Mental status of the elderly receiving home health services and the associated stress of home helpers

One hundred and ninety elderly people receiving home health service were investigated. The intellectual levels, depressive state evaluated by the Cornell scale for depression in dementia (CSDD) scale, abnormal behaviors evaluated by the dementia behavior disturbance (DBD) scale, and activities of daily living (ADL) were examined. These assessments were performed by 72 skilled home helpers who also assessed the severity of their own level of stress using the Burnout scale. The intellectual level and mood-related signs, based on the CSDD scale, of the elderly living with families or with a spouse were diminished significantly as compared to the elderly living alone. The elderly living with families also performed worse on all ADL categories except for visual acuity as compared to the elderly living with a spouse or living alone. There was no significant correlation between the Burnout scale score and age or frequency of working as a home helper. These results suggest that elderly people living with families as compared to the elderly living with a spouse or living alone have greater mental health needs as well as more profound physical limitations. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gender of demented patients and specific family relationship of caregiver to patients influence mental fatigue and burdens on relatives as caregivers.

OBJECTIVES: To survey the burden and psychological problems of family caregivers of demented people. DESIGN: All scores were compared according to gender of the demented patients and which family members were the caregivers. SETTING: Outpatients clinic at the university hospital and the day service system for the elderly. PATIENTS: Sixty-two demented patients living at home and family members acting as caregivers. MEASURES: Cognitive function, activities of daily living (ADL) and behaviour of demented patients were rated using the Hasegawa scale, the ADL scale and the dementia behaviour disturbance (DBD) scale. Caregiver's burden and mental fatigue were rated using a burden scale and a general health questionnaire (GHQ). RESULTS: Caregiver burden correlated negatively with the Hasegawa score and positively with the GHQ and DBD scores. Caregiver burden, GHQ and DBD for male patients were significantly higher than for females. Little difference was evident for caregiver burden scale or patient DBD between spouses and offspring as caregiver, but the GHQ score for spouses was significantly worse than that for offspring. CONCLUSIONS: The difficulty of caregivers in supporting the daily life of demented family members correlated with patients' cognitive impairment, abnormal behaviour and ADL status, and caregivers' difficulty resulted in mental fatigue. Caregivers' relative isolation from friends, attributable to their caregiving responsibility, did not correlate with the demented person's cognitive impairment or ADL status.     

A STUDY OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN ELDERLY PEOPLE USING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING

To study factors which influence the quality of life (QOL) in the elderly, we investigated the relationship between scores on the modified Philadelphia Geriatric Center (JPGC) Morale Scale and various other psychological tests in 51 elderly people residing in a long-term care facility. The JPGC Morale Scale score correlated with the scores for all sections of the Japanese version of the Cornell Medical Index (JCMI), but not with those for the Mini Mental State Examination, the Kohs block design test, the Bender Gestalt test and the activities of daily living (ADL). Both somatic and psychotic symptoms on the JCMI were correlated with the dementia behaviour disturbance scale score and walking ability according to the ADL. Subjects were further divided into four groups according to Fukamachi's neurotic discriminative diagram based on the JCMI. Scores for most sections of somatic and psychotic symptoms on the JCMI were elevated in proportion to the degree of neurotic tendencies in the elderly. These results indicate that the QOL of the elderly is influenced by subjective symptoms, but not by the degree of cognitive impairment or the ADL.     

高频与低频重复经颅磁刺激对脑外伤患者认知功能的影响

目的 探讨脑外伤患者行高频与低频重复经颅磁刺激对其认知功能的影响.方法 选取2017年7月～2019年5月之间我院收治的90例脑外伤患者,随机分为三组,各30例.A组采用常规康复治疗,B、C组在此基础上均给予重复经颅磁刺激治疗,B组为低频(1Hz)刺激、C组为高频(5Hz)刺激.比较三个组患者治疗前后MoCA、ADL、...     

