scholarly journals Delivering a Tai Chi Intervention to Adults Aging with Mobility Disabilities Using Zoom

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 425-425
Author(s):  
Elena Remillard ◽  
Kara Cohen ◽  
Lelah Cochran ◽  
Tracy Mitzner

Abstract Many individuals aging with mobility disabilities experience barriers to participating in physical activity, including transportation challenges and the need for specialized instruction. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, these participation barriers have been amplified due to lockdowns and restrictions. Tele-technologies, including videoconferencing platforms like Zoom, can facilitate access to exercise classes from one’s home. Virtual group exercise classes that incorporate social interaction have particular potential to support the physical and mental health of this population. This session will highlight lessons learned from launching the ‘Tele Tai Chi’ study, in which we are delivering an evidence-based Tai Chi program (Tai Chi for Arthritis) via Zoom to small group classes of older adults with long-term mobility disabilities. We will describe adaptations made in translating the in-person program to an interactive, online class, and provide an overview of a ‘Telewellness’ Tool that provides guidelines for using Zoom to deliver exercise classes to older adults.

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 599-600
Author(s):  
Tracy Mitzner ◽  
Elena Remillard ◽  
Kara Cohen ◽  
Jordan Chen

Abstract Tele-technologies may be able to increase access to evidence-based exercise interventions for adults aging with long-term mobility disabilities. This population experiences substantial barriers in attending such programs in person, including lack of transportation to classes, inaccessible buildings where classes are held, and lack of appropriate modifications offered for this population of older adults. It is critical to overcome such barriers to ensure this population has an opportunity to receive the benefits of evidence-based programs. In this study we are translating an in-person evidence-based tai chi intervention, Tai Chi for Arthritis, to an online platform using videoconferencing software for those aging with long-term mobility disabilities. We will describe our approach of including users from the target population and industry representatives (videoconferencing software developer, Tai Chi for Arthritis program developer as well as local master trainer) in the adaptation of the intervention and present the key findings from doing so.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 23-23
Author(s):  
Susan Hughes ◽  
Andrew DeMott ◽  
Gerald Stapleton ◽  
Gail Huber

Abstract The COVID pandemic disrupted the way evidence-based health promotion programs (EBPs) are delivered to older adults who were the most at-risk group in terms of mortality and faced unprecedented threats to their independence and physical and mental health. Many organizations stopped in-person EBPS causing older adults to lose access to key social networks and health resources. It is a top public health priority to find new ways to keep older adults connected to their EBPs. Fit & Strong! (F&S!) is a group exercise/health education EBP for older adults with arthritis offered by CBOs in 32 states. CBOs stopped offering F&S! in-person in March 2020. Since the lockdown, we have worked closely with our provider network to develop and pilot a version that is remote/online and live, titled “F&S! @Home”. Instructors deliver F&S! @Home to older adults with minimal technological resources. We created a staging website for both providers/instructors and participants that is used to initiate the classes, enable providers to manage participants, collect data, and share support materials. The pilot began September 2020; since that time 15 classes have been offered to 147 participants. Administration on Community Living falls and arthritis outcomes data are being collected. Preliminary analyses of 45 participants and 8 instructors demonstrate a high rating of the program (mean score of 90.2 out of 100) with no adverse outcomes to date. This presentation will review the process of creating the online adaptation, lessons learned, and will review pre/post outcomes and participant and instructor evaluation feedback.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e044463
Author(s):  
Danielle Borg ◽  
Kym Rae ◽  
Corrine Fiveash ◽  
Johanna Schagen ◽  
Janelle James-McAlpine ◽  
...  

