scholarly journals A protocol to evaluate the impact of involvement of older people with dementia and age-related hearing and/or vision impairment in a multi-site European research study

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jahanara Miah ◽  
Piers Dawes ◽  
Iracema Leroi ◽  
Suzanne Parsons ◽  
Bella Starling
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Vision Impairment ◽  
European Research ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Understanding the Link between Family Caregiver Quality of Life and the Care Provided to Older People With Dementia

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 153-154
Author(s):  
Afeez Hazzan
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Older People ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Family Caregiver ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Dementia is one of the most rapidly growing diseases in the United States. In 2018, the direct costs to American society of caring for older people with dementia was approximately $277 billion. Primary informal caregivers are mainly responsible for the care of older people with dementia including Alzheimer’s disease. Caregivers perform a myriad of duties ranging from shopping for their loved ones’ groceries, helping with medications, and managing finances. The caregiving role becomes more demanding as the disease progresses over time, and studies have shown that the quality-of-life (QoL) experienced by caregivers of older adults who have dementia is lower than the QoL of caregivers for older people who do not have dementia. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no research conducted to investigate whether lower caregiver QoL affects the level or quality of care that caregivers provide to persons with dementia. In the current study, we interviewed family caregivers living in Rochester, New York to inquire about their quality of life and the care provided to older people living with dementia. Further, caregivers completed the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) as well as a draft questionnaire for measuring the quality of care provided to older people living with dementia. Both quantitative and qualitative findings from this study reveals important relationships between family caregiver QoL and the care provided, including the impact of social support and financial well-being. The study findings could have significant impact, particularly for the provision of much needed support for family caregivers.

scholarly journals Quality of Care Provided by Family Caregivers of Older People With Dementia: Measurement and Interpretations

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 152-152
Author(s):  
Afeez Hazzan
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Older People ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Family Caregiver ◽  
Primary Reason ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Family caregivers of older people living with dementia are relatives, friends, or neighbors who provide assistance related to this condition, but who are unpaid for the services they provide. Although caregiving could be personally rewarding, many caregivers report a high level of strain. Compared to caregivers of older adults who do not have dementia, family caregivers of older people living with dementia report lower quality-of-life (QoL). In a published systematic review examining the relationship between family caregiver QoL and the quality of care provided, only one study was found to be somewhat relevant. The study suggested that the primary reason for an absence of research into the link between family caregiver QoL and quality of care was the absence of a questionnaire for measuring quality of care in dementia. Therefore, any attempt to investigate the impact of caregiver QoL on the care provided to older people with dementia must first address the lack of an instrument to measure quality of care. To address this issue, we interviewed approximately 20 family caregivers in order to elicit feedback on measurements and interpretation of the quality of care provided by family caregivers of older people living with dementia. Content analysis of the interview transcripts revealed that the quality of relationships with family, caregiver availability to provide or supervise care, and availability of paid or volunteer help are important for the quality of care provided. These results have important implications, particularly for the development of an instrument to measure quality of care in dementia.

Self-Reported Vision Impairment and Frailty among Older People with Low Cognitive Performance in Central Africa: EPIDEMCA Population-Based Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Antoine Gbessemehlan ◽  
Gilles Kehoua ◽  
Catherine Helmer ◽  
Cécile Delcourt ◽  
Achille Tchalla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Adjusted Odds Ratio ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Vision Impairment ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Population Based Study ◽  
The Impact

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Very little is known about the impact of vision impairment (VI) on physical health in late-life in sub-Saharan Africa populations, whereas many older people experience it. We investigated the association between self-reported VI and frailty in Central African older people with low cognitive performance. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> It was cross-sectional analysis of data from the Epidemiology of Dementia in Central Africa (EPIDEMCA) population-based study. After screening for cognitive impairment, older people with low cognitive performance were selected. Frailty was assessed using the Study of Osteoporotic Fracture index. Participants who met one of the 3 parameters assessed (unintentional weight loss, inability to do 5 chair stands, and low energy level) were considered as pre-frail, and those who met 2 or more parameters were considered as frail. VI was self-reported. Associations were investigated using multinomial logistic regression models. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Out of 2,002 older people enrolled in EPIDEMCA, 775 (38.7%) had low cognitive performance on the screening test. Of them, 514 participants (sex ratio: 0.25) had available data on VI and frailty and were included in the analyses. In total, 360 (70%) self-reported VI. Prevalence of frailty was estimated at 64.9% [95% confidence interval: 60.9%–69.1%] and 23.7% [95% CI: 20.1%–27.4%] for pre-frailty. After full adjustment, self-reported VI was associated with frailty (adjusted odds ratio = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1–4.3) but not with pre-frailty (adjusted odds ratio = 1.8; 95% CI: 0.9–3.7). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> In Central African older people with low cognitive performance, those who self-reported VI were more likely to experience frailty. Our findings suggest that greater attention should be devoted to VI among this vulnerable population in order to identify early frailty onset and provide adequate care management.

