Factors associated with the risk for falls in PACE participants

ObjectiveThe purpose was to determine the relationship between frailty, fear of falling, and depression with falls risk in vulnerable community-dwelling older adults.MethodsA cross-sectional correlational design and chart review were completed. Nursing home eligible older adults ≥55 who live in the community were surveyed on frailty, fear of falling, depression, and the risk for falls. Pearson's correlation, multiple regression and hierarchical regression were used to analyze the data.ResultsIncreased frailty, fear of falling, and depression were significantly associated with an increased risk for falls. Frailty and fear of falling were significant predictors of the risk for falls while depression did not contribute to the regression model. When controlling for sociodemographics, frailty, fear of falling, and incontinence were significant predictors for the risk for falls.DiscussionThe results of this study will assist in assessment and interventions to decrease the risk for falls in high risk older adults.     

Improved education and training for nursing assistants: keys to promoting the mental health of nursing home residents

The mental health of older adults contributes to their overall well-being. However, numerous studies have reported substantial prevalence of mental health problems, especially depression, in nursing home residents. Due to the poor quality of education and training provided to nursing home front-line caregivers, most of whom are nursing assistants, many residents experiencing depression are not recognized as such and consequently receive no treatment. Emphasizing the aging process and mental health components in education and training programs for nursing assistants could have a positive impact on the detection and treatment of depression in residents.     

Improved Education and Training for Nursing Assistants: Keys to Promoting the Mental Health of Nursing Home Residents

The mental health of older adults contributes to their overall well-being. However, numerous studies have reported substantial prevalence of mental health problems, especially depression, in nursing home residents. Due to the poor quality of education and training provided to nursing home front-line caregivers, most of whom are nursing assistants, many residents experiencing depression are not recognized as such and consequently receive no treatment. Emphasizing the aging process and mental health components in education and training programs for nursing assistants could have a positive impact on the detection and treatment of depression in residents.     

Analysis of measurement tools of fear of falling for high-risk, community-dwelling older adults

Fear of falling has many health consequences among older adults and may lead to curtailment of activities, immobility, functional dependence, falls, and serious injury. The lack of clarity as to how to best measure fear of falling among high-risk, community-dwelling older adults defined as those who are nursing home eligible, functionally dependent, and vulnerable is further complicated by the multiple definitions used throughout the science. Fear of falling is important to measure effectively if we are to develop and test interventions to promote safe aging in place and prevent injury and institutionalization. This integrative review, 1982 to the present, leads to the conclusion that the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) long form stands out as the most appropriate measurement tool to best assess fear of falling in this unique, understudied, and underserved population.     

Validation of the short falls efficacy scale-international for Taiwanese community-dwelling older adults: Associations with fall history,physical frailty,and quality of life

The FES-I is widely used to measure the fear of falling. However, studies linking the Chinese version of the FES-I to frailty and quality of life among older adults are still limited. Thus, this study examined the association of the full 16-item FES-I and the 7-item short FES-I with fall history, physical frailty, and quality of life among older Taiwanese adults. A total of 751 community-dwelling older adults in Taipei City participated in this study. Data analyses included logistic and linear regression models. The 16-item and the short FES-I were strongly correlated (Spearman rho = 0.963), and both scales are reliable. The 7-item FES-I was positively associated with fall history and physical frailty and negatively associated with the physical (b = −0.65, p < 0.001) and mental (b = −0.59, p < 0.001) components of health-related quality of life, independent of physical frailty. Thus, the short FES-I can be used to increase the feasibility of health screenings of older adults in Chinese-speaking contexts.     