IntroductionThe perinatal–postnatal family environment is associated with childhood outcomes including impacts on physical and mental health and educational attainment. Family longitudinal cohort studies collect in-depth data that can capture the influence of an era on family lifestyle, mental health, chronic disease, education and financial stability to enable identification of gaps in society and provide the evidence for changes in government in policy and practice.Methods and analysisThe Queensland Family Cohort (QFC) is a prospective, observational, longitudinal study that will recruit 12 500 pregnant families across the state of Queensland (QLD), Australia and intends to follow-up families and children for three decades. To identify the immediate and future health requirements of the QLD population; pregnant participants and their partners will be enrolled by 24 weeks of gestation and followed up at 24, 28 and 36 weeks of gestation, during delivery, on-ward, 6 weeks postpartum and then every 12 months where questionnaires, biological samples and physical measures will be collected from parents and children. To examine the impact of environmental exposures on families, data related to environmental pollution, household pollution and employment exposures will be linked to pregnancy and health outcomes. Where feasible, data linkage of state and federal government databases will be used to follow the participants long term. Biological samples will be stored long term for future discoveries of biomarkers of health and disease.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained from the Mater Research Ethics (HREC/16/MHS/113). Findings will be reported to (1) QFC participating families; (2) funding bodies, institutes and hospitals supporting the QFC; (3) federal, state and local governments to inform policy; (4) presented at local, national and international conferences and (5) disseminated by peer-review publications.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 412-412
Author(s):  
Chao-Yi Wu ◽  
Lyndsey Miller ◽  
Rachel Wall ◽  
Zachary Beattie ◽  
Jeffrey Kaye ◽  
...  

Abstract Many older adults remain inactive despite the known positive health implications of physical activity (e.g. improved mood, reduced mortality risk). Physical inactivity is a known interdependent phenomenon in couples, but the majority of research identifies determinants of physical inactivity at the individual level. We estimated the average amount of physical inactivity for older adult couples and, using dyadic analysis, identified physical and mental health determinants thereof. Forty-eight heterosexual older adult couples (mean age=70.6, SD=6.63) from the Veterans Integrated Service Network 20 cohort of the Collaborative Aging Research using Technology (CART) initiative were included in this study. Both dyad members wore actigraph devices for a month. The average number per day of inactive periods (defined as no movement or sleep activity for ≥ 30 minutes) was estimated. Multilevel modeling revealed that, within couples, there was no difference between partners in the average number of inactive periods, but on average across couples, males had more inactive periods per day (13.4, SD=4.43) than females (12.3, SD=4.87). For males, older age was the only variable associated with more inactive periods (β=0.13, p=.013). For females, more depressive symptoms in men were associated with fewer inactive periods (β=-0.37, p=.002), and more dependence in completing their own IADLs predicted more inactive periods (β=2.80, p<.001). All models were adjusted for covariates. Viewing couples’ activity as a unit, rather than as separate individuals, provides a novel approach to identifying pathways to reduce inactivity in older adults, especially when focusing on mental health issues and decreased independence within the couple.


2021 ◽  
pp. archdischild-2020-320655
Author(s):  
Lorna K Fraser ◽  
Fliss EM Murtagh ◽  
Jan Aldridge ◽  
Trevor Sheldon ◽  
Simon Gilbody ◽  
...  

ObjectiveThis study aimed to quantify the incidence rates of common mental and physical health conditions in mothers of children with a life-limiting condition.MethodsComparative national longitudinal cohort study using linked primary and secondary care data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink in England. Maternal–child dyads were identified in these data. Maternal physical and mental health outcomes were identified in the primary and secondary care datasets using previously developed diagnostic coding frameworks. Incidence rates of the outcomes were modelled using Poisson regression, adjusting for deprivation, ethnicity and age and accounting for time at risk.ResultsA total of 35 683 mothers; 8950 had a child with a life-limiting condition, 8868 had a child with a chronic condition and 17 865 had a child with no long-term condition.The adjusted incidence rates of all of the physical and mental health conditions were significantly higher in the mothers of children with a life-limiting condition when compared with those mothers with a child with no long-term condition (eg, depression: incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.21, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.30; cardiovascular disease: IRR 1.73, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.36; death in mothers: IRR 1.59, 95% CI 1.16 to 2.18).ConclusionThis study clearly demonstrates the higher incidence rates of common and serious physical and mental health problems and death in mothers of children with a life-limiting condition. Further research is required to understand how best to support these mothers, but healthcare providers should consider how they can target this population to provide preventative and treatment services.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
Bronwyn Keefe ◽  
Jennifer Tripken

