Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

For this exploratory cross-disciplinary study, a speech-language pathologist and an audiologist collaborated to investigate the effects of objective and subjective hearing loss on cognition and memory in 11 older adults without hearing loss (OAs), 6 older adults with unaided hearing loss (HLOAs), and 16 young adults (YAs). All participants received cognitive testing and a complete audiologic evaluation including a subjective questionnaire about perceived hearing difficulty. Memory testing involved listening to or reading aloud a text passage then verbally recalling the information. Key findings revealed that objective hearing loss and subjective hearing loss were correlated and both were associated with a cognitive screening test. Potential clinical implications are discussed and include a need for more cross-professional collaboration in assessing older adults with hearing loss.

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Cohort study of ageing from Bagé (SIGa-Bagé), Brazil: profile and methodology

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-11078-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Elaine Thumé ◽

Marciane Kessler ◽

Karla P. Machado ◽

Bruno P. Nunes ◽

Pamela M. Volz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Care ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Rio Grande ◽

Cognitive Testing ◽

Rio Grande Do Sul ◽

Primary Health ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background The Bagé Cohort Study of Ageing is a population-based cohort study that has recently completed the first follow-up of a representative sample of older adults from Bagé, a city with more than 100,000 inhabitants located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This is one of the first longitudinal studies to assess the impact of primary health care coverage on health conditions and inequalities. Our aim is to investigate the prevalence, incidence and trends of risk factors, health behaviours, social relationships, non-communicable diseases, geriatric diseases and disorders, hospitalisation, self-perceived health, and all-cause and specific-cause mortality. In addition, we aim to evaluate socioeconomic and health inequalities and the impact of primary health care on the outcomes under study. Methods/design The study covers participants aged 60 or over, selected by probabilistic (representative) sampling of the urban area of the city of Bagé, which is covered by Primary Health Care Services. The baseline examination included 1593 older adults and was conducted from July 2008 to November 2008. After eight to nine years (2016/2017), the first follow-up was conducted from September 2016 to August 2017. All participants underwent an extensive core assessment programme including structured interviews, questionnaires, cognitive testing (baseline and follow-up), physical examinations and anthropometric measurements (follow-up). Results Of the original participants, 1395 (87.6%) were located for follow-up: 757 elderly individuals (47.5%) were re-interviewed, but losses in data transfer occurred for 22. The remaining 638 (40.1%) had died. In addition, we had 81 (5.1%) refusals and 117 (7.3%) losses. Among the 1373 older adults who were followed down, there was a higher proportion of female interviewees (p=0.042) and a higher proportion of male deaths (p=0.001) in 2016/2017. There were no differences in losses and refusals according to gender (p=0.102). There was a difference in average age between the interviewees (68.8 years; SD ±6.5) and non-interviewees (73.2 years; SD ±9.0) (p<0.001). Data are available at the Department of Social Medicine in Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, for any collaboration.

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Examining the impact of sleep apnea on the ability to participate in cognitive testing among older adults

Alzheimer s & Dementia ◽

10.1002/alz.051136 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (S6) ◽

Author(s):

Kimberly O'Leary ◽

Andrew M Kiselica

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Sleep Apnea ◽

Cognitive Testing ◽

The Impact

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The Impact of TimeSlips on Undergraduate Students in Service Learning With Older Adults

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2020_persp-20-00171 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Sabine Heuer

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Service Learning ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Attitude Scale ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Attitudes Toward Older Adults ◽

Students Attitudes ◽

Attitude Shift ◽

The Impact ◽

Journal Entries

Purpose Future speech-language pathologists are often unprepared in their academic training to serve the communicative and cognitive needs of older adults with dementia. While negative attitudes toward older adults are prevalent among undergraduate students, service learning has been shown to positively affect students' attitudes toward older adults. TimeSlips is an evidence-based approach that has been shown to improve health care students' attitudes toward older adults. The purpose of this study is to explore the change in attitudes in speech-language pathology students toward older adults using TimeSlips in service learning. Method Fifty-one students participated in TimeSlips service learning with older adults and completed the Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS) before and after service learning. In addition, students completed a reflection journal. The DAS data were analyzed using nonparametric statistics, and journal entries were analyzed using a qualitative analysis approach. Results The service learners exhibited a significant increase in positive attitude as indexed on the DAS. The reflective journal entries supported the positive change in attitudes. Conclusions A noticeable attitude shift was indexed in reflective journals and on the DAS. TimeSlips is an evidence-based, patient-centered approach well suited to address challenges in the preparation of Communication Sciences and Disorders students to work with the growing population of older adults.

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The impact of caffeine on older adults' name learning

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e741382011-327 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Elizabeth A. Crandall ◽

Lori E. James

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

The Impact

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Fear of memory decline predicts lower quality of life and increased memory failures in older adults: Preliminary findings from a novel fear-avoidance of memory decline scale.

