<p>The Frail’BESTest. An Adaptation of the “Balance Evaluation System Test” for Frail Older Adults. Description, Internal Consistency and Inter-Rater Reliability</p>

AbstractTranslation of community-based functional training for older adults to reduce frailty is still lacking. We evaluated the effectiveness and implementation of a community-delivered group-based functional power training (FPT) program for frail older adults within their neighborhoods. A two-arm, multicenter assessor-blind stratified randomized controlled trial was conducted at four local senior activity centers in Singapore. Sixty-one community-dwelling older adults with low handgrip strength were randomized to intervention (IG) or control (CG) group. The IG underwent the FPT program (power and balance exercises using simple equipment) delivered by a community service provider. The 12-week program comprised 2 × 60 min sessions/week. CG continued usual activities at the centers. Functional performance, muscle strength, and frailty status were assessed at baseline and 3 months. Program implementation was evaluated using RE-AIM framework. The program was halted due to Coronavirus Disease 2019-related suspension of senior center activities. Results are reported from four centers, which completed the program. IG showed significantly greater improvement in the Short Physical Performance Battery test as compared to CG (p = 0.047). No effects were found for timed up and go test performance, muscle strength, and frailty status. The community program exhibited good reach, effectiveness, adoption, and implementation. Our study demonstrated that FPT was associated with greater improvement in physical function in pre-frail/frail participants as compared to exercise activities offered at local senior activity centers. It is a feasible intervention that can be successfully implemented for frail older adults in their neighborhoods. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04438876. Registered 19 June 2020–retrospectively registered.

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Factors associated with fear of falling among frail older adults

Geriatric Nursing ◽

10.1016/j.gerinurse.2021.06.007 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 (5) ◽

pp. 1035-1041

Author(s):

Francisco M. Martínez-Arnau ◽

Lucía Prieto-Contreras ◽

Pilar Pérez-Ros

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Fear Of Falling ◽

Frail Older Adults ◽

Factors Associated

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Development and Validation of an Instrument to Assess Horseback Mobility in Hippotherapy

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.1177/00315125211036578 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 003151252110365

Author(s):

Alessandra V. Prieto ◽

Kênnea Martins Almeida Ayupe ◽

Ana C. A. Abreu ◽

Paulo J. B. Gutierres Filho

Keyword(s):

Correlation Coefficient ◽

Factor Structure ◽

Internal Consistency ◽

Rater Reliability ◽

Intra Class Correlation ◽

Exploratory Factor Analyses ◽

Excellent Internal Consistency ◽

Development And Validation ◽

Functional Gain ◽

Intra Class Correlation Coefficient

Improvement in rider mobility represents an important functional gain for people with disabilities undergoing hippotherapy. However, there is no validated measuring instrument to track and document the rider's progress in riding activities. In this study, we aimed to develop and establish validity evidence for an instrument to assess hippotherapy participants’ mobility on horseback. We report on this development through the stages of: (a) content validation, (b) construct validation, (c) inter- and intra-rater reliability and (d) internal consistency analysis. We evaluated its factor structure with exploratory factor analyses, calculated values for inter- and intra-rater reliability using the intra-class correlation coefficient, and calculated its internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. We followed recommendations by the Guidelines for Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies. We found good inter-rater reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient – ICC = 0.991–0.999) and good intra-rater reliability (ICC = 0.997–1.0), and there was excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.937–0.999). The instrument’s factor structure grouped its three domains into one factor. As this instrument is theoretically consistent and has been found to be appropriate and reliable for its intended use, it is now available for the measurement of horseback mobility among hippotherapy riders.

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The Hidden Cost of Age Oppression: Adultism, Ageism, and Interest in Serving Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1996 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 594-594

Author(s):

Katherine King ◽

Kirsten Graham ◽

Briana Reid ◽

Molly Church ◽

Juan Rosario

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Young Adults ◽

Doctoral Students ◽

Internal Consistency ◽

Clinical Psychology ◽

Career Choices ◽

Hidden Cost ◽

Psychology Doctoral Students ◽

Positive Correlations ◽

Psychology Doctoral

Abstract Adultism is an underappreciated influence on young adults’ career choices and a hidden contributing factor to the geropsychology workforce shortage. This study reports on the development of an Adultist Concerns scale and its correlations with several factors relevant to careers in aging. Clinical psychology doctoral students (n = 109) completed the new scale along with measures of ageism, training interests, and experience working with older adults. The Adultist Concerns scale had strong internal consistency (α = .952) and factor loadings .853 and .929. Females scored significantly higher than males (p = .003). There were significant positive correlations between Adultist Concerns and both overall ageist behaviors (p = .002) and negative ageist behaviors specifically (p = .002). Adultist concerns were significantly negatively correlated with age (p = .000), interest in working with older adults (p = .003), and experience with this population (p = .043).

