Advances in Gerontology最新文献

The results of the sociological study “Digital Technologies for Tomsk Elderly,” conducted in Tomsk (May 2021) using the focus-group-discussion methodology, are analyzed. The study shows that many elderly citizens have no psychological readiness and sustained motivation to integrate into digital reality. Causal relationships are identified between the multifaceted involvement of elderly citizens in society and their skills in mastering and using digital technologies that make people stronger and society as a whole more inclusive in the face of a digital future. Recommendations for involving older people, who are interested in promoting ideas of digital quality of life and the opportunity to use new services, in the process of digital transformation as active actors to form a new, attractive and safe digital future are proposed.

A comparative analysis of the content of elements in hair of the residents of Karelia of different gender and age and of the deviation in the content from reference values typical for residents of the central part of the Russian Federation is carried out. Hair from the occipital part of the head, in which the content of 25 chemical elements is determined, are used as the biological object for elemental analysis. A four-point scale corresponding to the range of deviation of the content of macroelements and microelements from reference values is used to estimate the data obtained. Studying the elemental status in the residents of Karelia demonstrates that the population experiences an excess of toxic elements and a great deficiency of many essential macroelements and microelements. An excess of toxic elements Hg and Pb and a deficiency of essential elements Ca, Zn, Fe, and P is significantly more frequently identified in the hair of 57 test subjects over 60 years old. Such age-related differences in metabolism are established for Si, Na, and K. An imbalance of other macroelements and microelements, such as Co, Mg, I, Cu, Fe, Cr, and Se, is equally typical for residents over 60 years old and for 20–25 year olds (who are a comparison group), which indicates the need for the prevention of regional microelementoses in all strata of the population regardless of age. A Mg and Na deficiency is more often diagnosed in men, while I, Zn, P, and Cr deficiency is found for women. The revealed differences in the elemental composition of hair in the residents of Karelia from reference values typical for residents of the central part of Russia confirm the need for a personalized approach to the replenishment of mineral deficiency taking into account gender and age in the region of residence.

Stroke is the main reason for disabilities of increasing geriatric population. It affects brain and motor function domains significantly reducing the life quality. Recent coronavirus pandemic raised a question on changing approaches to deliver post-stroke rehabilitation services to geriatric patients due to their high risk of serious illness. This paper presents an overview of current telerehabilitation approaches for motor function recovery and balance training of post-stroke patients. We used papers from peer-reviewed medical journals on stroke telerehabilitation. The review showed exergames, virtual reality (VR), web-platforms, and applications are extensively used in rehabilitation programs to gain clinical outcomes among geriatric stroke patients. Findings indicate telerehabilitation improves older patients’ functional ability via systematic training, positively affecting their life quality. The treatment therapy of older adults using telerehabilitation can be organized synchronously and asynchronously in home-based environment or in-clinic conditions. Telerehabilitation can be used as complementary therapy or as an alternative to conventional treatment. However, further research is required to test a variety of telerehabilitation systems using larger samples of post-stroke geriatric patients.

To record and compare the quality of life and attachment style of dementia and cancer caregivers. This is a comparative prospective cross sectional study. Participants were 45 caregivers of patients with cancer and 45 caregivers of patients with dementia. The study was conducted at a University Hospital and from a Day Centre of Alzheimer Disease and related disorders Association in Athens. Quality of caregivers’ life was measured by the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) and caregivers’ attachment was evaluated by the Experience in Close Relationships—Short Form (ECR). Caregivers’ age (cancer caregivers’ age Mean = 52.4 and SD ± 12.21, dementia caregivers’ age Mean = 58.4 and SD ± 12.8) differed significantly across diagnostic groups (p < 0.005). Dementia patients were older than cancer patients (dementia patients’ age Mean = 76.8, cancer patients’ age Mean = 65, p < 0.001). Statistically significant difference was found between two groups regarding the duration of the disease. The duration of disease in dementia patients (Mean = 3.14 years) was significantly longer (p = 0.014) than in cancer patients (Mean = 1.23 years). Subscale scores in both instruments (SF-36 and ECR), showed no statistically significant differentiation. Our data showed no statistically significant differentiation in any subscale between cancer and dementia caregivers. However, both caregiver groups noticed remarkably low levels of mental health.

