy, past present & future activities, social participation and intimacy was better in family setup (60.62, 70.62, 66.14 and 58.43 as compared to OAHs (51.35, 62.91, 59.47and 41.16 (p<0.05. There was statistically significant difference in mean geriatric depression scores of both the group (3.96 within family setup and 5.76 in OAH's. Conclusion: Quality of life of elderly within family setup was better as compared to elderly in OAHs.

The influence of studies in Cognitive Wellness University for the elderly people on maintaining their cognitive functions

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Usenko L.V.

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Progressive aging of the population is accompanied by age-related changes in the body, primarily from the central nervous system, which causes a decline in the cognitive health of man and society as a whole. The emergence of cognitive deficits leads to a decrease in a person's ability to think, learn, actively perceive information, make decisions, worsen other psycho-physiological functions. The aim of our study was to assess the state of cognitive functions of the elderly people, the dynamics of their changes, depending on the age stage of life, as well as under the influence of program exercises and specially designed trainings aimed at activating mental and physical activity. 165 students of the university aged 55-85 years took part in the study. Two groups of subjects were identified. The first one numbering 100 people we divided into 3 subgroups in order to identify phased age-related changes in cognitive functions and, depending on this definition, the need for preventive or corrective measures: 1 subgroup - 55-65 years, 2 subgroup - 66-75 years and 3 subgroup - 76 years and older. The study of their cognitive functions was determined upon admission to the university. The second group consisted of 65 people, whose indicators of cognitive functions were determined in dynamics: at admission to the university and at the completion of training. To assess the level of cognitive functions, we used a formalized screening technique - the Montreal Scale. The established dynamics of the components of cognitive functions, depending on age, makes it possible to differentially approach the choice of preventive or corrective measures aimed at activating cognitive functions, in each age group with an emphasis on those of them that have been changed to a greater extent. The effectiveness of the proposed structure of studies at the university for the elderly was shown.

How much elderly people of Isfahan are adherent to their drug therapy regimens?

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Abazari, Parvaneh; Jafari, Tayebe Arab; Sabzghabaee, Ali Mohammad

2017-01-01

The need for a correct follow-up for medical advices of health givers is the cornerstone for avoiding drug-related complications in especial period of elderly people life. There isn't any data about drug therapy regimens adherence of elderly people of Isfahan. In this study, we aimed to cover this deficit. In this cross-sectional study which was carried out in Isfahan (Iran) in 2013 senior citizens (aged 65 or more) who were taking at least one medication and had no record of residency in nursing homes were included. We used Morisky medication adherence scale (after validation and reliability assessment for using this questionnaire in Persian language) to evaluate the level of adherence in the study population. A total of 200 elderly participants were fully studied ( n = 200, 61% females), and 52% of them had poor medication adherence. 77.5% of participants were suffered from at least four medical illnesses, and 18.5% of them were taking more than eight medications per day. We have not found any significant statistical relationship between vision or hearing loss disorders and the medication adherence of the participants). There was a significant positive relationship between the level of education and medication adherence ( P = 0.001), ( χ 2 = 0.29). Low Medication adherence is a common and important drug issue in the elderly in Isfahan. This issue can lead to medical complications and huge cost if it is not addressed appropriately.

Factors Influencing the Preferred Place of Death in Community-dwelling Elderly People in Japan

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Izumi Ohmachi

2015-03-01

Conclusion: It is necessary to consider individual preferences and public health strategies in order to enable elderly people to receive suitable and comfortable end-of-life care in their preferred location.

Coordination exercise and postural stability in elderly people: Effect of Tai Chi Chuan.

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Wong, A M; Lin, Y C; Chou, S W; Tang, F T; Wong, P Y

2001-05-01

To evaluate the effects of coordination exercise on postural stability in older individuals by Chinese shadow boxing, Tai Chi Chuan (TCC). Cross-sectional study. Research project in a hospital-based biomechanical laboratory. The TCC group (n = 25) had been practicing TCC regularly for 2 to 35 years. The control group (n = 14) included healthy and active older subjects. Static postural stability test: progressively harder sequential tests with 6 combinations of vision (eyes open, eyes closed, sway-referenced) and support (fixed, sway-referenced); and dynamic balance test: 3 tests of weight shifting (left to right, forward-backward, multidirectional) at 3 speeds. Static and dynamic balance of Sensory Organization Testing (SOT) of the Smart Balance Master System. In static postural control, the results showed no differences between the TCC or control group in the more simple conditions, but in the more complicated SOT (eyes closed with sway surface, sway vision with sway surface), the TCC group had significantly better results than the control group. The TCC group also had significantly better results in the rhythmic forward-backward weight-shifting test. Duration of practice did not seem to affect the stability of elder people. The elderly people who regularly practiced TCC showed better postural stability in the more challenged conditions than those who do not (eg, the condition with simultaneous disturbance of vision and proprioception). TCC as a coordination exercise may reduce the risk of a fall through maintaining the ability of posture control.

Avaliação das atividades de vida diária de idosos com diferentes níveis de demência Evaluation of the activities of daily living of elderly people with different levels of dementia

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TA Marra

2007-08-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: Comparar o desempenho de idosos com diferentes níveis de gravidade de demência em questionários de atividades básicas de vida diária (ABVDs e atividades instrumentais de vida diária (AIVDs. Verificar se existe correlação entre os questionários de AIVDs aplicados. METODOLOGIA: Foram aleatorizados 90 idosos (75,46 ± 7,66 anos atendidos no Centro de Referência do Idoso-MG, com diagnóstico clínico de demência (DSM-IV/APA e classificados quanto ao nível de gravidade da demência (Clinical Dementia Rating. As ABVDs foram avaliadas pelo Índice de Katz, e as AIVDs, pelo Índice de Lawton-Brody e de Pfeffer. Os testes de Kruskal-Wallis e de Mann-Whitney foram utilizados para verificar o desempenho dos idosos nas ABVDs, e a correlação de Spearman, para investigar a relação entre os instrumentos de AIVDs (alfaOBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of elderly people with different levels of severity of dementia using questionnaires on basic activities of daily living (BADLs and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs. Also, to verify whether there were any association between the IADL questionnaires applied. METHOD: Ninety elderly people, aged 75.46 ± 7.66 years with a clinical diagnosis of dementia (DSM-IV/APA who were seen at the Minas Gerais Reference Center for the Elderly, were randomized selected and classified according to the level of severity of their dementia (Clinical Dementia Rating. Their BADLs were assessed using the Katz Index and their IADLs by the Lawton-Brody and Pfeffer indexes. The Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used in order to investigate the elderly people's performance regarding BADLs, while the Spearman correlation was used to investigate the relationships among the IADL (alpha< 0.05. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences in performance were found between the elderly people with different levels of severity of dementia, as assessed by the BADL and IADL questionnaires (p< 0

A Comparison Study on Socio-Economic Variables and Life Satisfaction Among the Elders people, Gorgan, in 2004 and 2009

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MohammadHossein Hajiebrahimi

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The elder population and their proportion of the total population are increasing in our country. Their population has reached to 7.3 percent of total population in 2006 compared with their population at 1996 and it shows a 1.5 times increase during ten years.The aim of this study was to compare the socio-economic situation of elder people who were living in two areas in Gorgan city, Golestan province in north of Iran, which is covered by 4th and 5th urban health center between in 2004 and 2009. Methods & Materials: A descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study has been conducted among 884 elder people who were resident in the study area at 2009. Data collection has been done through a questionnaire, filled out by trained persons. The results are compared with the outcomes of pervious unpublished study at 2004 which has been carried out among 315 elder people in the same study area. Qui-Square and independent T-test statistical methods used to analysis the data. We use SAS version 9.2 to analyze the data. Results: Mean age of elder people was 67.2±6.7 at 2009 and 67.6±6.7 years at 2004. Educational level had a significant change in 2009 compared with 2004 (P=0.0002. Compared with 2004, marital status (P=0.0021 and economical level (P<0.0001 had statistically significant changes in 2009. Moreover, visiting friends, going to park, going for movies and visiting the family showed statistical significant change in 2009 compared to 2004 by P<0.001, P=0.0173, P=0.0001, P=0.0435 and P=0.0001 respectively. In addition, being high energetic showed a statistically significant change (P<0.01 in 2009 compared to 2004, when we considered the satisfaction of life among elders. Conclusion: It is necessary to pay more attention to social, economic and life satisfaction problems of elder people which are dramatically growing by increasing the elder population and their higher proportion in entire population of the world particularly in Iran. We need

THE EFFECTS OF OTAGO EXERCISE PROGRAMME FOR FALL PREVENTION IN ELDERLY PEOPLE

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Nancy N. Patel

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Background: The ‘Otago exercise programme’ (OEP is a strength and balance retraining programme designed to prevent falls in older people living in the community. The aim of this study was to find the effects of Otago exercise programme for fall prevention in community dwelling elderly people. Method: The sample comprised 30 community dwelling elderly around sinhgad road, pune (out of 30, 4 were dropouts aged over 60 years both male and female falling under moderate fall risk measured by Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment. The intervention consisted mainly strength and balance training. Intervention was done for 1 hr every day, 5 days per week for 6weeks. Outcome measure assessment was done pre, 3rd week and post intervention. Pre and post comparison of following three outcome measures was done. Outcome measures: Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment, 10RM and Chair stand test. Result: Paired t-test was done. Results of p value for 10RM (p value = 0.00, Tinetti performance oriented mobility assessment (p value = 0.00 and chair stand test (p value = 0.01 was found to be highly significant. Out of 26 subjects with moderate risk of fall pre intervention, 24 subjects showed low risk of fall during post intervention assessment of Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment. Conclusion: The Otago exercise programme is significantly effective increasing strength of lower limb and improving in balance, gait and therefore ultimately preventing fall in community dwelling Indian elder people. Hence, Otago exercise protocol can be used in day to day clinical practice and also as a home exercise program.

A Review of Wearable Technologies for Elderly Care that Can Accurately Track Indoor Position, Recognize Physical Activities and Monitor Vital Signs in Real Time

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Zhihua Wang

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Rapid growth of the aged population has caused an immense increase in the demand for healthcare services. Generally, the elderly are more prone to health problems compared to other age groups. With effective monitoring and alarm systems, the adverse effects of unpredictable events such as sudden illnesses, falls, and so on can be ameliorated to some extent. Recently, advances in wearable and sensor technologies have improved the prospects of these service systems for assisting elderly people. In this article, we review state-of-the-art wearable technologies that can be used for elderly care. These technologies are categorized into three types: indoor positioning, activity recognition and real time vital sign monitoring. Positioning is the process of accurate localization and is particularly important for elderly people so that they can be found in a timely manner. Activity recognition not only helps ensure that sudden events (e.g., falls will raise alarms but also functions as a feasible way to guide people’s activities so that they avoid dangerous behaviors. Since most elderly people suffer from age-related problems, some vital signs that can be monitored comfortably and continuously via existing techniques are also summarized. Finally, we discussed a series of considerations and future trends with regard to the construction of “smart clothing” system.

The effect of music therapy on depression and physiological parameters in elderly people living in a Turkish nursing home: a randomized-controlled trial.

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Gök Ugur, Hacer; Yaman Aktaş, Yeşim; Orak, Oya Sevcan; Saglambilen, Okan; Aydin Avci, İlknur

2017-12-01

This study was carried out in an effort to determine the effect of music therapy on depression and physiological parameters in elderly people who were living in a nursing home. The study was a randomized controlled trial. The study sample consisted of 64 elderly people who complied with the criteria of inclusion for the study. The data were collected using the 'Elderly Information Form' and 'Geriatric Depression Scale'. The music group listened to music three days in a week during 8 weeks. The depression levels were assessed at baseline (week 0) and follow-up in the eight week. It was found that the difference between post-test depression scores of the two groups was found to be statistically significant (t = -2.86, p depression level and systolic blood pressure in elderly people. The study results implies that music therapy can be an effective practice for public health and home care nurses attempting to reduce depression and control physiological parameters of elderly people.

Suicidal ideation and attempted suicide in elderly people - subjective experiences.

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Gutierrez, Denise Machado Duran; Sousa, Amandia Braga Lima; Grubits, Sonia

2015-06-01

We discuss the subjective experiences of elderly people who show suicidal ideation and/or attempts at suicide, based on their own reports. We understand the concept of 'subjective' as referring to intra-psychic experience resulting from social, economic, relationship or biographical conditions. Although the subject is sparsely covered in the literature, it is important, because it is in the field of subjectivity that ideations of, and attempts at, suicide develop and occur until they become a concrete act. Empirical data were collected through semi-structured interviews focusing on: social characterization, portrayal and mode of life, previous mental state, atmosphere of the attempt, effects on the health of the elderly person and family. Based on the analysis of the meanings that emerge, five empirical categories were generated: (1) subject's feeling of being in a non-place; (2) absence of acceptance of losses; (3) suffering due to ingratitude of family members; (4) feeling of uselessness of, and in, life; (5) re-signification of the situations that generate suicide-related conduct. The results point to a fundamental need to incorporate knowledge about the subjective processes into programs for prevention of suicide among the elderly who have ideation of, or attempts at, suicide.

Quality of life and impact of physical activity time in the health of elderly

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Lícia Ludendorff Queiroz

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life, through the “Medical Outcomes Study 36 - Item Short - Form Health Survey” (SF-36 questionnaire, of a group of elderly involved in physical activities scheduled and the impact of physical activity time. Methods: We assessed 143 elderly engaged in physical activity programmed by Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. As a data collection tool, we used the SF-36 and a sociodemographic questionnaire, applied at the time of the interview. Statistical analysis was performed using Kruskal-Wallis, for analysis between domains, and Mann-Whitney test, to verify the relationship between health status and physical activity level. Results: The average age was 70.5 years. The mean score for the SF-36 of the elderly people who participated in the research was 73.3. The best result was in the Social Aspects domain (81.7, followed by Mental Health (78.9. Approximately 76% had at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, being classified as a more active population. Most (70.6% of the elderly had a good perception of their general health. There was statistical difference in the General Health domain among groups that performed physical activity for a period of less than one year and those who have been engaging in regular physical activity for over 10 years. Conclusions: The Social Function and Mental Health domains had the highest scores, with significant documentation of a better general health in the group that have practiced consecutive physical activity for over ten years.

[Pharyngeal bacteria and professional oral health care in elderly people].

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Hirota, K; Yoneyama, T; Ota, M; Hashimoto, K; Miyake, Y

1997-02-01

In 15 elderly residents of an old-age home, we measured the total number of bacteria and the numbers of streptococci and staphylococci in the pharynx over 5 months. Seven residents received professional oral health care from dentists and dental hygienists and eight practiced oral care by themselves or together with a helper. During the 5 months, the total number of bacteria and the numbers of streptococci and staphylococci decreased (p professional care. In contrast, the total number of bacteria and the numbers of streptococci and staphylococci neither did not change or increased in those who did not receive professional care. These findings show that professional oral health care by dentists and dental hygienists can decrease the total number of bacteria and the numbers of streptococci and staphylococci in the pharynx of elderly people, which might prevent aspiration pneumonia.

Association between Sleep Disturbances and Leisure Activities in the Elderly: A Comparison between Men and Women.

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Hellström, Amanda; Hellström, Patrik; Willman, Ania; Fagerström, Cecilia

2014-01-01

It has been suggested that physical or social activity is associated with fewer sleep disturbances among elderly people. Women report more sleep disturbances than men, which could indicate a variation in activity patterns between the genders. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between sleep disturbances and leisure activities in men and women (n = 945) aged ≥60 years in a Swedish population. Sleep disturbances were measured using eight dichotomous questions and seventeen variables, covering a wide range of leisure activities. Few leisure activities were found to be associated with sleep disturbances and their importance decreased when the models were adjusted for confounders and gender interactions. After clustering the leisure activities and investigating individual activities, sociointellectual activities were shown to be significant for sleep. However, following adjustment for confounders and gender interactions, home maintenance was the only activity significant for sleep. Being a female increased the effect of home maintenance. Besides those leisure activities, poor/fair self-rated health (OR 7.50, CI: 4.27-11.81) and being female (OR 4.86, CI: 2.75-8.61) were found to have the highest association with poor sleep. Leisure activities pursued by elderly people should focus on activities of a sociointellectual nature, especially among women, to promote sleep.

Demographic and psychosocial correlates of sexual activity in older Chinese people.

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Yang, Shuyan; Yan, Elsie

2016-03-01

This study examines sexual activity and associated psychosocial factors in older Chinese people. Sexuality continues to play a pivotal role in our lives even as we grow old. There is, however, very limited research on the topic in older populations. Cross-sectional survey. A representative sample of 688 older Chinese people (>60 years old) were individually interviewed on their demographic characteristics; their interest in, knowledge of and perceived control over sexual activities; and their engagement in sexual activity. The results show that 51·32% of men and 41·26% of women reported engaging in some form of sexual activity. Sexual intercourse and caressing were commonly reported. A multiple regression analysis also showed that a higher level of sexual activity was associated with being younger, living with a spouse, having a strong interest in sex, having sufficient knowledge of elder sexuality and a high perceived control over sex. Distinct predictive factors in each gender were observed. A high level of perceived control was associated with a higher level of sexual activity in males but not females. A series of binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the demographic and psychosocial correlates of sexual activity. With the exception of the use of objects (sex toys), sexual activities were consistently associated with being younger; living with a spouse; and having high levels of interest, knowledge and perceived control. A sizable amount of older Chinese people engage in varying degrees of sexual activity, and most are still interested in sex. Frontline health professionals need to be aware of the growing needs for sex education in older persons, particular attention should be paid to discuss the limitations brought about by various chronic conditions associated with ageing and their relevance to elder sexuality. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Life of the Elderly in Residential Care Facilities - A Study of Autonomy and Life Situation of Elderly People in the Context of the Political Organisation of the Facilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skjødt, Ulla

as mutually informing each other. Empirical material is generated by participant observation studies and interviews in residential care facilities as well as policy documents concerning the arrangement of public help to impaired elderly people are analysed. Results: Analysis of the empirical material...... and of pertinent policy documents reveal that elderly are politically valued, when they manage to avoid drawing on the public services that are available to them. A current dominant political standardised concept of autonomy is rendered visible. In its generalised form this concept turns out to be contradictory......Abstract: Bridging the gap – in Public Health Nursing September 19th and 20th 2016 Organised by: Global Network of Public Health Nursing The Life of the Elderly in Residential Care Facilities - A Study of Autonomy and Life Situation of Elderly People in the Context of the Political Organisation...

Self-reported factors associated with engagement in moderate to vigorous physical activity among elderly people: A population-based study

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Ramin Shiraly

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Physical activity (PA typically decreases with aging, especially of moderate to vigorous level, and this change affects health outcomes of older adults. Age-related decline is not evenly distributed across elderly population and is attributed to psychosocial, physical, and environmental determinants. Methods: We selected a sample of 1000 elderly people from urban parts of Shiraz in Southern Iran with a two-stage random sampling procedure. Self-reported PA data and correlates of moderate to vigorous activity were collected by interview with the respondents from selected households. Bivariate associations were examined using Chi-square test. Log-binomial regression was used to weigh variables associated with more than light PA. Results: Some demographic variables (older age, female sex, lower education level, retirement, and single or widowed status, health problems (lower extremity pain and hypertension, and psychosocial factors (lack of motivation, fear of injury, unsafe roads, and daily life problems were potential correlates of inadequate PA with bivariate analysis. In log-binomial regression model, lack of motivation (adjusted prevalence ratio [APR] = 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25–3.56, daily life problems (APR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.26–2.62, lower educational level (APR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.08–2.49, unsafe roads (APR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.02–2.49, and knee pain (APR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.09–2.58 were associated with lower engagement in moderate to vigorous PA among Iranian older adults. Conclusions: Psychosocial attributes considerably influence PA behaviors in older adults. Lower extremity joint pain is a key medical concern. Interventions to promote PA among older adults should be multilevel and particularly targeting personal psychosocial factors.

[Trauma in the elderly].

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de Souza, José Antonio Gomes; Iglesias, Antonio Carlos R G

2002-01-01

The populational growth of the elderly, associated to a healthier and more active life, make this group of people more exposed to accidents. In some countries, trauma in the elderly is responsible for a high mortality rate, disproportionately higher than in the adults. This fact consumes a great portion of health care resources and implies in a high social cost. The distinct physiologic characteristics of the elderly and the frequent presence of associated diseases make that these patients behave differently and in a more complex way than patients of other ages. These particularities make that health care to the elderly victims of trauma have to be different. The present revision is about aspects of epidemiology, prevention, physiology, health care and rehabilitation of the elderly victims of trauma.