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Reliability and validity of the functioning assessment short test for older adults with bipolar disorder (FAST-O)

International Journal of Bipolar Disorders ◽

10.1186/s40345-020-00193-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Melis Orhan ◽

Nicole Korten ◽

Ralph Kupka ◽

Patricia van Oppen ◽

Max Stek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Internal Structure ◽

Internal Consistency ◽

Concurrent Validity ◽

Cronbach’S Alpha ◽

Occupational Functioning ◽

Cronbach's Alpha ◽

Short Test ◽

Functioning Assessment

Abstract Background Many frequently used instruments fail to assess psychosocial functioning in patients with bipolar disorder. The Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST) was developed in order to tackle this problem and to assess the main functioning problems experienced by patients with bipolar disorder. However, the original FAST is not fully applicable in older adults due to the domain of occupational functioning. The aim of our study was to validate an adapted version for Older adults (FAST-O) in a group of older adults with bipolar disorder (OABD). Methods 88 patients aged 50 years and over diagnosed with bipolar disorder were included. We adapted the items in the area of “work-related functioning” of the FAST into items assessing “societal functioning”. Several measurements were conducted in order to analyse the psychometric qualities of the FAST-O (confirmatory factor analysis for internal structure, Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency, Spearman’s rho for concurrent validity, Mann–Whitney U test for discriminant validity). Results Mean age in the study sample was 65.3 (SD = 7.5) and 57.3% was female. The internal structure was most similar to the internal structure of the original FAST. The internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha = .93). The concurrent validity when correlated with the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale was low, but significant. The FAST-O was also able to distinguish between euthymic and symptomatic OABD patients. Conclusions The FAST-O has strong psychometric qualities. Based on our results, we can conclude that the FAST-O is a short, efficient solution in order to replace global rating scales or extensive test batteries in order to assess daily functioning of older psychiatric patients in a valid and reliable manner.

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The effect of exercise on quality of life and activities of daily life in frail older adults: A systematic review of randomised control trials

Experimental Gerontology ◽

10.1016/j.exger.2021.111287 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 147 ◽

pp. 111287

Author(s):

Evan Campbell ◽

Fanny Petermann-Rocha ◽

Paul Welsh ◽

Carlos Celis-Morales ◽

Jill P. Pell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Daily Life ◽

Frail Older Adults ◽

Activities Of Daily Life ◽

Randomised Control Trials

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Biomedicalization of end-of-life conversations with medically frail older adults - Malleable and senescent bodies

Social Science & Medicine ◽

10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113428 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 113428

Author(s):

Celina Carter ◽

Shan Mohammed ◽

Ross Upshur ◽

Pia Kontos

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

End Of Life ◽

Frail Older Adults

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Deterioration of housing environment and mental health of asylum seekers – a multi-level analysis

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.323 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

A Mohsenpour ◽

L Biddle ◽

K Bozorgmehr

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Internal Consistency ◽

Odds Ratio ◽

Asylum Seekers ◽

Rapid Assessment ◽

Living Environment ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Rater Reliability ◽

General Anxiety ◽

Housing Environment

Abstract Background Asylum seekers arriving in Germany are assigned to a local district and an accommodation centre wherein. We developed and validated a six-item questionnaire for rapid assessment of housing deterioration and investigated its association with inhabitant mental health. Methods Using cross-sectional data from a state-wide survey in Germany, we applied a random-effects modelling approach to estimate the exposure effect of housing deterioration on depression and general anxiety among a random sample of asylum seekers, using validated instruments (GAD2/PHQ2) for outcome variables. Housing deterioration was assessed on six items (windows/glass, walls/roof, garbage, graffiti, outside spaces, overall living environment) resulting in a deterioration score as exposure of interest. Additionally, we assessed the instrument’s intra- and inter-rater reliability and internal consistency. Results Of the 412 asylum seekers living in 58 accommodation centres, 45.7% reported symptoms of depression and 45.0% suffered general anxiety. Most centres (76.7%) were based in urban municipalities and 45.7% of inhabitants were living in an accommodation centre hosting ≥51 inhabitants. Preliminary adjusted odds ratio for accommodation centres with highest deterioration (Q 4) was 2.07 (0.67-6.40) for generalized anxiety, compared to 1.17 (0.45-3.08) for centres with lowest deterioration (Q 1). For depression, preliminary odds ratio was 1.92 (0.87-4.27) compared to 1.26 (0.63-2.50). The validation study confirmed inter-/intra-rater reliability (Brennan-Prediger coefficient: 0.81 and 0.92, respectively) and internal consistency (Crohnbach’s α: 0.80). Conclusions There are higher odds ratios for generalized anxiety disorder and depression among asylum seekers based on higher deterioration of housing environment. A questionnaire for rapid deterioration assessment and identification of accommodations needing further evaluation has been developed and successfully validated. Key messages Deterioration of small-scale housing environment is associated with poorer mental health for asylum seekers living in accommodation centres. A highly reliable new tool has been developed for rapid assessment of deterioration status of accommodation centres and identification of those needing further evaluation.

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