10.31234/osf.io/vugny ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Francesca Farina ◽

Marc Patrick Bennett ◽

James William Griffith ◽

Bert Lenaert

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Older Adults ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Fear Avoidance ◽

Subjective Memory ◽

Memory Decline ◽

General Anxiety ◽

Quality Of Life Scale ◽

The Impact

Evidence concerning the impact of fear of memory decline on health-related outcomes is limited. To determine the relationship between fear-avoidance of memory decline, quality of life and subjective memory in older adults using a novel scale to measure fear of memory decline. Sixty-seven older adults (59-81 years) completed a 23-item self-report questionnaire designed to capture experiential, cognitive and behavioral components of fear of memory decline, known as the fear and avoidance of memory decline (FAM) scale. Memory performance was assessed using the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-IV) and the Memory Failures Scale (MFS). General anxiety was assessed using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS) and the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI). Quality of life was assessed using the Older Person’s Quality of Life scale (OPQOL-35). The FAM scale demonstrated good reliability and validity. Three latent factors were observed including: (1) fear-avoidance, (2) problematic beliefs and (3) resilience. After adjusting for age, education, memory performance and general anxiety, higher fear-avoidance predicted lower quality of life (p=.021) and increased memory failures (p=.022). Increased fear of memory decline predicts lower quality of life and subjective memory failures in healthy older adults. Based on these findings, we propose a preliminary fear-avoidance model that explains the development and maintenance of dementia-related functional disability in terms of psychological processes.

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The Impact of Stressful Life Events and Social Support on Drinking among Older Adults: A General Population Survey

The International Journal of Aging and Human Development ◽

10.2190/f6g4-xlv3-5kw6-vmba ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 99-123 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Karen M. Jennison

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Older Adults ◽

Life Events ◽

Stressful Life Events ◽

Prolonged Exposure ◽

Drinking Behavior ◽

National Sample ◽

Stressful Life ◽

Stress Buffering ◽

The Impact

This article is an analysis of stressful life events, the buffering hypothesis, and alcohol use in a national sample of 1,418 respondents 60 years of age and over. The results indicate that older adults who experience stressful losses are significantly more likely to drink excessively than those who have not experienced such losses or who have experienced them to a lesser extent. Increased drinking among older adults may therefore be a reaction to life circumstances in which alcohol represents an attempt to cope with traumatic loss, personal as well as within the kinship network. Supportive resources of spouse, family, friends, and church appear to have a stress-buffering effects that reduces the excessive-drinking response to life crisis. Data suggest, however, that older persons are vulnerable to the magnitude of losses experienced as they grow older and lose more of their family, friends, and peers. These stressors appear to seriously impact their drinking behavior and are not effectively buffered. Respondents report that drinking may increase during periods of prolonged exposure to emotionally depleting life change and loss, when supportive needs may exceed the capacities of personal and social support resources.

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The Geriatric Medication Game to Raise Community Pharmacists’ Awareness on Older Adults’ Day-to-Day Challenges

Saudi Journal of Health Systems Research ◽

10.1159/000516346 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Aisha F. Badr

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Learning Process ◽

Community Pharmacists ◽

The Elderly ◽

Learning Activity ◽

Simulation Games ◽

Self Reflection ◽

Satisfaction Rate ◽

The Impact

Introduction: In Saudi Arabia; it is estimated that the elderly (aged 60 and above) would reach up to (22.9%) by 2050, compared to (5.6%) in 2017. Simulation games have proven to be a useful and effective method of education in pharmacy schools, as it actively involves participants in the learning process. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of the modified geriatric medication game on community pharmacists’ awareness and attitudes toward older adults with common disabilities. Methods: A modified geriatric medication game was adopted to stimulate both physical and sensory disabilities in older adults. A total of 9 community pharmacists were gathered in 1 room and were asked to play 2 scenarios each. Self-reflection was assessed and ground theories were analyzed. Results: All pharmacists felt frustration and anger playing the game (100%), followed by becoming more aware of the extra time and guidance needed with older adults and realized how disabling chronic diseases could be, and felt they needed to improve common perceived attitude towards the elderly (88.89%). Pharmacists also felt empathy, sympathy, and compassion towards this population, needed improvement of common perceived attitude towards older adults, and felt the need to double check with older adults if they have any disabilities before counseling (77.78%). Finally, over half pharmacists (55.5%) wished they had more training on geriatrics during pharmacy school and the need for further review of Beer’s criteria. All pharmacists were satisfied with the game and recommended it to all community pharmacists. Conclusion: Simulation games are a great way to strengthen awareness and change practice accordingly. Pharmacists improved their awareness and attitude towards the elderly and reported a positive perceived value of this learning activity; with a 100% satisfaction rate. Adding a geriatric course with simulation component is recommended for better geriatric care.

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Impact of Pain and Discomfort on the Lives of Cognitively Impaired Older Adults and Their Informal Caregivers

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2848 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 786-787

Author(s):

Hyunjin Noh

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitively Impaired ◽

Community Settings ◽

Adult Age ◽

Face To Face ◽

Disease Trajectory ◽

Care Recipients ◽

Home Based ◽

The Impact ◽

Future Program

Abstract This qualitative study explored the impact of pain and discomfort on the lives of cognitively impaired older adults and their caregivers from the caregiver perspective. Forty-three individuals of age 19+, who identified themselves as primary caregiver to a chronically or seriously ill older adult (age 50+) with cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia, were recruited at various community settings. Individual, face-to-face interviews were conducted to ask participants how they thought their care-recipient’s pain and discomfort affected the care-recipient’s and the caregiver’s life respectively. Inductive, thematic analysis of interview transcripts revealed several key themes: compromised mobility, limited social interaction or activities, and depressive symptoms in both care-recipients and caregivers; aggravated cognitive decline in care-recipients; and poorer physical health in caregivers. Participants wanted more information on the disease trajectory and available services, particularly home-based therapies and social activities for care-recipients, which provides future program/practice implications.

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