Pub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-07-20DOI: 10.1177/07334648241266434
Helen W Lach, Joanne Salas, Jeffery F Scherrer
Objective: This study investigates changes in clinical encounters due to falls before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: De-identified health record data from a large mid-western health system was used to examine the frequency of emergency department (ED) and inpatient (IP) encounters for falls by month among adults age 50+ (N = 485, 886 patients) using joinpoint regression analysis. Also, overall rates before and during the pandemic were compared using log-binomial models.
Results: Fall rates increased following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic for IP encounters but not for ED encounters. There were no differences by age, gender, race, or nSES. Monthly IP fall rates increased by 0.68% per month both before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion: Pandemics may occur in the future, and interventions are needed to prevent falls in older adults during the next public health emergency.
{"title":"Changes in Emergency Department and Inpatient Encounters for Falls after the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic.","authors":"Helen W Lach, Joanne Salas, Jeffery F Scherrer","doi":"10.1177/07334648241266434","DOIUrl":"10.1177/07334648241266434","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study investigates changes in clinical encounters due to falls before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>De-identified health record data from a large mid-western health system was used to examine the frequency of emergency department (ED) and inpatient (IP) encounters for falls by month among adults age 50+ (<i>N</i> = 485, 886 patients) using joinpoint regression analysis. Also, overall rates before and during the pandemic were compared using log-binomial models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fall rates increased following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic for IP encounters but not for ED encounters. There were no differences by age, gender, race, or nSES. Monthly IP fall rates increased by 0.68% per month both before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Pandemics may occur in the future, and interventions are needed to prevent falls in older adults during the next public health emergency.</p>","PeriodicalId":47970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Gerontology","volume":" ","pages":"3-10"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141727920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-07-20DOI: 10.1177/07334648241265183
Todd D Becker, Sarah E Clem, Paul Sacco, John G Cagle, Joan K Davitt, Nancy Kusmaul
This study examined the psychometric properties of the eight-item Hospice Philosophy Scale (HPS-8) through confirmatory factor analysis; differential item functioning by age, gender, race, and professional discipline; and internal consistency reliability. We administered the HPS-8 to a national convenience sample of 471 interdisciplinary hospice clinicians. Confirmatory factor analysis results supported a one-factor model with an error correlation between two similarly worded items, χ2(19) = 48.38, p < .001 (RMSEA = .06, SRMR = .03, CFI = .98, TLI = .97). "Multiple indicators, multiple causes" model results indicated differential item functioning by age, race, and/or professional discipline on five items. However, subsequent uncorrected and differential item functioning-corrected models detected no statistically significant HPS-8 mean differences by grouping variables. Composite reliability results (CR = .82) demonstrated acceptable internal consistency reliability. Our results support the HPS-8 as a valid and reliable measure of attitudes toward the hospice philosophy of care in hospice clinicians.
{"title":"Further Psychometric Evaluation of the Eight-Item Hospice Philosophy Scale: Results From a National Sample of Interdisciplinary Hospice Clinicians.","authors":"Todd D Becker, Sarah E Clem, Paul Sacco, John G Cagle, Joan K Davitt, Nancy Kusmaul","doi":"10.1177/07334648241265183","DOIUrl":"10.1177/07334648241265183","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examined the psychometric properties of the eight-item Hospice Philosophy Scale (HPS-8) through confirmatory factor analysis; differential item functioning by age, gender, race, and professional discipline; and internal consistency reliability. We administered the HPS-8 to a national convenience sample of 471 interdisciplinary hospice clinicians. Confirmatory factor analysis results supported a one-factor model with an error correlation between two similarly worded items, χ<sup>2</sup>(19) = 48.38, <i>p</i> < .001 (RMSEA = .06, SRMR = .03, CFI = .98, TLI = .97). \"Multiple indicators, multiple causes\" model results indicated differential item functioning by age, race, and/or professional discipline on five items. However, subsequent uncorrected and differential item functioning-corrected models detected no statistically significant HPS-8 mean differences by grouping variables. Composite reliability results (CR = .82) demonstrated acceptable internal consistency reliability. Our results support the HPS-8 as a valid and reliable measure of attitudes toward the hospice philosophy of care in hospice clinicians.</p>","PeriodicalId":47970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Gerontology","volume":" ","pages":"70-82"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141727923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-07-20DOI: 10.1177/07334648241264908
Qiuyuan Qin, Helena Temkin-Greener, Peter Veazie, Rajesh Makineni, Shubing Cai
Older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) had a high risk of COVID-19-related mortality. Racial and ethnic minorities were disproportionally impacted by the pandemic. The variations in disparities, including racial and ethnic disparities and disparities across communities, in COVID-19-related mortality across the different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic among the ADRD population are unknown. This observational study estimated linear probability models for community-dwelling older adults with ADRD who were diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021 using multiple national data (e.g., Medicare data), accounting for individual and community characteristics. Disparities in 30-day mortality were compared between 2020 and 2021. The socioeconomic disparity in COVID-19-related mortality across communities became insignificant during the later stage of the pandemic, ethnic differences in COVID-19-related mortality decreased but persisted, and racial disparity remained largely unchanged. The study provides insights into interventions to mitigate lingering disparities in health outcomes among the vulnerable population.
