scholarly journals Memory Problems During COVID in Low-Income Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 198-198
Author(s):  
Faika Zanjani
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Health Coaching ◽  
Memory Problems ◽  
Lifestyle Risk ◽  
Ad Prevention ◽  
Lifestyle Risk Reduction

Abstract Prevention, with widespread lifestyle risk reduction at the community-level, is considered an effective method to decrease Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Diverse low-income older adults in Virginia managing either diabetes/cardiovascular symptoms, were offered weekly lifestyle telephone-health coaching for 12-weeks, providing education, motivations, self-efficacy, and referral services for AD lifestyle risk. Participants provided positive anecdotal feedback and the need for continued health coaching during COVID-19. Thirty participants (predominantly African American/Black female) consented for continued health coaching during the pandemic with 47% reporting memory problems. Findings indicated poorer health status associated with reporting memory problems for poor physical health days, poor mental health days, total mental/physical health poor days, sad days, worried days, tired days, feelings of emptiness, feelings of rejection, feelings of failure, little interest/pleasure, and feeling down. This preliminary work creates the impetus for future large-scale AD prevention investigations to improve the lives of AD-risk, low-income, diverse older adults reporting memory problems.

scholarly journals Memory Problems During COVID in Low-income Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 741-741
Author(s):  
Faika Zanjani ◽  
Annie Rhodes
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
African American ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Health Coaching ◽  
Memory Problems ◽  
American Black ◽  
Lifestyle Risk

Abstract Prevention, with widespread lifestyle risk reduction at the community-level, is currently considered an effective method to decrease Alzheimer’s disease (AD). As part of the Virginia Commonwealth University iCubed Health and Wellness in Aging Core, diverse older adults (60+) living in Richmond, VA, with incomes below $12,000/year and managing either diabetes/cardiovascular symptoms, were offered weekly lifestyle telephone-health coaching for 12-weeks, providing education, motivations, self-efficacy, and referral services for AD lifestyle risk. The study sample (n=40, mean age 68 years (range: 60-77 years) was 88% African American/Black (n=35), 100% Non-Hispanic, and 45% males (n=18)). Thirty-nine (95%) of subjects successfully participated in coaching sessions; on average 91.9% (11) sessions/subject were completed. Participants provided positive anecdotal feedback and the need for continued health coaching during COVID. N=30 (75%) of the original sample consented for continued health coaching during the Covid pandemic, 63% female, 88% African American/Black, 60-77 age range (mean age 69 years), and 47% reporting memory problems. Baseline Covid interviews indicated poorer health status associated with reporting memory problems for poor physical health days (F=7.03;p=.01); poor mental health days (F=6.88;p=.01); total mental/physical health poor days (F=2.76;p=.11); sad days (F=15.52;p=.001); worried days (F=6.27;p=.02); tired days (F=9.77;p=.004); feelings of emptiness (F=10.09;p=.004); feelings of rejection (F=3.382;p=.08); feelings of failure (F=7.58;p=.01); little interest/pleasure (F=7.84;p=.009); and feeling down (F=6.75;p=.02). In conclusion, this preliminary work creates the impetus for future large-scale AD prevention investigations to improve the lives of AD-risk, low-income, diverse older adults reporting memory problems. This research indicates the subjective reporting of memory problems requires health intervention.

scholarly journals Alzheimer’s Prevention Lifestyle Risk Coaching in Low-income Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 746-746
Author(s):  
Faika Zanjani ◽  
Annie Rhodes
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Health Coaching ◽  
Lifestyle Risk ◽  
Virginia Commonwealth University ◽  
Ad Prevention ◽  
Lifestyle Risk Reduction

