Parks provide places for people to experience nature, engage in physical activity, and relax. We studied how residents in low-income, minority communities use public, urban neighborhood parks and how ...parks contribute to physical activity.
In 8 public parks, we used direct observation to document the number, gender, race/ethnicity, age group, and activity level of park users 4 times per day, 7 days per week. We also interviewed 713 park users and 605 area residents living within 2 miles of each park.
On average, over 2000 individuals were counted in each park, and about two thirds were sedentary when observed. More males than females used the parks, and males were twice as likely to be vigorously active. Interviewees identified the park as the most common place they exercised. Both park use and exercise levels of individuals were predicted by proximity of their residence to the park.
Public parks are critical resources for physical activity in minority communities. Because residential proximity is strongly associated with physical activity and park use, the number and location of parks are currently insufficient to serve local populations well.
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CEKLJ, DOBA, FSPLJ, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, ODKLJ, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
The functioning and cognition of older adults can be influenced by different care contexts. We aimed to compare the functioning profiles and cognition of institutionalized and noninstitutionalized ...older adults and to evaluate the effect of sociodemographic factors on the functioning and cognition. This is a cross-sectional study that included 593 older adults. The data were collected using the Elderly Nursing Core Set and Mini Mental State Examination. Women, older adults who did not attend school and those live in Residential Homes are more likely to have a higher degree of cognitive impairment than men, those who attended school and those frequent Day Centre. The chances of an older adult with moderate or severe cognitive impairment increases with age. Older women, older adults who did not attend school, and older adults who live in Residential Homes had a higher degree of functional problem than men, those who attended school and those who frequent a Day Centre, independently to age. It is necessary to promote the health literacy of older adults throughout life. The implementation of social and health responses should allow older adults to remain in their homes, given the influence of functioning and cognition on self-care and quality of life.
The following article focuses on the role of social activity with particular emphasis on the voluntary work of the elderly as an important aspect of education in old age. Volunteering allows an ...elderly person to properly adapt to the old age and to understand the changes taking place. It also contributes to improving the quality of life in its declining phase. The purpose of the article is to describe the importance of voluntary activities in old age.
Abstract
The World Health Organization and the Norwegian Directorate of Health recommends that older adults over 65 years with poor mobility should perform physical activity to enhance balance and ...prevent falls on 3 or more days per week. Norway has one of the highest hip fracture incidence rates in the world. Falls and hip fractures among elderly is a public health problem.
For around 10 years we have the knowledge that systematic exercise and well-designed exercise programs can reduce the rate of falls among older people living at home. The aim with this work was to develop an e-learning program to increase the knowledge about strength and balance exercises among people working at fitness centers, senior centers and nursing homes. The developing process of the e-learning program was a collaboration between the Norwegian Directorate of Health, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and experts on e-learning. Three resource groups were also involved. The e-learning was developed from January until November 2019.
The e-learning programs BASIS is for free and available at www.basis-fallforebygging.no. Over 1200 people completed the course within the first months after release. BASIS comes in three versions and contains six modules. After completing the course, you get access to a hundred warming up, strength, balance and cool down exercises. The exercises are graded based on the functional capacity of the elderly. You can design your own programs or choose between fixed programs. The e-learning was announced and updated in 2020. Experiences will be presented.
BASIS can be an effective way to spread knowledge about exercise as well as fall prevention. The e-learning can be one important piece in the broader work to increase knowledge, change practice, prevent falls and increase the physical function in elderly people. While some organizations are changing practice fast, in many organizations changing practice seems to take longer time. The e-learning must be followed up with a change of culture, routines and practices at fitness centers, senior centers and nursing homes.
BASIS can increase knowledge about how to facilitate exercise to increase physical function in elderly at fitness centers, senior centers and nursing homes.
