GeriatricsPub Date : 2025-01-13DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics10010011
Teresa Paniagua-Granados, Virginia Fernández-Fernández, María Ángeles Molina-Martínez
{"title":"Participation as a Pillar of Active Ageing: The Role of Eudaimonic Psychological and Health Factors.","authors":"Teresa Paniagua-Granados, Virginia Fernández-Fernández, María Ángeles Molina-Martínez","doi":"10.3390/geriatrics10010011","DOIUrl":"10.3390/geriatrics10010011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives:</b> With ageing population projections, promoting positive ageing trajectories is critical. While health is often emphasised, eudaimonic psychological factors remain underexamined. A qualitative study presented throughout the main text highlighted the importance of psychological factors like purpose in life and resilience in fostering participation and subjective well-being, even amidst declining health. This model bridges the most recent updates from governmental organisations-the International Longevity Center, Brazil and the World Health Organization. Building on this model, the current research seeks to empirically assess the impact of health and eudaimonic psychological factors on the frequency and satisfaction of participation among older adults. <b>Methods:</b> This study involved 289 participants (56.74% women) aged 65+ in Madrid. Data on participation, self-perceived health, and eudaimonic factors were collected through an online survey. Hierarchical regression and cluster analyses explored the predictors and profiles of participation. <b>Results:</b> Resilience, positive relationships, and autonomy explained 8.8% of variance in participation frequency. Satisfaction was influenced by health, meaning in life, and autonomy, accounting for 11% of variance. Profiles showed the highest participation and satisfaction in individuals with high eudaimonic scores, despite moderate health. <b>Conclusions:</b> Eudaimonic factors significantly influence participation and mitigate health limitations, reinforcing the qualitative study model mentioned. By uniting updates from governmental organisations proposals, this model underscores the role of psychological well-being in active ageing. Future research should explore hedonic well-being as a key outcome of active ageing.</p>","PeriodicalId":12653,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11755636/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143023231","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GeriatricsPub Date : 2025-01-13DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics10010012
Carlos Ayán-Pérez, Daniel González-Devesa, Beatriz Montero-García, Silvia Varela
{"title":"Effects of Aquatic Exercise in Older People with Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.","authors":"Carlos Ayán-Pérez, Daniel González-Devesa, Beatriz Montero-García, Silvia Varela","doi":"10.3390/geriatrics10010012","DOIUrl":"10.3390/geriatrics10010012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objective:</b> In this study, the objective is to analyze the efficacy of different aquatic physical exercise programs in the treatment of osteoarthritis in older people. <b>Material and Methods:</b> The systematic review was conducted until April 2024 and updated in November 2024 in five electronic databases. Randomized controlled studies in people over 60 years of age with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis were included. Water-based exercise interventions were assessed for their impact on osteoarthritis symptoms, walking ability, muscle strength, depressive symptoms, range of motion, body composition, fear of falling, fall risk, quality of life, range of motion, and dual task function. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database. <b>Results:</b> A total of 12 studies were included, with sample sizes ranging from 35 to 312 participants. The presence of osteoarthritis in the sample was manifested in different joints. The methodological quality of the included studies varied from fair to good. Based on the results of this review, aquatic exercise significantly improved balance, stiffness, pain, and walking ability compared to non-exercise controls (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Compared with land-based exercise groups, only one study found significant differences between the two groups. <b>Conclusions:</b> Water-based exercise programs do not provide significantly superior benefits compared to other exercise modalities and appear to have limited effectiveness in the management of OA. However, the feasibility and high adherence make these programs a recommendable option for older people with OA. Future studies should investigate the impact of exercise intensity on the short- and long-term efficacy of aquatic therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":12653,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11755622/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143023142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GeriatricsPub Date : 2025-01-10DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics10010010
