老年问题研究(英文)Pub Date : 2018-07-09DOI: 10.4236/AAR.2018.74007
Paul Arthur
{"title":"Informal caregiving for persons with chronic conditions: Trends and considerations","authors":"Paul Arthur","doi":"10.4236/AAR.2018.74007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/AAR.2018.74007","url":null,"abstract":"Aging adults with chronic conditions rely heavily on an informal network of caregivers to remain within their communities of choice. This reliance can take a significant toll on caregivers through the lens of physical and psychological problems, financial issues, and social isolation. These variables may then lead to less desirable outcomes for care recipients. This review highlights existing support services in their many forms, including: psychosocial interventions, environmental interventions, respite care, and health information technology as a method of delivery. Given the current trend with informal caregivers assuming increased responsibility in healthcare, programs and services supporting these caregivers must be understood and trialed to ensure that their needs are not overlooked.","PeriodicalId":56467,"journal":{"name":"老年问题研究(英文)","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42746113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
老年问题研究(英文)Pub Date : 2018-05-31DOI: 10.4236/aar.2018.73005
A. Capanna, P. Scarcella, F. Gilardi, S. Mancinelli, L. Palombi, M. Marazzi, F. Riccardi, G. Liotta
{"title":"Sensitivity and Specificity of a Short Questionnaire to Screen Frailty in the Community-Dwelling Older Population","authors":"A. Capanna, P. Scarcella, F. Gilardi, S. Mancinelli, L. Palombi, M. Marazzi, F. Riccardi, G. Liotta","doi":"10.4236/aar.2018.73005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/aar.2018.73005","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction. Frailty represents a major risk factor for death and Use of Hospital Services (UHS) among older adults. A simple tool to detect frailty might permit stratification of the community-dwelling older population according to the risk of negative outcomes. The present study aims at determining the sensitivity and specificity in predicting mortality and UHS of the Short Functional Geriatric Evaluation (SFGE), a short questionnaire to screen for frailty in community-dwelling older citizens. Methods. The study is a secondary analysis of all the data collected through an observational longitudinal cohort study carried out in Lazio region (Italy). The SFGE is compared with the Functional Geriatric Evaluation (FGE) questionnaire to define sensitivity and specificity for mortality and for UHS during the first year following its administration. Results. The SFGE classifies 36.3% of the respondents as frail and shows a sensitivity of 90.4% and a specificity of 78.3% compared to the FGE (area under the ROC: 0.928; CL95%: 0.910 - 0.947; p-value < 0.001). Those respondents identified by the SFGE as frail also include some of those classified by the FGE as pre-frail, who also show a high rate of UHS. The results show that the SFGE score predicts the UHS more accurately than it does the mortality rate. Conclusion. The SFGE identifies as frail a larger portion of the enrolled population than the FGE. Those people so identified show a high rate of UHS. Because of its easy and quick administration, it can be considered a useful primary screening tool but it must be followed up with a more extensive assessment of those identified as frail. The small time needed to fill in the tool and the possibility of administering it by telephone makes the SFGE a useful tool to screen for frailty and to plan the provision of care services at both individual and population level.","PeriodicalId":56467,"journal":{"name":"老年问题研究(英文)","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47274346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
老年问题研究(英文)Pub Date : 2018-03-12DOI: 10.4236/aar.2018.72003
V. Kuznetsov
