scholarly journals Development of a Compensation-aware Virtual Rehabilitation System for Upper Extremity Rehabilitation in Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Stroke

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiqiang Luo ◽  
Audrey Ei-Ping Lim ◽  
Ponraj Durairaj ◽  
Kim Kiow Tan ◽  
Verawaty Verawaty
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Virtual Rehabilitation ◽  
Motor Practice ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Rehabilitation System ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Upper Extremity Rehabilitation ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Background: Compensatory movements are commonly observed in older adults with stroke when they take motor practice for rehabilitation, which could limit their motor recovery.Aim: This study aims to develop one virtual rehabilitation system (VRS) that can detect and reduce compensatory movements to improve the quality of upper extremity (UE) movements and hence the outcome of rehabilitation in community-dwelling older adults with stroke. Method: To design and validate the algorithm of compensation detection equipped in VRS, a study was first conducted to recruit 17 healthy and 6 stroke participants to identify and quantify compensatory movements when they played rehabilitation games provided by the VRS. Then a pilot study was conducted to test the feasibility and efficacy of the VRS deployed in community, where 18 stroke participants were assigned to either virtual reality (VR) group or conventional treatment (CT) group, and each participant underwent 10 sessions of an additional 6 minutes of VR games or CT respectively, on top of their usual rehabilitation programme. Participants were assessed before and after interventions using Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Wolf Motor Function Test(WMFT), Stroke Rehabilitation Motivation Scale (SRMS), Range of Motion (ROM) measurements and the number of compensatory movements.Results: VR group demonstrated a trend in reduction of trunk and upper-extremity compensations, increased intrinsic motivation scores, and statistically significant improvements in FMA-UE (p=0.045) and WMFT (p=0.009, p=0.0355) scores. There was, however, no significant difference in all outcome measures between two groups. Conclusion: The compensation-aware VRS demonstrates a trend towards reduced compensation and higher motivation level, which could be an effective adjunct to the conventional therapy with less supervision from a therapist as well as be potentially deployed in a community center or at an elder adult’s home.

scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Self-Perception of Aging Among Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 233372142199932
Author(s):  
Alexander Seifert
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Multivariate Analysis ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Self Perception ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Subjective Views ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a pattern of physical distancing worldwide, particularly for adults aged 65+. Such distancing can evoke subjective feelings of negative self-perception of aging (SPA) among older adults, but how this pandemic has influenced such SPA is not yet known. This study, therefore, explored SPA at different time phases of the COVID-19 pandemic to explain the pandemic’s impact on SPA among older adults. The analysis employed a sample of 1,990 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 to 95 (mean age = 72.74 years; 43% female) in Switzerland. Data collection from different older adults within one study occurred both before and after Switzerland’s first confirmed COVID-19 case. The descriptive analysis revealed that negative SPA increased, and positive SPA decreased, after the Swiss government recommended physical distancing. After the Federal Council decided to ease these measures, negative SPA slightly decreased and positive SPA increased. According to the multivariate analysis, individuals interviewed after the lockdown were more likely to report greater levels of negative SPA and lower levels of positive SPA. Age, income, and living alone also correlated with SPA. The results suggest that the pandemic has affected older adults’ subjective views of their own aging, and these findings help illustrate the pandemic’s outcomes.

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.

Comparing the Effects of Single-Task versus Dual-Task Balance Training on Gait Smoothness and Functional Balance in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Samira Javadpour ◽  
Ehsan Sinaei ◽  
Reza Salehi ◽  
Shahla Zahednejad ◽  
Alireza Motealleh
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Balance Training ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Timed Up And Go ◽  
Training Groups ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

To compare the effects of single- versus dual-task balance training on the gait smoothness and balance of community-dwelling older adults, 69 volunteers were randomized to single-, dual-task training, and control (no intervention) groups. Exercises were received in 18 sessions through 6 weeks. The gait smoothness was measured by the harmonic ratio of trunk accelerations using a triaxial accelerometer. Balance performance was assessed through the Fullerton Advanced Balance scale, Timed Up and Go test, Activities-specific Balance Confidence, and gait speed. After the trial, all variables improved significantly in the training groups. Moreover, differences in the mean change of all variables, except the Timed Up and Go test, were statistically significant between the interventional groups and the control group, but no significant difference was reported between the two training groups. This study suggests that balance training can improve gait smoothness as well as balance status in healthy older adults.

Exercise Intervention Designed to Improve Strength and Dynamic Balance among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ro DiBrezzo ◽  
Barbara B. Shadden ◽  
Blake H. Raybon ◽  
Melissa Powers
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Exercise Intervention ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Balance Training ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Training Exercises ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Loss of balance and falling are critical concerns for older adults. Physical activity can improve balance and decrease the risk of falling. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a simple, low-cost exercise program for community-dwelling older adults. Sixteen senior adults were evaluated using the Senior Fitness Test for measures of functional strength, aerobic endurance, dynamic balance and agility, and flexibility. In addition, measures of height, weight, resting blood pressure, blood lipids, and cognitive function were obtained. Participants then attended a 10-week exercise class including stretching, strengthening, and balance-training exercises. At the completion of the program, significant improvements were observed in tests measuring dynamic balance and agility, lower and upper extremity strength, and upper extremity flexibility. The results indicate that exercise programs such as this are an effective, low-cost solution to improving health and factors that affect falling risk among older adults.

scholarly journals Adoption Intention and Factors Influencing the Use of Gerontechnology in Chinese Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Mixed-Methods Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huanhuan Huang ◽  
Zhiyu Chen ◽  
Songmei Cao ◽  
Mingzhao Xiao ◽  
Liling Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Chinese Community ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
Adoption Intention