{"title":"Disparities in COVID-19-Related Mortality Among Older Adults With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias: Variations Over Time.","authors":"Qiuyuan Qin, Helena Temkin-Greener, Peter Veazie, Rajesh Makineni, Shubing Cai","doi":"10.1177/07334648241264908","DOIUrl":"10.1177/07334648241264908","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) had a high risk of COVID-19-related mortality. Racial and ethnic minorities were disproportionally impacted by the pandemic. The variations in disparities, including racial and ethnic disparities and disparities across communities, in COVID-19-related mortality across the different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic among the ADRD population are unknown. This observational study estimated linear probability models for community-dwelling older adults with ADRD who were diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021 using multiple national data (e.g., Medicare data), accounting for individual and community characteristics. Disparities in 30-day mortality were compared between 2020 and 2021. The socioeconomic disparity in COVID-19-related mortality across communities became insignificant during the later stage of the pandemic, ethnic differences in COVID-19-related mortality decreased but persisted, and racial disparity remained largely unchanged. The study provides insights into interventions to mitigate lingering disparities in health outcomes among the vulnerable population.</p>","PeriodicalId":47970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Gerontology","volume":" ","pages":"11-17"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11620966/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141727922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-07-18DOI: 10.1177/07334648241262646
Björn Slaug, Marianne Granbom, Susanne Iwarsson
Accessible housing for the aging population is important, but large-scale reliable information on accessibility problems in ordinary housing is lacking. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of environmental barriers and analyze potential accessibility problems in the Swedish housing stock and to evaluate the validity and representativeness of housing data collected in a citizen science project. Data on environmental barriers in 1181 dwellings were collected by members of the public. Prevalence of barriers and potential accessibility problems were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ranking methodology. Validity and representativeness were addressed by comparisons with public statistics and research, and analysis of data properties. It was found there are substantial numbers of environmental barriers in dwellings across Sweden that generate accessibility problems for people with functional limitations. The results suggest that with user-friendly data collection tools and instructions, data validity and representativeness can be achieved in citizen science projects involving older adults.
{"title":"Estimating Accessibility Problems in the Swedish Housing Stock Using Citizen Science: The Housing Experiment 2021.","authors":"Björn Slaug, Marianne Granbom, Susanne Iwarsson","doi":"10.1177/07334648241262646","DOIUrl":"10.1177/07334648241262646","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Accessible housing for the aging population is important, but large-scale reliable information on accessibility problems in ordinary housing is lacking. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of environmental barriers and analyze potential accessibility problems in the Swedish housing stock and to evaluate the validity and representativeness of housing data collected in a citizen science project. Data on environmental barriers in 1181 dwellings were collected by members of the public. Prevalence of barriers and potential accessibility problems were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ranking methodology. Validity and representativeness were addressed by comparisons with public statistics and research, and analysis of data properties. It was found there are substantial numbers of environmental barriers in dwellings across Sweden that generate accessibility problems for people with functional limitations. The results suggest that with user-friendly data collection tools and instructions, data validity and representativeness can be achieved in citizen science projects involving older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":47970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Gerontology","volume":" ","pages":"95-105"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11622521/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141634967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-07-18DOI: 10.1177/07334648241261425
Aya Yoshikawa, Richard H Fortinsky
Pain medication is commonly used among older adults with arthritis, elevating the risk of falling. We examined fall risks related to the frequency of taking pain medication among community-dwelling older adults with arthritis by analyzing a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries aged >65 with self-reported arthritis (n = 4,225) in the 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study. The survey-weighted logistic regression revealed that after controlling for confounding factors, recent falls were associated with taking pain medication daily compared to never (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.96). The other categories of medication frequency, compared to never, were not associated with fall risk. Findings suggest that more prudent use of pain medication should be stressed by health care providers for older adults with arthritis to help reduce the risk of falls and fall injuries. Nonpharmacological pain management is encouraged to support active living among older adults with arthritis.