Abstract Prevention, with widespread lifestyle risk reduction at the community-level, is currently considered an effective method to decrease Alzheimer’s disease (AD). As part of the Virginia Commonwealth University iCubed Health and Wellness in Aging Core, diverse older adults (60+) living in Richmond, VA, with incomes below $12,000/year and managing either diabetes/cardiovascular symptoms, were offered weekly lifestyle telephone-health coaching for 12-weeks, providing education, motivations, self-efficacy, and referral services for AD lifestyle risk. The study sample (n=40, mean age 68 years (range: 60-77 years) was 88% African American/Black (n=35), 100% Non-Hispanic, and 45% males (n=18)). Thirty-nine (95%) of subjects successfully participated in coaching sessions; on average 91.9% (11) sessions/subject were completed. On a scale of 0-100 (higher scores more positivity), rated their experience 93.3. On a scale of 0-10 (higher scores more improvement), rated their health improved 8.36. Pre/post-test analyses indicated lifestyle improvement trends over 4-months for total lifestyle risk (F=4.69;p=.037;effect=.12), social activity (F=4.63;p=.063;effect =.09), and improvement in certain psychological domains: AD knowledge (F=4.49;p=.041;effect=.11); cognitive functioning (short-term memory (F=4.99;p=.038;effect= .21); delayed memory (F=2.26;p=.154;effect=.11); Trails A (F=5.60;p=.0294;effect=.24); and Trails B (F=2.22;p=.154;effect=.11). Participants provided positive anecdotal feedback and the need for continued health coaching. In conclusion, this preliminary work creates the impetus for future large-scale lifestyle AD prevention investigations to improve the lives of AD-risk, low-income, diverse older adults. These findings demonstrate that telephone-based health coaching is feasible, based on participant engagement, and effective, based on positive trends in reducing AD risk factors.

scholarly journals Addressing Alzheimer’s Risk in Racially Diverse, Low-Income Older Adults Through Telephone Health Coaching

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 282-282
Author(s):  
Faika Zanjani ◽  
Annie Rhodes ◽  
Taylor Wilkerson ◽  
Jennifer Inker ◽  
Joann Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Behavior Change ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Health Coaching ◽  
Behavioral Risk ◽  
Racially Diverse ◽  
Individual Level

Abstract Preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD) behavioral risk reduction needs to be more fully explored at the community-level. Connecting behavior change to AD can reduce individual-level helplessness for the disease. However, behavior change targeting AD prevention factors (e.g., alcohol, depression, physical inactivity, smoking, isolation, medication management) is extremely challenging for multiple reasons, including failures in connecting AD and health behavior risk, and due to individual-level motivational, self-efficacy, and knowledge barriers. Methods: As part of the Virginia Commonwealth University iCubed Health and Wellness in Aging Population Core, 20 diverse older adults (aged 60+) living in Richmond, VA, with incomes below $12,000/year and managing either diabetes/cardiovascular symptoms, were offered weekly telephone-based health coaching for 12-weeks, providing education, motivations, self-efficacy skills, and referral services, for AD behavioral risk factors. A patient preference health coaching behavioral change strategy was implemented, where the person decides which behavioral practices to target. All study subjects completed a behavioral-psychosocial baseline and 3-month follow-up assessment. Findings: The study demonstrated feasibility for implementing health coaching within low-income racially-diverse older adults. The study sample (n=20, mean age 69 years (range: 61-77 years) was 90% African American (n=18), and 55% males (n=11). Improvement in AD knowledge (F=4.19;p=.0565); cognitive functioning (memory (F=4.19;p=.0556); delayed memory (F=2.85;p=.1086); TrailsA (F=5.60;p=.0294)), alcohol-risk (F=3.33;p=.1108) and social isolation (F=4.11;p=.0569) trends were found at 3-month follow-up. Conclusions: The findings from this study exhibit positive trends in reducing AD risk. This study creates the impetus for future large-scale investigations and dissemination of findings to improve the lives of at-risk low-income aging adults.

scholarly journals Exploring the beliefs and perceptions of spending time in nature among U.S. youth