离退休老人轻度认知功能损害研究

目的：探讨离退休老人轻度认知功能损害(MCI)的发生率及其影响因素。方法：采用哈金斯基缺血指数(HIS)、简易智能状态检查(中文版)(MMSE)、Reisberg总体衰退量表(GDS)、日常生活活动能力(20项版本)(ADL)等，对420名离退休老人MCI的发生情况及其影响因素进行调查，分析相互问关系。结果：离退休老人中MCI的发生率为8．6％，随年龄的增长而有升高趋势，但各年龄组之间差异无显著性。结论：离退休老人中MCI较常见，应对老年人群进行MCI的监测和干预，阻止和延缓MCI发展为痴呆，提高老年人的寿命和生活质量。     

团体益智类游戏联合吡拉西坦对老年轻度认知障碍患者的效果

目的 观察团体益智类游戏联合吡拉西坦对老年轻度认知障碍患者认知功能、生活质量及心理状态的影响.方法 选取我科2017年7月～2019年11月之间收治的121例老年轻度认知障碍患者为观察对象,分为对照组60例和观察组61例,对照组给予吡拉西坦及常规护理干预,观察组在对照组的基础上给予团体益智类游戏,6个月后对比两组患者认...     

Functional outcomes of inpatient rehabilitation in very elderly patients with stroke: differences across three age groups

Background As the population continues to age rapidly, clarifying the factors affecting the prognosis in very elderly stroke patients is essential to enhance the quality of their rehabilitation.

Objectives To compare the functional recovery of elderly stroke patients classified into three age groups and to identify the predictors of functional recovery in the very elderly following acute inpatient rehabilitation.

Methods Observational study: We collected data on 461 stroke patients in the neurology and neurosurgery ward and classified them into three age groups (65–74, 75–84, and ≥ 85 years). Functional recovery was compared among groups using the functional independence measure (FIM) at discharge and ADL recovery rate was compared using the Montebello rehabilitation factor score (MRFS). Multiple regression analysis was used to identify and compare the factors associated with functional recovery in each age group.

Results Functional recovery in the ≥ 85 years group was lower than that in other age groups. Factors associated with activities of daily living (ADL) status (FIM at discharge) in the ≥ 85 years group were premorbid dependence (β = -0.183, p = 0.011), motor paralysis (β = -0.238, p = 0.001), and cognitive function (β = 0.586, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the impact of cognitive function grew as age increased. Factors associated with ADL recovery rates (MRFS) in the ≥ 85 years group were non-paretic limb function (β = -0.294, p = 0.004) and cognitive function (β = 0.201, p = 0.047).

Conclusions This study identified the factors associated with functional recovery among very elderly stroke patients. Effective forms of rehabilitation for very elderly stroke patients that take these factors into consideration need to be investigated.     

Rivastigmine for Alzheimer's Disease: Improvement Versus Reduced Worsening

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in later life. It is manifested by gradual and progressive decline in cognitive function and ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) and the development of behavioral disturbances. Progressive reduction in functional ability reduces independence and quality of life and adversely affects caregivers and society. Therefore, benefit from any AD therapy may be obtained not only from improved function but also from stabilization or reduced worsening of function. METHOD: This retrospective study of pooled data from 3 randomized, placebo-controlled trials (N = 2126) compared the incidence of different levels of worsening between 2 rivastigmine treatment groups and a placebo group at week 26 for cognition, using the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog); global functioning, using the Clinicians' Interview-Based Impression of Change-Plus (CIBIC-Plus); and ADL, using the Progressive Deterioration Scale (PDS). Categories of worsening analyzed for each scale were as follows: ADAS-Cog: any decline, >/= 4-point decline, >/= 7-point decline; CIBIC-Plus: stabilized/worsened (rating = 4, 5, 6, or 7), any worsening (rating = 5, 6, or 7); PDS: any worsening, >/= 10% worsening. RESULTS: Patients treated with rivastigmine, 6-12 mg/day, showed significantly less decline in cognition, global functioning, and ADL for all categories of worsening examined compared with patients who received placebo. The reduction in decline compared with placebo was greater in the group receiving 6-12 mg/day of rivastigmine compared with the treatment group receiving 1-4 mg/day of rivastigmine. CONCLUSION: Rivastigmine reduces the amount of worsening observed in cognition, global functioning, and ADL in a 6-month trial period.     