{"title":"Pain Medication Frequency and Fall Risk Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Arthritis.","authors":"Aya Yoshikawa, Richard H Fortinsky","doi":"10.1177/07334648241261425","DOIUrl":"10.1177/07334648241261425","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pain medication is commonly used among older adults with arthritis, elevating the risk of falling. We examined fall risks related to the frequency of taking pain medication among community-dwelling older adults with arthritis by analyzing a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries aged >65 with self-reported arthritis (<i>n</i> = 4,225) in the 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study. The survey-weighted logistic regression revealed that after controlling for confounding factors, recent falls were associated with taking pain medication daily compared to never (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.96). The other categories of medication frequency, compared to never, were not associated with fall risk. Findings suggest that more prudent use of pain medication should be stressed by health care providers for older adults with arthritis to help reduce the risk of falls and fall injuries. Nonpharmacological pain management is encouraged to support active living among older adults with arthritis.</p>","PeriodicalId":47970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Gerontology","volume":" ","pages":"35-43"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141634969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-07-18DOI: 10.1177/07334648241262658
Evelyn Iriarte, Sarah Cooley, Julie Wisch, Kristine M Erlandson, Beau M Ances, Catherine Jankowski
We evaluated the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage (measured by the Area Deprivation Index [ADI]) and frailty. We performed a secondary analysis, pooling cross-sectional data collected from 209 people with HIV (PWH) aged ≥50 years enrolled in studies in Colorado (CO) and Missouri (MO). MO participants (N = 137) had a higher ADI (µ= 70, ơ2 = 25) compared to CO (µ= 32, ơ2 = 15; p < .001). No significant differences in ADI were observed between frailty categories when cohorts were examined either separately or combined; however, when comparing individual frailty criteria, the most apparent differences by neighborhood disadvantage were seen among those with limited physical activity (μ = 67, ơ2 = 28) compared to those without (μ = 55, ơ2 = 29, p = .03). Neighborhood disadvantage was associated with low physical activity but not with overall frailty status. Future research should examine how access to physical activity spaces varies based on ADI, as this could be crucial in preventing frailty.
{"title":"Area Deprivation Index and Frailty Among Older People With HIV.","authors":"Evelyn Iriarte, Sarah Cooley, Julie Wisch, Kristine M Erlandson, Beau M Ances, Catherine Jankowski","doi":"10.1177/07334648241262658","DOIUrl":"10.1177/07334648241262658","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We evaluated the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage (measured by the Area Deprivation Index [ADI]) and frailty. We performed a secondary analysis, pooling cross-sectional data collected from 209 people with HIV (PWH) aged ≥50 years enrolled in studies in Colorado (CO) and Missouri (MO). MO participants (<i>N</i> = 137) had a higher ADI (µ= 70, ơ<sup>2</sup> = 25) compared to CO (µ= 32, ơ<sup>2</sup> = 15; <i>p</i> < .001). No significant differences in ADI were observed between frailty categories when cohorts were examined either separately or combined; however, when comparing individual frailty criteria, the most apparent differences by neighborhood disadvantage were seen among those with limited physical activity (μ = 67, ơ<sup>2</sup> = 28) compared to those without (μ = 55, ơ<sup>2</sup> = 29, <i>p</i> = .03). Neighborhood disadvantage was associated with low physical activity but not with overall frailty status. Future research should examine how access to physical activity spaces varies based on ADI, as this could be crucial in preventing frailty.</p>","PeriodicalId":47970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Gerontology","volume":" ","pages":"44-51"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11620939/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141724775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-06-20DOI: 10.1177/07334648241263234
Keith A Anderson, Marla Berg-Weger, Olu Olofinboba, Tom Plocher
Reminiscence has been found to be an effective therapy for older adults and researchers and practitioners have identified a range of benefits, from cognitive stimulation to the reconciliation of past experiences. In this qualitative study, the authors explore the experiences of older adults engaged in a technology-enhanced form of reminiscence therapy (RT) using three-dimensional (3D) printed objects from peoples' past. Content analysis of individual interviews with seven participants (n = 7) revealed three themes: (1) positive experiences with the RT intervention; (2) reflections on the use of 3D printed objects; and (3) the development of relationships between participants and researchers. These findings suggest that RT using 3D printed objects can be effective, but only if objects are accurate and if it suits participants' personalities. Researchers and practitioners may find that the use of 3D printed objects can enhance their RT interventions and thereby enrich the lives of older adults.