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid N. Zamora ◽  
Marika E. Waselewski ◽  
Abby J. Frank ◽  
Jack R. Nawrocki ◽  
Aspen R. Hanson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Public Health Challenge ◽  
Qualitative Responses ◽  
Mental And Physical Health ◽  
Hispanic White

Abstract Purpose The prevalence of poor mental health continues to rise among youth; however, large-scale interventions to improve mental and physical health remain a public health challenge. Time spent in nature is associated with improved health among youth. This study aimed to assess youth experiences with nature and the self-perceived impact on their mental and physical health among a nationwide sample of US youth. Methods In September 2020, five open-ended questions that aimed to assess perceptions regarding nature were posed to 1174 MyVoice youth, aged 14–24 years. Qualitative responses were analyzed using thematic analysis, and data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results The mean (SD) age of the 994 respondents (RR = 84.7%) was 18.9 (2.7) years; 47.4% were female, and 57.4% Non-Hispanic White. Among youth, many felt that spending time in nature positively impacted their mental health, with 51.6% mentioning that it made them “feel calm when I am out in nature”; 22.1% said that it relieved stress or “reduces my anxiety,” and 17.1% felt that being in nature positively impacted their physical health and “makes me feel more active and in shape.” However, 7.0% said it negatively impacted their health, such as “It makes me feel isolated.” Most youth (87.8%) want to spend more time in nature, with 22% mentioning barriers (i.e., busy schedules, built environment, and COVID-19) impeding them from doing so. Conclusions Youth in our sample generally report feeling physically and mentally better when spending time in nature and want to spend more time in nature. Public health policies and practices that eliminate barriers and actively support time spent outside may be a feasible and acceptable practice to promote overall well-being among youth.

scholarly journals Short-Term Mental Health Sequelae of Bereavement Predict Long-Term Physical Health Decline in Older Adults: U.S. Health and Retirement Study Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin W Domingue ◽  
Laramie Duncan ◽  
Amal Harrati ◽  
Daniel W Belsky
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Spousal Death ◽  
Health Decline ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Objectives Spousal death is a common late-life event with health-related sequelae. Evidence linking poor mental health to disease suggests the hypothesis that poor mental health following death of a spouse could be a harbinger of physical health decline. Thus, identification of bereavement-related mental health symptoms could provide an opportunity for prevention. Methods We analyzed data from N = 39,162 individuals followed from 1994 to 2016 in the U.S. Health and Retirement Study; N = 5,061 were widowed during follow-up. We tested change in mental and physical health from prebereavement through the 5 years following spousal death. Results Bereaved spouses experienced an increase in depressive symptoms following their spouses’ deaths but the depressive shock attenuated within 1 year. Bereaved spouses experienced increases in disability, chronic-disease morbidity, and hospitalization, which grew in magnitude over time, especially among older respondents. Bereaved spouses were at increased risk of death compared to nonbereaved respondents. The magnitude of depressive symptoms in the immediate aftermath of spousal death predicted physical-health decline and mortality risk over 5 years of follow-up. Discussion Bereavement-related depressive symptoms indicate a risk for physical health decline and death in older adults. Screening for depressive symptoms in bereaved older adults may represent an opportunity for intervention to preserve healthy life span.

scholarly journals Practical Solutions to Address COVID-19-Related Mental and Physical Health Challenges Among Low-Income Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline D. Bergeron ◽  
Ali Boolani ◽  
Erica C. Jansen ◽  
Matthew Lee Smith
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Consequences ◽  
Healthy Living ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

Low-income older adults are disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this perspective article, we review the context in which low-income older people experience the pandemic and the mental and physical health consequences they have faced to date. Then, we offer practical solutions to help improve low-income older adults' sleep, physical activity, nutrition, and stress that require no or low financial commitment. We argue that governments, communities, and organizations should make greater efforts to promote healthy living for low-income older adults in times of health emergencies to ensure their ability to be universally adopted, regardless of income and resources.

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