Miriam W A van der Velden, Thamar Kroes, Nick J G Visschers, Frank P J F de Loos, Pleun Janssens, Bart Spaetgens, Miriam C Faes, Marieke H J van den Beuken-van Everdingen, Arnela Suman
{"title":"SPING Block Analgesia in Non-Operative Management of Proximal Femur Fractures in Older Adults Living with Frailty: A Retrospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Miriam W A van der Velden, Thamar Kroes, Nick J G Visschers, Frank P J F de Loos, Pleun Janssens, Bart Spaetgens, Miriam C Faes, Marieke H J van den Beuken-van Everdingen, Arnela Suman","doi":"10.3390/geriatrics10010010","DOIUrl":"10.3390/geriatrics10010010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives</b>: Spinal Phenol IN Glycerol (SPING) block is a novel palliative pain treatment for the non-operative management of proximal femur fractures (PFFs) in older adults living with frailty. Effective pain management that aligns with patient preferences and minimizes opioid use is critical in this setting. This study evaluated the patient, safety, and process outcomes of SPING block in this population. <b>Methods</b>: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a suburban teaching hospital from March 2021 to June 2024, which included sixty-eight older adults living with frailty that suffered from a PFF and received SPING block. Data were collected from the Electronic Patient Records. The patient living situation was visualized with a Sankey diagram. Changes in pain scores and opioid use were assessed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. <b>Results</b>: The median patient age was 89 years (Interquartile range (IQR) 83-92). Most were severely or terminally ill (American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) ≥ 4, 72%) and had cognitive impairment or dementia (68%). SPING block was effective in 93% of patients, significantly reducing median pain scores (4 [IQR 3-5] to 0 [IQR 0-1], <i>p</i> < 0.001) and opioid use (15 mg/day [IQR 4-30] to 0 mg/day [IQR 0-0], <i>p</i> < 0.001). Within 24 h, 84% could sit upright and 44% could transfer between their bed and chair. The median time to discharge was one day (IQR 0-3), with a median survival of 13 days (IQR 7-44). <b>Conclusions</b>: This study supports SPING block as a viable option for older adults living with frailty suffering from a PFF who opt for non-operative management in a palliative setting. SPING block for PFFs in a palliative setting offers effective pain relief, reduces opioid use, and enables mobility for older adults living with frailty. Follow-up is essential to monitor efficacy and safety. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":12653,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11755650/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143023160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GeriatricsPub Date : 2025-01-07DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics10010008
Katherine Baker, Julia Das, Lynn Rochester, Silvia Del Din, Jenni Naisby
{"title":"Exploring Context Allows Us to Better Understand Physical Activity in People with and Without Parkinson's Who Have Fallen: A Mixed Methods Study.","authors":"Katherine Baker, Julia Das, Lynn Rochester, Silvia Del Din, Jenni Naisby","doi":"10.3390/geriatrics10010008","DOIUrl":"10.3390/geriatrics10010008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Falls are a frequent and serious problem for older adults, especially for those living with Parkinson's. The relationship between falls and physical activity is complex, and people often restrict activity following a fall. Exercise is an important aspect of reducing further risk of a fall and a key component of the management of Parkinson's. The aim of this study was to understand the types of activity they are engaged in, the environments in which they take place, and the experience of people with and without Parkinson's who have fallen. <b>Method</b>: Seventeen people with Parkinson's and thirteen older adults who had experienced at least one fall in the previous year were recruited to this mixed methods study. Activity levels were captured over one week using accelerometers and body-worn cameras, allowing the type and location of activity to be recorded and analysed. This information informed an interview. <b>Results</b>: Findings showed that although both groups often achieved up to 10,000 steps per day, this was in very short bouts of activity. Sedentary activity, such as watching television, dominated the findings. Participants were aware of the benefits of being active but described many barriers to achieving the level of activity they would like to.</p>","PeriodicalId":12653,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11755437/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143023189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GeriatricsPub Date : 2025-01-07DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics10010009
Dietmar Ausserhofer, Angelika Mahlknecht, Verena Barbieri, Adolf Engl, Giuliano Piccoliori, Christian J Wiedermann