Exercise adherence following physical therapy intervention in older adults with impaired balance

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study looked at adherence, and factors affecting adherence, to a prescribed home exercise program (HEP) in older adults with impaired balance following discharge from physical therapy. SUBJECTS: The subjects were 556 older adults (> or =65 years of age) who were discharged from physical therapy during the period 2000 to 2003. METHODS: A survey was developed to determine participation in a HEP. Univariate logistic regressions identified specific barriers and motivators that were associated with exercise participation following discharge from physical therapy. RESULTS: Ninety percent of respondents reported receiving a HEP; 37% no longer performed it. Change in health status was the primary reason for poor adherence to a HEP. Eight barriers (no interest, poor health, weather, depression, weakness, fear of falling, shortness of breath, and low outcomes expectation) were associated with a lack of postdischarge participation in exercise. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Exercise adherence following discharge from a physical therapy program is poor among older adults. Barriers, not motivators, appear to predict adherence.     

Pain in nursing home residents. Comparison of residents' self-report and nursing assistants' perceptions. Incongruencies exist in resident and caregiver reports of pain; therefore, pain management education is needed to prevent suffering

Physical pain is a significant problem for many older adults, and as many as 83% of nursing home residents reportedly have pain. Unrelieved pain has consequences for elderly individuals' physical and mental health, rehabilitation, and quality of life. Evidence suggests, however, that pain is underdetected and poorly managed among older adults. This may be due, in part, to lack of congruence between patients' and caregivers' perceptions of pain. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate: the prevalence, location, and intensity of residents' self-rated and nursing assistants' (NA) rated pain; the congruence between residents' and NAs' ratings of pain; and resident-based and NA-based correlates of congruent and incongruent pain ratings. Participants in this study were 45 nursing home resident-NA dyads. The results indicated 49% of residents stated they experienced pain in the past week, but NAs reported that 36% of residents experienced pain during the same time interval. There was no significant association between residents' self-ratings and NAs' ratings of pain. Of the 45 paired ratings, residents and NAs were congruent in 37.7% of cases and incongruent in 62.2% of cases. Incongruent ratings included both underdetection (37.8%) and overreporting (24.4%) by the NAs. Only residents' self-rated affect (e.g., depression, well-being) was significantly associated with whether their pain was congruently assessed, underdetected, or overreported. Depression was highest in those for whom pain was not perceived by the NAs and well-being was highest in those residents who denied pain but for whom NAs reported pain. Caregiver characteristics (e.g., age, education, work experience) were not significantly associated with pain congruence outcomes. These findings illustrate the complexities of assessing pain in older adults, and the need to include nursing assistants (NAs) in educational programs focusing on managing pain in elderly nursing home residents.     

The relationship between fear of falling,activities of daily living and quality of life among elderly individuals

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between functional disability and fear of falling during daily activities. Also examined was the relationship between fear of falling and health-related Quality of Life (QOL). Health-related QOL concepts were measured using the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) within an elderly day services sample. Eligible subjects were elderly persons using Day Service (type B) who were capable of independently answering a questionnaire and had no memory problems. Forty-three males and 92 females were eligible for this study. Forty-nine (36.3%) subjects expressed no fear of falling, whereas 22 (16.3%) reported that they were very fearful of falling. Among females, walking and bathing had a highly significant relationship with the fear of falling. The fear of falling can contribute to psychological conditions such as depression, and also impacts on the health-related QOL of frail elderly people. Thus, it is critical to provide integrated health care activities for these individuals that address both psychological well-being and physical functioning.     

Incidence and risk factors of falls in older adults after discharge: A prospective study

ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the incidence of falls and risk factors associated with falling in discharged older adults.MethodsA prospective study was conducted on older adults who had been issued a discharge order in a Class A tertiary hospital in Chongqing, China, from May 2019 to August 2020. The risk of falling, depression, frailty, and daily activities were evaluated at discharge using the mandarin version of the fall risk self-assessment scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), FRAIL scale, and Barthel Index, respectively. The cumulative incidence function estimated the cumulative incidence of falls in older adults after discharge. And the risk factors of falls were explored using the sub-distribution hazard function in the competing risk model.ResultsIn a total of 1,077 participants, the total cumulative incidence of falls at 1, 6 and 12 months after discharge was 4.45%, 9.03%, and 10.80%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of falls in older adults with depression (26.19%, 49.93%, and 58.53%, respectively) and those with physical frailty (21.59%, 41.67%, and 48.73%, respectively) was much higher than that in those without depression and physical frailty (P < 0.05). Depression, physical frailty, Barthel Index, length of hospital stay, re-hospitalization, being cared for by others, and the self-assessed risk of falling were directly associated with falls.ConclusionsThe incidence of falls among older adults discharged from the hospital has a cumulative effect with the lengthening of the discharge time. It is affected by several factors, especially depression and frailty. We should develop targeted intervention strategies to reduce falls for this group.     

Health promotion for frail older home care clients

AIM: This paper reports a study evaluating the comparative effects and costs of a proactive nursing health promotion intervention in addition to usual home care for older people compared with usual home care services alone. BACKGROUND: An ageing population, budget constraints and technological advances in many countries have increased the pressure on home care resources. The result is a shift in nursing services from health promotion to meet the more pressing need for postacute care. For frail older people with long-term needs, these changes combine to create a fragmented system of health service delivery, characterized by providing nursing on demand rather than proactively. METHODS: A two-armed, single-blind, randomized controlled trial was carried out with older people > or =75 years and eligible for personal support services through a home care programme in Ontario, Canada. Participants were randomly allocated either to usual home care (control) or to a nursing (experimental) group. In addition to usual home care, the nursing group received a health assessment combined with regular home visits or telephone contacts, health education about management of illness, coordination of community services, and use of empowerment strategies to enhance independence. The data were collected in 2001-2002. RESULTS: Of the 288 older people who were randomly allocated at baseline, 242 (84%) completed the study (120 nursing group; 122 control group). Proactively providing older people with nursing health promotion, compared with providing nursing services on-demand, resulted in better mental health functioning (P = 0.009), a reduction in depression (P = 0.009), and enhanced perceptions of social support (P = 0.009) at no additional cost from a societal perspective. CONCLUSIONS: Home based nursing health promotion, proactively provided to frail older people with chronic health needs, enhances quality of life while not increasing the overall costs of health care. The results underscore the need to re-invest in nursing services for health promotion for older clients receiving home care.     

Prevalence and associated factors of cognitive frailty in community-dwelling older adults: Results from the Korean longitudinal study of aging

Background

Cognitive frailty, a condition characterized by physical frailty with cognitive impairment, is emerging as a determinant of adverse health outcomes in older adults. However, its prevalence and correlation with associated factors are unknown in the aging population of Korea.

Objectives

To estimate the prevalence of cognitive frailty and identify factors associated with it among older Korean adults.

Methods

A secondary analysis was performed using the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging seventh survey dataset collected in 2018. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between cognitive frailty and demographic, psychosocial, oral health and physical function factors. Individuals aged ≥65 years and without dementia were included (N = 1024). Participants were classified into four groups based on the presence or absence of physical frailty and mild cognitive impairment. This article is executed in accordance with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement.

Results

The prevalence of cognitive frailty in the study sample was 11.2%. The results of multinomial logistic regression showed that advanced age, being female, lower education levels, heart disease, arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, underweight, depression, non-social activity, poor oral health and functional limitation were significantly associated with cognitive frailty.

Conclusions

Cognitive frailty is prevalent among community-dwelling older adults in Korea. The findings provide primary care providers with insights about effective strategies for identifying at-risk individuals and will guide the development of population-level interventions to prevent or delay the onset of physical frailty and cognitive impairment in older adults.

Implications for practice

The findings provide practical information to healthcare providers for identifying cognitive frailty in older adults. The risk factors of cognitive frailty, such as psychosocial, oral health, and physical function factors, should be thoroughly monitored for older adults. Health personnel working in primary care have a critical role in identifying risk and beneficial factors and promoting preventative strategies that enhance health outcomes.     