Abstract Increases in the numbers of older adults with mental health and substance use concerns compel us to identify best practices in training to address these issues. Senior Centers are an ideal location for behavioral health education programs as they are the go-to place for many older adults. This session will describe a program funded by The Retirement Research Foundation and offered in collaboration with Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research at Boston University and NCOA to increase senior center staff knowledge and skills. Approximately 250 senior center staff in Illinois, Florida, and Wisconsin completed an online certificate in Behavioral Health and Aging. Results show that 100% of respondents felt that the training was useful for their job; 93% felt that they will be a more effective worker as a result of the training; and 97% felt that the information they learned in the training will make a difference with the people they serve. We held key informant interviews to assess the impact of training and participants stated that their knowledge, skills, and behaviors were influenced by the program. At the organizational level, leaders reported new programming related to behavioral health and revised practices and protocols. This presentation will cover: (1) the extent to which training participants mastered the competencies needed for effective practice; (2) knowledge and skills gained from the training program; (3) Senior Centers’ capacity to identify and refer older adults to mental health services; and (4) organizational changes related to behavioral health programming with older adults.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 343-343
Author(s):  
Abdallah Abu Khait ◽  
Juliette Shellman

Abstract The Reminiscence Functions Scale (RFS), a 43 item reliable and valid scale, measures eight specific reasons as to why individuals reminisce: (a) identity (b) death preparation; (c) problem-solving; (d) bitterness revival; (e) boredom reduction; (f) intimacy maintenance; (g) conversation; and (h) teach/Inform others. Research indicates that certain reminiscence functions have a positive impact on the mental-health and well-being of older adults. However, no known studies have been conducted in Arab countries examining the relationship between reminiscence functions and mental health outcomes due to the lack of an Arabic version of the RFS. The purpose of this study was to translate the RFS from English to Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic), back-translate from Arabic to English, and compare the two English versions for equivalence and accuracy through a multi-step translation method. A team of bilingual, bicultural, Arabic speaking experts assembled to conduct the forward, back translation and harmonization process. In the next step, professionals with expertise in linguistics communication sciences and disorders, Arabic literature, geriatric nursing, and medicine reviewed the translated documents to assess the content (relevant to the target culture) and semantic equivalencies (similarity of meaning in the target culture). Challenges that occurred during the study included finding nuanced translation equivalences for Likert scale responses, translation of idioms such as “when time is heavy on my hands”, and logistical issues such as coordinating virtual meetings for the team of experts. Lessons learned during the translation process and implications for use of the RFS-Arabic version with Jordanian older adults will be presented.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 810-811
Author(s):  
Jayant Pinto

Abstract Decline of the sense of smell with age causes a marked impact on older adults, markedly reducing quality of life. Olfactory dysfunction impairs nutrition, decreases the ability to experience pleasure, and results in depression, among other burdens. Large-scale population studies have identified impaired olfaction as a key heath indicator that predicts the development of decreased physical and mental health, reduced physical activity, weight loss, mild cognitive impairment and dementia, and mortality itself. These data have been generated via analyses of data from several aging cohorts, including the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP); the Beaver Dam cohort; the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities project; the Rush Memory and Aging Project; the Health, Aging, and Body Composition project; the Washington Heights/Inwood Columbia Aging Project; among others. In this presentation, we will review the close connection between olfaction, health, aging, including discussion of insights from these studies. We will also discuss emerging data from NSHAP on the effects of sensory function on cognition, mental health, and social interaction, which demonstrate that sensory function plays a vital role in the lives of older adults. Part of a symposium sponsored by Sensory Health Interest Group.


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