Ageing International最新文献

This literature review explores the impact of COVID-19 upon the residential aged care (RAC) workforce during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the workforce from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. It also considers COVID-19 related interventions for the RAC workforce. The databases ProQuest, PubMed, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Google Scholar and Cochrane Central were searched in April and May 2022. Twenty-six studies were identified which were related to the impact of COVID-19 on the RAC workforce, including four studies on the CALD workforce. Many studies highlighted the impact of COVID-19 upon workforce shortages, workplace demands, worker wellbeing, and intention to quit the profession. The importance of workplace communication and support strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic were also underlined. Issues pertinent to the CALD workforce included understanding dementia, vaccine hesitancy and the impact of aged care, migration and labour market policies on the workforce. Workforce factors, including poor working conditions (and lack of paid leave) had a significant impact upon COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Conversely, responding to COVID-19 impacted workforce mental health. There is a need for workforce support policies and research which consider organisational communication, work-life balance, and specific training and support needs of workers from CALD backgrounds, who comprise a significant proportion of the aged care workforce in Australia and many other countries.

The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on the theoretical concept of elder neglect (EN), analyze definitions used by researchers and identify their characteristics with the view to consistent understanding of the phenomenon. The literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science and CINAHL using keywords associated with elder neglect. Articles published between 1990 and 2020, including a definition of EN, were taken into consideration. From 7,821 articles found in the initial search, 85 relevant studies were selected for the final evaluation. Most frequently, researchers described neglect as a form of elder abuse or mistreatment, within the framework of the official and internationally used definitions. The review demonstrates inconsistency in identification of EN, but common characteristics are possible to identify in its theoretical concepts. The selected conceptual elements allow to develop a new comprehensive definition of EN.

This descriptive study was carried out to investigate the relationship between the attitudes of nurses working at a university hospital towards older people and their compassion levels. The sample of the study comprised 432 nurses working at a university hospital. The data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the University of California at Los Angeles Geriatrics Attitudes Scale, and the Compassion Scale. In the analysis of the data, frequencies, percentages, arithmetic mean values, tests for the significance of the difference between two mean values, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and Pearson’s correlation test were used. The attitudes of the participants towards older adults were positive (47.18 ± 6.40), and their compassion levels were high (4.08 ± 0.41). There was a significant positive correlation between the participants’ mean scores on the University of California at Los Angeles Geriatrics Attitudes Scale and the Compassion Scale (r = 0.313). The participants had positive attitudes towards elderly individuals and high compassion levels. As the participants’ compassion levels increased, so did their mean University of California at Los Angeles Geriatrics Attitudes Scale scores. Gender, length of service, working unit, status of living with an older person, and compassion were identified as predictors of University of California at Los Angeles Geriatrics Attitudes Scale scores. The use of methods likely to increase compassion in nurses’ education and professional life may increase their perception of attitudes towards older age and thus ensure that older people receive quality healthcare.

Available statistics show that the population of older adults in Ghana increased from 200,000 in 1960 to two million in 2021, with females comprising 57% of this population. This increase in the size of the older Ghanaian population has research, policy, and practice implications. Qualitative research has rarely explored the psychological health of older Ghanaians by paying attention to the emotions and feelings they experience and the reasons they give for those emotions and feelings. The current study aimed to fill the gap by exploring emotions and feelings that underlay the psychological well-being of older persons in Ghana and the subjective reasons behind their feelings. Twenty-three adults aged 60 years plus (14 male vs 9 female) provided interview data that were analyzed thematically, and psychological well-being perspectives provided a framework to make sense of the data. The findings show that participants’ psychological well-being belongs to three subthemes of psychological functioning: high positive functioning; low negative functioning; and high negative functioning. These subthemes translated into three main themes: pride of conquest; being older can be depressing; and, living with regret, respectively. Overall, the findings suggest that participants’ psychological well-being is a confluence of flourishing mental health and depression. It is concluded that older Ghanaians experience a mixture of positive and negative emotions and feelings, and, therefore, a blend of good mental health and depression. One reason for positive psychological well-being is that older adults are happy about living longer, and satisfied with what they have accomplished. They are also proud of their continued social contribution, and look forward to health and happiness in retirement. However, fear of death and worries over what the future holds for children, despair over the debilitating effects of sickness, abusive experience, poverty, and the shame of being accused of witchcraft and ostracized, among others are reasons for depression in this population. The research and practice implications of these findings are outlined.