Oral health care activities performed by caregivers for institutionalized elderly in Barcelona-Spain.

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Cornejo-Ovalle, Marco; Costa-de-Lima, Kenio; Pérez, Glória; Borrell, Carme; Casals-Peidro, Elías

2013-07-01

To describe the frequency of brushing teeth and cleaning of dentures, performed by caregivers, for institutionalized elderly people. A cross-sectional study in a sample of 196 caregivers of 31 health centers in Barcelona. The dependent variables were frequency of dental brushing and frequency of cleaning of dentures of the elderly by caregivers. The independent variables were characteristics of caregivers and institutions. We performed bivariate and multivariate descriptive analyses. Robust Poisson regression models were fitted to determine factors associated with the dependent variables and to assess the strength of the association. 83% of caregivers were women, 79% worked on more than one shift, 42% worked only out of necessity, 92% were trained to care for elderly persons, 67% were trained in oral hygiene care for the elderly, and 73% recognized the existence of institutional protocols on oral health among residents. The variables explaining the lower frequency of brushing teeth by caregivers for the elderly, adjusted for the workload, were: no training in the care of elderly persons (PRa 1.7 CI95%: 1.6-1.8), not fully agreeing with the importance of oral health care of the elderly (PRa 2.5 CI95%: 1.5-4.1) and not knowing of the existence of oral health protocols (PRa 1.8 CI95% 1.2-2.6). The variables that explain the lower frequency of cleaning dentures, adjusted for the workload, were lack of training in elderly care (PRa 1.7 CI95%: 1.3-1.9) and not knowing of the existence of protocols (PRa 3.7 CI95%: 1.6-8.7). The majority of caregivers perform activities of oral health care for the elderly at least once per day. The frequency of this care depends mainly on whether caregivers are trained to perform these activities, the importance given to oral health, the workload of caregivers and the existence of institutional protocols on oral health of institutionalized elderly persons.

Are elderly people with co-morbidities involved adequately in medical decision making when hospitalised? : A cross-sectional survey

OpenAIRE

Ekdahl, Anne W; Andersson, Lars; Wiréhn, Ann-Britt; Friedrichsen, Maria

2011-01-01

Abstract Background Medical decision making has long been in focus, but little is known of the preferences and conditions for elderly people with co-morbidities to participate in medical decision making. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the preferred and the actual degree of control, i.e. the role elderly people with co-morbidities wish to assume and actually had with regard to information and participation in medical decision making during their last stay in hospita...

Tinetti mobility test is related to muscle mass and strength in non-institutionalized elderly people.

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Curcio, Francesco; Basile, Claudia; Liguori, Ilaria; Della-Morte, David; Gargiulo, Gaetano; Galizia, Gianluigi; Testa, Gianluca; Langellotto, Assunta; Cacciatore, Francesco; Bonaduce, Domenico; Abete, Pasquale

2016-12-01

Elderly people are characterized by a high prevalence of falls and sarcopenia. However, the relationship among Tinetti mobility test (TMT) score, a powerful tool to detect elderly people at risk of falls, and sarcopenia is still not thoroughly investigated. Thus, to determine the relationship between TMT score and muscle mass and strength, 337 elderly participants (mean age 77.1 ± 6.9 years) admitted to comprehensive geriatric assessment were enrolled. TMT score, muscle mass by bioimpedentiometer, and muscle strength by grip strength were evaluated. Muscle mass progressively decreased as TMT score decreased (from 15.3 ± 3.7 to 8.8 ± 1.8 kg/m 2 ; p for trend strength decreased progressively as Tinetti score decreased (from 34.7 ± 8.0 to 23.7 ± 8.7 kg; p for trend 0.001). Linear regression analysis demonstrated that TMT score is linearly related with muscle mass (y = 4.5x + 0.4, r = 0.61; p strength (y = 14.0x + 0.8, r = 0.53; p strength (r = 0.39, p = 0.046). The present study indicates that TMT score is significantly related to muscle mass and strength in non-institutionalized elderly participants. This evidence suggests that TMT score, together with evaluation of muscle mass and strength, may identify sarcopenic elderly participants at high risk of falls.

Physical activity in elderly

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Jan Cvecka

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Aging is a multifactorial irreversible process associated with significant decline in muscle mass and neuromuscular functions. One of the most efficient methods to counteract age-related changes in muscle mass and function is physical exercise. An alternative effective intervention to improve muscle structure and performance is electrical stimulation. In the present work we present the positive effects of physical activity in elderly and a study where the effects of a 8-week period of functional electrical stimulation and strength training with proprioceptive stimulation in elderly are compared.

Field study on behaviors and adaptation of elderly people and their thermal comfort requirements in residential environments.

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Hwang, R-L; Chen, C-P

2010-06-01

This study investigated the thermal sensation of elderly people in Taiwan, older than 60 years, in indoor microclimate at home, and their requirements for establishing thermal comfort. The study was conducted using both a thermal sensation questionnaire and measurement of indoor climatic parameters underlying the thermal environment. Survey results were compared with those reported by Cheng and Hwang (2008, J. Tongji Univ., 38, 817-822) for non-elders to study the variation between different age groups in requirements of indoor thermal comfort. The results show that the predominant strategy of thermal adaptation for elders was window-opening in the summer and clothing adjustment in the winter. The temperature of thermal neutrality was 25.2 degrees C and 23.2 degrees C for the summer and the winter, respectively. Logistically regressed probit modeling on percentage of predicted dissatisfied (PPD) against mean thermal sensation vote revealed that the sensation votes corresponding to a PPD of 20% were +/- 0.75 for elders, about +/- 0.10 less than the levels projected by ISO 7730 model. The range of operative temperature for 80% thermal acceptability for elders in the summer was 23.2-27.1 degrees C, narrower than the range of 23.0-28.6 degrees C reported for non-elders. This is likely a result of a difference in the selection of adaptive strategies. Taiwan in the last decade has seen a rapid growth in the elderly population in its societal structure, and as such the quality of indoor thermal comfort increasingly concerns the elderly people. This study presents the results from field-surveying elders residing in major geographical areas of Taiwan, and discusses the requirements of these elders for indoor thermal comfort in different seasons. Through a comparison with the requirements by non-elders, this study demonstrates the unique sensitivity of elders toward indoor thermal quality and the selection of adaptive strategies that need to be considered when a thermal

The relative and absolute reliability of the Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale in community-dwelling frail elderly Japanese people using long-term care insurance services.

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Saito, Takashi; Izawa, Kazuhiro P; Watanabe, Shuichiro

2017-06-01

The newly developed Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale is a tool for assessing the performance of basic activities of daily living in terms of both independence and difficulty. The reliability of this new scale has not been assessed. The aim of this study was to examine the relative reliability and absolute reliability of the newly developed scale in community-dwelling frail elderly people in Japan. Participants were 47 community-dwelling elderly subjects (22 for assessing test-retest reliability and 25 for assessing inter-rater reliability). As relative reliability indices, intra-class correlation coefficients were used. From an absolute reliability perspective, we conducted Bland-Altman analysis and calculated the limit of agreement or minimal detectable change to determine the acceptable range of error. Intra-class correlation coefficients for test-retest and inter-rater reliability were 0.90 (P reliability was -5.2 to 1.8, representing an increase of over six points for improvement and a decrease of over two points for decline of basic activities of daily living ability. The minimal detectable change for inter-rater reliability was 3.7, indicating that a three-point difference might be existed between difference raters. The results of this study demonstrated that the FIDS appeared to be a reliable instrument for use in Japanese community-dwelling frail elderly people. While further research using a large and more diverse sample of participants is needed, our findings support the use of FIDS in clinical practice or clinical research targeting frail elderly Japanese people.

Domotics in existing houses for elderly people. Evaluation of the project Lidwinahof. People, Planet, Profit; Domotica in bestaande seniorenwoningen. Evaluatie project Lidwinahof. People, Planet, Profit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schouw, J.; Corpeleijn, M.; Poiesz, E. [CEA, Rotterdam (Netherlands)

2003-08-01

Domotics is applied in 49 houses for elderly people of the building complex Lidwinahof in Best, Netherlands. The domotics application concerns the functions safety (burglary, control of access, fire), care (emergency call, measurement of activity) and comfort (lighting). Among all residents an evaluation has been carried out from the perspective of sustainable development. A precondition for sustainable development is a balance between social, ecological and economical benefits (People, Planet and Profit). Results before and after the application of domotics are compared. [Dutch] De afgelopen jaren hebben diverse woningcorporaties een pilot-project met domotica uitgevoerd, met name met toepassingen op het gebied van wonen en zorg. Domein (woningcorporatie in Eindhoven, Best en Son en Breugel) was in het voorjaar van 2002 de eerste woningcorporatie die domotica heeft toegepast in de bestaande bouw (49 seniorenwoningen van het complex Lidwinahof in Best). Het systeem bevatte de functies veiligheid (inbraak, toegangscontrole, brand), zorg (noodoproep, activiteitsmeting) en comfort (verlichting). Onder alle bewoners is een evaluatie uitgevoerd vanuit het perspectief van duurzame ontwikkeling. Voorwaarde voor duurzame ontwikkeling is een balans tussen sociale, ecologische en economische opbrengsten (People, Planet en Profit). De resultaten op deze drie gebieden voor en na toepassing van domotica zijn vergeleken.

A Framework for a Context-Aware Elderly Entertainment Support System

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M. Anwar Hossain

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Elderly people constitute a major portion of world’s population. Many of them are physically and mentally vulnerable and need continuous support for their health and well-being. There is a growing trend that these elderly people are placed in an ambient assisted living environment (AAL with an aim to receive better care and support. In such settings, a lot of attention has been given to continuous health monitoring for maintaining physical health status. However, much less attention has been given toward understanding the entertainment needs of the elderly people, which is an important factor relevant to their mental health and joyful living. This paper thus addresses the entertainment needs of the elderly and proposes a framework of an elderly entertainment support system. The proposed framework enables different categories of residents (e.g., elderly people and caregivers to access various media services in both implicit and explicit manner in order to enhance the quality of their living experience in different contexts. Our experimental results demonstrate the viability of the proposed framework. We believe that the proposed approach will establish the need to develop entertainment systems and services for the elderly people and allow us to sensibly address the problems associated with their independent, happy and active living.

A Framework for a Context-Aware Elderly Entertainment Support System

Science.gov (United States)

Hossain, M. Anwar; Alamri, Atif; Almogren, Ahmad S.; Hossain, SK Alamgir; Parra, Jorge

2014-01-01

Elderly people constitute a major portion of world's population. Many of them are physically and mentally vulnerable and need continuous support for their health and well-being. There is a growing trend that these elderly people are placed in an ambient assisted living environment (AAL) with an aim to receive better care and support. In such settings, a lot of attention has been given to continuous health monitoring for maintaining physical health status. However, much less attention has been given toward understanding the entertainment needs of the elderly people, which is an important factor relevant to their mental health and joyful living. This paper thus addresses the entertainment needs of the elderly and proposes a framework of an elderly entertainment support system. The proposed framework enables different categories of residents (e.g., elderly people and caregivers) to access various media services in both implicit and explicit manner in order to enhance the quality of their living experience in different contexts. Our experimental results demonstrate the viability of the proposed framework. We believe that the proposed approach will establish the need to develop entertainment systems and services for the elderly people and allow us to sensibly address the problems associated with their independent, happy and active living. PMID:24936946

Effects of Combined exergame and conventional exercise to reduce and prevent fall risk among elderly people: A Hypothesis

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Hassan Sadeghi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Falling among old individuals has provoked ceaseless discussion among gerontologists and physical therapists and it is still one of the greatest issues among this population. Loss of the balance and functional mobility is the main reason of falling. There have been numerous studies conducting the effect of the conventional balance exercise and exergame independently on balance and functional mobility of elderly. Previous studies lacked dealing with the effect of combined exergame and conventional exercise on the balance and functional mobility. Combined exercises are enjoyable and may have more effective to improve balance and performance to reduce risk of fall among elderly people. This package would be preferable for older people. Objective: We hypothesize that while conventional balance exercise and exergame improve balance and functional mobility, combined both types of exercise would superior improvements in elderly performance. Conclusion: Ultimately we expect that this hypothesis will provide a useful framework for facilitating combined exergame and conventional balance intervention in older people.

Elderly people in many respects benefit from interaction with dogs

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Over the course of evolution, humans and animals have entered into a close relationship. By domesticating animals, humans were able to use them to their own advantage. However, animals should not only be seen as mere providers of material value; in fact, they actually enrich humans' lives on an emotional level. The classic examples for this evolution are dogs: they are considered loyal companions, particularly for children and elderly people. This relationship between humans and animals is the subject of this research study and is examined from a gerontological perspective by employing qualitative social research methods. Conclusion: The results of the study reveal the manifold meanings that pets - in particular dogs - can and do have to the elderly. At this point, it should also be noted that there is still a strong need for further research into this topic from a gerontological perspective. PMID:22112364

Elderly people in many respects benefit from interaction with dogs

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Scheibeck R

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Over the course of evolution, humans and animals have entered into a close relationship. By domesticating animals, humans were able to use them to their own advantage. However, animals should not only be seen as mere providers of material value; in fact, they actually enrich humans' lives on an emotional level. The classic examples for this evolution are dogs: they are considered loyal companions, particularly for children and elderly people. This relationship between humans and animals is the subject of this research study and is examined from a gerontological perspective by employing qualitative social research methods. Conclusion: The results of the study reveal the manifold meanings that pets - in particular dogs - can and do have to the elderly. At this point, it should also be noted that there is still a strong need for further research into this topic from a gerontological perspective.

[Role of the social support network which influences age of death and physical function of elderly people: study of trends in and outside of Japan and future problems].

Science.gov (United States)

Kishi, Reiko; Horikawa, Naoko

2004-02-01

Concerning associations between the social support network and physical health of the elderly, longitudinal studies have been conducted using various measurement indexes. The studies indicated that the support network influences on physical function and life expectancy. In this study we compared research papers from Japan and elsewhere that appeared after 1980, from the viewpoint of 1) social support effects, and 2) social network effects, to examine potential problems in the future. The main knowledge obtained was that the receipt of emotional support, wide network size, and participation in social activities reduced the risk of early death and decrease in physical function of elderly people. Sex differences were indicated, and in many cases, the effects were more remarkable in men than women. In addition the positive influence of receiving help from a support network, a major subject of conventional research, the effects of offering help to others and negative findings were also examined. It has been indicated that participation in volunteer groups and offer of support to other people can prevent decrease in physical function or early death. As negative effects, improper instrumental support rather disturbs the mental and physical independence of elderly people. As future issues, it is necessary to focus on both positive/negative and receipt/offer effects of support network, and to clarify how to provide example which best match the life of elderly people by comparing sexes and regions. It is also important to actually apply the knowledge gained from observational studies to prevent the elderly from becoming a condition requiring care, and to develop intervention studies which can increase the social contacts of elderly people at the same time as conducting health education and medical treatment.

Unobtrusive Wireless Monitoring System for Assisted Living and Improving the Wellbeing of Elderly People

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Browne, Aidan; Duncliffe, Richard; Spillane, James; Walsh, Colin; Hill, Martin; O'Mahony, Tom; O'Reilly, Fergus

2011-01-01

A novel system to unobtrusively monitor the wellbeing of elderly people based on their activity patterns is presented. The system uses a wireless ZigBee network to monitor the electrical usage in a subject's home and then sends this data to an Apache server via HTTP from a GPRS unit. The data is logged in a MySQL database where pattern analysis is used to identify periods of significant inactivity. When such an event is identified designated contacts are notified by text message. For subjects requiring higher levels of monitoring a portable health monitor can be integrated incorporating a fall detector and panic button to inform of emergency situations.

The Relationship between Health Literacy and Physical Activity Level of Elderly Women in the City of Urmia

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Friborz Fathi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background and objective: Health Literacy refers to cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and knowledge intended for people to obtain information and access to understand and using them to promote and keeping fitness. Regular physical activity is necessary for human. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Health Literacy and physical activity level of elderly women in the of Urmia city. Methods: In this descriptive – correlation study of 120 elderly women of Urmia were selected. In Order to collect data, two questionnaire Functional Health Literacy of TOFHLA adults   and a physical activity questionnaire of Baekce was used. It was used SPSS software and one-sample T- test, and it was also conducted Pearson correlation and stepwise regression. Results: of 30% of the elderly had adequate Health Literacy 38/34 had inadequate health literacy and 31/64 had cross-border Health Literacy. Correlations were positive and significant correlation between adequate Health Literacy and physical activity were cross-border health physical activity in respectively. One-sample T-Tak results showed that the level Health Literacy in both access and reading in elderly women is higher than the average level in Urmia. Stepwise regression analysis showed that adequate health and cross-border Health Literacy can account for more than 80 percent of their sporting activities. Conclusion:  In order to promote physical activity levels of elderly women it should be improved their health literacy. By planning and designing useful training in the field of Health Literacy programs tailored to the elderly it can be done effective step to develop literacy skills in community health and physical health of elderly. Paper Type: Research Article

Effect evaluation of a two-year complex intervention to reduce loneliness in non-institutionalised elderly Dutch people.

Science.gov (United States)

Honigh-de Vlaming, Rianne; Haveman-Nies, Annemien; Heinrich, Judith; van't Veer, Pieter; de Groot, Lisette C P G M

2013-10-21

Public health policy calls for intervention programmes to reduce loneliness in the ageing population. So far, numerous loneliness interventions have been developed, with effectiveness demonstrated for few of these interventions. The loneliness intervention described in this manuscript distinguishes itself from others by including multiple intervention components and targeting individuals and their environment. Intervention components included a mass media campaign, information meetings, psychosocial group courses, social activities organised by neighbours, and training of intermediaries. The aim of this manuscript is to study the effects of this integrated approach on initial and long-term outcomes. A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test intervention study was conducted among non-institutionalised elderly people aged 65 years and over to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention by comparing the intervention community and the control community. Data on outputs, initial and long-term outcomes, and the overall goal were collected by self-administered questionnaires. Data of 858 elderly people were available for the analyses. To assess the effect linear regression analyses with adjustments for age, gender, church attendance, and mental health were used. In addition, the process evaluation provided information about the reach of the intervention components. After two years, 39% of the elderly people were familiar with the intervention programme. The intervention group scored more favourably than the control group on three subscales of the initial outcome, motivation (-4.4%, 95% CI-8.3--0.7), perceived social support (-8.2%, 95% CI-13.6--2.4), and subjective norm (-11.5%, 95% CI-17.4--5.4). However, no overall effects were observed for the long-term outcome, social support, and overall goal, loneliness. Two years after its initiation the reach of the intervention programme was modest. Though no effect of the complex intervention was found on social support and

Architecture for the Elderly and Frail People, Well-Being Elements Realizations and Outcomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudstrup, Mary-Ann

2011-01-01

-being elements in the nursing home environments that contribute to enhancing the well-being of the elderly and how these elements is ensured attention during a decision making process related to the design and the establishing of nursing homes. With basis in four Danish representative case studies, various case...... data from the decision making process are collected, covering the planning, the design and the realization of four newly built nursing homes in Denmark. The case studies clearly shows that the architectural well-being elements appear weak in the decision making process, when they are conflicting......The relationship between architecture, housing and well-being of elderly and frail people is a topic of growing interest to consultants and political decision makers working on welfare solutions for elderly citizens. The objective of the research presented here is to highlight which well...

Important stressful factors for health status of elderly people in the nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacko, A.; Komarek, K.; Kaducakova, H.; Kuberova, H.