Impairment of activities of daily living requiring memory or complex reasoning as part of the MCI syndrome

BACKGROUND: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a borderline state between age-associated cognitive decline and mild dementia. MCI is separated from mild dementia by an absence of global intellectual deterioration and the preservation of activities of daily living (ADL). However, even mild degrees of cognitive deterioration are known to have negative effects on complex ADL. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether patients with MCI have impaired ADL as compared to healthy controls, which areas of ADL are particularly involved, and whether limitations on ADL are associated with demographical or clinical data. METHODS: Forty-eight patients with MCI diagnosed according to research criteria and 42 cognitively unimpaired controls were enrolled. Cognitive function was inter alia assessed by the MMSE, complex ADL by the ADCS-MCI-ADL scale. Frequency distributions were compared between patients and controls using chi-square tests. Mean values were examined for statistically significant differences using Kruskal-Wallis tests. A Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons was applied to the comparison of the 18 areas of the ADCS-MCI-ADL scale. Associations between ADL and biographical or clinical data were analysed using non-parametric correlations. RESULTS: The overall score on the ADCS-MCI-ADL scale was significantly lower in the MCI group. Patients performed significantly worse on 14 out of 18 activities. Activities involving memory or complex reasoning were particularly impaired, whereas more basic activities were unimpaired. There were no statistically significant associations of the ADCS-MCI-ADL overall score with age, years of formal education, gender, or number of cognitive domains affected in the group of MCI patients. However, there was a statistically significant association between the ADCS-MCI-ADL and the MMSE score. CONCLUSION: MCI patients may be impaired in complex ADL. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The interplay of institution and family caregiving: relations between patient hassles, nursing home hassles and caregivers' burnout

This population-based study investigated the relationship between stresses (hassles) and burnout for 30 family caregivers and their institutionalized demented elderly. The Burnout Measure, the Patient Hassles Scales and the Nursing Home Hassles Scale were used. Hassles included: patient hassles (cognitive, behavior, basic ADL) and nursing home hassles (caregiver - staff, patient - staff, practical/logistical). The caregiver's characteristics are described in relation to burnout and the caregiver's most frequent hassles are discussed. All subscales except basic ADL were correlated to burnout. However, regression analysis showed the nursing home hassles to be the most important stresses explaining variance in burnout among family caregivers.     

Person-centered care and quality of life of patients with dementia in long-term care facilities

Good quality of life (QOL) is an important goal of dementia care. However, there have been few studies on the relationship of care characteristics to QOL of dementia patients in long-term care facilities. We developed a questionnaire evaluating person-centered care and used it to assess person-centered care and QOL of elderly patients with dementia in both geriatric health service facilities (GHSF) and hospitals. In GHSF, person-centered care scores were not correlated with cognitive or activities of daily living (ADL) functions, but were significantly correlated with four subscale scores on a quality of life questionnaire for dementia (QOL-D) after controlling the effect of age, cognitive function, and ADL scores. In contrast, in hospitals, person-centered care scores were significantly correlated with cognitive and ADL function. We found quite different patterns in the relationship of person-centered care scores to clinical characteristics. Dementia care characteristics and QOL of dementia patients are significantly interrelated, especially in GHSF. Improvement of dementia care standards might affect the QOL of dementia patients. We should pay more attention to the quality of dementia care and QOL of dementia patients.     

