scholarly journals Factors Associated With Deficient Housing Among Community-Living Older Adults in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 476-477
Author(s):  
Safiyyah Okoye ◽  
Laura Samuel ◽  
Sarah Szanton ◽  
Jennifer Wolff
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Housing Quality ◽  
Financial Hardship ◽  
Financial Resources ◽  
Community Living ◽  
Functional Abilities ◽  
Sampling Weights

Abstract Housing quality is a recognized social determinant of health. Qualitative evidence suggests the ability of older adults to maintain their homes is affected by the domains of financial resources, social environment, and functional abilities, but this conceptualization has not been tested quantitatively. This cross-sectional study examined associations between financial resources (indicated by socioeconomic characteristics: education, racial-status, annual income, financial hardship, Medicaid eligibility), social environment (living arrangement, social integration), and functional abilities (lower extremity performance, self-care disability, independent-living disability, homebound-status, dementia, depression) with deficient housing among 6,489 community-living adults ≥ 65 years participating in the nationally representative 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study. Sampling weights accounted for study design and non-response. An estimated 9.2% (3.2 million) older Americans lived in housing with ≥1 deficiency (any peeling paint, evidence of pests, flooring in disrepair, broken windows, crumbling foundation, missing siding, or roof problems). In bivariate logistic regressions, factors from all three domains were associated with deficient housing. In a multivariable model that included all variables above and adjusted for age and sex, indicators of financial resources and social environment remained associated with deficient housing (including financial hardship, adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10,1.98; and living with non-spousal others versus alone, aOR=1.48; 95% CI:1.09, 2.03), whereas indicators of functional abilities did not. To ensure quality housing for all community-dwelling older adults, efforts that increase financial resources and further examine the role of social environment in deficient housing are needed.

scholarly journals Effects of an integrated geriatric group balance class within an entry-level Doctorate of Physical Therapy program on students’ perceptions of geriatrics and geriatric education in the United States

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer C. Reneker ◽  
Kyra Weems ◽  
Vincent Scaia
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Geriatric Patients ◽  
Physical Therapist ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
Geriatric Education

This study was aimed at determining the effect of an integrated group balance class for community-dwelling older adults within entry-level physical therapist coursework on student perceptions of geriatric physical therapy and geriatric physical therapy education. Twenty-nine Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students, 21–33 years old, in their second year of coursework in 2012, participated in an integrated clinical experience with exposure to geriatric patients at an outpatient facility at the Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Akron, Ohio, USA. Student perceptions were collected before and after participation in the 8-week balance class. The Wilcoxon sign-ranked test was used to identify differences in perceptions after participation in the group balance class. Cohen’s d-values were calculated to measure the size of the pre-participation to post-participation effect for each measure. At the conclusion of the group class, the DPT students demonstrated an increase in positive perceptions of geriatric physical therapy in 8 measures, with small effect sizes (d=0.15–0.30). Two perceptions of geriatric physical therapy demonstrated a significant positive increase (P<0.05) with moderate effect sizes (d=0.47 and d=0.50). The students’ perceptions of geriatric education in the curriculum demonstrated a large positive effect for quality (d=1.68) and enjoyment (d=1.96). Positive changes were found in most of the perceptions of geriatrics and geriatric education after participation, suggesting that integrated clinical experiences with geriatric patients are an effective way to positively influence perceptions of physical therapist practice with older adults.

Heart Failure and Disability in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in the United States—1999 to 2018: Data From National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

2021 ◽  
pp. 105477382110616
Author(s):  
Yaewon Seo ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Donelle Barnes ◽  
Surendra Barshikar
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
National Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Nutrition Examination Survey ◽  
Mediating Effects ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

To examine the associations of heart failure (HF) with five domains of disability while controlling for covariates. Subjects with HF and aged ≥ 50 years were selected from the 1999 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Five domains of disability were measured with 19 physical tasks. Logistic regression with adjustment for covariates was conducted. The prevalence of HF in 27,185 adults aged ≥ 50 years was 6.37%. After controlling for demographics and smoking, logistic regression showed that HF was associated with 2.8 to 3.4 times increased odds of all domains of disability compared to adults without HF, but with additional adjustments of covariates, the association was attenuated indicating the mediating effects of covariates. The future study may examine the mediating effects of covariates when intervening difficulties with lower extremity mobility and activities of daily living while considering in community-dwelling older adults with HF.

scholarly journals Screening Community-Living Older Adults for Protein Energy Malnutrition and Frailty: Update and Next Steps

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 640-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna T. Dwyer ◽  
Jaime J. Gahche ◽  
Mary Weiler ◽  
Mary Beth Arensberg
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Predictive Validity ◽  
Screening Tool ◽  
Protein Energy Malnutrition ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Screening Tools ◽  
World Health ◽  
Community Settings ◽  
Protein Energy