2008-01-01

Functional status of autonomic nervous system can be assessed by many methods: - psycho-diagnostic methods; - spectral analysis of the heart rate variability; - evaluation of adrenergic innervation of myocardium with 123 I-metyliodbenzylguanidine (MIBG). We have shown an importance of these methods in diagnostics of cardiovascular complications in patients with diabetes mellitus or students under stress. The aim of the study is to demonstrate the status and changed plasticity of autonomic nervous system in elderly people and its reaction for stressful factors. Examination of the spectral analysis of the heart rate variability revealed cardiac autonomic dysregulation as an asymptomatic change of autonomic nervous system.. Reduction of the plasticity of ANS with an increased age was confirmed. Also was the correlation of examination of the spectral analysis of the heart rate variability and adrenergic innervation of the myocardium confirmed. These finding allow early complex preventive interventions and increase the quality of life in elderly people. (authors)

Prediction of Risk of Falling among Institutionalized Elderly People in Iran

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Ahmad Ali Akbari Kamrani

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Aging declines abilities and leads to increased risk of falling and subsequently poorer quality of life. The objective of this study was to identify a proper assessment for risk of falling among institutionalized elderly. In order to accomplish this aim, two functional assessment methods, Berg Scale and Tinetti Scale, were used and the validity indices of these methods were calculated. Prospective non-interventional methodological discriminative-validation study in order to make a comparative assessment of the discriminative validity of the two clinical assessment methods among the elderly people with/without history of falling. The frequency of falls within 6 months among institutionalized elderly individuals was prospectively studied. Finally, those having had two or more falls within 6 months were enrolled in the faller group and those having no falls within 6 months were enrolled in the non-faller group. Twenty-one women and 33 men (mean age: 75.79, standard deviation [SD]: 8.47, range: 61-98 independent in their daily activities and able to walk 10 meters using/without assistive devices volunteered to participate in the study with awareness. Background variables included age, gender, use/nonuse of assistive devices, height, weight, number of the drugs used, and number of the diseases; independent variable was history of falling; and dependent variables were the results of the two functional assessment methods. Independent t-test indicated a significant difference between the two groups of fallers and non-fallers in the mean scores on Berg Balance Scale (P=0.0001 and Tinetti Scale (P=0.0001. The results of logistic regression test indicated much more discriminative validity for Berg Balance Scale test than Tinetti Scale test. Studying the validity of Berg Balance Scale assessment method showed that all validity indices should be regarded as bases for clinical decision.

Duloxetine in the treatment of elderly people with major depressive disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Del Casale, Antonio; Girardi, Paolo; Brugnoli, Roberto; Sani, Gabriele; Di Pietro, Simone; Brugnoli, Chiara; Caccia, Federica; Angeletti, Gloria; Serata, Daniele; Rapinesi, Chiara; Tatarelli, Roberto; Kotzalidis, Giorgio D

2012-01-01

The elderly population is more frequently subjected to depressive mood compared to the general population and show peculiarities affecting responsiveness; furthermore, aged people need also special care. Duloxetine is a relatively new antidepressant that proved to be effective in adult depression, but has received little attention in elderly population heretofore. To review the evidence of duloxetine in late-life major depressive disorder (MDD). A systematic review of studies focusing on the use of duloxetine in MDD in the elderly has been carried out through the principal specialized databases, including PubMed, PsycLIT, and Embase. Only a handful of papers were specifically dedicated to this issue. Duloxetine was found to be effective and safe in old-age MDD, to be better than placebo on many clinical measures in all studies, and to better differentiate from placebo with respect to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Compared to placebo, its side-effect profile is slightly unfavorable and its drop-out rate is slightly higher. Furthermore, when pain is present in old-age MDD, duloxetine is able to reduce it. The efficacy and safety of duloxetine in old-age depression are similar to those encountered in adult MDD. There is a relative lack of comparative studies other than with placebo. The special needs of elderly patients with MDD must be addressed with close patient contact to avoid the perils of inappropriate dosing.

The break remains – elderly people's experiences of a hip fracture 1 year after discharge.

Science.gov (United States)

Zidén, Lena; Scherman, Marianne Hansson; Wenestam, Claes-Göran

2010-01-01

To explore experienced long-term consequences of a hip fracture and conceptions of what influences hip fracture recovery among community-living elderly people 1 year after discharge. Fifteen subjects (13 females and 2 males), aged 66-94, were interviewed. The phenomenographic method was used for analysis. Experiences of insecurity and restricted life dominated the interviews. The descriptive categories within experienced consequences of a hip fracture were: (1) isolated life with more restricted activity and fewer social contacts, with the two sub-categories (a) more insecure and afraid and (b) more limited ability to move, (2) disappointed and sad that identity and life have changed and (3) satisfied with the situation or feeling even better than before the fracture. The categories within conceptions of what influences hip fracture recovery were: (4) own mind and actions influence recovery, (5) treatment and actions from others influence recovery and (6) you cannot influence recovery. The findings accentuate that the negative consequences of a hip fracture are substantial and long-lasting. As it strikes mostly elderly people, who may have experienced earlier losses and growing disabilities, a hip fracture could add to the risk of losing important life values. Furthermore, the findings indicate that all health care professionals who meet the patients need to consider the patients' own experiences and possible fear and not merely focus on the physical injury and disabilities.

The Study of Physical Activity AmongElderly of Karaj City and its Relationship with Some the Demographic Factors

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M. Asadi Shavaki

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Backgrounds and Objective:Physical activity is one of the important and effective factors associated with the human health. The elderly are among the most vulnerable groups in many diseases and disorders that exercise can prevent of many of these diseases. The aims of this study is to determine the level of physical activity among elderly of Karaj city and its relationship with some the demographic factors. Materials and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the first half of 2014 and in health centers of Karaj city, Iran. The study population were people older than 60 years (n=286 who referred to these centers. A short physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ was used to collect data. Data were analyzed by SPSS and the descriptive and analytical tests.  Results: The age mean of elderly was 67/37 ± 6/5 years. The majority of them (52/4% were woman & (54/2 % were in families with 4-6 members. About physical activity level in participant finding show that 50/5% were in low level, 43/1% intermediate and 6/4% were in high level. A significant relationship was between gender & job in elderly with level of physical activity (P<0/05.  Conclusion: According to the results it seems that for encourage and remove the barriers of doing physical activity in elderly, basic plans must be done at the macro level of management. So it is suggested that more researches and interventions about barriers of doing physical activity be done in elderly of Karaj city.  

Environmental variables and levels of exhaled carbon monoxide and carboxyhemoglobin in elderly people taking exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Salicio, Marcos Adriano; Mana, Viviane Aparecida Martins; Fett, Waléria Christiane Rezende; Gomes, Luciano Teixeira; Botelho, Clovis

2016-04-01

This article aims to analyze levels of exhaled carbon monoxide, carboxyhemoglobinand cardiopulmonary variables in old people practicing exercise in external environments, and correlate them with climate and pollution factors. Temporal ecological study with118 active elderly people in the city of Cuiabá, in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Data were obtained on use of medication, smoking, anthropometric measurements, spirometry, peak flow, oxygen saturation, heart rate, exhaled carbon monoxide, carboxyhemoglobin, climate, number of farm fires and pollution. Correlations were found between on the one hand environmental temperature, relative humidity of the air and number of farmers' fires, and on the other hand levels of carbon monoxide exhaled and carboxyhemoglobin (p carboxyhemoglobin and heart rate. There is thus a need for these to be monitored during exercise. The use of a carbon monoxide monitor to evaluate exposure to pollutants is suggested.

Association between Sleep Disturbances and Leisure Activities in the Elderly: A Comparison between Men and Women

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Amanda Hellström

2014-01-01

Full Text Available It has been suggested that physical or social activity is associated with fewer sleep disturbances among elderly people. Women report more sleep disturbances than men, which could indicate a variation in activity patterns between the genders. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between sleep disturbances and leisure activities in men and women (n = 945 aged ≥60 years in a Swedish population. Sleep disturbances were measured using eight dichotomous questions and seventeen variables, covering a wide range of leisure activities. Few leisure activities were found to be associated with sleep disturbances and their importance decreased when the models were adjusted for confounders and gender interactions. After clustering the leisure activities and investigating individual activities, sociointellectual activities were shown to be significant for sleep. However, following adjustment for confounders and gender interactions, home maintenance was the only activity significant for sleep. Being a female increased the effect of home maintenance. Besides those leisure activities, poor/fair self-rated health (OR 7.50, CI: 4.27–11.81 and being female (OR 4.86, CI: 2.75–8.61 were found to have the highest association with poor sleep. Leisure activities pursued by elderly people should focus on activities of a sociointellectual nature, especially among women, to promote sleep.

Multidisciplinary approach for developing a new robotic system for domiciliary assistance to elderly people.

Science.gov (United States)

Cavallo, F; Aquilano, M; Bonaccorsi, M; Mannari, I; Carrozza, M C; Dario, P

2011-01-01

This paper aims to show the effectiveness of a (inter / multi)disciplinary team, based on the technology developers, elderly care organizations, and designers, in developing the ASTRO robotic system for domiciliary assistance to elderly people. The main issues presented in this work concern the improvement of robot's behavior by means of a smart sensor network able to share information with the robot for localization and navigation, and the design of the robot's appearance and functionalities by means of a substantial analysis of users' requirements and attitude to robotic technology to improve acceptability and usability.

[Socializing groups as protective factor against depression in elderly people. Barranquilla, Colombia].

Science.gov (United States)

Tuesca-Molina, Rafael; Fierro Herrera, Norma; Molinares Sosa, Alexandra; Oviedo Martínez, Fernando; Polo Arjona, Yesid; Polo Cueto, José; Sierra Manrique, Ivan

2003-01-01

The depression is a principal problem of public health. The principal aim of this study is to determine the role of the social groups as factor protective in elderly, to evaluate the agreement by American Psychiatric Association Criterions and Hamilton Depression test, and also to determine other socio-cultural risk factors associated with depressive syndrome in elderly. Cross-sectional survey. The sample consisted of 602 elderly people (eligible subjects) were men (223) and women (379) between 60 and 94 years (males and females), residents in the south-west of Barranquilla, Colombia. A previously tested, self answer questionnaire was used, therefore, we needed a report consent. Risk measures: Odds Ratio (OR-95% Confidence intervalue), Kappa test to agreement by the nine criteria of the American Psychiatric Association and Hamilton test so, screening testing. The participation in social groups was a protector factor. (Odds Ratio = 0.5; 95% CI 0.34-0.73, p = 0.001). The rate 29.9% was obtained with prevalence of depression in elderly (21.4%-39.4%) affecting principally males (32.7%). The agreement by Kappa test = 0.63 was very important or good. Sensibility = 56.1% (48.5%-63.4%) Specificity = 0.93% (97.8%-99.8%) and Predictive Positive Value = 97.1% (91.2%-99.3%). This survey was to determine risk factors related to depression in elderly in anyway can be potentially modifiable. The familiar disfunction by moderate and serious, the lack as blindness and deafness, the loneliness, the housingness and low incomes were obtained with risk factors associated to depression. The participation in a social group is a protective factor to depression syndrome in elders. The nine criteria of the American Psychiatric Association to allow the depressed patient exactly as sick even though is not necessary to screening because this test is low sensibility for used in a population elderly.

Multicomponent Program to Reduce Functional Decline in Frail Elderly People : A Cluster Controlled Trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruikes, Franca G. H.; Zuidema, Sytse U.; Akkermans, Reinier P.; Assendelft, Willem J. J.; Schers, Henk J.; Koopmans, Raymond T. C. M.

2016-01-01

Background: The increasing number of community-dwelling frail elderly people poses a challenge to general practice. We evaluated the effectiveness of a general practitioner-led extensive, multicomponent program integrating cure, care, and welfare for the prevention of functional decline. Methods: We

Multicomponent Program to Reduce Functional Decline in Frail Elderly People: A Cluster Controlled Trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruikes, F.G.; Zuidema, S.U.; Akkermans, R.P.; Assendelft, W.J.; Schers, H.J.; Koopmans, R.T.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: The increasing number of community-dwelling frail elderly people poses a challenge to general practice. We evaluated the effectiveness of a general practitioner-led extensive, multicomponent program integrating cure, care, and welfare for the prevention of functional decline. METHODS: We

Dietary protein intake in community-dwelling, frail, and institutionalized elderly people: scope for improvement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tieland, C.A.B.; Borgonjen-van den Berg, K.J.; Loon, van L.C.; Groot, de C.P.G.M.

2012-01-01

Adequate dietary protein intake is required to postpone and treat sarcopenia in elderly people. Insight into dietary protein intake in this heterogeneous population segment is needed to locate dietary inadequacies and to identify target populations and feeding strategies for dietary interventions.

The Correlation of Exercise and Range of Motion (ROM on Elderly Knee Observasional Study on Elderly People in Pedurungan Semarang

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Adhitya Putra Widyantoro

2012-06-01

Design and Method: Observastional study with a cross sectional design 80 elderly men and women were divided into 2 groups: gymnastics group in the Social Rehabilitation Unit Of Pucang Gading (n=40 and unexcercises group in the Penggaron village (n=40. In both groups, the degree of ROM of knee was assessed using the Goniometer. To evaluate the value of its significance, the data were analyzed using the Mann Withney test followed by Spearmann’s rho test. Result: ROM for gymnastic(exercised group and unexercised group were 115.50°±11.591°, 95.38°±12.780° respectively with p<0. 001. Resuts showed that doing exercise was useful for maintaining ROM of knee in elderly people. Spearmann’s rho test resulted in a strong correlation between ROM and exercise with r value of 0.652. Conclusion: exercise correlates with ROM of knee in elderly (Sains Medika, 4(1:39-45.

Effectiveness of treadmill training on balance control in elderly people: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Pirouzi, Soraya; Motealleh, Ali Reza; Fallahzadeh, Fatemeh; Fallahzadeh, Mohammad Amin

2014-11-01

Physical exercise would improve postural stability, which is an essential factor in preventing accidental fall among the elderly population. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of treadmill walking on balance improvement among the elderly people. A total of 30 community dwelling older adults with a Berg Balance Scale score of 36-48 and the ability to walk without aid were considered and divided into control (n=15) and experimental (n=15) groups. Individuals in the experimental group participated in 30 minutes of forward and backward treadmill training based on three times a week interval for a period of four weeks. Individuals in the control group were instructed to continue with their daily routine activity. Before and after training, gait speed was measured by six-minute walk test and balance ability was evaluated by Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FABS) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) tests. Postural sway items such as the Center of Pressure (COP), average displacement and velocity were evaluated by using a force platform system. Data were collected in quiet standing, tandem position and standing on foam pads before and after intervention. After intervention, balance variables in the experimental group indicated a significant improvement in quiet standing on firm and foam surfaces, but no considerable improvement was shown in tandem position. A between-group comparison showed a significant reduction in COP velocity in the sagittal plane (P=0.030) during quiet standing and in the frontal plane (P=0.001) during standing on foam, whereas no significant reduction in COP parameters during tandem position was found. It is recommended that twelve sessions of forward and backward treadmill walk are effective in balance improvement in elderly people. IRCT201209199440N2.

"Stay Tuned": The Role of ICTs in Elderly Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Colombo, Fausto; Aroldi, Piermarco; Carlo, Simone

2014-01-01

Ageing in western society has become a key issue in political and academic debate: politicians, sociologists, doctors, demographers, psychologists, economists are trying to understand how ageing will impact our future society. In this frame, media and communication technologies seem to be more and more relevant for the elderly, thanks to those services and devices helping people to grow old actively. Technologies, the Internet and ICTs could help the elderly to improve their quality of life, to be healthy and independent and to get better assistance. Our ongoing research investigates the relationship between the elderly and use of technologies, and explores the role played by media and ICTs in building a friendly and positive environment for the elderly, and in constructing and maintaining social relations and promoting healthy ageing. Specifically, the research will investigate the use of ICTs by the elderly by taking into account two different perspectives: a) Exchanges between generations: lengthening of life corresponds to a longer period of cohabitation between at least three generations (grandparents, children, grandchildren), and also of co-use of digital media. The research wants to investigate relations between two age groups (grandparents and grandchildren; young people and older people) to understand the dynamics of intergenerational mutuality in the use of technologies and ICTs. b) Media, ICTs, Health: the Western world is increasingly populated by elderly population. Technologies and ICTs can help elderly people to improve their quality of life, to be healthy and independent and to get better assistance. ICTs should encourage active ageing and, in the case of health technologies, new models of care. The project, lasting 1 year, is based on (1) a survey on young elderly (65-74 yrs) population in Italy, and (2) a field-work which consists of family interviews and ethnographical sections in natural contexts.

Effectiveness of Treadmill Training on Balance Control in Elderly People: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

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Soraya Pirouzi

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Physical exercise would improve postural stability, which is an essential factor in preventing accidental fall among the elderly population. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of treadmill walking on balance improvement among the elderly people. A total of 30 community dwelling older adults with a Berg Balance Scale score of 36-48 and the ability to walk without aid were considered and divided into control (n=15 and experimental (n=15 groups. Individuals in the experimental group participated in 30 minutes of forward and backward treadmill training based on three times a week interval for a period of four weeks. Individuals in the control group were instructed to continue with their daily routine activity. Before and after training, gait speed was measured by six-minute walk test and balance ability was evaluated by Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FABS and Berg Balance Scale (BBS tests. Postural sway items such as the Center of Pressure (COP, average displacement and velocity were evaluated by using a force platform system. Data were collected in quiet standing, tandem position and standing on foam pads before and after intervention. After intervention, balance variables in the experimental group indicated a significant improvement in quiet standing on firm and foam surfaces, but no considerable improvement was shown in tandem position. A between-group comparison showed a significant reduction in COP velocity in the sagittal plane (P=0.030 during quiet standing and in the frontal plane (P=0.001 during standing on foam, whereas no significant reduction in COP parameters during tandem position was found. It is recommended that twelve sessions of forward and backward treadmill walk are effective in balance improvement in elderly people. Trial Registration Number: IRCT201209199440N2

Robots in Elderly Care

OpenAIRE

Alessandro Vercelli; Innocenzo Rainero; Ludovico Ciferri; Marina Boido; Fabrizio Pirri

2018-01-01

Low birth rate and the long life expectancy represent an explosive mixture, resulting in the rapid aging of population. The costs of healthcare in the grey society are increasing dramatically, and soon there will be not enough resources and people for care. This context requires conceptually new elderly care solutions progressively reducing the percentages of the human-based care. Research on robot-based solutions for elderly care and active ageing aims to answer these needs. From a general p...

[Artificial intelligence in medicine: project of a mobile platform in an intelligent environment for the care of disabled and elderly people].

Science.gov (United States)

Cortés, Ulises; Annicchiarico, Roberta; Campana, Fabio; Vázquez-Salceda, Javier; Urdiales, Cristina; Canãmero, Lola; López, Maite; Sánchez-Marrè, Miquel; Di Vincenzo, Sarah; Caltagirone, Carlo

2004-04-01

A project based on the integration of new technologies and artificial intelligence to develop a device--e-tool--for disabled patients and elderly people is presented. A mobile platform in intelligent environments (skilled-care facilities and home-care), controlled and managed by a multi-level architecture, is proposed to support patients and caregivers to increase self-dependency in activities of daily living.

Overweight in elderly people induces impaired autophagy in skeletal muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Potes, Yaiza; de Luxán-Delgado, Beatriz; Rodriguez-González, Susana; Guimarães, Marcela Rodrigues Moreira; Solano, Juan J; Fernández-Fernández, María; Bermúdez, Manuel; Boga, Jose A; Vega-Naredo, Ignacio; Coto-Montes, Ana

2017-09-01

Sarcopenia is the gradual loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength and quality associated with aging. Changes in body composition, especially in skeletal muscle and fat mass are crucial steps in the development of chronic diseases. We studied the effect of overweight on skeletal muscle tissue in elderly people without reaching obesity to prevent this extreme situation. Overweight induces a progressive protein breakdown reflected as a progressive withdrawal of anabolism against the promoted catabolic state leading to muscle wasting. Protein turnover is regulated by a network of signaling pathways. Muscle damage derived from overweight displayed by oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induces inflammation and insulin resistance and forces the muscle to increase requirements from autophagy mechanisms. Our findings showed that failure of autophagy in the elderly deprives it to deal with the cell damage caused by overweight. This insufficiently efficient autophagy leads to an accumulation of p62 and NBR1, which are robust markers of protein aggregations. This impaired autophagy affects myogenesis activity. Depletion of myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) without links to variations in myostatin levels in overweight patients suggest a possible reduction of satellite cells in muscle tissue, which contributes to declined muscle quality. This discovery has important implications that improve the understanding of aged-related atrophy caused by overweight and demonstrates how impaired autophagy is one of the main responsible mechanisms that aggravate muscle wasting. Therefore, autophagy could be an interesting target for therapeutic interventions in humans against muscle impairment diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The implementation of the functional task exercise programme for elderly people living at home

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fleuren, M.A.H.; Vrijkotte, S.; Jans, M.P.; Pin, R.; Hespen, A. van; Meeteren, N.L.U. van; Siemonsma, P.C.