{"title":"Comparing the PRISMA-7 and a Modified Version (PRISMA-6) for Frailty Screening: Addressing Sex Bias in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.","authors":"Dietmar Ausserhofer, Angelika Mahlknecht, Verena Barbieri, Adolf Engl, Giuliano Piccoliori, Christian J Wiedermann","doi":"10.3390/geriatrics10010009","DOIUrl":"10.3390/geriatrics10010009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives:</b> Frailty screening facilitates the identification of older adults at risk of adverse health outcomes. The Program of Research to Integrate Services for the Maintenance of Autonomy 7 (PRISMA-7) is a widely utilised frailty tool; however, concerns regarding its potential sex bias persist due to item 2, which assigns a frailty point for male sex. This study compared the PRISMA-7 with a modified version, the PRISMA-6 (excluding item 2), to assess their suitability for frailty screening in South Tyrol, Italy. Objectives included evaluating the impact of item 2 on frailty classification and exploring the feasibility of the PRISMA-6 as a more equitable alternative. <b>Methods:</b> A cross-sectional survey of 1695 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥75 years was conducted in South Tyrol. Frailty was assessed using both the PRISMA-7 and PRISMA-6. Sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle data were collected to examine associations with frailty classifications. Logistic regression was applied to identify predictors of frailty for each tool. Agreement between the PRISMA-7 and PRISMA-6 was assessed, and internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. <b>Results:</b> Frailty prevalence was 33.9% with the PRISMA-7 and 27.0% with the PRISMA-6. The PRISMA-7 classified men as frail more frequently than women (34.7% vs. 33.0%), while the PRISMA-6 reversed this trend (men, 21.4%; women, 33.0%). Excluding item 2 improved internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: PRISMA-7, 0.64; PRISMA-6, 0.75) and aligned frailty classifications with predictors such as age, health status, and physical activity. Logistic regression revealed significant sex differences with the PRISMA-7 but not with the PRISMA-6. <b>Conclusions:</b> The PRISMA-7 introduces sex bias by overestimating frailty in men, whereas the PRISMA-6 provides a more equitable and consistent alternative. The findings highlight the PRISMA-6's potential as a reliable tool for unbiased frailty screening. Future research should validate the PRISMA-6 against established frailty tools to support its integration into primary care settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":12653,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11755479/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143023125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of Early Postoperative Gait Parameters After Total Hip Arthroplasty on Forgotten Joint Score-12 at 2-Year Follow-Up.","authors":"Kazuya Okazawa, Satoshi Hamai, Tsutomu Fujita, Shinya Kawahara, Daisuke Hara, Yasuharu Nakashima, Hiroshi Katoh","doi":"10.3390/geriatrics10010007","DOIUrl":"10.3390/geriatrics10010007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Purpose:</b> This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between early postoperative gait parameters after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and the Forgotten Joint Score-12 (FJS-12) score at the 2-year follow-up after surgery. In addition, the cutoff gait parameter values for predicting discomfort using specific FJS-12 subitems were evaluated. <b>Methods:</b> Among 313 patients who underwent THA between April and December 2019, 44 (14.0%) who responded to the FJS-12 questionnaire at 2 years postoperatively were included in this study. Gait parameters, including walking speed, stride length, and their coefficients of variation (CVs), were measured at 13.8 ± 3.6 (mean ± standard deviation) days postoperatively. The FJS-12 was used to evaluate patients at 2 years after surgery. The correlation between the FJS-12 score and gait parameters was analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. To determine the significant predictors of the FJS-12 score, multiple regression analysis was performed after adjusting for age as a covariate. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine the cutoff gait parameter values for predicting discomfort using specific FJS-12 subitems. <b>Results:</b> The FJS-12 score was significantly positively correlated with walking speed (r<sub>s</sub> = 0.38, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and stride length (r<sub>s</sub> = 0.51, <i>p</i> < 0.01). Meanwhile, the FJS-12 score was significantly negatively correlated with the CVs of walking speed (r<sub>s</sub> = -0.34, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and stride length (r<sub>s</sub> = -0.35, <i>p</i> < 0.05). Based on multiple regression analysis, stride length was a significant predictor of discomfort assessed using the FJS-12 score (β = 0.48, <i>p</i> < 0.01). According to the receiver operating characteristic curves, the cutoff stride length values for predicting discomfort using the FJS-12 subitems 9, 10, 11, and 12 showed moderate accuracy (area under the curve > 0.7). <b>Conclusions:</b> Improved walking ability of patients who underwent THA through early rehabilitation is linked to joint discomfort and patient satisfaction in daily life 2 years postoperatively.</p>","PeriodicalId":12653,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11755471/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143023068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GeriatricsPub Date : 2025-01-04DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics10010006