人们发现,回忆疗法对老年人来说是一种有效的治疗方法,研究人员和从业人员发现了回忆疗法的一系列益处,包括刺激认知、调和过去的经历等。在这项定性研究中,作者探讨了老年人使用三维(3D)打印物品进行回忆疗法(RT)的经验。对七位参与者(n = 7)的个人访谈进行的内容分析揭示了三个主题:(1)RT 干预的积极体验;(2)对使用 3D 打印对象的反思;以及(3)参与者与研究人员之间关系的发展。这些研究结果表明,使用 3D 打印物体进行 RT 是有效的,但前提是物体必须准确无误,并且符合参与者的个性。研究人员和从业人员可能会发现,使用 3D 打印物品可以增强他们的 RT 干预措施,从而丰富老年人的生活。
{"title":"A Qualitative Examination of a Reminiscence Intervention for Older Adults Using Three-Dimensional (3D) Printed Objects.","authors":"Keith A Anderson, Marla Berg-Weger, Olu Olofinboba, Tom Plocher","doi":"10.1177/07334648241263234","DOIUrl":"10.1177/07334648241263234","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Reminiscence has been found to be an effective therapy for older adults and researchers and practitioners have identified a range of benefits, from cognitive stimulation to the reconciliation of past experiences. In this qualitative study, the authors explore the experiences of older adults engaged in a technology-enhanced form of reminiscence therapy (RT) using three-dimensional (3D) printed objects from peoples' past. Content analysis of individual interviews with seven participants (<i>n</i> = 7) revealed three themes: (1) positive experiences with the RT intervention; (2) reflections on the use of 3D printed objects; and (3) the development of relationships between participants and researchers. These findings suggest that RT using 3D printed objects can be effective, but only if objects are accurate and if it suits participants' personalities. Researchers and practitioners may find that the use of 3D printed objects can enhance their RT interventions and thereby enrich the lives of older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":47970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Gerontology","volume":" ","pages":"147-155"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11620962/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141433114","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-06-17DOI: 10.1177/07334648241260223
Christopher C Stewart, Lei Yu, Maeve Byrne, Crystal M Glover, David A Bennett, Patricia A Boyle
Knowledge about COVID-19 enters into many aspects of decision making, especially for older people who are at increased risk of severe disease or death. Yet little is known about the resources that supported older people's uptake of COVID-19 knowledge. Here, we hypothesized that higher pre-pandemic health and financial literacy was associated with higher COVID-19 knowledge. Participants were 434 community-based older people without dementia. COVID-19 knowledge was assessed via a 5-item measure, and health and financial literacy was assessed via a 32-item measure. In an ordinal regression model adjusted for age, gender, and education, higher literacy was associated with higher COVID-19 knowledge (p < .0001), and this association persisted after further adjusting for robust measures of global cognition or one of five specific cognitive domains (all p's ≤ .0001). These findings suggest that literacy plays a key role in supporting older people's acquisition of impactful knowledge in the real world.
{"title":"Health and Financial Literacy and the Acquisition of COVID-19 Knowledge in Older Adults.","authors":"Christopher C Stewart, Lei Yu, Maeve Byrne, Crystal M Glover, David A Bennett, Patricia A Boyle","doi":"10.1177/07334648241260223","DOIUrl":"10.1177/07334648241260223","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Knowledge about COVID-19 enters into many aspects of decision making, especially for older people who are at increased risk of severe disease or death. Yet little is known about the resources that supported older people's uptake of COVID-19 knowledge. Here, we hypothesized that higher pre-pandemic health and financial literacy was associated with higher COVID-19 knowledge. Participants were 434 community-based older people without dementia. COVID-19 knowledge was assessed via a 5-item measure, and health and financial literacy was assessed via a 32-item measure. In an ordinal regression model adjusted for age, gender, and education, higher literacy was associated with higher COVID-19 knowledge (<i>p</i> < .0001), and this association persisted after further adjusting for robust measures of global cognition or one of five specific cognitive domains (all <i>p's</i> ≤ .0001). These findings suggest that literacy plays a key role in supporting older people's acquisition of impactful knowledge in the real world.</p>","PeriodicalId":47970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Gerontology","volume":" ","pages":"18-26"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11620903/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141332283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-07-20DOI: 10.1177/07334648241264913
Peter C Sun, Nancy Morrow-Howell, Mary V Click
This study investigated the benefits and challenges of intergenerational tutoring in a post-pandemic context. We explored how the benefits of intergenerational tutoring vary among subgroups of volunteers-first-time tutors, male tutors, tutors who are caregivers, and tutors with moderate or severe loneliness. Older adult tutors (N = 319) were surveyed before and after the 2021-2022 school year, and the data were analyzed with structural equation multivariate regression and thematic analysis. Results indicated that while public health measures like mask-wearing posed challenges for some tutors, there were positive outcomes for tutors, especially first-time tutors, who experienced more health and well-being benefits, and tutors who are caregivers, who experienced improved civic attitudes towards public education. These results can help programs attract subgroups of volunteers who are likely to benefit the most, as well as attend to the unique challenges of pandemic-related policies.