2012-01-01

Background: The Functional Task Exercise programme is an evidence-based exercise programme for elderly people living at home. It enhances physical capacity with sustainable effects. FTE is provided by physiotherapists and remedial therapists. Although the intervention was found to be effective in a

Prevalence and Predictors of Geriatric Depression in Community-Dwelling Elderly

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Jeung-Im Kim, RN, PhD

2009-09-01

Conclusion: In this research, perceived health status was the most powerful predictor of elderly depression. TMIG-IC, hand-grip strength and social activities also predicted Korean elderly depression. These factors should be considered when the program is developed for elderly people with depression. [Asian Nursing Research 2009;3(3:121–129

Assessing Human Activity in Elderly People Using Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring

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José M. Alcalá

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The ageing of the population, and their increasing wish of living independently, are motivating the development of welfare and healthcare models. Existing approaches based on the direct heath-monitoring using body sensor networks (BSN are precise and accurate. Nonetheless, their intrusiveness causes non-acceptance. New approaches seek the indirect monitoring through monitoring activities of daily living (ADLs, which proves to be a suitable solution. ADL monitoring systems use many heterogeneous sensors, are less intrusive, and are less expensive than BSN, however, the deployment and maintenance of wireless sensor networks (WSN prevent them from a widespread acceptance. In this work, a novel technique to monitor the human activity, based on non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM, is presented. The proposal uses only smart meter data, which leads to minimum intrusiveness and a potential massive deployment at minimal cost. This could be the key to develop sustainable healthcare models for smart homes, capable of complying with the elderly people’ demands. This study also uses the Dempster-Shafer theory to provide a daily score of normality with regard to the regular behavior. This approach has been evaluated using real datasets and, additionally, a benchmarking against a Gaussian mixture model approach is presented.

Quality of life of elderly people living with HIV/AIDS in outpatient follow-up

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Juliano de Souza Caliari

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze factors related to the quality of life of elderly people living with HIV/AIDS. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out with people aged 50 years or more in a specialized outpatient clinic. The data collection was by means of an interview. For the analysis of data and characterization of the sample, descriptive statistics and comparison tests were used. The project met the ethical requirements. Results: Participants were 81 users aged 50 to 75 years, mean age was 57.8 (± 6.1 years, 71.6% of whom were men. There was a statistically significant relationship with the quality of life, the following variables: gender, children, occupation, religion, diagnosis time, HIV exposure, adverse effects, treatment interruption, viral load counts, hospitalization, dependence for daily activities and use of drugs. Conclusion: The results suggest that the quality of life deficit is related not only to physical changes, but to the anguish and stigma related to HIV/AIDS.

[Home care and place of death for elderly people living in the remote islands of Japan. An examination on the presence of inpatient facilities].

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Horikoshi, Naoko; Kuwahara, Yuki; Taguchi, Atsuko; Nagata, Tomoko; Murashima, Sachiyo

2013-07-01

The purpose of this study was to clarify the actual status of end-of-life care for elderly people living in the remote islands of Japan, and whether the presence of inpatient facilities was related to the place of death, so as to obtain suggestions for constructing a system of end-of-life care. The survey targeted caregivers (85 people) who cared for elderly people (aged 65 and over), who had been legally certified for long-term care, and who had died between April 2009 and July 2011 in five islands of Japan. Islands were selected from a list of remote islands specified in the Remote Islands Development Act and related laws. Using a mixed method embedded design, we conducted semi-structured interviews using a questionnaire that assessed the place and cause of the elderly patient's death, age at death, gender, and whether the patient or family members had requested that the patient be allowed to die at home. The proportion of elderly people who died at home in the group living on remote islands with no inpatient facilities was 39.0% (16 of 41 people), compared with 18.2% (8 of 44 people) living on islands with inpatient facilities. The difference was significant (P=0.029). Among the 24 elderly people who died at home, 6 died of cancer. Terminally ill cancer patients were released to die at home under three conditions: the caregivers could provide sufficient care, the visiting physician was present, and pain control was provided. It was also possible for elderly cancer patients to receive end-of-life care in remote islands that did not have inpatient facilities. In addition, among the elderly people who died at home in the remote islands, home care had been recommended by medical staff. It is important for professionals coordinating home care to understand the characteristics of diseases, perform early assessment of caregiver situations, and collaborate with medical staff.

Cognitive style and depressive symptoms in elderly people - extending the empirical evidence for the cognitive vulnerability-stress hypothesis.

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Meyer, Thomas D; Gudgeon, Emma; Thomas, Alan J; Collerton, Daniel

2010-10-01

Depression is common in older people and its identification and treatment has been highlighted as one of the major challenges in an ageing world. Poor physical and cognitive health, bereavement, and prior depression are important risk factors for depression in elderly people. Attributional or cognitive style has been identified as a risk factor for depression in children, adolescents and younger adults but its relevance for depression and mood in elderly people has not been investigated in the context of other risk factors. Sixty-four older adults from an 'extra care' living scheme (aged 59-97) were recruited for a 6-week prospective study to examine the relationships between cognitive style and depressive symptoms. Regression analyses revealed that, when other risk factors were controlled for, cognitive style and its interaction with stress predicted changes in depressive symptoms, therefore partially replicating prior research. Cognitive-stress-vulnerability models also apply to elderly populations, but may be rather predictive of changes in depression when facing lower levels of stress. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Active infection with Helicobacter pylori in an asymptomatic population of middle aged to elderly people

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rothenbacher, D; Bode, G; Peschke, F

1998-01-01

The study objective was to investigate prevalence and determinants of current Helicobacter pylori infection in an asymptomatic population of middle-aged to elderly people. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 337 participants of a general education programme of the University of Ulm aged 50......-85 years. Prevalence of infection as determined by means of the [13C]urea breath test was 34.8% (95% CI 29.6-40.3%); overall, 33.8% (95% CI 23.0-46.0) in the age group 50-59 years, 32.4% (95% CI 25.4-39.9) in the age group 60-69 years and 41.0% (95% CI 30.0-52.7) in the age group 70-85 years. Duration...... subjects may not be as high as seroprevalence studies have suggested. Socioeconomic characteristics of childhood living conditions appear to be important determinants of infection status even at older age....

Prevalence of risk factors for falls among elderly people living in long-term care homes

OpenAIRE

Pradnya Dhargave, PhD; Ragupathy Sendhilkumar, MSc, MPT

2016-01-01

Background: Falls are common among the geriatric population, causing frequent morbidity and mortality. There is an increased risk of fall among older people living in long-term care homes. Identifying risk factors for falls among older people living in old-age homes can help in the care and prevention of falls in this population. Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of various risk factors for falls among older people living in long-term care homes. Methods: A total of 163 elderly men and wo...

Bio-impedance analysis for appendicular skeletal muscle mass assessment in (pre-) frail elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baar, van H.; Hulshof, P.J.M.; Tieland, C.A.B.; Groot, de C.P.G.M.

2015-01-01

Background & aims Screening populations for skeletal muscle mass (SMM) is important for early detection of sarcopenia. Our aim was to develop an age specific bio-impedance (BI) prediction equation for the assessment of appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM) in (pre-) frail elderly people aged

Socioeconomic Inequality in One-Year Mortality of Elderly People with Hip Fracture in Taiwan

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I-Lin Hsu

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Hip fracture commonly results in considerable consequences in terms of disability, mortality, long-term institutional care and cost. Taiwan launched its universal health insurance coverage in 1995, which largely removes financial barriers to health care. This study aims to investigate whether socioeconomic inequality in one-year mortality exists among Taiwanese elderly people. This population-based cohort study included 193,158 elderly patients (≥65 years admitted for hip fracture between 2000 and 2012. With over a one-year follow-up, 10.52% of the participants died from all causes. The mortality rate was low in the northern part of Taiwan and in urban and high-family-income areas. Multiple Poisson regression models further suggested that the level of >Q1–Q3 and >Q3–Max showed significantly reduced odds ratio of one-year mortality at 0.90 (95% confidence interval (CI, 0.87–0.93 and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.74–0.81, respectively, compared with that of the lowest family income level (i.e., Min.–Q1. Despite a monotonic decline in overall one-year mortality during the study period, socioeconomic inequality in one-year mortality rate remained evident. The annual percentage change in one-year mortality was higher (−2.86 in elderly people from families with high income (>Q3–Max. than that for elderly patients from family with low income (Min.–Q1, −1.94. Accessibility, rather than affordability, to health care for hip fracture is probably responsible for the observed socioeconomic inequality.

Data Management in an Intelligent Environment for Cognitive Disabled and Elderly People

Science.gov (United States)

Loniewski, Grzegorz; Ramon, Emilio Lorente; Walderhaug, Ståle; Martinez Franco, Sixto; Cubillos Esteve, Juan Jose; Marco, Eduardo Sebastian

Recently intelligent and personalized medical systems tend to be one of the most important branches of the health-care domain, playing a great role in improving the quality of life of people that want to feel safe and to be assisted not regarding the place they are. This paper presents an innovative way of data management based on a middleware platform providing services for fast and easy creation of applications dealing with the problems of taking care of patients in their homes. The work was carried out as a part of the MPOWER project, funded by the EU 6th Framework Programme, and carried out by a multinational development team. The project focuses on supporting activities of daily living and provides services for elderly and cognitive disabled, e.g. people with dementia. The MPOWER platform is designed to facilitate rapid development of a variety of applications and adopt them to specific users’ needs. The paper introduces the whole platform, its functionality and principal goals along with the architectural background of data management, focusing on the different types of data that the system has to manage and analyze. The last section concludes the work done on the project.

User-centered development and testing of a monitoring system that provides feedback regarding physical functioning to elderly people

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeulen, Joan; Neyens, Jacques CL; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke D; van Rossum, Erik; Sipers, Walther; Habets, Herbert; Hewson, David J; de Witte, Luc P

2013-01-01

Purpose To involve elderly people during the development of a mobile interface of a monitoring system that provides feedback to them regarding changes in physical functioning and to test the system in a pilot study. Methods and participants The iterative user-centered development process consisted of the following phases: (1) selection of user representatives; (2) analysis of users and their context; (3) identification of user requirements; (4) development of the interface; and (5) evaluation of the interface in the lab. Subsequently, the monitoring and feedback system was tested in a pilot study by five patients who were recruited via a geriatric outpatient clinic. Participants used a bathroom scale to monitor weight and balance, and a mobile phone to monitor physical activity on a daily basis for six weeks. Personalized feedback was provided via the interface of the mobile phone. Usability was evaluated on a scale from 1 to 7 using a modified version of the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ); higher scores indicated better usability. Interviews were conducted to gain insight into the experiences of the participants with the system. Results The developed interface uses colors, emoticons, and written and/or spoken text messages to provide daily feedback regarding (changes in) weight, balance, and physical activity. The participants rated the usability of the monitoring and feedback system with a mean score of 5.2 (standard deviation 0.90) on the modified PSSUQ. The interviews revealed that most participants liked using the system and appreciated that it signaled changes in their physical functioning. However, usability was negatively influenced by a few technical errors. Conclusion Involvement of elderly users during the development process resulted in an interface with good usability. However, the technical functioning of the monitoring system needs to be optimized before it can be used to support elderly people in their self-management. PMID

Vitamin D deficiency in elderly people in Swedish nursing homes is associated with increased mortality.

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Samefors, Maria; Östgren, Carl Johan; Mölstad, Sigvard; Lannering, Christina; Midlöv, Patrik; Tengblad, Anders

2014-05-01

Institutionalised elderly people at northern latitudes may be at elevated risk for vitamin D deficiency. In addition to osteoporosis-related disorders, vitamin D deficiency may influence several medical conditions conferring an increased mortality risk. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its association with mortality. The Study of Health and Drugs in the Elderly (SHADES) is a prospective cohort study among elderly people (>65 years) in 11 nursing homes in Sweden. We analysed the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ (25(OH)D₃) at baseline. Vital status of the subjects was ascertained and hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality according to 25(OH)D₃ quartiles were calculated. We examined 333 study participants with a mean follow-up of 3 years. A total of 147 (44%) patients died within this period. Compared with the subjects in Q4 (25(OH)D₃ >48  nmol/l), HR (with 95% CI) for mortality was 2.02 (1.31-3.12) in Q1 (25(OH)D₃ D₃ 30-37  nmol/l) (PD₃ 38-47  nmol/l) (PD₃ concentration was 40.2  nmol/l (S.D. 16.0) and 80% had 25(OH)D₃ below 50  nmol/l. The vitamin D levels decreased from baseline to the second and third measurements. Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent and associated with increased mortality among the elderly in Swedish nursing homes. Strategies are needed to prevent, and maybe treat, vitamin D deficiency in the elderly in nursing homes and the benefit of vitamin D supplementation should be evaluated in randomised clinical trials.

Does Eating Out Make Elderly People Depressed? Empirical Evidence from National Health and Nutrition Survey in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Hung-Hao; Saeliw, Kannika

2017-06-01

OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the association between eating out and depressive symptoms among elderly people. Potential mediators that may link to elderly eating out and depressive symptoms are also discussed. METHODS: A unique dataset of 1,184 individuals aged 65 and older was drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Survey in 2008 in Taiwan. A bivariate probit model and an instrumental variable probit model were estimated to account for correlated, unmeasured factors that may be associated with both the decision and frequency of eating out and depressive symptoms in the elderly. An additional analysis is conducted to check whether the nutrient intakes and body weights can be seen as mediators that link the association between eating out and depressive symptoms of the elderly. RESULTS: Elderly people who eat out are 38 percent points more likely to have depressive symptoms than their counterparts who do not eat out, after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics and other factors. A positive association between the frequency of eating out and the likelihood of having depressive symptoms of the elderly is also found. It is evident that one additional meal away from home is associated with an increase of the likelihood of being depressed by 3.8 percentage points. With respect to the mediations, we find that nutrient intakes and body weight are likely to serve as mediators for the positive relationship between eating out and depressive symptoms in the elderly. CONCLUSION: Our results show that elderly who eat out have a higher chance of having depressive symptoms. To prevent depressive symptoms in the elderly, policy makers should be aware of the relationship among psychological status, physical health and nutritional health when assisting the elderly to better manage their food consumption away from home. LIMITATONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH: Our study have some caveats. First, the interpretation of our results on the causality issue

[Risk factors for falls and survival after falling in elderly people in a community].

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Ryuichi; Takagi, Chika; Sakurai, Naoko; Hoshi, Tanji

2012-05-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the risk factors associated with falls and to examine the effects of falls on survival of elderly people in a community. A questionnaire survey was conducted in 16,462 urban elderly dwellers aged 65 years or more in City A in September 2001. A follow-up survey was carried out in September 2004. We analyzed the data of 8,285 subjects who answered both questionnaires and had not relocated by August 2007. Baseline assessments of health and functioning were carried out in 2001. Falls experienced during the 1-year period before September 2004 were recorded, and the deaths were recorded until August 2007. Statistical analysis was performed using a logistic regression model and Cox's proportional hazards analysis. A total of 6,420 subjects (3,127 men and 3,293 women) who had provided complete answers about their falls were included in the analyses. Of these, 27.8% of women and 16.4% of men had experienced falls, while 6.2% of women and 2.1% of men had experienced falls that caused fractures. We found that the likelihood of fall, with or without fracture development, was greater in women than in men (P falls tended to increase with age in both women and men. Risk factors associated with falls, in addition to age and gender, were pain (odds ratio [OR], 1.75), lack of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL; OR, 1.45), poor self-rated health status (OR, 1.42), and presence of disease (OR, 1.35). Risk factors associated with falls that caused fracture were pain (OR, 1.85) and lack of IADL (OR, 1.61). Cox's proportional hazards analysis showed a significant increase in mortality in both men and women who had experienced falls than in those who had not (hazard ratio [HR], 1.94, 1.43). Aging, pain and disease, lack of IADL, and poor self-rated health status were all significant risk factors for falls in elderly people, and a fall was related to subsequent mortality.

Quality of Life in the Elderly People Covered by Health Centers in the Urban Areas of Markazi Province, Iran

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Ali Agha nouri

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To improve quality of life in the elderly through proper plans and active involvement of elderly in their family and community, we should get a lot of information about health-related quality of life because the composition of our population has changed. Infact, the aged population is increasingly growing, that this will, in turn, have an effect on economic progression and well-being in the country. Thus, this study assessed quality of life and its determinants in the people aged 60 years and over living in the urban areas of Central Province. Methods & Materials: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic survey that included 165 elderly peoples in the urban areas of Markazi Province. Data was obtained via a general and a quality of life (using SF-36 questionnaire. The results were analyzed by Chi-Square, Fisher, independent T-test, ANOVA, Regression, and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: The average age of the subjects was 70.7 years (men 44.8% and women 55.2%. The mean of total SF-36, physical and mental components' scores were 55.66±22, 51.32±21 and 57.30±25 respectively. Additionally, the mean scores of eight health-related dimensions were as follows: physical functions 56.26±45, role limitations due to physical problems 50.60±27, body pain 51.26±38, general health 45.26±53, vitality 53.24±09, social functioning 67.85±27, role limitations due to mental problems 57.14±45 and mental health 62.88±25. Also, the quality of life scores were significantly associated with sex, previous employment, leisure activities, income, current exercising, present disease and drug consumption (P<0.05. Conclusion: Results showed that the elderly's quality of life in the urban areas in Markazi province is in the middle level and the individuals have better mental health compared to physical health. Moreover, various factors are associated with the elderly’s quality of life, which require comprehensive planning for

Circumstances and consequences of falls in elderly people with vestibular disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Gazzola, Juliana Maria; Ganança, Fernando Freitas; Aratani, Mayra Cristina; Perracini, Monica Rodrigues; Ganança, Maurício Malavasi

2006-01-01

To investigate the circumstances and consequences of falls in the chronically dizzy elderly and to correlate them with the number of falls (one/two and more). Transversal descriptive analytic study with 64 patients aged 65 or over, with history of falls and diagnostic of chronic vestibular dysfunction. We performed a descriptive analysis and Chi-Square test (x2vertigo (43.8%) and metabolic inner ear disease (42.2%). Recurrent falls were seen in 35 elderly (53.1%). In relation to the last fall, 39.1% of the patients had fallen in their homes, 51.6% of them occurred during the morning, 51.6% with some propulsion mechanism, 53.1% when walking, 25.0% caused by dizziness and 23.4% by stumbling. Activity restriction was significantly greater in patients that have already had two and more falls, when compared with those who had fallen only once (p=0.031). We found a significant association between the number of falls and their causes (p<0.001). Falls that have happened by slipping were more frequent in the elderly that reported one fall (p=0.0265) and falls that had happened because of dizziness were more frequent in the elderly that complained of two or more falls (p=0.0012). Fear and tendency to fall are referred by the majority of chronically dizzy elderly. Fall are more frequent in the morning, in the home and during walking. The propulsion direction is mentioned by half of the elderly and the most common cause for falls are dizziness and stumbling. The number of falls is significantly associated with activity restrictions after the last fall and with the causes for falling (slipping and dizziness).

Cognitive functioning in elderly people and the influence of the socio-educative variables - Results from the ELES Study

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Mª Feli González

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Cognitive functioning changes in elderly people. The degree of decline varies across different cognitive abilities and other variables, such as educational level and life-time professional activity, can slow down this process. This study investigates the pattern of cognitive performance in people over 50 years old, taking into account the influence of educational level and profession. Research data were collected during the pilot study of the Longitudinal Aging Study in Spain (ELES in which a representative sample of non-institutionalized Spanish older people was assessed. The following cognitive variables were evaluated: general cognitive functioning, verbal memory, working memory span, visuomotor speed, and language. Differences were found in all cognitive variables in the different age groups, and according to educational level and profession. These differences remained after controlling for the age variable. Population studies provide a global perspective of cognitive performance in older people and help to identify the role of the different associated factors.

Impact of Blunted Perception of Dyspnea on Medical Care Use and Expenditure, and Mortality in Elderly People

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Satoru eEbihara

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Dyspnea is an alarming symptom responsible for millions of patient visits each year. Poor perception of dyspnea might be reasonably attributed to an inappropriately low level of fear and inadequate earlier medical treatment for both patients and physicians, resulting in subsequent intensive care. This study was conducted to evaluate medical care use and cost, and mortality according to the perception of dyspnea in community-dwelling elderly people. We analyzed baseline data from a community-based Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA in 2002. The perception of dyspnea in 479 Japanese community-dwelling elderly people with normal lung function was measured in August 2002. The sensation of dyspnea during breathing with a linear inspiratory resistance of 10, 20 and 30 cmH2O/L/s was rated using the Borg scale. According to the perception of dyspnea, we divided the elderly into tertiles and compared all hospitalizations, out-patient visits, costs and death through computerized linkage with National Health Insurance (NHI beneficiaries claims history files between August 2002 and March 2008. In-patient hospitalization days and medical care costs significantly increased with the blunted perception of dyspnea, resulting in an increase in total medical-costs with blunted perception of dyspnea. With low perception group as reference, the hazard ratios of all cause mortality were 0.65 (95%CI 0.23-1.89 for intermediate perception group and 0.31(0.10-0.97 for high perception group, indicating the mortality rate also significantly increased with the blunted perception of dyspnea after multivariates adjustment (p=0.04. The blunted perception of dyspnea is related to hospitalization, large medical costs and all-cause mortality in community-dwelling elderly people. These findings provide a rational for preventing serious illness with careful monitoring of objective conditions in the elderly.

