Browsing by Subject "Frail elderly"
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Item Effects of functional and resistive exercise training on physical function and perceived self-efficacy and well-being in frail elderly adults(2001-12) Cronin, Donna Leilani; Spirduso, Waneen WyrickThis quasi-experimental study was conducted to determine whether 12 weeks of functional training or resistive training would influence physical function, physical self-efficacy, and psychological well-being among frail elderly adults relative to a comparison group. Volunteers (N = 96, M = 82.5 years, SD = 6.5, range 70-99 years) were selected from eight different sites that included nursing homes, assisted living institutions, retirement centers, and senior recreation sites. Functional training, resistive training or a control condition was randomly assigned to each site. The participants at each site met two times a week for one hour. The functional training group practiced everyday living tasks (functional training) to motivate them to move their bodies more in ways that would contribute to instrumental activities of daily living. The resistive training group used elastic bands and increased intensity when appropriate by changing the resistance of the band. The comparison group participated in regular site activities, such as Bingo. The results from covariate group analyses that controlled for age, gender, education level, medication usage, attendance, and problems associated with impaired performance, indicated that older adultsí physical function as it relates to physical function test scores was maintained and may have improved slightly with functional training but not with resistive elastic band training. Group means were significantly improved in the functional training group on the PPT total score, and also on a single item of the PPT-7 Test, putting on and taking off a jacket. The three groups did not differ on the posttests, partly because the resistive training group decreased and the functional group increased from midpoint to posttest. However, a Hierarchical Linear Model analysis used to account for site membership and individual growth curves in repeated measures revealed no differences that could be attributed to group membership. Resistive bands were not effective in increasing physical function in this elderly population as their use appeared to require more strength and balance to execute than this group could provide. Although well-being and physical selfefficacy were related to physical function in these frail elderly adults, different types of physical training did not significantly affect perceived well-being and physical self-efficacy from the pretest to the posttest.Item Fall risk factors in older Americans(Texas Tech University, 2003-05) Cook, Chad EdwardOlder American consumers require accurate and complete information in order to make informed decisions regarding health. Falls are a significant problem in older Americans and are negatively associated with quality of life and health. Current fall risk models are costly and expensive, and do not represent all reasons for falls. The purpose of this study was to investigate demographic and psychological well being variables to determine if they could improve the information provided from current fall risk models. This information could be used preventatively to reduce fall risk in older Americans. The study was a cross sectional, longitudinal survey design using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) database. The sample consists of over 11,000 Americans 65 and older and is generalizable to the older population within the United States. An association between demographic risk factors (age, marital status, gender, education, monthly expenditures) as well as psychological well being risk factors (positive attitude, loneliness, anxiety, activity level, depression and perceived health) was compared with the variables fall incidence, fall with injury and fall frequency in a population of Americans 65 and older. The sample was limited to those who were home dwelling in the contiguous 48 states. Several variables were significant in their association with fall incidence, fall with injury and fall frequency. The variables age, depression and anxiety were positively associated with fall incidence; fall with injury and fall frequency. The variables Black, and report of good perceived health were associated negatively with fall incidence, fall with injury and fall frequency. Other variables had mixed associations. Being male was negatively associated with fall incidence, and fall with injury but positively associated with fall frequency. Positive attitude was positively associated with falls but negatively associated with fall frequency. Being Hispanic was negatively associated and increased monthly expenditures were positively associated with fall frequency. The results of this study could be used to improve current fall risk models and may assist in providing preventative intervention for "at-risk" older Americans.