血管性痴呆患者血清尿酸及胆红素水平与认知功能损伤之间的关系

目的评价血管性痴呆患者血清尿酸及胆红素水平与认知功能损伤之间的关系。方法选取2015-01—2018-12在郑州大学第五附属医院神经内科住院治疗的血管性痴呆患者197例,同时,选取95名健康老年人作为对照组,收集2组患者一般资料,对2组患者肝功能、肾功能及血脂水平进行检测,利用量表对2组患者神经心理功能进行测验,比较2组患者血清尿酸和胆红素水平的变化,并研究其与神经心理功能评分的相关性。结果血管性痴呆组患者简易智力状态检查量表(MMSE评分)、剑桥老年认知检查表-中国修订版(CAMCOG-C)评分和画钟试验(CDT)评分均低于对照组,而日常生活能力(ADL)和临床痴呆评定量表(CDR)评分均高于对照组,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05);血管性痴呆组患者血清总胆红素、直接胆红素和间接胆红素水平均低于对照组,而尿酸水平高于对照组,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05);Pearson相关分析显示,血清尿酸水平与MMSE评分、CAMCOG-C评分和CDT评分均呈负相关(r=-0.217,-0.196和-0.264,均P<0.05),而与ADL评分呈正相关(r=0.302,P<0.05),总胆红素水平与CAMCOG-C评分和CDT评分均呈负相关(r=-0.167和-0.205,均P<0.05),与ADL评分呈正相关(r=0.215,P<0.05);Logistic回归分析显示,MMSE评分与患者教育年限、高血压史及尿酸水平相关(P<0.05)。结论血管性痴呆患者血清尿酸水平升高,且与患者认知功能评分呈负相关,而与患者日常生活能力评分呈正相关;总胆红素水平降低,且与患者认知功能评分呈负相关,而与日常患者生活能力评分呈正相关。高尿酸水平可能与血管性痴呆的发生有关,为血管性痴呆发生的独立危险因素之一。     

Neuropsychiatric symptoms, functional impairment and executive ability in Thai patients with Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND: Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) depend on executive planning and procedural memory mediated by the frontal lobes. Planning and judgment are involved in clock drawing. Neuropsychiatric symptoms are also mediated by frontal lobes, and a relationship between ADL, clock drawing and neuropsychiatric symptoms was hypothesized. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between behavioral disturbances, ADL, and executive function. METHODS: Seventy-three Thai patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) were evaluated. Neuropsychiatric symptoms and behaviors were assessed with the Nevropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). The Thai version of the Mini-mental State Examination (TMSE) was utilized as a global cognitive assessment. A clock-drawing test (CDT) and both category (animals) and letter (ko, so in Thai) verbal fluency were used as executive measures. Thai ADL scale, Barthel Index (BI), and Functional Assessment Questionnaire (FAQ) were ADL measures used in this study. RESULTS: There were statistically significant correlations between CDT and the frontally-mediated behaviors of agitation (r = -0.367), apathy (r = -0.273) and disinhibition (r = -0.247). Verbal fluency correlated with agitation (r = -0.341). There were significant correlations between Thai ADL scores and agitation (r = 0.350), apathy (r = 0.441), and disinhibition (r = 0.417). FAQ correlated with the same three behaviors. After controlling for TMSE, a significant correlation remained between Thai ADL scores and agitation (r = 0.291) and apathy (r = 0.342). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated correlations between ADL and behavioral changes in Thai elderly with AD. Our results emphasize the important relationships among behavioral changes and impaired ADL.     