scholarly journals Sleep disordered breathing at the extremes of age: the elderly

Breathe ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison McMillan ◽  
Mary J. Morrell
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Older People ◽  
Sleep Disordered Breathing ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
List Type ◽  
Pressure Therapy ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Disordered Breathing

Key pointsSleep disordered breathing (SDB) is common and its prevalence increases with age. Despite this high prevalence, SDB is frequently unrecognised and undiagnosed in older people.There is accumulating evidence that SDB in older people is associated with worsening cardio- cerebrovascular, cognitive and functional outcomes.There is now good evidence to support the use of continuous positive airway pressure therapy in older patients with symptomatic SDB.Educational aimsTo highlight the prevalence and presentation of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in older people.To inform readers about the risk factors for SDB in older people.To explore the impact of SDB in older people.To introduce current evidence based treatment options for SDB in older people.Sleep disordered breathing (SBD) increases in prevalence as we age, most likely due to physiological and physical changes that occur with ageing. Additionally, SDB is associated with comorbidity and its subsequent polypharmacy, which may increase with increasing age. Finally, the increased prevalence of SDB is intrinsically linked to the obesity epidemic. SDB is associated with serious outcomes in younger people and, likewise, older people. Thus, identification, diagnosis and treatment of SDB is important irrelevant of age. This article reviews the age-related changes contributing to SDB, the epidemiology and the risk factors for SDB in older people, the association of SDB with adverse outcomes, and diagnostic and treatment options for this population.

Socio-economic disadvantage and poverty

2020 ◽  
pp. 105-114
Author(s):  
Alisoun Milne
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Poverty Line ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Economic Disadvantage ◽  
Fundamental Building Block ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Uk ◽  
State Pension ◽  
The Impact

Chapter 5 is the first of three chapters exploring the impact of age related risks affecting particular sub populations of older people. Socioeconomic disadvantage in later life tends to reflect a lifecourse status. It amplifies what is already present. In 2016/17 one million older people were living in poverty; an additional 1.2 million were living just above the poverty line. These numbers are rising. Those aged 85 years or over, frail older people, older women and single older people are particularly at risk. Poor older people are also more likely to live in poor housing and be exposed to fuel poverty. Being poor - and its concomitants - compromises mental health in a number of profound ways. It undermines an older person’s capacity to make choices, retain independence, save for a crisis, maintain social contacts and be digitally included. It is linked with worry, loss of control over life and shame. Poor older people are at heightened risk of isolation and loneliness, stress, anxiety and depression. The UK has a weak policy record, compared with other developed countries, of sustainably and coherently addressing poverty in later life. One of the cornerstones of doing so is a continued commitment to the basic state pension as a fundamental building block of a secure old age. Addressing poor housing is also pivotal.

scholarly journals There's no apprenticeship for Alzheimer's: the caring relationship when an older person experiencing dementia falls

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 873-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANNE MCINTYRE ◽  
FRANCES REYNOLDS
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Everyday Activity ◽  
Carer Burden ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Caring Relationship ◽  
Serious Injury ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTOlder people experiencing dementia are twice as likely to fall with consequences of serious injury, reduction in everyday activity, admission to long-term care and mortality. Carers of people with dementia are themselves at greater risk of physical and mental ill health, which increases as the dementia progresses. Unsurprisingly, carer burden also increases when a care-recipient falls. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of falling of community-living older people with dementia and their carers. A qualitative approach was taken using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Nine older people with predominantly Alzheimer's disease and their ten carers were recruited from a large mental health National Health Service trust and participated in one-to-one and joint in-depth interviews. Three dyads participated in repeat interviews. Three focus groups were also carried out, with nine older people experiencing memory problems and 12 carers from a local Alzheimer's Society branch. The antecedents, falls events and consequences of falls were discussed. This paper reports specifically on the impact of falls on the caring relationship. Three themes emerged: ‘learning as you go’, ‘we're always together’, ‘nobody was interested’. The findings demonstrate how falling accentuates the impact of dementia on the dyad. Spouse-carers' discussion of their own falls emphasise the need for joint assessment of health and wellbeing to reduce carer burden and preserve the couplehood of the dyad.