Ego integrity and fear of death: A comparison of institutionalized and independently living older adults

This study tested the hypothesis that level of resolution of Erikson's ego integrity versus despair crisis is inversely related to fear of death in older adults. Differences related to type of residence were also investigated. Fifty-one older adults ages 70 to 90 (11 males, 40 females) from a nursing home (N = 25) and an apartment complex (N = 26) completed measures of ego integrity and fear of death. Results of analyses of variance supported an inverse relationship between ego integrity and fear of death. This relationship was modified by type of residence indicating that among low integrity individuals, those living in the nursing home reported higher fear of death than those living in the apartment complex. No difference in fear of death in relation to residence type was obtained for high integrity individuals. If low ego integrity individuals lack a strong, internal support system they may be more dependent on external supports. It can be speculated that differences between independent and institutional environments in availability of effective psychological support sources and in inescapable evidence of the imminence of death, may make resolution of the ego integrity versus despair crisis more salient for the psychological well-being of institutionalized older adults. Programs providing ego integrity enhancement and enriched support systems seem indicated.     

The textual organization of placement into long-term care: issues for older adults with mental illness

LANE A, McCOY L and EWASHEN C. Nursing Inquiry 2010: 17 : 3–14
The textual organization of placement into long-term care: issues for older adults with mental illness
Arranging placement of older adults from hospital mental health units into nursing homes or assisted living facilities can be difficult and protracted. The difficulty in placing these individuals is often attributed to stigma; that is, personnel in nursing homes are reluctant to accept mentally ill older adults because of the fear of mental illness and violence. Using an institutional ethnographic approach, we argue the importance of exploring how nursing home access is organized, especially the institutional process of placement. Our study, examining the process of placing older adults from mental health units into nursing homes or assisted living facilities within a western Canadian city, reveals how three specific textual points within the institutional process of placement do not work well for older adults with mental illness. These textual points include: constructing the older adult as a 'placeable' person, the first-level match and the second-level match. After exploring why the three specific points in the process do not work well for mentally ill individuals, we reconsider the explanation of stigma, and then suggest implications for change.     

Comparison of the effectiveness of two programmes on older adults at risk of falling: unsupervised home exercise and supervised group exercise

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of unsupervised home and supervised group exercise on parameters related to risk of falling among older adults. DESIGN: Prospective, single-blind, randomized and controlled trial. SETTING: Nursing home. SUBJECTS: The subjects were selected from 535 independent individuals who resided in a nursing home. Forty-two older adults, aged > 65 years, with risk of falling were recruited, and 32 of them completed the study. INTERVENTION: The 42 subjects were divided into two groups (unsupervised home exercise and supervised exercise group) randomly. Exercise sessions were performed three times a week for a period of eight weeks. MAIN MEASURES: Measurements were taken at baseline and after the completion of the exercise programme. The fear of falling was evaluated using a visual analogue scale, quadriceps muscle strength was measured with a dynamometer, flexibility was assessed with the sit and reach test, functional mobility was determined using the Timed Up and Go Test, balance was evaluated using one-leg and tandem standing, and Berg Balance Scale and proprioception was assessed with knee position sense. RESULTS: Thirty-two subjects (unsupervised home exercise n = 15, supervised group exercise n = 17) completed the exercise programme and all of the measurements. The unsupervised home exercise group showed significant improvement in balance, functional mobility and flexibility (P > 0.05). In addition to balance, functional mobility and flexibility, the supervised exercise group also showed significant improvements in both strength and proprioception (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Supervised group exercise is more effective at reducing the risk factors related to falling among older adults living in a nursing home than is unsupervised home exercise.     