脑梗死后血管性认知障碍的相关因素

目的探讨脑梗死(CI)后血管性认知障碍(VCI)的影响因素。方法对76例经头部CT或MRI确诊的脑梗死患者和对照组进行比较,采用国际通用的简易智能状态检查量表(MMSE)、日常生活行为量表(ADL)和画钟测验(CDT)进行神经心理检查。结果 CI组患者认知功能障碍发生率明显高于对照组,CI组MMSE、ADL和CDT评分与对照组比较差异具有显著性。脑梗死患者中有卒中史组与无卒中史组比较,高血压组与血压正常组比较,同型半胱氨酸升高组与同型半胱氨酸正常组比较,差异具有显著性(均P<0.05)。结论脑梗死患者VCI发生率明显高于对照组,VCI发生与卒中史、高血压、糖尿病及血清同型半胱氨酸有关。     

老年精神分裂症患者的认知功能研究

目的 探讨老年精神分裂症患者认知功能损害的范围和特点。方法 采用世界卫生组织老年认知功能评价成套神经心理测验(WHO-BCAI)、简易智能状态检查(MMSE)、日常生活量表(ADL)作为主要工具,对老年精神分裂症患者和正常老人进行测试。结果 老年精神分裂症组35例,男19例,女16例,平均年龄(63.24±6.5)岁。正常对照组83例,男42例,女41例,平均年龄(65.9±5.9)岁。MMSE平均总分,老年精神分裂症组(24.9±4.2)分,正常为(28.7±1.1)分;老年精神分裂症组ADL平均总分(27.1±8.1)分,正常组(20.3±1.2)分;WHO-BCAI测验结果显示,两组在7项听觉词汇学习测验、4项语言能力测验、4项视觉辨认测验、5项注销测验、2项连线测验、分类测验、精神运动测验和空间结构测验分别具有显著性差异(P<0.05)。结论 老年精神分裂症患者认知功能有明显障碍,并且范围广泛。     

AD患者血清Hcy叶酸及维生素B_(12)与认知功能减退的关系研究

目的研究维生素B_(12)和叶酸水平以及同型半胱氨酸是否对阿尔茨海默症(AD)患者存在潜在影响。方法运用美国国立神经病学、语言障碍和卒中-阿尔茨海默病和相关疾病学会(NINCDS-ADRDA)标准严格筛选AD患者95例。从体检中心选取年龄、性别及受教育程度匹配的无脑血管病、无认知障碍的健康对照组76例。采用化学发光微粒子免疫分析法检测171例年龄≥50岁的老年痴呆患者血清维生素B_(12)和叶酸水平。采用肝素抗凝的血浆进行循环酶法Hcy测定。探讨血清低水平维生素B_(12)和叶酸以及高水平同型半胱氨酸是否是老年痴呆发生的危险因素。认知功能的评价采用目前通用的神经心理测试:中文版简易精神状态检查表(MMSE)。采用Logistic回归分析评估血清维生素B_(12)、叶酸以及同型半胱氨酸与老年痴呆患病风险的关系。结果 171例中153例叶酸正常,其中对照组79例(51.63%),实验组74例(43.27%);124例维生素B_(12)正常,其中对照组60例(48.39%),实验组64例(51.61%);101例同型半胱氨酸正常,其中对照组51例(50.50%),实验组50例(49.50%)。作各协变量调整后,AD患者血清维生素B_(12)及叶酸水平以及同型半胱氨酸与CMMES评分无相关性(P0.05)。但低血清维生素B_(12)水平以及低叶酸水平与AD患病风险相关。结论血清维生素B_(12)和叶酸水平以及同型半胱氨酸水平与AD患者认知功能之间无明显关联。低水平维生素B_(12)以及低水平叶酸可能通过某种机制增加AD患病风险,低水平同型半胱氨酸可能通过某种机制降低AD患病风险。     

Validation analysis of the Attention Questionnaire Scale

Screening tests that briefly measure early signs of cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are lacking. We devised a new scale focused on early detecting cognitive dysfunction: the Attention Questionnaire Scale (AQS). We prospectively studied the AQS in 268 subjects with varying degrees of cognitive dysfunction and compared it with the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), digit span test, trail making test part B, letter cancellation test, Instrumental ADL, Geriatric Depression Scale, and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale. The internal consistency was excellent with the AQS (Cronbach's α = 0.945). There were significant differences in the overall AQS scores across varying degree of cognitive dysfunction (26.80 ± 3.43 in normal elderly, 20.78 ± 4.83 in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 19.01 ± 4.49 in early AD, 16.00 ± 5.03 in mild AD, and 12.02 ± 6.28 in moderate AD), and subjects with the early stage of cognitive dysfunction could be further distinguished using the AQS than MMSE. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was estimated to be 0.93 (95% confidence interval 0.89-0.97) in screening for normal elderly versus patients with MCI or various stages of AD. The AQS provides greater screening ability for early stage cognitive dysfunction, used not only as a screening tool but also an appropriate simple questionnaire.     