Raymundo Buenrostro-Mariscal, Osval A Montesinos-López, Cesar Gonzalez-Gonzalez
{"title":"Predicting Hospitalization in Older Adults Using Machine Learning.","authors":"Raymundo Buenrostro-Mariscal, Osval A Montesinos-López, Cesar Gonzalez-Gonzalez","doi":"10.3390/geriatrics10010006","DOIUrl":"10.3390/geriatrics10010006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives</b>: Hospitalization among older adults is a growing challenge in Mexico due to the high prevalence of chronic diseases and limited public healthcare resources. This study aims to develop a predictive model for hospitalization using longitudinal data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) using the random forest (RF) algorithm. <b>Methods</b>: An RF-based machine learning model was designed and evaluated under different data partition strategies (ST) with and without variable interaction. Variable importance was assessed based on the mean decrease in impurity and permutation importance, enhancing our understanding of predictors of hospitalization. The model's robustness was ensured through modified nested cross-validation, with evaluation metrics including sensitivity, specificity, and the kappa coefficient. <b>Results</b>: The model with ST2, incorporating interaction and a 20% test proportion, achieved the best balance between sensitivity (0.7215, standard error ± 0.0038), and specificity (0.4935, standard error ± 0.0039). Variable importance analysis revealed that functional limitations (e.g., abvd3, 31.1% importance), age (12.75%), and history of cerebrovascular accidents (12.4%) were the strongest predictors. Socioeconomic factors, including education level (12.08%), also emerged as critical predictors, highlighting the model's ability to capture complex interactions between health and socioeconomic variables. <b>Conclusions</b>: The integration of variable importance analysis enhances the interpretability of the RF model, providing novel insights into the predictors of hospitalization in older adults. These findings underscore the potential for clinical applications, including anticipating hospital demand and optimizing resource allocation. Future research will focus on integrating subgroup analyses for comorbidities and advanced techniques for handling missing data to further improve predictive accuracy.</p>","PeriodicalId":12653,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11755630/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143023152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GeriatricsPub Date : 2025-01-03DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics10010005
M Pilar Matud
{"title":"COVID-19 and Mental Distress and Well-Being Among Older People: A Gender Analysis in the First and Last Year of the Pandemic and in the Post-Pandemic Period.","authors":"M Pilar Matud","doi":"10.3390/geriatrics10010005","DOIUrl":"10.3390/geriatrics10010005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic seriously threatened the health and well-being of the population. This study aims to investigate the relevance of the COVID-19 pandemic on the stress, mental distress, and well-being of older people in Spain. The design was quantitative repeated cross-sectional. The sample was non-probability and consisted of 1436 persons from the general population divided into two groups: (1) the study group, composed of 718 women (61.3%) and men aged 60 to 89; (2) the comparison group, composed of the same number of women and men aged 30 to 45. All were assessed in three phases of the COVID-19 pandemic: the first pandemic year, the last pandemic year, and the post-pandemic period. The results showed that during the first year of the pandemic, the prevalence of mental distress was higher in older women (50%) than in older men (37.2%), while the rates in the comparison group were 57.2% for women and 53.2% for men. In the post-pandemic period, the rates of mental distress were 30.2% for older women and 29.8% for older men while in the comparison group, the rates were 48.5% for women and 26.5% for men. No significant differences in well-being were found between the groups or between the different phases of the pandemic. The most common stressors reported by older people were illness and death of family and/or loved ones, followed by personal illness. In the post-pandemic period, more stressful events and lower stress resilience were found to predict mental distress in older women and men. Greater perceived vulnerability to infection was another important predictor for women. Low self-esteem and younger age were also predictors of mental distress for men. High self-esteem, high social support, greater stress resilience and fewer stressful events were predictors of well-being for both genders. The results of this study are relevant for the design of policies, programs, and strategies to improve the health and well-being of older people.</p>","PeriodicalId":12653,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11755442/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143023099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GeriatricsPub Date : 2025-01-03DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics10010004