This study aimed to explore the association between dependency and cognitive function among older adults. A combined cross-sectional and longitudinal study was conducted in 26 locations in China. A total of 1160 participants aged ≥ 60 years were selected using a complex multistage sampling design, and 152 participants completed data collection after one year follow-up observation. A questionnaire was administered by face-to-face interviews. Dependency was measured using the standardized Chinese version of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-II. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between dependency and cognitive function. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to identify causality between cognition function and dependency. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that the orientation and outdoor instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) domains were significantly associated with dependency, with odds ratios of 1.45 (95% CI, 1.26–1.67; p < 0.001) and 1.16 (95% CI, 1.06–1.26; p < 0.001), respectively. In the Cox proportional hazards analysis, the DASC-21 score was significantly associated with dependency, with hazard ratio of 1.32 (95% CI, 1.03–1.69). The causality between cognition impairment and dependency was identified, and the orientation and outdoor IADL domains were significantly associated with dependency.

The study examined the determinants of out-of-pocket health expenditure among older adults in Nigeria. The data came from the Nigeria Living Standards Survey 2018–19. We employed a two-part model involving logistic regression and a generalized linear model to identify factors associated with out-of-pocket health expenditures among older adults. Analyses were performed using STATA version 14.2 software. The findings indicated that 79.49% of older adults made out-of-pocket payments for health care. The mean monthly out-of-pocket health expenditure among older adults was 3,498.14 naira (US$9.72). Having health insurance significantly reduced the risk of incurring out-of-pocket health expenditure, while larger household sizes, primary education, tertiary education, and being from a poorer household significantly increased the risk of incurring out-of-pocket health expenditure among older adults. The study concludes that a high proportion of older adults incur out-of-pocket health expenditures. This implies that older adults are not protected from the financial hardship of out-of-pocket health expenditures by the Nigerian health care system. Policymakers should target the factors that increase the likelihood of incurring out-of-pocket health expenditures in the design of health financing policies aimed at reducing OOP health expenditures for older adults. The finding that health insurance reduces the likelihood of incurring out-of-pocket health expenditures indicates that it is important to design and implement a social health protection scheme for older adults.

The rise in life expectancy and the resulting increase in the number of older adults raise concerns about the unique challenges that will inevitably arise during this stage of life. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive condition that, if untreated, progresses to more advanced stages. This study aimed to create and evaluate the impact of a memory-enhancing mobile app on the cognitive function of older adults with cognitive dysfunction. The study utilized a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group. A total of 42 older adults with Alzheimer's disease were selected using cluster sampling from comprehensive urban health service centers in Larestan county, located in southwest Iran. The intervention group participated in a two-month memory-boosting training program, which included seven components such as repetition and practice. The mobile app was designed to be user-friendly and convenient. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25. The research findings showed that the experimental group, who received cognitive stimulation treatment with memory-boosting applications, demonstrated significant improvements in overall cognitive functions and abilities compared to the control group. These improvements were observed in various dimensions, including time and location awareness, recall, attention and calculation, recent memory, language functions, and spatial thinking (P < 0.05). There are no significant differences between demographic variables and cognitive function in the experiment group. Memory-boosting apps can assist older adults in enhancing their cognitive functions, which is crucial for preventing disease progression and promoting adherence to self-care recommendations. Further research is necessary to validate and explore additional impacts of game apps on this demographic.

Aim

The aim of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of The Ideal Grandparent Scale(IGS).