姜黄素和安理申联合治疗老年性痴呆研究

目的 探讨联合应用姜黄素和安理申对老年性痴呆患者认知功能和行为能力的改善作用.方法 收集老年性痴呆患者90例,随机分为3个组,姜黄素和安理申联合治疗组30例,安理申治疗组30例,空白对照组30例.空白对照组不使用治疗痴呆药物.3组患者分别在治疗前和治疗3、6个月后进行MMSE评分、ADL评分的测评.结果 姜黄素和安理申联合治疗组患者治疗后认知、行为能力较安理申治疗组改善明显(P＜0.01).结论 姜黄素和安理申联合治疗对老年性痴呆患者认知、行为能力有显著改善作用.     

Assessment of executive dysfunction during activities of daily living in schizophrenia

Many neuropsychological studies have described deficits of memory and executive functions in patients with schizophrenia, and the severity of these deficits seems to be determinant in predicting the community outcome of these patients [Schizophr. Bull. 26 (2000) 119]. However, neuropsychological evaluation does not provide valuable information about how the cognitive deficits directly affect daily living, that is, which cognitive deficit affects which behavior. The present study aimed at determining whether executive dysfunction in schizophrenia could be directly measured by analyzing three activities of daily living (ADL), in addition to assessing the ecological validity of commonly used neuropsychological tests. Within specific ADL (choosing a menu, shopping the ingredients, cooking a meal), the sequences of behaviors that have been performed by 27 control subjects and 27 patients with schizophrenia were both analyzed by using a preset optimal sequence of behavior. When compared with control subjects, patients with schizophrenia showed more omissions when choosing the menu, more sequencing and repetitions errors during the shopping task, and more planning, sequencing, repetition and omission errors during the cooking task. These behavioral errors correlated significantly with negative, but not with positive symptoms of the patients. Furthermore, they also correlated with the poor performances on executive neuropsychological tests, especially those sensitive to shifting and sequencing abilities, but not with memory tests. These results suggest that executive deficits in schizophrenia may specifically affect ADL and that such deficits can be quantitatively assessed with a behavioral scale of action sequences.     

丁苯酞联合奥拉西坦治疗对急性脑梗死伴非痴呆型认知功能障碍的影响

目的探讨丁苯酞联合奥拉西坦治疗对急性脑梗死伴非痴呆型认知功能障碍的影响。方法选取本院收治的急性脑梗死伴非痴呆型认知功能障碍患者208例,随机分为研究组和对照组各104例。对照组在常规治疗基础上口服奥拉西坦,800mg/次,3次/d;研究组在对照组基础上口服丁苯酞,2粒/次,3次/d。分别于治疗前和治疗3个月后使用NIHSS评分量表评估2组神经功能损伤情况,MoCA评估认知功能,改良Rankin量表、ADL评分评估日常生活质量。结果治疗前2组NIHSS评分、MoCA评分差异均无统计学意义(P0.05);治疗3个月后,研究组NIHSS评分明显低于对照组,MoCA评分明显高于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。治疗3个月后,研究组mRS评分明显低于对照组,ADL评分明显高于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。研究组、对照组不良反应发生率分别为3.84%、5.77%,差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论丁苯酞与奥拉西坦联用可有效改善脑梗死后非痴呆型认知功能障碍患者的神经功能、认知功能、生活质量,且安全性较高。