{"title":"Variations in Benefits of Intergenerational Tutoring in the \"New Normal\".","authors":"Peter C Sun, Nancy Morrow-Howell, Mary V Click","doi":"10.1177/07334648241264913","DOIUrl":"10.1177/07334648241264913","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated the benefits and challenges of intergenerational tutoring in a post-pandemic context. We explored how the benefits of intergenerational tutoring vary among subgroups of volunteers-first-time tutors, male tutors, tutors who are caregivers, and tutors with moderate or severe loneliness. Older adult tutors (<i>N</i> = 319) were surveyed before and after the 2021-2022 school year, and the data were analyzed with structural equation multivariate regression and thematic analysis. Results indicated that while public health measures like mask-wearing posed challenges for some tutors, there were positive outcomes for tutors, especially first-time tutors, who experienced more health and well-being benefits, and tutors who are caregivers, who experienced improved civic attitudes towards public education. These results can help programs attract subgroups of volunteers who are likely to benefit the most, as well as attend to the unique challenges of pandemic-related policies.</p>","PeriodicalId":47970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Gerontology","volume":" ","pages":"126-135"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141731515","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-07-24DOI: 10.1177/07334648241265195
Dominique H Como, Cara Lekovitch, Carin M Wong, Felicia Chew, Dawn Clayton Bieber, Natalie E Leland
Non-pharmacological strategies are prioritized to manage dementia-related symptoms in nursing homes (NHs). A multiple-case study design, embedded within a pragmatic trial, examined NH staff perspectives of applying a team-based (TB) or problem-based dementia training program to resident care. A purposive sample of staff was recruited from 23 NHs to participate in one-on-one interviews, which were analyzed using a rapid qualitative approach. Both approaches yielded staff who were able to apply their training to resident care. Staff described similarities in communication strategies, family interactions, recognizing sources of behaviors, providing comfort, and ensuring resident safety. In addition, staff demonstrated increased self-efficacy when caring for residents. Differences emerged for team collaboration, engaging residents, and managing behaviors. Among TB staff, training impacted how staff cared for residents and increased teamwork. Leaders may want to consider the benefits of each approach as they deliberate on which dementia care training to provide to their staff.
{"title":"Perspectives of Nursing Home Staff: Application of Dementia Training Approaches.","authors":"Dominique H Como, Cara Lekovitch, Carin M Wong, Felicia Chew, Dawn Clayton Bieber, Natalie E Leland","doi":"10.1177/07334648241265195","DOIUrl":"10.1177/07334648241265195","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Non-pharmacological strategies are prioritized to manage dementia-related symptoms in nursing homes (NHs). A multiple-case study design, embedded within a pragmatic trial, examined NH staff perspectives of applying a team-based (TB) or problem-based dementia training program to resident care. A purposive sample of staff was recruited from 23 NHs to participate in one-on-one interviews, which were analyzed using a rapid qualitative approach. Both approaches yielded staff who were able to apply their training to resident care. Staff described similarities in communication strategies, family interactions, recognizing sources of behaviors, providing comfort, and ensuring resident safety. In addition, staff demonstrated increased self-efficacy when caring for residents. Differences emerged for team collaboration, engaging residents, and managing behaviors. Among TB staff, training impacted how staff cared for residents and increased teamwork. Leaders may want to consider the benefits of each approach as they deliberate on which dementia care training to provide to their staff.</p>","PeriodicalId":47970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Gerontology","volume":" ","pages":"156-165"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141761733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}