Objective: To explore the Chinese community-dwelling intention of older adults to adopt gerontechnology and its influencing factors.Design: A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design with an inductive approach was employed. In phase 1, a self-made questionnaire was administered from August 2018 to December 2019. Multifactor logistic regression was used to analyze the adoption intention and factors influencing the use of gerontechnology. In phase 2, participants completed a semistructured interview to explore the adoption intention of a specific form of gerontechnology, Smart Aged Care Platform, from May to July 2020.Setting: Twelve communities in three districts of Chongqing, China.Participants: Community-dwelling older adults were included.Results: A total of 1,180 older adults completed the quantitative study; two-thirds of them (68.7%) showed adoption intention toward gerontechnology. Nineteen participants (10 users and nine nonusers) completed the qualitative study and four themes were explored. Through a summarized understanding of the qualitative and quantitative data, a conceptual model of influencing factors, namely, predictive, enabling, and need factors, was constructed.Conclusions: This study reveals that most Chinese community-dwelling older adults welcome the emergence of new technologies. However, there was a significant difference in the adoption intention of gerontechnology in Chinese community-dwelling older adults based on their sociodemographic and psychographic characteristics. Our findings extend previous technology acceptance models and theories and contribute to the existing resource base.

scholarly journals Relationship between cognitive performance and physical activity in community-dwelling older adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aline Martins Alves ◽  
Luiza Alves da Silva ◽  
Tatiana Carvalho Reis Martins ◽  
Bruna Moretti Luchesi
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Active Group ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Inactive Group

Introduction: The aging process can result in the decline of cognitive function. Some factors may be beneficial for cognitive functioning in aging, such as physical activity. Objective: To analyze the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: Cross-sectional and quantitative study, carried out in 2018/2019, with 491 older adults (≥60 years), registered in Primary Healthcare Units in Três Lagoas-MS. The older adults were divided into two groups: physically active (>150 minutes of moderate physical activity or >75 minutes of vigorous activity/week - n=320) and inactive (n=171), according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was also applied. T and chi-square tests were used to analyze the relationship between variables. Results: The physically active group were mostly women (60.8%), with an average of 69.7±6.9 years of age and 4.2±3.5 years of schooling. In the inactive group, the majority were women (59.7%), with 71.4±8.2 years of age and 4.0±4.2 of schooling. The groups were similar in terms of sex and education, but the inactive group was older (p=0.029). The active older adults had a mean of 23.7±3.8 points in the MMSE, and the inactive group, 21.9±4.6, with a significant difference (p <0.000), ndicating that the active group had a better cognitive performance. Conclusion: There is a relationship between being physically active and having a better cognitive performance. Physical activity in old age is related to benefits in several areas and must be incorporated into public health promotion and disease prevention policies.

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of the Stepping-On Fall Prevention Program on the Quality of Life, Fear of Fall, and Fall-Preventive Behaviors Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakineh Gholamzadeh ◽  
Maryam Ebrahimi ◽  
Nasrin Sharifi ◽  
Masoumeh Rambod
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Fall Prevention ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Preventive Behaviors ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Background: Along with increasing population of the elderly in various countries, the incidence of falls and respective damages has also increased. Objectives: Given the numerous disagreements regarding the effectiveness of different interventions mentioned in various sources, the present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the Stepping-On fall preventive program on the quality of life, fear of fall, and fall-preventive behaviors among community-dwelling older adults in Shiraz, Iran. Methods: This study is a single-blinded randomized interventional or clinical trial study conducted on 90 elderly people under the coverage of two large health centers during 2019 - 2020 in Shiraz, Iran. Multi-stage randomized sampling was used to select the participants who were randomly allocated to either of the intervention (n = 45) or control groups (n = 45). Data collection tools were the fall efficiency scale, fall prevention behaviors, and Lipad quality of life questionnaires. The intervention group participated in a 7-session Stepping-On program, while the control group received the same routine care. Collected data were analyzed with SPSS software version 22. Results: The findings indicated that the Stepping-On program was effective on the fear of falling scores (P = 0.008) and the quality of life of the elderly under study (P = 0.019) at follow-up time. However, there was no significant difference immediately after the intervention (P > 0.05). However, the mean score of fall-preventing behaviors increased during the course of the study and reached a significant level immediately after the study was conducted (P = 0.046) and the other two months later (P = 0.028). Conclusions: The Stepping-On program may apparently affect the study variables. Therefore, further research is suggested to confirm the effectiveness of this program so that it can be used across all healthcare centers for the elderly.

Simplified olfactory reminiscence to help maintain the mental health in community-dwelling older adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Hideaki Hanaoka ◽  
Toshiaki Muraki ◽  
Fumiko Kaneko ◽  
Shingo Yamane ◽  
Hitoshi Okamura
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
Cognitive Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of simplified reminiscence practice using olfactory stimuli on depression and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults in Japan. Accordingly, 61 individuals were randomly divided into two groups. In the intervention group, 12 sessions of reminiscence were performed using olfactory cards. In the control group, reminiscence sessions were similarly performed, but with language cards. The Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15) was used to measure mental health status and the Five Cognitive Test was used to measure cognitive function at baseline and after completion of the intervention. The final sample included 27 participants in the intervention group and 23 participants in the control group. Basic characteristics of the participants at baseline were compared and a significant difference was observed between the two groups in age (p = 0.029). Repeated-measures analysis of covariance with age as the covariate revealed a significant interaction between time and group on the GDS-15 (p = 0.04). Furthermore, a before and after comparison using a paired t-test showed a significant difference only in the intervention group (p = 0.01). The results of this study suggest that simplified reminiscence practice using olfactory cards could serve as an intervention to help maintain the mental health of community-dwelling older adults.

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