{"title":"Melatoninergic Antidepressant in Post-Stroke Depression Therapy","authors":"V. Kuznetsov","doi":"10.4236/aar.2018.72003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/aar.2018.72003","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents the results of the effects of Melitor (25 mg during two months) on the psychic-emotional state, cerebral hemodynamic and bioelectrical activity of the brain in 30 patients (average age 66.2 ± 3.2 years) with ischemic post-stroke depression. It has been found that this drug possesses a multimodal action which is characterized by the decrease of the level of depression, widening of the range of social-environmental activity, improvement of the cerebral blood circulation and harmonization of the brain electrogenesis. In the patients with right versus left hemisphere stroke, the effect of Melitor on the functional state of the brain was more pronounced. Based on the results obtained in our study, we can recommend Melitor to use it in complex scheme of rehabilitation care of patients of the given nosological category.","PeriodicalId":56467,"journal":{"name":"老年问题研究(英文)","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48174809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
老年问题研究(英文)Pub Date : 2018-03-12DOI: 10.4236/aar.2018.72002
Abdullah Salah Elamoudi
{"title":"Testing the Mutation Accumulation Theory of Aging Using Bioinformatic Tools","authors":"Abdullah Salah Elamoudi","doi":"10.4236/aar.2018.72002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/aar.2018.72002","url":null,"abstract":"Objective: An interplay of many variant mechanisms is thought to underlie aging or senescence. The Mutation Accumulation Theory proposes the accumulation of mutations in proteins to engender their aging phenotype. Testing whether random mutations lead to the aging phenotype was never done and is deemed infeasible. Bioinformatic algorithms provide an a-priori approach that allows testing; they employ prior knowledge of well-studied proteins to predict the changes brought on by mutations. Here, the Mutation Accumulation Theory of aging is tested using such bioinformatic tools. Methods: This is a simulation study, conducted 2017, September, using algorithms with Web accessibility. Three well-studied proteins implicated in aging were chosen: Collagen, Beta-amyloid Precursor Protein (β-APP) and Low-density-lipoprotein-receptor (LDL-receptor). Random mutations were introduced to their native coding sequences. Then, the mutated sequences were tested using three different prediction algorithms: SPpred for solubility, I-mutant for stability (delta-free energy), SNP and GO for pathogenicity. The new mutated phenotype was then correlated to the aging phenotype of the protein; decrease in solubility for Collagen and β-APP; and accelerated atherosclerosis for LDL-receptor. Results: 15 mutated variants for each protein (45 in total). For collagen and β-APP, the SPpred algorithm did not predict changes in solubility of the naked protein, but the I-mutant and SNP and GO definitely predicted changes that fit the aging phenotype. However, for LDL-receptors, none of the mutated variants when studied could account for the aging phenotype. Conclusion: for Collagen and β-APP, it is shown here that random mutations and their accumulation could explain the aging phenotype of both proteins; backing the Mutation Accumulation Theory for aging.","PeriodicalId":56467,"journal":{"name":"老年问题研究(英文)","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43518555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
老年问题研究(英文)Pub Date : 2018-01-31DOI: 10.4236/aar.2018.71001
R. Berger
{"title":"Criminal Behavior among the Elderly: A Look into What People Think about This Emerging Topic","authors":"R. Berger","doi":"10.4236/aar.2018.71001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/aar.2018.71001","url":null,"abstract":"The elderly population is growing fast. With this changing demographic fact we can expect to see overall crime rates among the elderly growing right along with it. This study explored people’s knowledge about elderly crime and their perceptions about elderly offenders. Survey data were collected from 229 respondents living in Southern California. Statistical analyses on the key variables revealed a number of significant group differences in regard to age F(7, 221) = 2.15, p = 0.039, and ethnicity F(5, 223) = 2.60, p = 0.026. The data revealed that most of the respondents believe that elderly crime is going to get worse over time (58.5%) and that white-collar crimes were the biggest problem (44.5%). Male respondents (M = 1.80, SD = 3.83) on average knew more elderly offenders than female respondents (M = 0.99, SD = 2.39). Respondents from all ages tended to believe that older people were less likely to commit street crimes but were about as likely to commit white-collar crimes as younger people. There also appears to be a pattern of increasing drug use and drug abuse among both elderly men and women. Increasing problems with criminal offending among the elderly are going to have major implications across different social systems and institutions, such as political, economic, and legal systems, corrections, rehabilitation, and medical and mental health services.","PeriodicalId":56467,"journal":{"name":"老年问题研究(英文)","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45621994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