A Robot-Based Tool for Physical and Cognitive Rehabilitation of Elderly People Using Biofeedback

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Samaniego, Leire; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya

2016-01-01

This publication presents a complete description of a technological solution system for the physical and cognitive rehabilitation of elderly people through a biofeedback system, which is combined with a Lego robot. The technology used was the iOS’s (iPhone Operating System) Objective-C programming language and its XCode programming environment; and SQLite in order to create the database. The biofeedback system is implemented by the use of two biosensors which are, in fact, a Microsoft band 2 in order to register the user’s heart rate and a MYO sensor to detect the user’s arm movement. Finally, the system was tested with seven elderly people from La Santa y Real Casa de la Misericordia nursing home in Bilbao. The statistical assessment has shown that the users are satisfied with the usability of the system, with a mean score of 79.29 on the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. PMID:27886146

Internet-based remote counseling to support stress management: preventing interruptions to regular exercise in elderly people

Science.gov (United States)

Hashimoto, Sayuri; Munakata, Tsunestugu; Hashimoto, Nobuyuki; Okunaka, Jyunzo; Koga, Tatsuzo

2006-01-01

Our research showed that a high degree of life-stress has a negative mental health effect that may interrupt regular exercise. We used an internet based, remotely conducted, face to face, preventive counseling program using video monitors to reduce the source of life-stresses that interrupts regular exercise and evaluated the preventative effects of the program in elderly people. NTSC Video signals were converted to the IP protocol and facial images were transmitted to a PC display using the exclusive optical network lines of JGN2. Participants were 22 elderly people in Hokkaido, Japan, who regularly played table tennis. A survey was conducted before the intervention in August 2003. IT remote counseling was conducted on two occasions for one hour on each occasion. A post intervention survey was conducted in February 2004 and a follow-up survey was conducted in March 2005. Network quality was satisfactory with little data loss and high display quality. Results indicated that self-esteem increased significantly, trait anxiety decreased significantly, cognition of emotional support by people other than family members had a tendency to increase, and source of stress had a tendency to decrease after the intervention. Follow-up results indicated that cognition of emotional support by family increased significantly, and interpersonal dependency decreased significantly compared to before the intervention. These results suggest that face to face IT remote counseling using video monitors is useful to keep elderly people from feeling anxious and to make them confident to continue exercising regularly. Moreover, it has a stress management effect.

Forecasting the wellness of elderly through SNMS

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Wu, Yuan; Li, Lingling; Ma, Chao; Li, Lian; Huang, Bingqing; Liu, Li

2017-03-01

Accurate and timely information collection is important for physicians to provide prompt and appropriate treatment for patients. In this paper, a smart nursing home monitoring system which can predict the health conditions of the elderly people who live in the nursing home is presented. A framework integrating temporal and spatial contextual information for evaluating the wellness of an elderly has been modeled. A novel activity detection process based on the location information collects by the RFID technology in performing essential daily activities has been designed and developed. A BP neural network is trained using the activity information of the elderly live in the nursing home, wellness models are tested and the results are encouraging.

Relationship between oral health, nutrient intake and nutritional status in a sample of Brazilian elderly people.

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de Andrade, Fabiola Bof; de França Caldas, Arnaldo; Kitoko, Pedro Makumbundu

2009-03-01

To evaluate the relationship between the oral health condition, the nutrient intake and the body mass index (BMI) in elderly people. Impaired dentition has been associated with an inadequate consumption of key nutrients and with changes in nutritional status in elderly people. The sample comprised 887 elderly people, aged 60 and over, of whom 816 underwent a clinical oral examination and were allocated into groups according to the numbers of teeth and number of posterior occluding pairs of natural teeth. Nutritional status was determined using the BMI. Dietary intake was assessed by a 24-h diet recall interview and the data from these records were converted to nutritional intake using DietPro software. Differences between means were evaluated using ANOVA, together with the Tukey test or Dunnet test, according to the normality of the data. Associations between categorical variables were tested using chi-square analysis. Ages ranged from 60 to 96 years (mean, 71.46 years), with 47% of the respondents in the 60-to 69-year-old group. A high DMFT index (mean, 27.81) was observed with the missing component accounting for 88.8% of the index. Significant differences were observed between the mean intake of nutrients and the number of posterior occluding pairs of natural teeth (p oral health status as defined by clinical measures.

A Mobile Game for the Social and Cognitive Well-Being of Elderly People in China.

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Li, Nan; Chen, Weiqin

2017-01-01

China, like many other countries, is facing the challenges of an ageing population. Literature has shown that the lack of social interaction has a negative impact on the physical health of the elderly, and playing games can be beneficial in maintaining or even improving their cognitive abilities. This study describes the design and development process for a social and cognitive mobile game and the related user evaluation in terms of well-being. The objective is to explore the underlying connections between game playing and the improvement of well-being among elderly people in China.

[Lifestyle of elderly patients with diabetes mellitus].

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Fukuoka, Yuki; Yamada, Yuichiro

2013-11-01

In elderly people, glucose tolerance is deteriorated and the incidence of diabetes mellitus is increased, due to decreased muscle mass and physical activity, declining pancreatic beta cell function, and other factors. Diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for arteriosclerosis development in the elderly. Precise diagnosis and adequate treatment are necessary to prevent cerebrovascular and ischemic heart diseases. Elderly patients with diabetes mellitus are characteristically afflicted with more complications, impaired activities of daily living, cognitive function decline, and family environment problems, as compared with young and middle-aged diabetics. Therefore, tailor-made rather than uniform therapy becomes important. Lifestyle modification is the basis of diabetes treatment. Herein, we describe "prevention and management" of diabetes mellitus, focusing on the lifestyles of elderly diabetics.

Euthanasia: would elderly people from socio-economic classes D/E perform it or allow it on their relatives?

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Diego Fraga Rezende

2014-11-01

Full Text Available 75 opinions from elderly people of low socioeconomic classes living in a specific community were investigated, about whether they would allow euthanasia to be performed on family members. 77.3% wouldn't perform euthanasia. Regarding permission to a physician, the following responded with negatives: 78.7% against the active form, 68% against the passive, and 62.7% against double effect. The contrary arguments were: religious issues, belief in destiny, hope of healing, don't want to take responsibility and guilty conscience.  

BARRIERS TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE ELDERLY

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Paulo Matias

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The population awareness of the physical exercise’s benefits is widely diffused. These benefits are particularly important in the elderly because, with increasing age, there is a decline of the musculoskeletal system and the maximum oxygen consumption which reduces the functional fitness of the elderly and can often lead to a significant decline in the quality of life. Despite this awareness, a large part of the population remains sedentary. It is important to know what the barriers are, so they can be circumvented in order to increase the engagement of the elderly population in existing physical activity programs.Objectives: This study aims to identify some of the personal, behavioral and environmental barriers that prevent older adults to be physically active.

A model for abnormal activity recognition and alert generation system for elderly care by hidden conditional random fields using R-transform and generalized discriminant analysis features.

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Khan, Zafar Ali; Sohn, Won

2012-10-01

The growing population of elderly people living alone increases the need for automatic healthcare monitoring systems for elderly care. Automatic vision sensor-based systems are increasingly used for human activity recognition (HAR) in recent years. This study presents an improved model, tested using actors, of a sensor-based HAR system to recognize daily life activities of elderly people at home and generate an alert in case of abnormal HAR. Datasets consisting of six abnormal activities (falling backward, falling forward, falling rightward, falling leftward, chest pain, and fainting) and four normal activities (walking, rushing, sitting down, and standing up) are generated from different view angles (90°, -90°, 45°, -45°). Feature extraction and dimensions reduction are performed by R-transform followed by generalized discriminant analysis (GDA) methods. R-transform extracts symmetric, scale, and translation-invariant features from the sequences of activities. GDA increases the discrimination between different classes of highly similar activities. Silhouette sequences are quantified by the Linde-Buzo-Gray algorithm and recognized by hidden conditional random fields. Experimental results provide an average recognition rate of 94.2% for abnormal activities and 92.7% for normal activities. The recognition rate for the highly similar activities from different view angles shows the flexibility and efficacy of the proposed abnormal HAR and alert generation system for elderly care.

[Relation between physical activity, muscle function and IGF-1, testosterone and DHEAS concentrations in the elderly].

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Bonnefoy, M; Patricot, M C; Lacour, J R; Rahmani, A; Berthouze, S; Kostka, T

2002-10-01

Lower amounts of circulating anabolic hormones are thought to accelerate the age related decline in muscle mass and function. Replacement therapies are promising interventions but there are problems with these therapies. Thus alternative strategies should be developed. The age related changes in hormonal status may be probably influenced by exercise. The purpose of this study was: a) to confirm with other methods, more adapted for elderly people, the results of a previous study that has shown relationship between physical activity (PA) and quadriceps muscle function with dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Quadriceps muscle power (Pmax) is measured in this new work with a recently developed leg extensor machine and, b) to complete the results of the first study examining simultaneously the relationship between PA, Pmax and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max) with DHEAS, IGF-1 and testosterone in a group of healthy elderly people. Fifty independent, community dwelling elderly subjects (25 mens and 25 womens) aged from 66 to 84 volunteered to participate in the study. PA was evaluated by the questionnaire and expressed using two activity indices: mean habitual daily energy expenditure (MHDEE) and the daily energy expenditure corresponding to leisure time sports activities (Sports Activity). Pmax and optimal shortening velocity (vopt) were measured on a Ergopower dynamometer. The Pmax was expressed relative to body mass, Pmax/kg (W kg-1), and relative to the mass of the two quadriceps muscles, Pmax/Quadr (W.kgQuadr-1). VO2max has been measured during a maximal treadmill exercise. In women, IGF-1 correlated significantly with MHDEE (r = 0.54, P = 0.004), Pmax/kg (r = 0.54, P = 0.004) and Pmax/Quadr (r = 0.46, P = 0.02), whereas DHEAS with MHDEE (r = 0.54, P = 0.004), Sports Activity (r = 0.65, P < 0.001), VO2max (r = 0.46, P = 0.02), Pmax/kg (r = 0.46, P = 0.02) and Pmax/Quadr (r = 0.55, P = 0.004). No such correlation was

Health Related Quality of Life and Its Socio-Demographic Determinants among Iranian Elderly People: a Population Based Cross-Sectional Study

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Karimollah Hajian-Tilaki

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In the stage of demographic transition, the rate of elderly is increasing and their health condition is a matter of concern. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the health related quality of life (QoL and the associated socio-demographic determinants among Iranian elderly people. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with a representative samples of 750 elderly people whom community dwelling in urban area of Babol, in the north of Iran. In a household survey, the demographic data were collected and the health related QoL was assessed with a validated standard short form questionnaire (SF-36. The multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the demographic characteristics in predicting QoL using SPSS ver 13. Results: The overall mean (SD scores of QoL was 62.4(17.2 for men and 51.2 (17.9 for women. The mean scores of QoL in all dimensions in men had significantly higher than women. The adjusted regression coefficient of gender, age, educational level, being couple were significant on overall scores of QoL. Aging is inversely associated while male gender and education at high school or higher and being couple are positively associated in prediction of overall scores of QoL. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the health related QoL is rather poor in old people particular in women, elderly with low education level and being single. Therefore, healthcare policy makers should consider an urgent health interventional program among elderly people at present stage of demographic transition with emphasis on high risk demographic profiles.

The effects of backward adjustable thoracic support in wheelchair on spinal curvature and back muscle activation for elderly people.

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Chun-Ting Li

Full Text Available To investigate the effects of backward adjustable thoracic support on spinal curvature and back muscle activation during wheelchair sitting.Twenty elderly people were recruited for this study. The backward adjustable thoracic support sitting posture was compared with the slumped, normal, and lumbar support sitting postures. Spinal curvatures (pelvic, lumbar, and thoracic angles and muscle activations of 4 back muscles on both sides (maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the lumbar multifidus, lumbar erector spinae, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, and thoracic erector spinae at T9 were measured and compared between the different sitting postures using one-way analysis of variance with repeated measures.The backward adjustable thoracic support sitting posture showed a relatively neutral pelvic tilt (-0.32±4.80° when compared with the slumped (22.84±5.27° and lumbar support (-8.97±3.31° sitting postures (P<0.001, and showed relatively higher lumbar lordosis (-23.38±6.50° when compared with the slumped (14.77±7.83°, normal (0.44±7.47°, and lumbar support (-16.76±4.77° sitting postures (P<0.05. It also showed relatively lower back muscle activity when compared with the normal and lumbar support sitting postures (P<0.05.The backward adjustable thoracic support sitting concept was suggested because it maintains a more neutral pelvic tilt, higher lumbar lordosis, and lower back muscle activation, which may help maintain a better sitting posture and reduce the risk of back pain.

Balancing struggles with desired results in everyday activities: strategies for elderly persons with physical disabilities.

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Bontje, Peter; Asaba, Eric; Josephsson, Staffan

2016-03-01

The number of elderly persons with disabilities needing support with everyday activities increasing in Japan and around the world. Yet, engagement in everyday activities can support the quality of their daily life. Despite research focusing on reported meanings of people's actions, there is still limited knowledge on how engagement in everyday activity is enacted along with the meanings of persons' actions. The aim of the present study was to identify meanings of persons' actions within everyday activities of elderly Japanese with physical disabilities. Five elderly persons with physical disabilities living in the community participated in this study. Data were gathered by 10 participant observations of everyday activities supplemented with 13 unstructured interviews. Narrative analysis was used to identify meanings of persons' actions. The analysis identified an overall plot termed 'balancing struggles with desired results'. This plot illustrated that participants' and other involved individuals balanced problematic situations with finding situations that accommodated their needs. Meanings of these actions were further identified as three complementary strategies. Two of three strategies aimed to mitigate given problems, one by 'acting on a plan to achieve one's goals', the other by 'taking a step in a preferred direction by capitalising on emerging opportunities'. The third strategy focused on avoiding undesirable experiences by 'modifying problematic situations'. In conclusion, these findings call for care and rehabilitation providers' sensitivity to shifting foci of what matters in daily life's situations as well as aligning with persons' skills, resources and perspectives. Accordingly, the judicious and flexible use of these complementary strategies can enhance elderly persons' quality of daily living through everyday activities. © 2015 Nordic College of Caring Science.

[Static posturography versus clinical tests in elderly people with vestibular pathology].

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Ortuño-Cortés, Miguel A; Martín-Sanz, Eduardo; Barona-de Guzmán, Rafael

2008-01-01

Balance can be quantified by clinical tests and through instrumental studies. The objective of this paper is to determine the correlation between static posturography and 4 clinical tests of balance in elderly people with vestibular disorders and to identify its capability to discriminate the groups studied. 60 patients with vestibular disorders and 60 healthy subjects performed 4 clinical tests (one leg standing with opened eyes, Timed Up and Go, Tinetti and Berg tests) and a static posturography analysis (NedSVE/IBV system) under 4 conditions: Romberg Test, Eyes Open (REO), Romberg Test, Eyes Closed (REC), Romberg Test on Foam with Eyes Open (RFEO), and Romberg Test on Foam with Eyes Closed (RFEC). RFEO correlated best with the clinical tests and RFEC was the worst. RFEO distinguished between healthy individuals and decompensated patients. RFEO gave the best information about postural balance in the elderly. RFEC was not useful. Static posturography can be useful to distinguish vestibular compensation status.

Increasing prevalence and high incidence of celiac disease in elderly people: a population-based study.

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Vilppula, Anitta; Kaukinen, Katri; Luostarinen, Liisa; Krekelä, Ilkka; Patrikainen, Heikki; Valve, Raisa; Mäki, Markku; Collin, Pekka

2009-06-29

Celiac disease may emerge at any age, but little is known of its appearance in elderly people. We evaluated the prevalence of the condition in individuals over 55 years of age, and determined the incidence of biopsy-proven celiac disease (CDb) and celiac disease including seropositive subjects for anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (CDb+s). The study based on prevalence figures in 2815 randomly selected subjects who had undergone a clinical examination and serologic screening for celiac disease in 2002. A second screening in the same population was carried out in 2005, comprising now 2216 individuals. Positive tissue transglutaminase antibodies were confirmed with small bowel biopsy. Within three years the prevalence of CDb increased from 2.13 to 2.34%, and that of CDb+s from 2.45 to 2.70%. Five new cases were found among patients previously seronegative; two had minor abdominal symptoms and three were asymptomatic. The incidence of celiac disease in 2002-2005 was 0.23%, giving an annual incidence of 0.08% in this population. The prevalence of celiac disease was high in elderly people, but the symptoms were subtle. Repeated screening detected five biopsy-proven cases in three years, indicating that the disorder may develop even in the elderly. Increased alertness to the disorder is therefore warranted.

Sexual knowledge, attitudes and activity of older people in Taipei, Taiwan.

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Wang, Tze-Fang; Lu, Chwen-Hwa; Chen, I-Ju; Yu, Shu

2008-02-01

We examined sexual activity and predictive factors among older people in Taipei, Taiwan. We aimed to characterize the older population engaged in sexual activity and determine influencing factors, exploring aspects of sexuality that may influence elders' health and quality of life (QOL). Studies of sexual attitudes and behaviour have found that sexual difficulties are common among mature adults worldwide, influenced in men and women by physical health, ageing, psychosocial and cultural factors. We conducted a community-based retrospective study involving a random sample of 412 men and 204 women over age 65. A questionnaire on demographics and social situations was administered, along with a Sexuality Knowledge and Attitudes Scale; 34 questions evaluated sexual knowledge and 18 evaluated sexual attitudes. Two-hundred and twenty participants were sexually active (35.7%), 185 mainly with spouses (84.1%); frequency was 21.4 (SD 16.9) times per year (range: 1-120). Multiple logistic regressions identified five significant predictors of sexual activity: gender, age, being with spouse, sexual knowledge and sexual attitudes. Sexual activity was significantly associated with higher education levels, lower stress and more self-reported daily activities. Our results agreed with Western studies linking sexual activity with better health and higher QOL in older adults. Older peoples' stress and daily activity levels are recognized quality-of-life measures; lower stress and more daily activities among sexually active older people suggests a connection between sexual activity and higher QOL. Increasing knowledge and improving attitudes about sexuality may help older people build healthier relationships and enhance health and QOL. Relevance to clinical practice. If healthcare professionals possess greater understanding of older peoples' sexuality, healthcare systems may find ways to increase sexual knowledge and foster healthier attitudes and relationships to improve older peoples

ARTISTIC ACTIVITY AMONG THE ELDERLY AS A FORM OF LIFELONG LEARNING, BASED UPON THE OPINIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WROCŁAW’S UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE HANDICRAFT GROUP MEMBERS

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Beata Działa

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the topic of creativity and artistic activity among elderly people in the context of claims related to the idea of lifelong learning. It discusses the phenomenon of creativity and how senior citizens can benefit from it. The artistic activity of people in the age of late adulthood is also discussed in that context. In the last part of the text, theoretical claims are collated with what the artistic groups’ elderly members themselves said during a focus group interview

Difference in adherence to and influencing factors of a healthy lifestyle between middle-aged and elderly people in Korea: A multilevel analysis.

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Son, Ki Young; Park, Sang Min; Lee, Juhyun; Kim, Chang Yup

2015-06-01

Comprehensive research for factors related to healthy lifestyles of the elderly is limited. The present study aimed to elucidate the factors associated with adherence to a healthy lifestyle by age groups. The present study was based on data from the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We calculated crude proportions and adjusted proportions of cigarette smokers, problem alcohol drinkers, and physically inactive people in two age groups (40-59 years and ≥60 years). We carried out multilevel analysis to elucidate factors associated with healthy lifestyles. Of 3194 respondents included in the analysis, 1154 (36.13%) were aged 60 years or older. Older participants smoked less (23.0% vs 17.4%) and exercised less frequently (52.4% vs 66.9%; all P elderly (OR 1.037, 95% CI 1.005-1.070). Different factors were associated with healthy lifestyles of elderly people when compared with middle-aged people. In addition, local tax per capita, an area level variable, was more likely to be associated with smoking in the elderly than the middle-aged group. © 2014 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Elderly Care Centre

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Wagiman, Aliani; Haja Bava Mohidin, Hazrina; Ismail, Alice Sabrina

2016-02-01

The demand for elderly centre has increased tremendously abreast with the world demographic change as the number of senior citizens rose in the 21st century. This has become one of the most crucial problems of today's era. As the world progress into modernity, more and more people are occupied with daily work causing the senior citizens to lose the care that they actually need. This paper seeks to elucidate the best possible design of an elderly care centre with new approach in order to provide the best service for them by analysing their needs and suitable activities that could elevate their quality of life. All these findings will then be incorporated into design solutions so as to enhance the living environment for the elderly especially in Malaysian context.

