scholarly journals A Telemedicine Robot System for Assisted and Independent Living

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasa Koceska ◽  
Saso Koceski ◽  
Pierluigi Beomonte Zobel ◽  
Vladimir Trajkovik ◽  
Nuno Garcia
Keyword(s):  
Independent Living ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Robot Manipulator ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Evaluation Study ◽  
Assistive Robotics ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Robot System ◽  
Everyday Activities

The emerging demographic trends toward an aging population, demand new ways and solutions to improve the quality of elderly life. These include, prolonged independent living, improved health care, and reduced social isolation. Recent technological advances in the field of assistive robotics bring higher sophistication and various assistive abilities that can help in achieving these goals. In this paper, we present design and validation of a low-cost telepresence robot that can assist the elderly and their professional caregivers, in everyday activities. The developed robot structure and its control objectives were tested in, both, a simulation and experimental environment. On-field experiments were done in a private elderly care center involving elderly persons and caregivers as participants. The goal of the evaluation study was to test the software architecture and the robot capabilities for navigation, as well as the robot manipulator. Moreover, participants’ reactions toward a possible adoption of the developed robot system in everyday activities were assessed. The obtained results of the conducted evaluation study are also presented and discussed.

scholarly journals Elderly Persons with Intellectual Disability: A Study of Clinical Characteristics, Functional Status, and Sensory Capacity

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 298-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eli Carmeli ◽  
Joav Merrick ◽  
Shlomo Kessel ◽  
Yossef Masharawi ◽  
Varda Carmeli
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Independent Living ◽  
Functional Performance ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Premature Aging ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Elderly Adults ◽  
Similar Body

Longer life expectancy is resulting in increasing numbers of elderly adults with intellectual disability (ID). There has been the question whether persons with ID demonstrate early signs of aging before the general population. The aim of this study was to determine if persons with ID (with and without Down syndrome) showed premature aging changes compared with a control group. Elderly persons (n = 24, average age of 61) from one residential care center in Israel and younger adults from another center (n = 37, average age of 45) were compared with elderly residents without ID in an independent living facility. The study considered demographic data, medical data, anthropometric measurements, body fat and body mass index, flexibility, and sensorimotor function tests. The results showed that the persons with ID had basically similar body composition to that of persons without ID, however, the functional performance of elderly adults with ID was more impaired. We postulate that the slower functioning responses may be explained by a less physically active lifestyle, that may accelerate the onset of disease and result in symptoms associated with aging that are detrimental to health. It is therefore important that persons with ID participate in physical activity and exercises in order to promote health and prevent disease.

HOME CARE IN OUTPATIENT CARE – STATE AND DEVELOPMENT IN BULGARIA

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 571-574
Author(s):  
Ivanka Stambolova ◽  
Stefan Stambolov
Keyword(s):  
Home Care ◽  
Outpatient Care ◽  
Care Service ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Elderly Person ◽  
Chronically Ill ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Health And Social Care

In outpatient care the home care, including hospices, is recognized as a model for providing quality, cost-effective and charitable care. The focus is mainly on the care that helps everyday lifeof the patient as well as the relatives, rather than on treatment, and in most cases it takes place in the patients' home. In Europe, in recent years there has been a real "boom" in home care due to demographic processes linked to increased needs for elderly care and chronically ill under the conditions of limited financial resources.In outpatient medical care in our country by means of a national framework contract there are regulated visits to the patient's home by a doctor, as well as visits by medical staff employed by him - nurse, midwife, medical assistant / paramedic / for manipulation, counseling and monitoring. At the same time there is no regulated legal activity in the Republic of Bulgaria, which is essentially the subject of home care.Since 1994 „Caritas“ has carried out the "Home Care" service, which provides a complex - health and social care for over 360 sick adults in a place where the elderly person feels the most comfortable - in their own home. „Caritas Home Care“ is provided by mobile teams of nurses and social assistants who visit the elderly at home and provide them with the necessary care according to their health and social needs.With the establishment of the first „Home Care Center“ in Lozenets region, Sofia, with the support of the PHARE ACCESS program in 2003, the Bulgarian Red Cross introduces in Bulgaria an integrated model for provision of health care and social services in the home of adults, chronically ill and people with permanent disabilities. To date, there are a number of problems in home care related to the realization of home care for patients in need in out-of-hospital settings: lack of legal regulation for home care, lack of qualified staff in outpatient care; lack of organization and structures for care; unsettled funding and the inability of the part of the population that is most in need of care to pay for it, there is no regulation to control the activity. Although home care began over 20 years ago, our country is yet to make its way to the European program called „Home care in Europe“.