老年问题研究(英文)Pub Date : 2017-10-11DOI: 10.4236/AAR.2017.66009
T. Abdellatif, A. Jaziri, M. Taryam, N. Monsef, Amel Ibrahim Buharoun, S. Elbadawi, M. Ashtar
{"title":"Dubai Primary Health Care Centers Conformation to WHO Age-Friendly Primary Healthcare Recommendations","authors":"T. Abdellatif, A. Jaziri, M. Taryam, N. Monsef, Amel Ibrahim Buharoun, S. Elbadawi, M. Ashtar","doi":"10.4236/AAR.2017.66009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/AAR.2017.66009","url":null,"abstract":"The WHO project for conforming PHC to requirements of all age groups has resulted in publishing a toolkit for age-friendly PHC in 2008. The toolkit included checklists for physical environment and signage properties. This study matched the current physical environment properties of DHA’s PHC Health Centers against WHO’s recommendations. This is a cross sectional descriptive study that included visits to all 12 Primary Health Care Centers in Dubai city during August-September 2016 with the objective to assess the degree of fulfillment of current properties of Health Centers building to the recommendations of WHO as listed in “Age-friendly Primary Health Care Centres Toolkit” [1]. The study found that 81.86% of physical environment properties are matching the recommendation of WHO, while signage matching was 44.6%. The study concluded that most PHC properties have a physical design that met WHO’s recommendations. The two major deviations were accessibility by public transportations and presence of grab bars. Factors that had a significant impact on design were compliance with multiple international and local standards, the availability of private cars, and the availability of wheel chairs. Signage in DHA’s health centers followed a central plan that differed from WHO’s recommendations.","PeriodicalId":56467,"journal":{"name":"老年问题研究(英文)","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42790522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
老年问题研究(英文)Pub Date : 2017-10-11DOI: 10.4236/AAR.2017.66011
K. Sakaguchi, Shuichiro Hara
{"title":"Capacity of the Pectoralis Major Muscle May Be a Prognostic Factor for Aspiration Pneumonia","authors":"K. Sakaguchi, Shuichiro Hara","doi":"10.4236/AAR.2017.66011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/AAR.2017.66011","url":null,"abstract":"Objective: Aspiration pneumonia is thought to be caused by a decline in respiratory and swallowing function. We aimed to clarify whether the pectoralis major muscle and the rectus abdominis muscles are prognostic factors for aspiration pneumonia and to investigate the relationships between these muscles and nutritional status, swallowing function and sarcopenia, Methods: Medical records of 139 Japanese patients hospitalized for aspiration pneumonia between December 2010 and December 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. The volume and thickness of the pectoralis major muscle, the crosssectional area and thickness of the rectus abdominis muscles, and cross-sectional area of the psoas major muscle were measured using computed tomography. Swallowing function, nutritional status, activities of daily living, and prognosis also were evaluated. Results: The volume [Median: (left) 4713.2 mm3 vs. 4232.6 mm3 (right) 4981.7 mm3 vs. 4362.6 mm3 p < 0.05] and thickness [Median: (left) 6.9 mm vs. 4.6 mm (right) 7.3 mm vs. 5.7 mm p < 0.01] of the pectoralis major muscle and thickness of the right rectus abdominis muscles [Median: 7.3 mm vs. 5.8 mm p < 0.05] were significantly larger, while Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF) [Median: 6.0 vs. 4.0 p < 0.01] and Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) [Median: 3 vs. 1 p < 0.01] scores were significantly higher in patients who survived. The volume [Median: (left) 5789.1 mm3 vs. 3706.5 mm3 (right) 5650.3 mm3 vs. 4003.7 mm3 p < 0.01] and thickness [Median: (left) 7.1 mm vs. 5.9 mm p < 0.05] of the pectoralis major muscle and cross-sectional area of the psoas major muscle (left and right) [Median: (left) 500.1 mm2 vs. 432.0 mm2 (right) 563.5 mm2 vs. 446.3 mm2 p < 0.01] were significantly larger, while albumin levels [Median: 3.8 g/dl vs. 3.4g/dl p < 0.01] and MNA-SF [Median: 6.0 vs. 5.0 p < 0.01] and FOIS [Median: 4 vs. 1 p < 0.01] scores were significantly higher in patients with coexisting diseases. Conclusion: The capacity of the pectoralis major muscle may be an independent factor in the prognosis of elderly patients with aspiration pneumonia as a primary disease.","PeriodicalId":56467,"journal":{"name":"老年问题研究(英文)","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46909033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