Abstract Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM)/undernutrition and frailty are prevalent, overlapping conditions impacting on functional and health outcomes of older adults, but are frequently unidentified and untreated in community settings in the United States. Using the World Health Organization criteria for effective screening programs, we reviewed validity, reliability, and feasibility of data-driven screening tools for identifying PEM and frailty risk among community-dwelling older adults. The SCREEN II is recommended for PEM screening and the FRAIL scale is recommended as the most promising frailty screening tool, based on test characteristics, cost, and ease of use, but more research on both tools is needed, particularly on predictive validity of favorable outcomes after nutritional/physical activity interventions. The Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) has been recommended by one expert group as a screening tool for all adults, regardless of age/care setting. However, it has not been tested in US community settings, likely yields large numbers of false positives (particularly in community settings), and its predictive validity of favorable outcomes after nutritional interventions is unknown. Community subgroups at highest priority for screening are those at increased risk due to prior illness, certain demographics and/or domiciliary characteristics, and those with BMI < 20 kg/m2 or < 22 if > 70 years or recent unintentional weight loss > 10% (who are likely already malnourished). Community-based health professionals can better support healthy aging by increasing their awareness/use of PEM and frailty screening tools, prioritizing high-risk populations for systematic screening, following screening with more definitive diagnoses and appropriate interventions, and re-evaluating and revising screening protocols and measures as more data become available.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Worries and Behavior Changes in Older and Younger Men and Women

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah J Barber ◽  
Hyunji Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Older Men ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Behavior Changes ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
And Behavior

Abstract Objectives The case fatality rate of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is higher among older adults than younger adults and is also higher among men than women. However, worry, which is a key motivator of behavioral health changes, occurs less frequently for older than younger adults, and less frequently for men than women. Building on this, we tested whether older adults–and particularly older men—would report the least amount of COVID-19 worry and also fewer COVID-19 behavior changes. Method From March 23–31, 2020, we administered an online questionnaire assessing COVID-19 perceptions, worries, and behavior changes. Participants were a convenience sample of U.S. residents, who were community-dwelling younger adults (18–35) or older adults (65–81). Analyses included 146 younger adults (68 men, 78 women) and 156 older adults (82 men, 74 women). Participants were predominately white, living in suburban/urban areas, and had completed some college. Results During the early phase of the outbreak in the United States, older adults perceived the risks of COVID-19 to be higher than did younger adults. Despite this, older men were comparatively less worried about COVID-19 than their younger counterparts. Compared with the other participants, older men had also implemented the fewest behavior changes. Discussion Interventions are needed to increase COVID-19 behavior changes in older men. These results also highlight the importance of understanding emotional responses to COVID-19, as these are predictive of their behavioral responses.

scholarly journals THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COGNITION, FUNCTIONAL ABILITIES, AND THE LATENT DEMENTIA PHENOTYPE AMONG CENTENARIANS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S965-S965
Author(s):  
Jonathan Sober ◽  
John L Woodard ◽  
L Stephen Miller ◽  
Adam Davey ◽  
Peter Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Latent Variable ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Functional Abilities ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Dementia Severity

Abstract Adequate assessment of cognitive abilities and functional capacity is essential for a diagnosis of dementia. However, cognition is only moderately related to functional status, and this relationship is poorly understood among centenarians, a group of older adults with high risk for dementia. A bifactor structural equation model can be used to delineate the variance attributed to dementia-specific related cognitive changes (i.e., the latent variable delta) and the variance due to general intelligence (i.e., g’). This study aimed to determine the validity of delta as a marker of cognitive decline among centenarians. It was hypothesized that delta was correlated with cognitive status, functional abilities and, dementia severity. Overall, 244 community dwelling centenarians (Mage = 100.58, 84.8% female) were recruited through the Georgia Centenarian Study, a population-based study of octogenarians and centenarians from northern Georgia. Older adults were administered measures of cognition and a self-report measure of functional abilities. Latent variable scores (i.e., g’ and delta) were modeled and correlated with standard global cognitive screening measures (i.e., MMSE) and measures of dementia severity. Results indicate that delta was significantly correlated with functional ability and cognitive abilities. Consistent with our hypotheses, delta was also significantly related to dementia severity. Overall, estimates of the latent dementia phenotype, delta, were significantly related to cognitive and functional abilities among centenarians, providing validation of delta as a useful index of dementia severity.

scholarly journals Remote, unsupervised functional motor task evaluation in older adults across the United States using the MindCrowd electronic cohort

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Hooyman ◽  
Joshua S. Talboom ◽  
Matthew D. DeBoth ◽  
Lee Ryan ◽  
Matt Huentelman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Motor Function ◽  
Motor Task ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Dominant Hand ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
At Home

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the ability to evaluate motor function in older adults, as motor assessments typically require face-to-face interaction. This study tested whether motor function can be assessed at home. One hundred seventy-seven older adults nationwide (recruited through the MindCrowd electronic cohort) completed a brief functional upper-extremity assessment at home and unsupervised. Performance data were compared to data from an independent sample of community-dwelling older adults (N=250) assessed by an experimenter in-lab. The effect of age on performance was similar between the in-lab and at-home groups for both the dominant and non-dominant hand. Practice effects were also similar between the groups. Assessing upper-extremity motor function remotely is feasible and reliable in community-dwelling older adults. This test offers a practical solution in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and telehealth practice and other research involving remote or geographically isolated individuals.

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