The concept of caring appraisal, which includes positive and negative aspects of care, has been considered as one of the key concepts in caregivers’ studies and is affected by the knowledge, attitudes, values, beliefs, and social norms in their society. In this respect, the perception of family caregivers’ can be studied from a cultural perspective. The aim of the present study was to explore the self-appraisal concept of caring based on the experience of family caregivers of older adults with dementia in Iran. In this qualitative study, data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Twelve participants (family caregivers of elderly with dementia) were interviewed between January and September 2016. The transcribed texts were analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis recommended by Graneheim and Lundman (2004). Six main categories were extrapolated: “Perceived burden,” “Satisfaction with care,” “Personal growth,” “Caregiving gains,” “Philosophy of care” and “Loss and threat.” According to the findings, the family caregivers’ appraisal of their care not only included negative aspects, but also covered a number of positive aspects, which in them the cultural and social factors prevailing in Iranian society played a significant role.

Abuse and neglect of older adults in the community are a threat to aging in place programs. Recently, some researchers constructed the first scale for assessing elderly abuse and neglect in the neighborhood for research and routine monitoring. This study provides a protocol for generating an index from this tool and assessing the intensity of abuse and neglect. Implications for aging in place are also provided. This study adopted a cross-sectional study and an analysis of secondary data on 515 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years or higher. Standards in the literature were followed to develop a protocol for generating an index and assessing the intensity of abuse and neglect. The abuse and neglect scale has index scores ranging between 1 and 33, which means that the average score from the index that indicates the intensity of abuse and neglect would fall between this range. We found that abuse and neglect were moderate for the whole scale and the domain “discrimination and harassment” but was high for the domain “neglect and assault.” The dichotomization of the scale showed that high abuse and neglect can be associated with an increase or decrease in social activity. The abuse and neglect scale can be used as a monitoring tool to routinely assess the intensity of elderly abuse and neglect. The dichotomization of the scale can reveal how the highest level of abuse and neglect is affecting behaviors in community-dwelling older adults.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is one of the main environmental factors leading to oxidative stress and accelerated skin aging. AEDG peptide, a regulator of pineal gland functions, has demonstrated geroprotective and antioxidant effects in in vivo and in vitro studies. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of AEDG peptide on the expression of genes encoding enzymes of the antioxidant system (NQO1, SOD1, CATALASE, and TRXR) in human skin fibroblasts in a model of accelerated aging induced by UV radiation. The expression of SOD1 and TXNRD1 genes during UV-induced aging of dermal fibroblasts increases by 2 and 1.7 times, respectively. This can be considered as a defense mechanism against oxidative stress caused by UV radiation. Photoaging does not influence the expression of the NQO1 and CATALASE genes in the culture of skin fibroblasts. AEDG peptide promotes the expression of the SOD-1, NQO1, and CATALASE genes in dermal fibroblasts exposed to UV radiation by 2.7, 2.6, and 3.2 times, respectively. AEDG peptide can stimulate the expression of these genes via the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway. AEDG peptide might be potentially effective in preventing the accelerated aging of dermal fibroblasts.

The analysis presented in the review of publications shows that extract of Portulaca oleracea L. or its individual components (polysaccharides, oleracea, alkaloids tetrahydroisoquinoline operatein E) is able to increase the lifespan of laboratory animals, to activate telomerase and increase telomere length, and to provide antioxidant and antiosteoclastogenic impact. Various neuroprotective effects (improvement of memory and learning ability, inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, protection of dopaminergic neurons, improvement of motor functions, etc.) are of interest for the prevention of syndromes associated with age-related degradation of the nervous system such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. In addition, regular consumption of vegetable portulaca in food leads to a decrease in the percentage of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, which also directly provides an increase in the average life expectancy of the population.

The strategy of dental care for older age groups is based not only on the priorities determined by the demographic situation (guided by its development and the epidemiologically justified need for dental care), but also on improving the effectiveness of care, which must be based on the results of evidence-based medicine, as well as a personalized approach, implemented through the competencies taught to gerontostomatology students at dentistry schools. The aim of the work is to create a modern methodological basis for teaching the section of gerontostomatology within the modern dentistry curriculum. Based on the study of scientific works devoted to various aspects of gerontostomatology, the work presents the methodological foundations for modern teaching of the section of gerontostomatology as a specialty program at dentistry schools, focusing on the main areas of the specialist training curriculum such as cariesology, non-carious dental lesions, endodontics, periodontology, diseases of the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, and the basics of providing orthopedic dental care to the elderly and senile people.