老年问题研究(英文)Pub Date : 2017-10-11DOI: 10.4236/AAR.2017.66010
Barbara Gazolla de Macedo, Poliana P. R. Dias, Hanna S. Camara, C. Antunes
{"title":"Functional Capacity and Anemia in the Community Elderly","authors":"Barbara Gazolla de Macedo, Poliana P. R. Dias, Hanna S. Camara, C. Antunes","doi":"10.4236/AAR.2017.66010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/AAR.2017.66010","url":null,"abstract":"Anemia in the elderly population has been associated to clinical manifestations such as functional dependence, low cognitive performance, increased mortality and geriatric syndromes (dementia, delirium, depression and falls). Recent investigations have shown an association between low hemoglobin levels, reduction in muscular strength and physical fitness. The objective of this review was to identify, in the scientific literature, evidence of an association between anemia and functional capacity among older persons. PubMed and Bireme were used as references source. The most relevant evidence pointing towards this association was identified in the epidemiological studies Women’s Health and Aging Studies I and II (WHAS I and II). Functional capacity was evaluated by the walking, balance and sitting back and getting out of the chair tests. Elderly women with either 13 or 14 g/dl have a better performance compared to women with 12 g/dl of hemoglobin, respectively. This study also reported an increase in the mortality risk among women (65 years old and plus) living in community with less than 13.4 g/dl of hemoglobin. Participants were followed for 11 years. WHAS I and II investigators suggested a new criterion, already adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO), to define anemia among elderly women. Conclusion: anemia is common among the elderly and may have an involvement in the impairment of their functional capacity. However, in spite of the importance of these findings, it should be emphasized that an etiologic association (anemia as a cause of functional impairment) has yet to be demonstrated.","PeriodicalId":56467,"journal":{"name":"老年问题研究(英文)","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49642832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
老年问题研究(英文)Pub Date : 2017-09-28DOI: 10.4236/AAR.2017.65008
Al Ahmar, J. E. Eid, Zouheir El Imad, H. Ghusn
{"title":"Older Adults Had Similar Survival Rates Compared to Their Younger Counterparts Following Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation","authors":"Al Ahmar, J. E. Eid, Zouheir El Imad, H. Ghusn","doi":"10.4236/AAR.2017.65008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/AAR.2017.65008","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Several factors affect the outcome of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) following in hospital cardiac arrests, including presence of comorbidities, arrest characteristics, and resuscitation efforts. We sought to determine the outcome of CPR provided to elders suffering from in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest and to compare it to the survival of their younger counterparts in a tertiary care center in Lebanon. Methods: Retrospective chart review of all patients suffering from cardiac arrests who received CPR during a one year period in a tertiary care center located in a rural area. Results: A total of 98 cardiac arrests were identified who received CPR according to advance cardiac life support protocols (ACLS). Initial return of spontaneous circulation was higher among younger subjects but the difference was not statistically significant (52.6% vs 34.2%, p = 0.136). Survival to discharge was low but slightly higher in the younger subgroup, yet the difference was not statistically significant (5% vs 3%, p = 0.535). Conclusions: Physicians need to be aware of the outcome of CPR in the hospitals they practice in. They can educate their patients about CPR outcome. Such education may help patients and their next of kin make informed decisions jointly with their physician regarding resuscitation.","PeriodicalId":56467,"journal":{"name":"老年问题研究(英文)","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44098474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}