scholarly journals Oxidative damage to DNA in independent-living elderly persons and their correlations with sociodemographic, anthropometric, and functional parameters

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-231
Author(s):  
Gilson Luis da Cunha ◽  
Greice Terezinha de Oliveira ◽  
Daiane Bolzan Berlese ◽  
Geraldine Alves dos Santos
Keyword(s):  
Dna Damage ◽  
Independent Living ◽  
Oxidative Dna Damage ◽  
Blood Collection ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Fat Percentage ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Functional Parameters ◽  
Cross Sectional Design

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the correlations between oxidative DNA damage among elderly persons aged between 60 and 79 years and sociodemographic, anthropometric and functional parameters. Method: The present study has a descriptive, quantitative and cross-sectional design. A group of 195 independent-living elderly persons of both genders underwent blood collection and the subsequent measurement of serum concentrations of 8-OHdG, a residue generated by the attack of reactive oxygen species to DNA. The same subjects also underwent evaluation for body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and the education level of the participants was analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using the Spearman correlation test, adopting a 5% significance level. Result: Higher fat percentage and BMI are directly correlated with higher concentrations of 8-OHdG, while SPPB and education were inversely correlated with the concentration of this molecule in the sample. Conclusion: These results suggest factors such as lifestyle and educational level influenced oxidative DNA damage in these elderly persons and had an impact on their functional capacity.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Contribution of Small Residential Care Centers for the Elderly to reduce the Socio Environmental Impact and Foster Entrepreneurship in Brazilian Megacities (São Paulo)

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heloisa Candia Hollnagel ◽  
Luiz Jurandir Simões De Araújo ◽  
Ricardo Luiz Pereira Bueno
Keyword(s):  
Business Models ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Life Quality ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Decent Work ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Peripheral Areas

On 2016 the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda officially came into force proposing that Governments can work to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all. This study aims to analyze the contribution of Residential Elderly Care Center – RECC to promote SD along with social support in urban centers of megacities. Considering that the current scenario presents: longer life expectancy and increasing numbers of older people; the growing presence of women in the market and the hierarchy of companies making more and more difficult for them to stay at home as well as the failure of public care structure to respond adequately to citizens’ demands new business models are welcome. While the families are getting smaller which removes potential caregivers within them, conversely mobility issues among peripheral areas and public institutions are increasing. Large arrangements for caring can be useful in some contexts, but generally, require commuting from home to the support structure and new public and private investments. The potential reduction of human daily dislocations could improve the environment and life quality in megacities in many aspects: decreasing vehicles CO2 emissions, pollution and the volume of traffic; giving practicality to everyday life of families with dependent members of care and generating new opportunities of small business. In addition, this new residential structures employment might reduce the need to shift the caregivers themselves to their work place, strengthen community bounds and not require immobilization of new properties of the exclusive use for Care centers in highly urbanized areas. The methodology used in this paper is based in the exploratory-descriptive and bibliographical-documentary method. Results of the study are corroborated by a series of complementary research of the authors. Conceptual step-by-step flowchart to assist an entrepreneur to open a RECC is described.

scholarly journals Treatment outcome indicators of schizophrenia according to Brazilian family caregivers and outpatients