The Relation of Personality Traits Wth Depression Severity in Active and Non-Active Elderly Women in Tehran City

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Mohammad Ali Aslankhani

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation of personality traits with depression in active and non – active elderly women in Tehran city. Methods & Materials: The present research is descriptive–correlation. For this purpose, 188 elderly women (94 active and 94 non - active elders in the age range of 63-82 in Tehran city availably selected as statistical sample. Measurement instrument were demographic questionnaire, Beck depression questionnaire and NEO personality traits questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistic (mean and standard deviation and inferential statistic (independent t test, Pearson correlation and Enter multi variant Regression. Results: Results showed that there was significant difference in personality traits and depression between active women with non-active women elders (P<0.05. Also, the result showed that significant correlation between depression score on neuroticism, extroversion, openness and conscientiousness in active women elders and conscientiousness and openness in non-active women elders (P<0.05. The results of multi variant regression also indicated that openness and extroversion variants in active elders and conscientiousness variant in non-active elders have linear relationship with criteria variant (depression and can predict its changes. Conclusion: Based on results of present research, sport and physical activity can be afforded the increase of positive personality traits (for example extroversion and openness and decrease of depression in women elders.

Validation of the Goal Content for Exercise Questionnaire (GCEQ for a sample of elderly Portuguese people

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Raul Antunes

2017-06-01

Full Text Available According Sebire, Standage and Vansteenkiste (2008, goals contents (motives are the major drivers of behavior, giving rise to the goal content theory, which is in the basis of Goal Content for Exercise Questionnaire (GCEQ: Sebire et al., 2008 development. So, the main goal of present study was to conduct the validation of GCEQ for a sample of Portuguese elderly (n = 311, with equal or higher ages than 60 years old (M = 68.53; DP = 6.69. The main results show us that CGEQ measurement model (5 factors, 20 items only present adequate fit to data after the elimination of 3 items: S-Bχ²=219.9, df=109, p=.001, SRMR=.049, TLI=.916, CFI=.934, RMSEA=.057, RMSEA 90% CI=.046-.068, PCFI=.747. Besides that, the 5 factors show us acceptable values of composite reliability: between .76 and .88. Those findings allow us to conclude that GCEQ with 5 factors and 17 items can be used to measure goal content in a population of elderly Portuguese people in physical activity domain.

Effects of experience-based group therapy on cognitive and physical functions and psychological symptoms of elderly people with mild dementia

OpenAIRE

Kim, Hwan-hee

2015-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of experience-based group therapy consisting of cooking and physical activities for elderly people with mild dementia on their cognitive and physical function, as well as on their psychological symptoms. [Subjects] The subjects of this study were 12 older adults with mild dementia (3 males, 9 females; 76.75 ? 3.61?years) who voluntarily consented to participate in the study. [Methods] In total, 12 subjects received experience-b...

Balance control in elderly people with osteoporosis

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Wei-Li Hsu

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Osteoporosis is a prevalent health concern among older adults and is associated with an increased risk of falls that incur fracture, injury, or mortality. Identifying the risk factors of falls within this population is essential for the development of effective regimes for fall prevention. Studies have shown that muscle quality and good posture alignments are critical for balance control in elderly individuals. People with osteoporosis often have muscle weakness and increased spine kyphosis leading to vertebral fractures and poor balance control, or even falls. Therefore, improving muscle quality, strengthening weak muscles, and correcting postural alignment are essential elements for the prevention of falls and fractures in older adults with osteoporosis. This review reports the necessary information regarding the critical factors of balance control in older adults with osteoporosis, as well as testing the clinical innovations of exercise training to improve the long-term prognosis of osteoporosis in this vulnerable population.

The use of Nintendo Wii as therapeutic resource for elderly: an activity analysis from the Occupational Therapy perspective

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Veronica Bueno de Moraes

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Intervention through gametherapy is applied to Occupational Therapy domains in different practical contexts. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the videogame Nintendo Wii, with a view to its use as a therapeutic activity for elderly population. Method: 15 mini-games in Wii Party were selected based on criteria of execution time and the activity level of complexity, for the feasibility of use with the elderly. The analysis was based on the theoretical framework adopted by the American Association of Occupational Therapy, and consists of seven steps: I activity identification; II time and sequencing; III social demands, objects and space; IV body functions required; V body structures required; VI required actions, VII skill performance; analysis for intervention. Results: indications of possibilities related to cognitive functions and specific skills were identified, evidencing thus, the game potential for use with older people who have cognitive functions problems. It is also considered the importance of monitoring user behavior, proposing a form for monitoring and evaluation of their performance in the activity. Conclusion: This study provides indicators for the systematic monitoring of Nintendo Wii videogame games use as an intervention activity of occupational therapy, contributing to clinical practice in the care of the elderly population and its consequences in the formation of occupational therapist and research in the elderly health.

Lifestyle and lifestyle-related comorbidities independently associated with colorectal adenoma recurrence in elderly Chinese people

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Saiken A

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Adake Saiken, Fang Gu Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the lifestyle and lifestyle-related comorbidities independently associated with colorectal adenoma (CRA recurrence in elderly Chinese people. Methods: During the 5-year follow-up after the initial colonoscopy, participants aged >60 years with the diagnosis and removal of CRA underwent a complete surveillance colonoscopy, and 152 participants with CRA recurrence plus 152 participants free of recurrence were included in this analysis. Results: Participants with CRA recurrence were more likely to consume less vegetables and fruits, and more red meats compared with the control group (P<0.05 for all. Lifestyle-related comorbidities, including hypertension and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, were more common in participants with CRA recurrence than in the control group (P<0.05 for all. In the multivariate analysis, pack-years of smoking were independently associated with an increased CRA recurrence (odds ratio [OR]: 1.03; P<0.05. Eating less vegetables (OR: 099; P<0.05 and fruits (OR: 0.98; P<0.05 was identified as a statistically independent factor influencing CRA recurrence, as was eating more red meats (OR: 1.01; P<0.05. Hypertension was also found to be a factor independently associated with an increased CRA recurrence (OR: 2.44; P<0.05. NAFLD had an independent association, with an increased CRA recurrence (OR: 3.43; P<0.05. Conclusion: Smoking cigarettes, high consumption of red meats, low intake of fruits and vegetables, and the presence of hypertension and NAFLD were independently associated with an increased CRA recurrence in elderly Chinese people. This conclusion helps elderly Chinese people to make effective behavioral changes, such as smoking cessation, substitution of fruits and vegetables for red meats, and timely treatment of hypertension and NAFLD

Elderly People and Their Family Care Explanation of Their Experience From Age–Friendly City of Tabriz

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Fariba Sadeghi

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The world is aging. Elderly population of the cities increased from 45% in 1975 to 57% in 1995. WHO reported that the percentage of elderly population in the years 2006 and 2050 has the following: Africa (6%, 9%, Asia (9%, 24%, Europe (21%, 34%, Latin America and the Caribbean (9%, 24 %, North America (17%, 27%, Pacific (14%, 25% respectively. In 1995, the population over 60 years in Iran was 6.6% of the total population. In 1999, this figure reached 7.8% and will be 10.3% in 2021. One necessary need of elderly people having a healthy environment and for providing this need in the world, many studies have been done. WHO is named this year (2011 "urbanization and health" and during an international project titled "Age-friendly cities" has clear priorities. Methods & Materials: There were a few reports on seniors in Iran, so this research was conducted based on elderly and their caregivers. Qualitative research method was used. Based on "purposeful sampling" method elderly people over 60 years were selected in two Shahid Montazeri and Shahid Monem Pour health centers of Tabriz. They arranged in eight-person groups and characteristics of age-friendly cities by the operator discuss proposed and the obtained comments of focus group discussions and recorded and wrote down line by line. The information analyzed as a "content analysis" and results were extracted. Results: The participants comments of Shahid Montazeri focus group discussion were as follows: the most common complaints were about sewer rats and non-existence of moral Security in the park, the second, leading cause of poor neighborhoods and parking lights on, the third was: trees are in front of lights. They said, "Station location is inappropriate and the toilet seat in the park does not exist". Comments of seniors in Zafaranieh health centers were as follows: Most complain were about of sewer rats, stray dogs, the lack of shelter in bus station-a bad positions of bus station

Improving coordination of care centers for the elderly through IT support

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Andreas Kaas; Lauridsen, Frederik Vahr Bjarnø; Manea, Vlad

2015-01-01

In Denmark, care of elderly people involves numerous and relatively autonomous care providers, including care centers, activity centers, physiotherapists, doctors, and other specialists. However, due to a poor coordination of activities, many elderly experience a lack of continuity of care, misse...... the disruptions in the existing routines, minimize the inherent articulation work, and coherently unify their coordination mechanisms....

Short-term effects of glucose and sucrose on cognitive performance and mood in elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zwaluw, N.L. van der; Rest, O. van de; Kessels, R.P.C.; Groot, C.P.G.M. de

2014-01-01

In this study we determined the short-term effects of a glucose drink and a sucrose drink compared to a placebo on cognitive performance and mood in elderly people with subjective, mild memory complaints using a randomized crossover study design. In total, 43 nondiabetic older adults with

Assessment of the Relationship between Spiritual and Social Health and the Self-Care Ability of Elderly People Referred to Community Health Centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadi, Mahboobeh; Alavi, Mousa; Bahrami, Masoud; Zandieh, Zahra

2017-01-01

Promotion of self-care ability among older people is an essential means to help maintain and improve their health. However, the role of spiritual and social health has not yet been considered in detail in the context of self-care ability among elderly. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between spiritual and social health and self-care ability of older people referred to community health centers in Isfahan. In this cross-sectional correlation study, 200 people, aged 60 years and older, referred to healthcare centers in 2016 were recruited through convenience sampling method. Data were collected by four-part tool comprising of: (a) demographics, (b) Ellison and Palotzin's spiritual well-being scale, (c) Kees's "social health" scale, and (d) self-care ability scale for the elderly by Soderhamn's; data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential (independent t -test, analysis of variance - ANOVA, Pearson's coefficient tests, and multiple regression analysis) statistics by SPSS16 software. Findings showed that the entered predictor variables were accounted for 41% of total variance ( R 2 ) of the two self-care ability in the model ( p well-being and social health, significantly predicted the self-care ability of older people. The results of this study emphasized on the relationship between spiritual and social health of the elderly people and their ability to self-care. Therefore, it would be recommended to keep the focus of the service resources towards improving social and spiritual health to improve self-care ability in elderly people.

Real-time monitoring system for elderly people in detecting falling movement using accelerometer and gyroscope

Science.gov (United States)

Siregar, B.; Andayani, U.; Bahri, R. P.; Seniman; Fahmi, F.

2018-03-01

Most of the elderly people is experiencing a decrease in physical quality, especially the weakness in the legs. This will cause elderly easy to fall and can have a serious impact on their health if not getting help very quickly. It is, therefore, necessary to take immediate action against the falling cases experienced by the elderly. One such action is by developing supervision and detecting of falling movements in real-time, which is then the connection to a member of the family. In this research, we used Arduino Uno as a microcontroller, sensor accelerometer, and gyroscope that serves to measure falling movement of the elderly person and supported by GPS technology Ublox Neo 6M to provide information about coordinates. The result was the high accuracy of delivering notification data to server and accuracy of data delivery to family notification equal to 93,75%. The system successfully detects the direction of falling: forward, backward, left or right and able to distinguish between unintentional falling and conscious falling like a bow or prostrate position.

Beneficios psicológicos de un programa proactivo de ejercicio físico para personas mayores (Psychological benefits of a proactive physical exercise program for elderly people

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Roberto Silva Piñeiro

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Many studies have addressed the benefits of physical activity in elderly people. However, the physical activity models followed have not always taken into account the role of active articipation. In general, these models have been mainly influenced by directive methodologies and emphasise physical training; these aspects offer greater group control and less organizational effort. The main aim of this study was to compare two physical activity programs for elderly people and determine their effect on mood, self- esteem, and enjoyment with physical activity. The study participants were 72 women between 55 years and 70 years (M = 64.10; DT = 9.40 from the municipalities of Arousa Norte (Galicia, Spain. The results show that the supervised exercise programs benefitted the participants’ psychological health, which differed according to the type of program. Thus, a unique physical exercise model cannot be endorsed in adulthood, because the role of the participants and the way they interact within exercise programs varies, leading to differing effects on health and therefore on everyday life. New multidimensional proposals should be developed that combine physical, mental, and social aspects within a movement-based approach.

Delirium in elderly people: a review

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Sónia eMartins

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The present review aims to highlight this intricate syndrome, regarding diagnosis, pathophysiology, etiology, prevention and management in elderly people. The diagnosis of delirium is based on clinical observations, cognitive assessment, detailed family history, physical and neurological examination. Clinically, delirium occurs in hyperactive, hypoactive or mixed forms, based on psychomotor behaviour. As an acute confusional state, it is characterized by a rapid onset of symptoms, fluctuating course and an altered level of consciousness, global disturbance of cognition or perceptual abnormalities and evidence of a physical cause.In spite of pathophysiological mechanisms of delirium remaining unclear, current evidence suggests that disruption of neurotransmission, inflammation or acute stress responses might all contribute to the development of this ailment.It usually occurs as a result of a complex interaction of multiple risk factors, such as cognitive impairment/dementia, current hip fracture and presence of severe illness.Despite all of the above, delirium is frequently under-recognized and often misdiagnosed by health professionals. In particular, this happens due to its fluctuating nature, its overlap with dementia and the scarcity of routine formal cognitive assessment in general hospitals.It is also associated with multiple adverse outcomes that have been well documented, such as increased hospital stay, function/cognitive decline, institutionalization and mortality.In this context, early identification of delirium will be essential. Timely and optimal management of people with delirium, should be performed with identification of possible underlying causes, dealing with a suitable care environment and improving education of health professionals. All these can be important factors, which contribute to a decrease in adverse outcomes associated with delirium.

[Observation of genetic diversity in dental plaque of elder people with root caries].

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Shan-fen; Liang, Jing-ping; Jiang, Yun-tao; Zhu, Cai-lian

2011-08-01

Bacterial community in dental plaque of elder people was analyzed to learn about the microhabitat composition and diversity. Dental plaque samples were collected from 25 elders. PCR-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) was used to evaluate the microbial diversity by displaying PCR-generated 16SrDNA fragments that migrate at different distances, reflecting the different sequence of fragment. SPSS12.0 software was used to analyze the variance of genotypes between different groups of bacteria. Genotypes of bacteria in dental plaques in the root caries group was significantly more than the other two groups. Crown caries group and caries-free group had no significant difference. The genetic diversity of the dental plaque microflora in the root caries group is significantly higher than coronal caries group and caries-free group.

Two Principles of good elderly care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahl, Hanne Marlene; Eskelinen, Leena; Boll Hansen, Eigil

) which is a possibility for the elderly to choose a private provider. Stressing the self-determination of the elderly and the help provided as service is potentially at odds with one of the existing principles of elderly care, namely the professional principle of help-to-self help. It aims at activating...... the elderly person to manage as much as possible themselves and is based upon a socio-pedagogical culture, where the professional is teaching elderly people about the proper behavior. It’s based upon a formal knowledge of aging and upon different techniques to motivate and involve the elderly....... These are clearly different logics. However, no research has so far studied how these concepts are translated from a national to the municipal level to groups of home helpers and to individual home helpers. And how are these principles played out in different contexts of private firms and public providers...

Ergonomic aspects to be considered in planning public spaces destined for elderly people.

Science.gov (United States)

de Oliveira Cunha, Marcella Viana Portela; Costa, Angelina Dias Leão; da Costa Ireland, Mariama

2012-01-01

As has happened in many other countries, Brazil has also witnessed an evident change in the question of accessibility over the last twenty years. In line with this theme, that of old age has only become evident in the last two decades. For a long period of time, the elderly have been systematically ignored as an object of investigation and have not been contemplated with consistent public social policies. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to verify the conditions of physical accessibility that allow the elderly to use public spaces, taking as a study case the São Gonçalo square and the Solón de Lucena Park, in the city of João Pessoa--PB, identifying the biological and functional losses suffered by elderly people due to the aging process and verifying the specific physical needs of this segment of the population. Qualitative methods were adopted, such as systematic observations with the production of behaviour maps, in addition to a review of the literature and analysis of the data. The research identified problems related to the physical accessibility of the elderly to public spaces that generate difficulties for displacement, use, information and orientation, contributing to the planning and ergonomic guidelines which aim at improving these environments, such as the use of different and contrasting colours on the urban furniture and floor, for example.

The effect of probiotics as a treatment for constipation in elderly people: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Martínez, Maria Isabel; Calabuig-Tolsá, Raquel; Cauli, Omar

2017-07-01

Treating constipation in elderly people remains a challenge; the administration of probiotics may be a valid therapy for this problem as an alternative to traditional drug-based treatments. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficiency of probiotics in treating constipation in elderly people. Articles related to this topic and published, without any time limitations, in the Medline, Embase, Scopus, Lilacs, or Cochrane databases were systematically reviewed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The primary search terms were 'constipation' and 'probiotics'. The main inclusion criteria were: 1) the article was original and the whole text was published in English or Spanish and 2) included the primary search terms in the title, summary, or body text; 3) the studies had to have included 60 or more participants defined as 'elderly' and 4) have specifically evaluated the effect of the administration of probiotics. Of the 475 articles consulted, 9 met the inclusion criteria. Among the selected studies, there were four randomised and placebo-controlled trials and the remaining five reports were observational. Overall, our analysis of the randomised and placebo-controlled trials suggests that administration of probiotics significantly improved constipation in elderly individuals by 10-40% compared to placebo controls in which no probiotic was administered. The strain of bacteria most commonly tested was Bifidobacterium longum. However, caution is needed when interpreting these reports because of the heterogeneity of the original study designs, populations, and the risk of bias. Therefore, further placebo-controlled trials are necessary to determine the most efficient strains, doses, and the optimal treatment duration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increasing prevalence and high incidence of celiac disease in elderly people: A population-based study

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Vilppula Anitta

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Celiac disease may emerge at any age, but little is known of its appearance in elderly people. We evaluated the prevalence of the condition in individuals over 55 years of age, and determined the incidence of biopsy-proven celiac disease (CDb and celiac disease including seropositive subjects for anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (CDb+s. Methods The study based on prevalence figures in 2815 randomly selected subjects who had undergone a clinical examination and serologic screening for celiac disease in 2002. A second screening in the same population was carried out in 2005, comprising now 2216 individuals. Positive tissue transglutaminase antibodies were confirmed with small bowel biopsy. Results Within three years the prevalence of CDb increased from 2.13 to 2.34%, and that of CDb+s from 2.45 to 2.70%. Five new cases were found among patients previously seronegative; two had minor abdominal symptoms and three were asymptomatic. The incidence of celiac disease in 2002–2005 was 0.23%, giving an annual incidence of 0.08% in this population. Conclusion The prevalence of celiac disease was high in elderly people, but the symptoms were subtle. Repeated screening detected five biopsy-proven cases in three years, indicating that the disorder may develop even in the elderly. Increased alertness to the disorder is therefore warranted.

Protein supplementation improves physical performance in frail elderly people: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tieland, C.A.B.; Rest, van de O.; Dirks, M.L.; Zwaluw, van der N.L.; Mensink, M.R.; Loon, van L.J.C.; Groot, de C.P.G.M.

2012-01-01

Objectives: Protein supplementation has been proposed as an effective dietary strategy to increase skeletal muscle mass and improve physical performance in frail elderly people. Our objective was to assess the impact of 24 weeks of dietary protein supplementation on muscle mass, strength, and

A Robust and Device-Free System for the Recognition and Classification of Elderly Activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Fangmin; Al-Qaness, Mohammed Abdulaziz Aide; Zhang, Yong; Zhao, Bihai; Luan, Xidao

2016-12-01

Human activity recognition, tracking and classification is an essential trend in assisted living systems that can help support elderly people with their daily activities. Traditional activity recognition approaches depend on vision-based or sensor-based techniques. Nowadays, a novel promising technique has obtained more attention, namely device-free human activity recognition that neither requires the target object to wear or carry a device nor install cameras in a perceived area. The device-free technique for activity recognition uses only the signals of common wireless local area network (WLAN) devices available everywhere. In this paper, we present a novel elderly activities recognition system by leveraging the fluctuation of the wireless signals caused by human motion. We present an efficient method to select the correct data from the Channel State Information (CSI) streams that were neglected in previous approaches. We apply a Principle Component Analysis method that exposes the useful information from raw CSI. Thereafter, Forest Decision (FD) is adopted to classify the proposed activities and has gained a high accuracy rate. Extensive experiments have been conducted in an indoor environment to test the feasibility of the proposed system with a total of five volunteer users. The evaluation shows that the proposed system is applicable and robust to electromagnetic noise.

