Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus最新文献

Purpose/hypothesis

Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk of morbidity, and mortality. Various interventions, with and without use of technology, have improved older adults’ loneliness. The purpose of the study was to compare the impact of telephone versus video communications on perceived loneliness in older adults. It was hypothesized that video communication would result in improved outcomes compared to telephone communication.

Materials/methods

Eighteen hundred flyers were distributed among continuing care communities, meals on wheels, and snowball sampling was encouraged. Sixty-five potential participants responded, 44 were eligible to participate after application of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Participants were assigned into a telephone interaction group (n = 17), a video interaction group (n = 14), or control group (n = 13). Study duration was 8 weeks and consisted of once weekly 45 to 60-minute sessions. Pre-post-intervention outcome measures included UCLA Loneliness Scales (3 and 20-item), and the Social Frailty Scale (SFS). Data analyses were performed with One-Way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD post hoc tests.

Results

One-way ANOVA demonstrated statistically significant differences between groups (p=.003 UCLA 3, p<.001 UCLA 20, p<.001 SFS) with large effect sizes (eta²= 0.251 UCLA3, 0.410 UCLA20, 0.314 SFS). Tukey's HSD demonstrates statistically significant differences between intervention groups and the control group for each dependent variable (p<.011) but identified no significant differences between intervention groups for any dependent variables (p>.283).

Conclusion

Health care professionals can improve loneliness and social isolation through low-tech telephone and video-based communication interventions.

Aim

To our knowledge, no studies have examined the risk of mortality in nursing homes using the routinely collected electronic care record information. We aimed to assess the risk of mortality using food intake data documented in electronic care records from Japanese nursing homes.

Methods

This academic–industry collaborative research included 814 older adults from five nursing homes in Japan. The study period was from January 1, 2016 to June 23, 2020. We used the rate of food intake data recorded by care workers in the electronic care records of the residents. We defined decreased food intake as the percentage decrease between admission and 90 days after admission into the nursing home, with cutoffs of 10%, 20%, and 30%.

Results

The number of older adults whose food intake decreased between admission and 90 days after admission was 114 (14.0%) at a 10% rate, 58 (7.1%) at a 20% rate, and 35 (4.3%) at a 30% rate. All three rates were significantly associated with mortality (10%: hazard ratio [HR] 2.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30–3.15; 20%: HR 3.03, 95% CI 1.68–5.47; and 30%: HR 4.50, 95% CI 2.15–9.44).

Conclusions

We found that the risk of mortality could conveniently be assessed from the food intake data collected routinely and comprehensively and documented in electronic care records in nursing homes. Our findings can be utilized in nursing homes, where medical staff are limited, to assess high-risk residents and to encourage a discussion regarding the management of end-of-life care.

Objectives

This study reviewed technology-based interventions targeting social isolation and loneliness in community-dwelling older adults. Specific aims were to identify theoretical perspectives, assess intervention effectiveness, and identify barriers and enablers of these interventions.

Methods

A mixed methods systematic review of intervention studies was conducted, searching six databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, ACM and Embase). Peer-reviewed articles describing communicative technology-based intervention studies with qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method, or observational designs, conducted in community settings with older adults (aged ≥65 years), where social isolation and/or loneliness were key outcome measures, were included. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT).

Results

Nineteen studies were included in the review. Theory integration was rare in these studies’ research designs. Most were small-scale pilot or feasibility studies, displaying diverse designs, small sample sizes, and variable MMAT-assessed quality. The studies highlighted significant barriers such as resource demands, participant health, literacy, and technical challenges.

Conclusion

Significant resource demands continue to impede technology-based interventions addressing social isolation and loneliness in older populations. Future study designs must adapt to overcome these challenges, tailoring approaches to marginalised and often frail communities these interventions aim to support.

The aim of the current study was to verify the effects of adding multicomponent training based on the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) on physical functional capacity and body composition in institutionalized older adults undergoing physiotherapeutic treatment. Twenty-three older people (12♀) were randomly allocated in blocks, according to their classification level in the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), into a control group (CG, n = 11) and a multicomponent training group (MT, n = 12). The primary outcome measures were evaluated by the SPPB. Secondary outcomes were performance in the TUG test and 6-meter walking speed test, and body composition analysis. For all analyses, we used ANOVA two way with Bonferroni correction, and estimation statistics, which focus on the effect size of the experiment/intervention, as opposed to significance testing. Regarding the effect size (Cohen's D) in the intergroup analysis, the SPPB score showed a large effect favoring the multicomponent training group (d = 0.803 [CI 95.0 % -0.387, 1.89]; p = 0.0996). Similar responses were observed for the 6 m walking speed test, showing a large effect (d= -0.857 [CI 95.0 % - 1.53, 0.176]; p = 0.768), and TUG (d= -1.18 [CI 95.0 % -2.08, -0.206]; p = 0.0254. In the Body composition outcomes, the phase angle (d = 0.212 [CI 95.0 % -0.721. 1.17]; p = 0.616) and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (d= -0.242 [CI 95.0 % -1.15.0.659]; p = 0.56) showed a small effect size. The current study demonstrated that the multicomponent training program associated with the physiotherapy program produces effects that can increase SPPB scores, as well improving physiotherapy performance.