scholarly journals Dementia Friendly Hospital Design: Key Issues for Patients and Accompanying Persons in an Irish Acute Care Public Hospital

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitra Xidous ◽  
Tom Grey ◽  
S. P. Kennelly ◽  
Cathy McHale ◽  
Desmond O’Neill
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Person With Dementia ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: Research was conducted to investigate the impact of the hospital environment on older people including patients with dementia and their accompanying persons (APs). The article presents key research findings in the case study hospital. Background: For many patients, the hospital is challenging due to the busy, unfamiliar, and stressful nature of the environment. For a person with dementia, the hospital experience can be exacerbated by cognitive impairment and behavioral or psychological symptoms and can therefore prove to be a frightening, distressing, and disorientating place. Method: The findings are based on a stakeholder engagement process where the research team spent approximately 150 hr observing within the hospital, administered 95 questionnaires to patients and/or APs, and conducted 12 structured interviews with patients and APs. A thematic analysis was employed to analyze and generate key themes emerging from the process. Results: Themes were grouped into overarching issues and design issues across spatial scales. Conclusion: This research confirms the negative impact of the acute hospital setting on older people with cognitive impairments including dementia and delirium. The multiple perspectives captured in this study, including most importantly people with dementia, ensure that stakeholder needs can be used to inform the design of the hospital environment. The research points to the value of understanding the lived experience of the person with dementia and APs. The voices of patients, particularly persons with dementia and their APs, are a crucial element in helping hospitals to fulfill their role as caregiving and healing facilities.

Heroines, villains and victims: older people's perceptions of others

2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 883-900 ◽  
Author(s):  
JEAN TOWNSEND ◽  
MARY GODFREY ◽  
TRACY DENBY
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Age Changes ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Physical Limitations ◽  
Inclusive Society ◽  
People’S Perceptions

This paper examines older people's contrasting images of older people as ‘those like us’ and as ‘others’. It draws on data from a qualitative study about the experience of ageing that was undertaken in partnership with two local groups of older people in England. Whilst the informants acknowledged their chronological age, changes in appearance and physical limitations, most did not describe themselves as old. They challenged the idea of older people as being ‘past it’. Older people who personified their own values of inter-dependence, reciprocity and keeping going were seen as ‘heroines’ of old age, but negative stereotypes were ascribed simultaneously to others, ‘the villains’. Aspects of behaviour which evoked censure were ‘giving up’; ‘refusal to be helped’ and ‘taking without putting back’, and were usually attributed to acquaintances known only at a distance. The victims of old age were primarily people with dementia, who were perceived as ‘needing to be looked after’ and objects of pity and concern. The paper explores the ways in which these various images of old age related to people's self-identity and management of the ageing process; especially in a society that has ambivalent conceptions of old age. The findings contribute to an understanding of how people's values underpin their conception of ‘a good old age’ and how they shape their interpretation of societal stereotypes. They also indicate the importance of considering whose voices are heard in the context of exploring the identity and contributions of older people to achieve a more inclusive society.

Poisoning among older people with dementia: a wake up call

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (11) ◽  
pp. 1755-1756
Author(s):  
Christopher D. Etherton-Beer
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Older People ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
Human Lifespan ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Age Related

Medical care can be both “a blessing and a curse”. The contributions of medicines to increased human lifespan and falling mortality from the major cardiovascular diseases are undisputed. However, in lockstep with remarkable extension of human lifespan has been increase in the numbers of people living with chronic age related neurodegenerative conditions and frailty. In frail, multi-morbid populations, with limited homeostatic reserve and life expectancy, the balance between the risk and harms of medicines can be in equipoise. In this context the number of older people living with dementia is increasing, and understanding threats to the quality of life of people with dementia is of growing significance. Among the myriad potential causes of harm to older people with dementia, in this issue of the journal Mitchell and colleagues present new Australian data reminding us of the importance of admissions due to both intentional and unintentional poisoning.

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