Method

Content and construct validity were evaluated for the psychometric measurements of the scale. In addition, language validity and reliability analyzes were performed.

Results

The language and content validity of the scale was evaluated as appropriate. In the analyzes made for construct validity, item loads, variance and fit values of the scale were found to be appropriate. In addition, in the analyzes for reliability, it was determined that the cronbach alpha value and the test-retest correlation were appropriate. The mean total score taken from the scale is 68.65 ± 20.32. It was determined that the average score given to the scale items by the experts was between 3.71 ± 0.52 and 4.00 ± 0.00.

Conclussion

It was determined that the psychometric measurements of The Ideal Grandparent Scale were appropriate and could be adapted to Turkish culture.

Purpose

Individuals above the age of 65 are the first to be vaccinated. In this study, it was aimed to determine the health perceptions and vaccine complications of individuals over 65 years of age who recieved the covid-19 vaccine.

Methods

The research is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The sample consists of 151 adults over 65 who have received the Covid-19 vaccination. Individuals over the age of 65 who come to three different pharmacies in three distinct districts to buy medicine are considered participants.

Results

The age of the participants was 72.42 ± 6,838, and their health perception score was 40,987 ± 5,878. The majority of them are male (51%), have had Sinovac (88.1%), are a primary school graduate (82.1%), live with their spouse (68.9%), are non-smokers (83.4%), have a chronic disease (96,0%), regularly take medication (96.7%), do not regularly get seasonal flu vaccine (78.8%), do not regularly use vitamins (92.7%), do not have joint pain (71.6%), and sleep for 7–9 h daily (50.4%). Scale scores were found as follows; control center 11.02 ± 2.66, precision 8.97 ± 2.41, importance of health 11.74 ± 2.64, self awareness 9.26 ± 2.03 health perception 40.99 ± 5.88.

Conclusion

Those who received Sinovac, those with chronic disease, those who received routine influenza vaccination, those who took vitamin supplements, those who did not have joint pain, and those who had cough problems had higher health perception scores, and the difference was significant (p0.05). It will be critical to educate those over 65 about the vaccine's importance and adverse effects, as well as to boost their awareness in the appropriate manner.

different populations have different averages of life-space assessment scores and defining cutoff values of clinical significance by each population should take into consideration. Different cutoffs to define restricted life space have been reported. The most common is a score of 60 points. There are other cutoffs derived from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and used to classify older adults according to their ability in activities of daily living (ADLs) (52.3 points) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) (56 points); other cutoffs are specialized for people with cognitive impairment (26.75 points) or people with spinal cord injury who need mobility aids (78.5 points). The aims were to identify cutoff points of Life Space Assessment (LSA) in older adults in different sites and to determine the relationship of the cutoff scores with mobility disability and depression. The study population was composed of community-dwelling adults aged 65–74 years who were not institutionalized. An ROC analysis was constructed, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to identify the optimal cutoff that discriminates life-space restriction for each city. Logistic regressions were executed by site to comprehend the association among restricted LSA and mobility disability and depression. In total, 1890 participants were included in the analyses (52.38% women, 37.19% mobility disability and 21.32% had depression). Canada cities had the highest cutoff, while Tirana and Natal had the lowest cutoff (< 50). Kingston was the site with the highest association between life-space restriction and mobility disability (OR 5.4, 95% CI 2.9–10). Saint-Hyacinthe, Tirana, and Manizales had significant associations between depression and restricted life space (OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.53–6.89, OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.88–5.24, and OR 3.99, 95% CI 2.28–6.98, respectively). Different cutoffs to define restricted life-space have been identified in elderly people at different sites. The analysis of the relationship between the restricted life space and personal characteristics like depression and mobility disability supported these findings. The groupings produced by the cutoff points for each site showed notable variations. These findings emphasize the importance of population-based cutoffs to improve the general applicability of LSM criteria and take into consideration the importance of site-specific approaches.