Aim

Centenarians represent a successful model of biological aging that is becoming increasingly common but still largely unknown. Data about centenarians in Colombia is scarce. The aim of this study was to provide a description of the demographic and clinical characteristics of a new cohort of centenarians in Colombia.

Methods

A retrospective, population-based cohort study was undertaken, employing a nationally validated registry provided by a health insurance company. Demographic information and prevalence rates of significant chronic diseases were evaluated. The geographical distribution of centenarians at the national level was mapped. Data were then compared with other age groups (>18-59 and 60-99 years-old), and with previous descriptions of centenarians.

Results

Among the 2,362,436 persons included in the study, a prevalence of 0.12% centenarians was observed, of which 50.7% were female and the majority resides in urban areas (64.9%). Chronic diseases were observed in 275 (9.27%) centenarians, of whom 113 (3.81%) disclosed one chronic disease and 162 (5.46%) disclosed multimorbidity. The most prevalent chronic diseases were essential hypertension (8.6%), and chronic kidney disease (4.4%), which were significantly lower compared to others age groups. Centenarians were free of hematological, inflammatory arthritis, tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infections. COVID-19 was observed in 2% of cases. Significant differences in health outcomes assessed were seen when comparing our results with centenarians from previously described blue zones.

Conclusions

The COOLCEN cohort discloses a low prevalence of age-related chronic diseases, low economic status and no difference in gender distribution. The study will provide valuable insights into healthy aging, disease prevention, and improving the well-being of older adults.

Background and objectives

In this study, the perception of sexuality in the elderly was examined. The aim of the study was to understand the importance, necessity, continuity, frequency of elderly sexuality for the elderly, and the elderly's view of social prejudices against elderly sexuality. The fact that there are few studies on the sexuality of the elderly in Turkey makes this study important.

Research design and methods

The study was conducted with qualitative research method. A semi-structured interview form, which was revised through pilot implementation and expert opinion, was used to collect data. The sample of the study consisted of 9 men and 5 women over the age of 60 living in Bingöl province, who were reached using purposive sampling method. Face-to-face interviews were recorded by voice recording and note-taking method. The data obtained were thematized and analyzed.

Results

According to the findings, sexual life of elderly individuals continues, the frequency varies according to individuals, sexuality is important for the elderly, but the importance ranking is in the background in the context of other needs, social prejudices are opposed, physiological disorders and the problem of absence of a spouse lead to a decrease in sexuality, and elderly sexuality is seen as normal by the elderly in religious and social terms.

Discussion and implications

It was discussed that contrary to social prejudices, the sexuality of the elderly continues and this is not a taboo for the elderly.

Introduction

Depression in old age can be associated with other symptoms, such as anemia, and hypovitaminosis D, which could affect cognitive function. This research investigates the associations between depression, anemia, and vitamin D status with cognitive function in older Iranian adults.

Methods

The current study was part of the community-based prospective cohort study of the Birjand Longitudinal Aging Study (BLAS). Individuals over 60 and their families were assessed through structured interviews with questionnaires such as the Patient Health Questionnaire, Mini-Mental State Examination, and lab tests such as hemoglobin and vitamin D levels.

Results

Of 1418 older adults, 21.9% (311) had cognitive dysfunction, and 46.9% (663) had moderate to severe depression. The most significant risk factors of cognitive decline included ischemic stroke (OR: 3.74), depression (OR: 2.37, 3.45), female gender (OR: 2.73), and age (OR: 1.10), Education (OR: 0.13), and Physically activity (OR: 0.37).

The results identified associations between depression and cognitive dysfunction with hemoglobin mean. Despite finding relationships between vitamin D status and depression, it was not significant for cognitive dysfunction.

Conclusions

Our results indicated that the duration of hypovitaminosis D might be more important in cognitive function. Future longitudinal research could investigate the effectiveness of clinical nutrition, dietary type, and intake in managing depression and cognitive decline by reducing the risk of vascular events in older people.