Aníbal Báez-Suárez, Virginia Báez-Suárez, Laissa Saldanha, Martín Vílchez-Barrera, Andrea Hernández-Pérez, Raquel Medina-Ramírez
{"title":"Improving Sleep Quality and Well-Being in Institutionalized Older Adults: The Potential of NESA Non-Invasive Neuromodulation Treatment.","authors":"Aníbal Báez-Suárez, Virginia Báez-Suárez, Laissa Saldanha, Martín Vílchez-Barrera, Andrea Hernández-Pérez, Raquel Medina-Ramírez","doi":"10.3390/geriatrics10010004","DOIUrl":"10.3390/geriatrics10010004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives</b>: Ageing is associated with several cognitive, physical, and emotional changes, including a decrease in sleep quality and mental health issues. This study studies NESA (Spanish acronym for Neuromodulación Superficial Aplicada) non-invasive neuromodulation using microcurrents as something that may provide a potential improvement in the quality of sleep and general health of older adults and residents in a healthcare institution. <b>Methods</b>: This observational study recruited 24 people who were residents at a long-term care facility. Participants were divided into two groups: one intervention group, who underwent NESA therapy twice a week for a total of 20 sessions, and a control group, who did not receive this treatment. The outcomes measured include sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), diary of sleep, symptoms of depressed mood (Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale), and quality of life with the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Old (WHOQOL-OLD). Scores were collected at baseline, after 10 and 20 sessions, and 3 months after finishing the treatment. <b>Results</b>: The intervention group exhibited a notable improvement in sleep quality (<i>p</i> = 0.05). Additionally, there were fewer nocturnal awakenings. The quality of life also showed better scores, especially in relation to social relations and physical and mental health, which matches the slight decrease in scores and clinical improvement regarding depressive symptoms. In contrast, the control group demonstrated no improvement in symptoms, and in some cases, there was a worsening of symptoms. <b>Conclusions</b>: Our findings indicate that NESA non-invasive neuromodulation therapy is likely to enhance sleep quality and health-related measures in institutionalized older adults. Despite the limitations of the current study, the results support the potential of NESA microcurrents to enhance the well-being of this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":12653,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11755576/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143023226","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GeriatricsPub Date : 2025-01-02DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics10010003
Anna P Lane, Jennifer Tieman
{"title":"\"We Work in an Industry Where We're Here to Care for Others, and Often Forget to Take Care of Ourselves\": Aged-Care Staff Views on Self-Care.","authors":"Anna P Lane, Jennifer Tieman","doi":"10.3390/geriatrics10010003","DOIUrl":"10.3390/geriatrics10010003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objective</b>: This study aimed to explore self-care understanding and behaviours among aged-care workers in Australia. It was conducted as part of a project to co-produce a self-care resource for the Australian aged-care workforce. <b>Methods</b>: Semi-structured interviews with eleven aged-care staff and a focus group with four staff at an aged-care facility were undertaken to understand how staff understand and practice self-care and how death and dying affect workers. Thematic analysis was performed using software to generate a data coding tree. <b>Results</b>: Aged-care workers view self-care as taking care of oneself and as being a way to manage and maintain wellbeing so that they can continue to care. As practiced in daily life, self-care is highly individualised, with actions at work and at home having significant impact on a person's wellbeing. Supportive organisational cultures and collegial teams were found to be particularly relevant in helping staff to deal with death and dying. <b>Conclusions</b>: Aged-care workers may benefit from an online self-care resource tailored to their specific needs and based on their first-hand experiences of working in aged-care. Organisations can support aged-care workers by creating space and time for self-care.</p>","PeriodicalId":12653,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11755575/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143023111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}