Activity-Oriented Design of Health Pal: A Smart Phone for Elders' Healthcare Support

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Fan Shih-Chen

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Wireless telephones and personal digital assistants are emerging, as the information hubs connect their human users with assorted electronic devices and the World Wide Web. As such, they quickly become the de facto basis for personalized information services. The Kannon project team at the National Chiao Tung University (NCTU in Taiwan is developing a ubiquitous service infrastructure for elders' healthcare support. Among their deliverables, there is a PDA Phone, christened Health Pal, which can communicate with Bluetooth/ZigBee devices, uni¬ver¬sal plug-and-play (UPnP e-home service platforms, and online healthcare providers to offer 24/7 healthcare services to elderly people. This paper presents the early results of this effort including the functional and operational concepts of Health Pal as well as the activity-oriented approach of its design. Preliminary results of its usefulness and usability evaluations are reported. A comparison of this platform against several similar prototypes was also included to illustrate the advantage of applying activity-oriented design approach to human-computer interactions.

Activity-Oriented Design of Health Pal: A Smart Phone for Elders' Healthcare Support

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shih-Chen Fan

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Wireless telephones and personal digital assistants are emerging, as the information hubs connect their human users with assorted electronic devices and the World Wide Web. As such, they quickly become the de facto basis for personalized information services. The Kannon project team at the National Chiao Tung University (NCTU in Taiwan is developing a ubiquitous service infrastructure for elders' healthcare support. Among their deliverables, there is a PDA Phone, christened Health Pal, which can communicate with Bluetooth/ZigBee devices, uni¬ver¬sal plug-and-play (UPnP e-home service platforms, and online healthcare providers to offer 24/7 healthcare services to elderly people. This paper presents the early results of this effort including the functional and operational concepts of Health Pal as well as the activity-oriented approach of its design. Preliminary results of its usefulness and usability evaluations are reported. A comparison of this platform against several similar prototypes was also included to illustrate the advantage of applying activity-oriented design approach to human-computer interactions.

Risk factors of fall in elderly people

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Dijana Avdić

2004-11-01

Full Text Available Falls are the leading accidental cause of death among elderly people in their homes. Falls and their consequences are the primary reason in 40% of admissions to hospitals for people older than 65 years. The study population consisted of 77 randomly selected patients of both genders older then 65 years. Each patient was tested in his/her home and was completely informed about the methodology and the goals of investigation. Based on the exclusion criteria, three patients were excluded from the study, which means the investigation was conducted on 27 males (35.06% and 50 females (64.94% with the average age being 71.23 ± 5.63 years.For each patient, a specially prepared questionnaire about risk factors was filled in. The sum of affirmative answers represented a relative index of fall risk. All patients were evaluated through Folstein’s Mini-Mental State Examination Test that is suitable for on-sight use in patient’s home. The score value over 20 excludes dementias, delirium, schizophrenia and affective disorders.Considering the values of the risk factor, scores obtained by the questionnaire and MMSE test scores, statistically significant differences were found between males and females (p < 0.005, respectively p < 0.01, “fallers” and “non-fallers” (p < 0.001, respectively p < 0.01, while considering the relation to the way of living (alone or with family, there were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05.

Interactive CaringTV® supporting elderly living at home.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehto, Paula

2013-01-01

Interactive CaringTV® is a Finnish innovation that was developed by Laurea University of Applied Sciences in 2006. CaringTV was developed through action research during three research projects. The aim of interactive CaringTV is to support the health and well-being of elderly people living in their own homes. The Safe Home project was based on action research, userdriven methods, and a case study. User-driven methods were applied in planning, implementing and evaluating the programme and eServices e.g. testing and evaluating peer support, including eConsultation as the methods for supporting clients´ coping with life in their own homes. Costeffectiveness and process modelling were studied through the case study. The user-driven approach and the collected data formed the basis for the interactive programme. The online CaringTV programme included content to: support everyday life for the elderly, safety, and activities of daily living, support social relationships, participate in rehabilitation and physical exercises, manage self-care, and health issues. Active participation in the CaringTV programme provided functional ability and everyday coping as well as a meaningful activity in everyday life. CaringTV is an interactive platform to support elderly in their everyday life and help them cope at home. User-driven methods enable participants´ active involvement in planning interactive and online programmes and eServices via CaringTV. The ultimate goal of the CaringTV is to support elderly´s health, wellbeing and interaction. CaringTV empowers elderly people to take responsibility for their own health care as part of healthy ageing.

History of body weight and physical activity of elderly women differing in current physical activity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voorrips, L E; Meijers, J H; Sol, P; Seidell, J C; van Staveren, W.A.

Development of overweight and physical activity during life was studied retrospectively in a group of physically active and a group of sedentary elderly women. The two groups of elderly women were selected based on a validated physical activity questionnaire. A previous study on their current

Assessment of the relationship between spiritual and social health and the self-care ability of elderly people referred to community health centers

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Mahboobeh Mohammadi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Promotion of self-care ability among older people is an essential means to help maintain and improve their health. However, the role of spiritual and social health has not yet been considered in detail in the context of self-care ability among elderly. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between spiritual and social health and self-care ability of older people referred to community health centers in Isfahan. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional correlation study, 200 people, aged 60 years and older, referred to healthcare centers in 2016 were recruited through convenience sampling method. Data were collected by four-part tool comprising of: (a demographics, (b Ellison and Palotzin's spiritual well-being scale, (c Kees's “social health” scale, and (d self-care ability scale for the elderly by Soderhamn's; data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential (independent t-test, analysis of variance – ANOVA, Pearson's coefficient tests, and multiple regression analysis statistics by SPSS16 software. Results: Findings showed that the entered predictor variables were accounted for 41% of total variance (R2 of the two self-care ability in the model (p < 0.001, F3, 199 = 46.02. Two out of the three predictor variables including religious well-being and social health, significantly predicted the self-care ability of older people. Conclusions: The results of this study emphasized on the relationship between spiritual and social health of the elderly people and their ability to self-care. Therefore, it would be recommended to keep the focus of the service resources towards improving social and spiritual health to improve self-care ability in elderly people.

Bacterial Pneumonia in Elderly Japanese Populations

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Naoya Miyashita

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Bacterial pneumonia is one of the most important infectious diseases in terms of incidence, effect on quality of life, mortality, and impact on society. Pneumonia was the third leading cause of death in Japan in 2011. In 2016, 119 650 Japanese people died of pneumonia, 96% of whom were aged 65 years and above. The symptoms of pneumonia in elderly people are often atypical. Aspiration pneumonia is seen more frequently than in young people because of swallowing dysfunction in the elderly. The mortality rate is also higher in the elderly than in young people. In Japan, the population is aging at an unprecedented rate, and pneumonia in the elderly will be increasingly important in medicine and medical economics in the future. To manage pneumonia in the elderly, it is important to accurately evaluate its severity, administer appropriate antibiotic treatment, and implement effective preventive measures.

Daily physical activity and the use of a walking aid in relation to falls in elderly people in a residential care setting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Graafmans, W.C.; Lips, P.; Wijlhuizen, G.J.; Pluijm, S.M.; Bouter, L.M.

2003-01-01

Physical activity is usually considered as an important com0ponent of a healthy lifestyle, including a preventive effect on the risk of falls in the elderly. The relationship between physical activity and falls is complex: physical activity is a prerequisite to maintain neuromuscular functioning,

The effect of a nutrient dense drink on mental and physical function in institutionalized elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Manders, M.; Groot, de C.P.G.M.; Hoefnagels, W.H.L.; Dhonukshe-Rutten, R.A.M.; Wouters-Wesseling, W.; Mulders, A.J.M.J.; Staveren, van W.A.

2009-01-01

Objectives To determine whether in the current study the supply of a nutrient dense drink has a positive effect on mental and physical function of institutionalized elderly people. Design A 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, intervention trial. Setting Homes for

Physical activity and respiratory muscle strength in elderly: a systematic review

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Fabio Dutra Pereira

Full Text Available Introduction The aging will inevitably bring some kind of functional decline in elderly, sarcopenia in this sense stands out because it damages the muscle function and extend also to the respiratory muscles. Objective Systematically review studies that have sought to compare the strength of respiratory muscles between sedentary and physically active elderly in training programs nonspecific respiratory musculature. Materials and methods From the descriptors motor activity, respiratory muscles and elderly, the databases LILACS, MedLine, Cochrane, PEDro, Scirus and Redalyc were consulted. Results Of 1.263 experiments available in said databases, 12 were recovered and 6 were selected due they meet all the inclusion criteria and selection requirements. Conclusion Physical activity programs offered by the selected studies led physically active elderly to have respiratory muscle strength statistically higher than the sedentary. However, this condition did not expressed itself as security to these elderly to present strength levels above of the minimum predictive of normality.

Fall risk in an active elderly population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Læssøe, Uffe; Hoeck, Hans C.; Simonsen, Ole

2007-01-01

risk can be assessed by testing balance performance. In this study a test battery of physiological parameters related to balance and falls was designed to address fall risk in a community dwelling elderly population. RESULTS: Ninety-four elderly males and females between 70 and 80 years of age were...... assessment in which the physiological performance is evaluated in relation to the activity profile of the individual. Udgivelsesdato: 2007-null...

Diabetes in the elderly

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Katarzyna Mordarska

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The prevalence of both type 2 diabetes and prediabetes increases with advancing age. The most important factors leading to hyperglycaemia are as follows: deficiency of insulin secretion developing with age, and growing insulin resistance caused by a change in body composition and sarcopaenia. Clinical features of diabetes in the elderly could be different. Diabetes in elderly people is often diagnosed with delay due to atypical symptoms (dementia, urinary incontinence and occurrence of mainly postprandial hyperglycaemia. Elderly people are more exposed to diabetes complications, have more risk of myocardial infarction and end-stage renal disease, and are hospitalised more often due to hypoglycaemia than are younger patients. Elderly people with diabetes are a heterogeneous group with different life expectancy, concomitant of chronic diseases, and the ability to self-control blood glucose or give themselves an injection. The therapy should be individualised. Older people with long-term diabetes and numerous chronic complications need a more liberal approach to reach specific goals of therapy. Additional goals should be avoiding hypoglycaemia, safety of the therapy, and its acceptance by the patient.

A study on quality of life between elderly people living in old age home and within family setup

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Rishi Panday

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Ageing in the new millennium will be greatly influenced by both global and region specific factors, although increasing numbers as well as significant changes in the socio-cultural milieu are responsible for the recent emphasis on studies pertaining to older adults in India. This has resulted in the caregiver issue becoming a growing concern for national policy makers. The family as a single unit is undergoing changes leading to significant adjustments in accommodating and caring for older adults in the family, making them more vulnerable to illness and psychosocial strains in the absence of familial support network. Aim: To assess and compare quality of life (QOL between elderly people living in old age home and within the family setup. Methods and materials: A cross sectional research design was adopted for the study. The study was conducted at two old age homes and two areas of Ranchi - Kantatoli and Kanke. The sample comprised of 80 participants who were further divided into 40 participants from old age homes and 40 participants from family. Tools such as socio-demographic data sheet and QOL scale were administered to obtain the data. Result and conclusion: Findings of this study indicate that QOL was better of those elderly people who were living in old age home in comparison of those elderly people who were living within family setup.

[At-home music therapy intervention using video phone (Skype) for elderly people with dementia].

Science.gov (United States)

Hori, Miyako; Iizuka, Mieko; Nakamura, Michikazu; Aiba, Ikuko; Saito, Yufuko; Kubota, Masakazu; Urabe, Mie; Kinoshita, Ayae

2014-12-01

There are various nonpharmacological therapies available for elderly people with dementia, and these can improve quality of life and the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) that appear throughout the progression of the disease. Since a substantial number of effects have been reported for music therapy, we focused on this nonpharmacological intervention. Generally, musical therapy is provided collectively in facilities. However, the music used in this context may not consider the preferences and music abilities of each person. Therefore, in this study we created made-to-order music CDs that accounted for each participant's musical preferences and abilities. Utilizing the CDs, we conducted an intervention study of music therapy using a video phone (Skype) that elderly people with dementia can use at home. An advantage of conducting music therapy for individuals with dementia using a video phone is that those who have difficulty going to the hospital or participating in dementia-related therapy groups can participate in therapy in a familiar place. The results of this intervention showed that participants demonstrated signs of improvement as measured by the smile degree(Smile scan)and Behavior Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease (BEHAVE-AD) scale.

Oral temperatures of the elderly in nursing homes in summer and winter in relation to activities of daily living

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, K.; Tanaka, Masatoshi; Motohashi, Yutaka; Maeda, Akira

This study was conducted to clarify the seasonal difference in body temperature in summer and winter, and to document the thermal environment of the elderly living in nursing homes. The subjects were 57 healthy elderly people aged >=63 years living in two nursing homes in Japan. One of the homes was characterized by subjects with low levels of activities of daily living (ADL). Oral temperatures were measured in the morning and afternoon, with simultaneous recording of ambient temperature and relative humidity. Oral temperatures in summer were higher than in winter, with statistically significant differences (Pchanges in ambient temperature.

Validity and reliability of a Malay version of the Lawton instrumental activities of daily living scale among the Malay speaking elderly in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kadar, Masne; Ibrahim, Suhaili; Razaob, Nor Afifi; Chai, Siaw Chui; Harun, Dzalani

2018-02-01

The Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale is a tool often used to assess independence among elderly at home. Its suitability to be used with the elderly population in Malaysia has not been validated. This current study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale - Malay Version to Malay speaking elderly in Malaysia. This study was divided into three phases: (1) translation and linguistic validity involving both forward and backward translations; (2) establishment of face validity and content validity; and (3) establishment of reliability involving inter-rater, test-retest and internal consistency analyses. Data used for these analyses were obtained by interviewing 65 elderly respondents. Percentages of Content Validity Index for 4 criteria were from 88.89 to 100.0. The Cronbach α coefficient for internal consistency was 0.838. Intra-class Correlation Coefficient of inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability was 0.957 and 0.950 respectively. The result shows that the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale - Malay Version has excellent reliability and validity for use with the Malay speaking elderly people in Malaysia. This scale could be used by professionals to assess functional ability of elderly who live independently in community. © 2018 Occupational Therapy Australia.

A longitudinal study of cerebral blood flow and intelligences in normal elderly people living in retirement house

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Shotai; Yamaguchi, Shuhei; Kitani, Mitsuhiro; Okada, Kazunori; Arimoto, Satao

1986-01-01

It is well known that the number of the neuron in the brain gradually reduced with advancing age, but speed of decline of brain functions differs among individuals. We have reported that social environmental factors had significant influences to cerebral blood flow (CBF) and mental function. In this paper, we report 2.5 years longitudinal study concerning with CBF and intelligences in twenty normal elderly people, mean age of 76 years old at the first measurement, living in retirement house. 1) Mean CBF measured by Xe 133 inhalation method did not alter significantly during the observation period. 2) Performance intelligence evaluated by Kohs' block design test had reduced at the point of begining but no more reduction was observed during the period. 3) Verbal intelligence evaluated by Hasegawa's intelligence scale for aged which was within normal range at the begining, slightly (-7.5 %) but significantly (p < 0.05) reduced during the period. 4) Performance intelligence tended to reduce in subjects who showed reduction of CBF. There were no significant correlation between both intelligences and CBF. CBF could be maintained even in elderly people living in retirement house which has less social stimuli during relatively short observation period in so far as they maintain active daily life. The speed of reduction of performance intelligence may be getting slow after certain age and verbal intelligence gradually decreases perhaps by disuse of the mental function. (author)

Neuromuscular performance in the hip joint of elderly fallers and non-fallers.

Science.gov (United States)

Morcelli, Mary Hellen; LaRoche, Dain Patrick; Crozara, Luciano Fernandes; Marques, Nise Ribeiro; Hallal, Camilla Zamfolini; Rossi, Denise Martineli; Gonçalves, Mauro; Navega, Marcelo Tavella

2016-06-01

Low strength and neuromuscular activation of the lower limbs have been associated with falls making it an important predictor of functional status in the elderly. To compare the rate of neuromuscular activation, rate of torque development, peak torque and reaction time between young and elderly fallers and non-fallers for hip flexion and extension. We evaluated 44 elderly people who were divided into two groups: elderly fallers (n = 20) and elderly non-fallers (n = 24); and 18 young people. The subjects performed three isometric hip flexion and extension contractions. Electromyography data were collected for the rectus femoris, gluteus maximus and biceps femoris muscles. The elderly had 49 % lower peak torque and 68 % lower rate of torque development for hip extension, 28 % lower rate of neuromuscular activation for gluteus maximus and 38 % lower rate of neuromuscular activation for biceps femoris than the young (p neuromuscular for rectus femoris than the young (p < 0.05). The elderly fallers showed consistent trend toward a lower rate of torque development than elderly non-fallers for hip extension at 50 ms (29 %, p = 0.298, d = 0.76) and 100 ms (26 %, p = 0.452, d = 0.68).The motor time was 30 % slower for gluteus maximus, 42 % slower for rectus femoris and 50 % slower for biceps femoris in the elderly than in the young. Impaired capacity of the elderly, especially fallers, may be explained by neural and morphological aspects of the muscles. The process of senescence affects the muscle function of the hip flexion and extension, and falls may be related to lower rate of torque development and slower motor time of biceps femoris.

Cognitive deficit and depressive symptoms in a community group of elderly people: a preliminary study

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Silberman Claudia

1995-01-01

Full Text Available Since the number and proportion of old people increases worldwide, health professionals and systems should be made aware and prepared to deal with their problems. Cognitive deficit and symptoms of depression are commom among the elderly, and may occur in relation to various risk factors such as health conditions and psychosocial variables. In order to study cognitive deficit and the presence of signs and symptoms of depression, 62 elderly community subjects enrolled at a Community Health Unit in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil, were interviewed. They were evaluated by means of the Mini Mental State Exam, the Montgomery-Asberg Depression rating scale, and a questionnaire on health conditions, living arrangements and social variables. Higher levels of symptoms of depression were observed among subjects exposed to major risk factors for cerebrovascular diseases (diabetes and coronary disease, while impaired cognitive performance was seen among individuals who could not count on the presence of a confidant (social network variable. The results suggest that the early identification of major risk groups among old people can help to prevent institutionalization and keep individuals in the community.

[Relationship between anthropometric health indexes with food consumption in physically active elderly].

Science.gov (United States)

Valdés-Badilla, Pablo Antonio; Godoy-Cumillaf, Andrés; Ortega-Spuler, Jenny; Díaz-Aravena, Daniela; Castro-Garrido, Nibaldo; Sandoval-Muñoz, Luis; Herrera-Valenzuela, Tomás; López-Fuenzalida, Antonio; Vargas-Vitoria, Rodrigo; Durán-Aguero, Samuel

2017-10-24

Programs focused on active aging do not always have actions to guide the elderly about healthy eating. Therefore, the concordance between the feeding habits and the morphological characteristics of this population group is little known. To correlate the anthropometric health indexes with the frequency of food consumption in physically active elderly (PAE). The sample consisted of 307 physically active Chilean elders of both sexes (8.4% males), with a mean age of 70.2 years. The studied variables corresponded to nutritional status, abdominal adiposity, cardiovascular risk and frequency of food consumption. A logistic regression model was applied, considering alpha active Chilean elderly who exhibit less healthy eating behavior.

Exploring elderly people’s relationships with new media

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Givskov, Cecilie; Christensen, Christa Lykke

focuses on how the new digital media environment influences the daily lives of elderly people and the meaning they attribute to ageing. The first specific focus of ours is on how elderly people relate to new media and how media for interpersonal communication influence and shape elderly people’s social...... and mediatization to get closer to an understanding of how media on one hand are naturalized elements of elderly people’s everyday life serving a variety of purposes and on the other hand influence and set the agenda of what seems important to elderly people to be interested in and concerned about. We propose......The background of this proposal is a newly established Danish research project on the representation of ageing in the media and elderly people ́s media use. It investigates ways in which elderly people’s media practices and interpretations shape the experience of ageing. Part of this project...