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Marcos Hirata Soares ◽  
Adriano Luiz da Costa Farinasso ◽  
Fernanda Pâmela Machado ◽  
Layla Karina Ferrari Ramos ◽  
Cristiane De Souza Gonçalves
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Treatment Outcome ◽  
Independent Living ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Psychosocial Care ◽  
Fundamental Aspect ◽  
Subjective Burden ◽  
The Family

Background and objective: The need to measure treatment outcomes in mental health services from the perspective of users and family members has been highlighted in the literature as a fundamental aspect to improve the care provided. The objective of this study was to measure the treatment outcome provided by a Brazilian Psychosocial Care Center from the perspective of outpatients and their family members.Methods: A correlational study was performed with 84 outpatients and 40 family members, between 2015 and 2016, interviewing them using the Satisfaction (SATIS-BR), Perception of Change (PCS), Independent Living Skills (ILSS) and Family Burden (FBIS-BR) scales.Results: There was a high index of satisfaction with the mental health service, with a mean of 4.23 for the users interviewed and 4.36 for the family members. The perception of change presented a mean of 2.58 for the patients and 2.19 for the family members. The independent living ability presented a mean of 2.52.Conclusions: The high indices of satisfaction suggest successes, as well as points to be improved in the mental health policy implemented in the municipality. However, reintegration into the labor market was presented as an aspect with a need for investments through health and labor policies, since it was related to the subjective burden.

Living Arrangement Preferences of Elderly People in Taiwan as Affected by Family Resources and Social Participation

2012 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen-Jong Chen ◽  
Ching-Yi Chen
Keyword(s):  
Elderly People ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Independent Living ◽  
Choice Theory ◽  
Living Arrangement ◽  
Large Family ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Family Resources

This article investigates living arrangement preferences of elderly people in Taiwan, including coresidence with family (their children or spouse), coresidence with spouse only, living alone, and living in an institution. The authors consider the effects of three factors: the elderly persons’ health situation, their family resources, and their social participation, such as community workshops or political activities. Accordingly, the authors propose empirical logit models based on the well-developed discrete choice theory. Empirical results reveal that (1) elderly people with higher socioeconomic status, prefer either independent living arrangements or coresidence with their children, (2) elderly people with more family resources, such as large family size, prefer to coreside with their children, and (3) elderly people with adequate social support and/or contact networks prefer independent living arrangements.

scholarly journals Difficulties encountered in care for elderly persons with dementia: coping based on participatory research

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-43
Author(s):  
Barbara Martins Corrêa da Silva ◽  
Célia Pereira Caldas ◽  
Helena Maria Shchelowski Leal David ◽  
Michel Jean Marie Thiollent
Keyword(s):  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Participatory Research ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Support Network ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Care For The Elderly ◽  
People With Dementia

Abstract Objective: to analyze the proposal of an action plan created by nurses to deal with difficulties in caring for the elderly. The aim of the present study was therefore to analyze the difficulties that family caregivers find in relation to access to services, material resources and the support network when meeting the care needs of the elderly in accordance with Brazilian public policy. Method: the methodology of participatory research and content analysis proposed by Bardin was used. The context was the Geriatric service of a university hospital. The group of co-researchers included eight nurses and 12 caregivers of elderly people with dementia. Results: the following categories emerged from the analysis: contradictions and work proposals. The contradictions category revealed reflections about the difference between the proposed care for the elderly and the reality of a lack of care and the precarious conditions of health services. This situation leads to overburdening of caregivers. The work proposals refer to the strategies used by nurses to establish a relationship of support to family caregivers to cope with the difficulties involved in care for the elderly. Conclusion: nurses recognize that they are professionals capable of receiving, listening to and managing the needs of family caregivers of the elderly, thus promoting the health of the elderly and the caregivers themselves, preparing the family of the patient for home care and coping with difficulties experienced in elderly care.

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