Ego integrity and fear of death: A comparison of institutionalized and independently living older adults

Abstract

This study tested the hypothesis that level of resolution of Erikson's ego integrity versus despair crisis is inversely related to fear of death in older adults. Differences related to type of residence were also investigated. Fifty-one older adults ages 70 to 90 (11 males, 40 females) from a nursing home (N = 25) and an apartment complex (N = 26) completed measures of ego integrity and fear of death. Results of analyses of variance supported an inverse relationship between ego integrity and fear of death. This relationship was modified by type of residence indicating that among low integrity individuals, those living in the nursing home reported higher fear of death than those living in the apartment complex. No difference in fear of death in relation to residence type was obtained for high integrity individuals. If low ego integrity individuals lack a strong, internal support system they may be more dependent on external supports. It can be speculated that differences between independent and institutional environments in availability of effective psychological support sources and in inescapable evidence of the imminence of death, may make resolution of the ego integrity versus despair crisis more salient for the psychological well-being of institutionalized older adults. Programs providing ego integrity enhancement and enriched support systems seem indicated.     

Fear of Falling: A Qualitative Study Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

The aim of this qualitative study was to uncover why older adults experience the fear of falling and discover the perceived consequences older adults fear. Seven participants between 61 and 88 (M = 75.4, SD = 9.1) years were interviewed. It was identified that participants developed the fear of falling after they had fallen or as they aged. Six themes related to the fear of falling were revealed, including Physical Injury, the Feeling Experienced when Falling, Becoming an Invalid or Burden, Losing Independence and Being Institutionalized, A Long Lie, and Being Confined to a Wheelchair or Unable to Walk. The results from this study indicated that older adults fear the consequences of falling. However, they fear not only physical injury as a result of the fall, but the injury's consequences that may precipitate the individual becoming more dependent on others and experiencing life altering events.     

The effect of humor on elder mental and physical health

A convenience sample of community-dwelling older people attending senior centers was asked to participate in a quasi-experimental study to examine the impact of a humor therapy workshop on physical and mental health. Participants were assessed at baseline and at six months for physical (general health and health quality of life) and mental (general well-being, anxiety, depression and psychological distress) health. The sample consisted of 92 subjects, 42 in the control group and 50 in the workshop. Compared to controls, subjects in the workshop had significantly lower follow-up levels of anxiety and depression and improved general well-being. No differences were observed for general health, health quality of life, or psychological distress. This humor therapy workshop was associated with a positive effect upon mental health. It is recommended that attendance at humor workshops be encouraged and that further investigations into the efficacy of such programs on mental and physical health be investigated.     

Home Health Nurses’ Perspectives and Care Processes Related to Older Persons with Frailty and Depression: A Mixed Method Pilot Study

The objectives of this study were (1) to describe home health care (HHC) nurses’ perception of and care processes related to geriatric depression and frailty, and (2) to identify barriers to care delivery for older persons with these two conditions. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with HHC nurses, and 16 HHC nursing visits to 16 older patients (≥65 years) were observed. Mixed method analysis showed that HHC nurses did not routinely assess for frailty and depression. Major barriers to care delivery included insufficient training, documentation burden, limited reimbursement, and high caseload. Addressing these barriers would facilitate HHC nursing care for frail, depressed elders.     

Health-related quality of life in low-income older African Americans

This study examined the relationships among comorbid conditions, symptom stress, depression, functional status and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in low-income older African Americans with chronic diseases. A convenience sample of 83 older African American adults living in subsidized housing for elders participated in the study. Data were collected in face-to-face interviews. Participants reported lower scores on HRQOL than the SF-36 norms for age 60 or older in the general U.S. population. Comorbid conditions, symptom distress, depression, and functional status significantly predicted both the physical (F = 38.92, p < .001) and mental (F = 23.21, p < .001) health components of HRQOL, accounting for 63% of variance in the SF-36 physical health score and 55% of the variance in the SF-36 mental health score. The findings suggested that developing interventions to assist older African Americans to better manage their symptoms and depression are of prime importance for improving HRQOL.