Assessment of Health Status of Elderly People in the City of Kashan

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Mohammad Taghi Joghataei

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: In the first of 20th century average years of old has not been 50 years, but today it is more than 75 years. The purpose of this study is evaluation of elderly health status in Kashan including psychological health, cognitive health, balance and gait status, nutrition health and risk of bed sore. Practical goal of the study is assessment of health needs in elderly and prevention of the common disease of elderly in society. Methods & Materials: The population of this descriptive analytical research were Kashanian with age of 55 and more. The sampling method had used in this research was simple incidental method. For gathering the information, the questionnaire was referred to the elderly and they filled the supposed questionnaires. Result: the two-common disease are musculoskeletal and cardiovascular (41.7%. Base on finding 63.8% of Kashan elderly are at the risk of nutrition deficiency and 5.8% have nutrition deficiency. The geriatric depression scale used for evaluation of depression. There is 34.2% elderly with severe depression. Five percent of them have severe cognitive disorders, other 47.5% have mild one and 17.5% with cognitive health. The activity of daily living is in 81. 7% of population without any dependence and in 13.3% with dependence and in 5% with complete dependence. The risk of bed sore is in 3.3% of population very high.  Conclusion: the high frequency of Kashan elderly problems shows that this society needs rehabilitation and treatment. The education priorities in this population are " Prevention of musculoskeletal and cardiovascular disease.

New living for elderly people. An outline of domotics and sustainability for elderly people; Het nieuwe wonen voor ouderen. Een omgevingsverkenning naar domotica en duurzaamheid voor ouderen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dries, J.; Ellen, G.J.; Den Blanken, M. [TNO Strategie, Technologie en Beleid TNO-STB, Delft (Netherlands); Maas, N. [TNO Bouw, Delft (Netherlands)

2003-03-01

A brief overview is given of the possibilities for elderly people to make use of domotics in order to live on one's own. The results of the title study are based on literature and other information sources. [Dutch] Dit rapport geeft een beknopt overzicht van de mogelijkheden om met behulp van domotica ouderen langer zelfstandig en duurzaam te laten wonen. Binnen het begrip duurzaamheid wordt onderscheid gemaakt tussen ecologische duurzaamheid (planet), economische duurzaamheid (profit) en sociale duurzaamheid (people). Hiertoe zijn projecten, literatuur en andere informatiebronnen verzameld op het terrein van domotica, duurzaamheid en ouderen waaruit blijkt dat er, sinds domotica de laatste tien jaar actueel is geworden, al enorm veel geprobeerd en geschreven is. Met name de combinatie 'ouderen en domotica' en 'domotica en duurzaamheid' levert veel materiaal op. Zeldzamer is echter de combinatie van alledrie de elementen.

Medical insurance policy organized by Chinese government and the health inequity of the elderly: longitudinal comparison based on effect of New Cooperative Medical Scheme on health of rural elderly in 22 provinces and cities.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Ying; Lu, Peiyi

2014-05-13

The alarming progression of the aging trend in China attracts much attention in the country and abroad. In 2003, the Chinese central government launched the New Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS) to resolve the inequity problem of health in regions with inadequate infrastructure and relative poverty. The rural elderly are the main beneficiaries of this policy; the improvement of their health through the medical insurance policy require exploration. This study used data obtained from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) conducted in 2005 and 2008. Elderly people living in rural areas and aged 60 and above were screened for the investigation. A total of 8658 and 9904 elderly people were selected from 2005 and 2008, respectively. By establishing models and employing multi-logistic analysis, stereotype logistic analysis, we examined the effect of NCMS organized by Chinese government on three domains of the health of the rural elderly. A total of 948 and 6361 elderly people participated in NCMS in 2005 (n = 8658) and 2008 (n = 9904), respectively. With regard to the independent variables, the number of participants in NCMS increased, whereas province distribution, gender, and years of education only slightly changed. As for the dependent variables, the rural elderly in 2005 had poor general health but good psychological health. Differences were found between different moods. Old people who engage in much outdoor activity can take care of themselves. After three-year promotion of NCMS, the differences between 2005 and 2008 indicate that the physical function of the rural elderly worsen, whereas the general health and psychological health improves. (1) In the 2005 data and 2008 data, result shows that NCMS participation can promote the self-rated quality and health change of the elderly. (2) After three years, the alleviation effect on anxiety and loneliness changed from insignificant to significant. Participants in NCMS have a stronger sense of

Fear of falling and changed functional ability following hip fracture among community-dwelling elderly people

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jellesmark, Annette; Herling, Suzanne Forsyth; Egerod, Ingrid

2012-01-01

The aims of the study were to assess self-reported fear of falling (FOF) and functional ability among community-dwelling elderly people 3-6 months post hospital discharge after a hip fracture, to investigate the association between FOF and functional ability, and to explore the lived experience...... of FOF and disability when recovering from a hip fracture....

A Model of Active Ageing through Elder Learning: The Elder Academy Network in Hong Kong

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Tam, Maureen

2013-01-01

This article presents the Elder Academy (EA) Network as the policy and practice in promoting active ageing through elder learning in Hong Kong. First, the article examines how the change in demographics and the prevalent trend of an ageing population have propelled the government in Hong Kong to tackle issues and challenges brought about by an…

The effects of physical exercise with music on cognitive function of elderly people: Mihama-Kiho project.

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Satoh, Masayuki; Ogawa, Jun-ichi; Tokita, Tomoko; Nakaguchi, Noriko; Nakao, Koji; Kida, Hirotaka; Tomimoto, Hidekazu

2014-01-01

Physical exercise has positive effects on cognitive function in elderly people. It is unknown, however, if combinations of non-pharmaceutical interventions can produce more benefits than single ones. This study aimed to identify if physical exercise combined with music improves cognitive function in normal elderly people more than exercise alone. We enrolled 119 subjects (age 65-84 years old). Forty subjects performed physical exercise (once a week for an hour with professional trainers) with musical accompaniment (ExM group), developed by YAMAHA Music Foundation; 40 subjects performed the same exercise without music (Ex group); 39 subjects were the control group (Cont group). Before and after the year-long intervention, each patient was assessed by neuropsychological batteries. MRIs were performed before and after intervention; the Voxel-based Specific Regional analysis system for Alzheimer's Disease (VSRAD) was used to assess medial temporal lobe atrophy. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was significant only in visuospatial function. The multiple comparison (ExM vs. Ex, ExM vs. Cont, Ex vs. Cont) was significant between the ExM and Cont group. Intra-group analyses before and after intervention revealed significant improvement in visuospatial function in the ExM group, and significant improvements in other batteries in all three groups. The VSRAD score significantly worsened in the ExM and Ex groups. Physical exercise combined with music produced more positive effects on cognitive function in elderly people than exercise alone. We attributed this improvement to the multifaceted nature of combining physical exercise with music, which can act simultaneously as both cognitive and physical training. UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) UMIN000012148.

Functional ability and health status of community-dwelling late age elderly people with and without a history of falls

OpenAIRE

Thiwabhorn Thaweewannakij, PT, PhD; Patcharawan Suwannarat, PT, PhD candidate; Lugkana Mato, PT, PhD; Sugalya Amatachaya, PT, PhD

2016-01-01

Background: Obvious functional deterioration is demonstrated in elderly people aged 75 years and older. However, there is only little objective evidence relating to falls in these individuals. Objective: This cross-sectional study compared functional abilities and health status in the elderly age at least 75 years with no fall, single fall (1 fall), and multiple falls (≥2 falls) during the past 6 months. Furthermore, the study describes fall information of the participants. Methods: Nin...

Parameters of leisure mobility of elder people: The importance of settlement structures and automobile availability; Bestimmungsgroessen der Freizeitmobilitaet aelterer Menschen: Die Bedeutung von Siedlungsstrukturen und Pkw-Verfuegbarkeit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scheiner, J. [Dortmund Univ. (Germany). Fakultaet Raumplanung, Verkehrswesen und Verkehrsplanung

2005-07-01

According to gerontological mobility research, car availability as well as appropriate settlement structures at the neighbourhood level are both playing a prominent role in the maintenance of mobility of elderly people. However, car availability is strongly connected to other individual attributes like age, health and gender. The paper investigates whether car availability and spatial context have an impact on leisure mobility of elderly people when socio-demographic and health factors are being controlled for. The paper is based on a standardised cross-sectional survey among n=4,500 residents of three different study areas in Germany. Leisure mobility was investigated with respect to out-of-home activity frequency, activity diversity, travel distance, existence of unfulfilled activity wishes, and leisure satisfaction. According to the results, leisure mobility is strongly associated with health, social networks, and socio-demographic characteristics. Only two mobility measures are positively associated with the availability of a private car. The spatial context does not have a significant influence on any mobility indicator. The results support the thesis that car availability is not a cause for mobility, but rather a result of a specific life situation, which is associated with a specific type of mobility. (orig.)

[Characteristics of bedridden elderly people living at home and in a hospital].

Science.gov (United States)

Nagura, E; Igata, A; Fujita, H; Inoue, T; Kanno, K; Matsuura, T; Tokuda, H; Hosokawa, T

1997-07-01

We compared bedridden elderly people living at home to others who were hospital inpatients. Questionnaires regarding medical status and care were returned by 85 of 116 people caring for a bedridden elderly person at home in Obu city, Aichi prefecture and by 62 of 64 nurses and family members caring for bedridden inpatients at Chubu National hospital. All subjects were at least 65 years old. The median age in both groups was 81 years, neither age distribution nor female sex predominance differed between both groups. The percentage of subjects with only one underlying disease was 62.5% among those living at home and 64.4% among inpatients. In both groups the most common disease was cerebrovascular disease (42.5% among those at home and 39.0% among inpatients), followed by dementia (31.3%), infirmity of old age (17.5%) and bone fracture (13.8%) among those at home, and by bone fracture (27.1%), dementia (20.3%) and infirmity of old age (16.9%) among inpatients. The median durations of bedridden status were 2 years and 3 months among those at home and 3 months among inpatients. The proportion of subjects bedridden for less than 6 months was greater among inpatients (p bedridden, and 17.7% were completely bedridden. The most common cause rending the patients bedridden was infection (usually pneumonia). The degree of disability did not differ between groups. Decubitus ulcers were present in 25.9% of those at home and 17.7% of inpatients.

Overweight and obesity vs. simple carbohydrates consumption by elderly people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Science.gov (United States)

Skop-Lewandowska, Agata; Zając, Joanna; Kolarzyk, Emilia

2017-12-23

Overweight and obesity belong to the alarming and constantly increasing problems of the 21st century among all age groups. One of the major factors enhancing these problems are simple carbohydrates commonly found in popular sweet drinks. The aim of the study was to estimate the nutritional patterns of elderly people with diagnosed cardiovascular system diseases, and analysis of the relationship between consumption of simple carbohydrates and prevalence of overweight and obesity. From 233 individuals hospitalized in the Clinic of Cardiology and Hypertension in Krakow, Poland, a group of 128 elderly people was selected (66 women and 62 men). Actual food consumption for each individual was assessed using a 24-hour nutrition recall. BMI values was calculated for assessment of nutritional status. Statistical analysis was performed on two groups: one with BMI 2 and other with BMI≥25kg/m2. Overweight was stated among 33.8% of women and 50% of men, obesity among 27.7% of women and 17.7% of men. Results indicated that consumption of products rich in sucrose was associated with overweight and obesity. People with overweight and obesity statistically more often ate sweet products comparing to those with proper weight: 46.2 g vs 33.8g. The growing world-wide epidemic of overweight and obesity is one of the main priorities of preventive medicine remains changing eating patterns As observed in this study, one additional spoon of sugar consumed daily increases the risk of being overweight or obese by about 14%. Overweight and obesity was found among 60% of the examined elderly people. Correlation was found between rise in risk of obesity or overweight by about 14% with each additional spoon of sugar (5g) eaten every day.

Mild cognitive impairment in elderly users of municipal centers of the Region of Murcia (Spain

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Andrés Escarbajal de Haro

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This article of investigation tries to know the issue of mild cognitive impairment (MCI in elderly users of municipal centres to measure the importance of psycho-educational dimension like preventive alternative. For this reason, we have used a qualitative methodology (semistructurated interview after a selection of people applying quantitative scales (e.g. MMSE, EUROTEST and Lawton. We selected a sample of 148 people for the scales, out of which 30 people were considered suitable for the interviews. The results show that despite the fact that elderly people have a MCI , they are able to practice activities for improving their quality of life. Within this investigation, new lines of work based in the free time, lonely, self esteem and self are opened to elderly people with MCI.

Protein Intake and Distribution in Relation to Physical Functioning and Quality of Life in Community-Dwelling Elderly People: Acknowledging the Role of Physical Activity

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Dominique S. M. ten Haaf

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Increasing total protein intake and a spread protein intake distribution are potential strategies to attenuate sarcopenia related loss of physical function and quality of life. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate whether protein intake and protein intake distribution are associated with muscle strength, physical function and quality of life in community-dwelling elderly people with a wide range of physical activity. Dietary and physical activity data were obtained from two studies (N = 140, age 81 ± 6, 64% male, with the following outcome measures: physical functioning (Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB, comprising balance, gait speed and chair rise tests, handgrip strength and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L. Protein intake distribution was calculated for each participant as a coefficient of variance (CV = SD of grams of protein intake per main meal divided by the average total amount of proteins (grams of the main meals. Based on the CV, participants were divided into tertiles and classified as spread, intermediate or pulse. The average total protein intake was 1.08 ± 0.29 g/kg/day. Total protein intake was not associated with outcome measures using multivariate regression analyses. Individuals with a spread protein diet during the main meals (CV < 0.43 had higher gait speed compared to those with an intermediate diet (CV 0.43–0.62 (β = −0.42, p = 0.035, whereas a spread and pulse protein diet were not associated with SPPB total score, chair rise, grip strength and Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY. The interaction of higher physical activity and higher total protein intake was significantly associated with higher quality of life (β = 0.71, p = 0.049. While this interaction was not associated with SPPB or grip strength, the association with quality of life emphasizes the need for a higher total protein intake together with an active lifestyle in the elderly.

Relationship between subjective fall risk assessment and falls and fall-related fractures in frail elderly people

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Shimada Hiroyuki

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Objective measurements can be used to identify people with risks of falls, but many frail elderly adults cannot complete physical performance tests. The study examined the relationship between a subjective risk rating of specific tasks (SRRST to screen for fall risks and falls and fall-related fractures in frail elderly people. Methods The SRRST was investigated in 5,062 individuals aged 65 years or older who were utilized day-care services. The SRRST comprised 7 dichotomous questions to screen for fall risks during movements and behaviours such as walking, transferring, and wandering. The history of falls and fall-related fractures during the previous year was reported by participants or determined from an interview with the participant's family and care staff. Results All SRRST items showed significant differences between the participants with and without falls and fall-related fractures. In multiple logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, diseases, and behavioural variables, the SRRST score was independently associated with history of falls and fractures. Odds ratios for those in the high-risk SRRST group (≥ 5 points compared with the no risk SRRST group (0 point were 6.15 (p Conclusion These results suggest that subjective ratings by care staff can be utilized to determine the risks of falls and fall-related fractures in the frail elderly, however, these preliminary results require confirmation in further prospective research.

The CIRDO Corpus: Comprehensive Audio/Video Database of Domestic Falls of Elderly People

OpenAIRE

Vacher , Michel; Bouakaz , Saida; Bobillier-Chaumon , Marc-Eric; Aman , F; Khan , Rizwan Ahmed; Bekkadja , S; Portet , François; Guillou , Erwan; Rossato , S; Lecouteux , Benjamin

2016-01-01

International audience; Ambient Assisted Living aims at enhancing the quality of life of older and disabled people at home thanks to Smart Homes. In particular, regarding elderly living alone at home, the detection of distress situation after a fall is very important to reassure this kind of population. However, many studies do not include tests in real settings, because data collection in this domain is very expensive and challenging and because of the few available data sets. The CIRDOcorpu...

Web-based system for assessing risk factors for falls in community-dwelling elderly people using the Analytic Hierarchy Process

OpenAIRE

Pecchia, Leandro; Bath, Peter A.; Pendleton, Neil; Bracale, Marcello

2010-01-01

Falls occur frequently among older people and represent the most common cause of injury-related morbidity and mortality in later life. Preventing falls is an important way to reduce injuries, hospitalizations, and injury-related morbidity and mortality among older people. The research literature has identified hundreds of risk factors for falls among elderly people. Prioritizing risk factors for falls is useful for designing effective and efficacious prevention programs.\\ud The aim of this st...

The impact of dietary protein or amino acid supplementation on muscle mass and strength in elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tieland, M.; Franssen, R.; Dullemeijer, C.; Dronkelaar, van C.; Kim, H.K.; Ispoglou, T.; Zhu, K.; Prince, R.L.; Loon, van L.J.C.; Groot, de Lisette C.P.G.M.

2017-01-01

Objectives: Increasing protein or amino acid intake has been promoted as a promising strategy to increase muscle mass and strength in elderly people, however, long-term intervention studies show inconsistent findings. Therefore, we aim to determine the impact of protein or amino acid

Assessment of Depression in Elderly. Is Perceived Social Support Related? A Nursing Home Study : Depression and Social Support in Elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Patra, Paraskevi; Alikari, Victoria; Fradelos, Evangelos C; Sachlas, Athanasios; Kourakos, Michael; Rojas Gil, Andrea Paola; Babatsikou, Fotoula; Zyga, Sofia

2017-01-01

Geriatric depression is more common in nursing homes and social support is a mechanism that mitigates the stressors of life factors and simultaneously promotes wellness and health. The purpose of the study was to assess the levels of depression and social support among elderly in nursing homes. During the period February 2016-March 2016 170 elderly residents in nursing homes completed the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Statistical analysis was conducted with IBM SPSS Statistics 23. 37, 1% of the sample had depressive symptoms. Depression is statistically correlated with age and it is affected by the years of education (p = 0.003), the number of the children (p = 0.006), whether the elderly person is bedridden or not (p elderly performs activities outside the nursing home (0.001). Higher GDS score had those who were illiterate (6.41), those with one or no children (6.82 and 6.59 respectively), the bedridden (6.70), people without visits from relatives (7.69) and without activities outside (5.64). Also, social support is affected by the family status (p elderly performs activities outside the foundation (p elderly population leads to the need for more aid social support.

Study and Comparing 3 Groups of Active, Passive, and Ecotourist Old Age People on Their Mental Health and Happiness Living in Illam City, Iran

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Maryam Shirbeigi

2016-01-01

Conclusion: Doing exercise and participating in recreational activities such as hiking, walking, mountaineering with friends or family members are the best activities for the elderly people resulting in the improvement and reinforcement of their mental health and happiness.

Quality of life in institutionalized elderly undergoing an active aging program

OpenAIRE

Magalhães, Carlos Pires; Rebelo, Flávia Marisa Ramalho; Anes, Eugénia

2016-01-01

Living with quality is a growing concern of the old population. There is an increasing institutionalization of the elderly, and it is in this context that active aging programs assume relevance, allowing the elderly the contact with experiences that allow them to age with quality of life, by maintaining their autonomy and promoting their physical, mental and emotional well-being. This study aims to assess the quality of life of institutionalized elderly undergoing to an active aging program. ...

Strong influence of dietary intake and physical activity on body fatness in elderly Japanese men: age-associated loss of polygenic resistance against obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanisawa, Kumpei; Ito, Tomoko; Sun, Xiaomin; Ise, Ryuken; Oshima, Satomi; Cao, Zhen-Bo; Sakamoto, Shizuo; Tanaka, Masashi; Higuchi, Mitsuru

2014-09-01

Genome-wide association studies identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with body mass index (BMI) in middle-aged populations; however, it is unclear whether these SNPs are associated with body fatness in elderly people. We examined the association between genetic risk score (GRS) from BMI-associated SNPs and body fatness in elderly Japanese men. We also examined the contribution of GRS, dietary macronutrient intake, and physical activity to body fatness by different age groups. GRS was calculated from 10 BMI-associated SNPs in 84 middle-aged (30-64 years) and 97 elderly (65-79 years) Japanese men; subjects were divided into low, middle, and high GRS groups. Dietary macronutrient intake was assessed using a questionnaire, and physical activity was evaluated using both a questionnaire and an accelerometer. The middle-aged individuals with a high GRS had greater BMI; waist circumference; and total abdominal fat, visceral fat, and subcutaneous fat areas than the middle-aged individuals with low GRS, whereas the indicators were not different between the GRS groups in elderly individuals. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that GRS was the strongest predictor of BMI, total abdominal fat, and visceral fat in the middle-aged group, whereas fat, alcohol, and protein intakes or vigorous-intensity physical activity were more strongly associated with these indicators than was GRS in the elderly group. These results suggest that GRS from BMI-associated SNPs is not predictive of body fatness in elderly Japanese men. The stronger contribution of dietary macronutrient intake and physical activity to body fatness may attenuate the genetic predisposition in elderly men.

[Nutrition and frail elderly at risk].