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NUK, OILJ, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
We investgated the relaton between emotonal reactvity measured by Perth Emotonal Reactvity Scale - Short Form (PERS-S) and trust in fcttous news stories on crime. In Study 1 we found on a sample of ...508 older adults (M = 70.6 years) that their general positve and negatve emotonal reactvity was associated with trust in the presented misinformaton, experienced negatve emotons elicited by the news stories and willingness to share the news. For young adults in Study 2 (N = 186; M = 21.7) there was a weaker associaton between emotonal reactvity and trust in misinformaton, which involved only negatve emotonal reactvity. For both samples, trust in fcttous news stories was associated with trust in traditonal and new media. There was no associaton between trust in fcttous news stories and the amount of news consumpton and Internet use. Based on our fndings, the focus on emoton control and critcal reading seems to be important in the fght against misinformaton.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Aims
This study aimed to develop a smartphone mirroring-based telepresence exercise program that can be performed at home while allowing for real-time feedback by instructors.
Methods
For this ...randomized controlled trial, 29 obese older women aged 66–87 years with ≥ 30% body fat were recruited at a senior citizen center. The intervention group was provided with the smartphone mirroring-based telepresence exercise program, in which participants exercised in their homes for 20–40 min three times a week for 12 weeks. Participants in the control group performed the same exercise program at the senior citizen center. Body composition and functional abilities were measured before and after the program.
Results
Women in the intervention group showed a decrease in their body fat percentage (
P
= 0.026) and an increase in grip strength (
P
= 0.008). In the control group, women demonstrated a decrease in their weight (
P
= 0.006) and body fat percentage (
P
= 0.001) and an increase in skeletal muscle (
P
= 0.044) and grip strength (
P
= 0.006).
Conclusion
Smartphone mirroring-based telepresence exercises at home lower body fat percentage and increase muscle strength similar to traditional group exercises. They present an innovative way for obese older women to improve and maintain their health.
Trial registration
Clinical Research Information Service KCT0006147.
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EMUNI, FZAB, GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Older adults are the least active population in the U.S. Low-income communities have fewer physical activity (PA) resources, contributing to less PA and increased chronic disease risk. This study ...assessed the effect of the multilevel, peer-led, Peer Empowerment Program 4 Physical Activity (PEP4PA) on moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and health outcomes, over 2 years of follow up. In a cluster-randomized controlled trial, 12 senior or community centers serving low-income older adults were assigned to a PA intervention (n = 6) or usual programming (n = 6) condition. PEP4PA included self-monitoring, health coaching, group walks, social support, and community advocacy to improve walking conditions. The primary outcome was daily minutes of MVPA (7-day accelerometer). Secondary outcomes included Perceived Quality of Life (PQoL), 6-Minute Walk Test (6-MWT), blood pressure (BP), and depressive symptoms at baseline, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Mixed effects regression models estimated the effects on outcomes between groups over time and included random effects for repeated measures and center clustering. Effect modification by sex and income status was assessed. We calculated the incremental cost per daily minute of MVPA gained in the intervention group relative to the control group to assess cost effectiveness. We enrolled 476 older adults (50 + years). Participants were on average 71 years old, 76% female, 60% low income, and 38% identified as racial or ethnic minorities. Compared to the control group, intervention participants sustained roughly a 10 min/day increase in MVPA from baseline at all time points and increased mean PQoL scores from unsatisfied at baseline to satisfied at 12, 18 and 24 months. Males and higher-income groups had greater improvements in MVPA. No significant effects were observed for 6-MWT or depressive symptoms, and BP results were mixed. The incremental cost per minute MVPA gained per person was $0.25, $0.09, $0.06, and $0.05 at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months, respectively. PEP4PA achieved increases in MVPA and PQoL in low-income older adults, over 2 years of follow up. The peer-led, community-based intervention provides a sustainable and cost-effective model to improve health behaviors in underserved, aging populations.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Purpose: To date, the effects of dual-task training on balance underlying cognitive function remain unclear. Therefore, this study was to verify the effects of cognitive−physical dual-task training ...on balance and executive function in community-dwelling older adults with a history of falls. Method: Fifty-eight participants were randomly allocated to the experimental group (EG) receiving cognitive−physical dual-task training (n = 29) or to the control group (CG) receiving functional balance training (n = 29). After 12 sessions for 6 weeks, the One Leg Standing Test (OLST), the Timed UP and Go (TUG), and part B of the Trail-Making Test (TMT-B) were implemented to examine static and dynamic balance and executive function. Results: After the 12 sessions, the EG showed a greater improvement in the OLST (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.332), the TUG (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.375), and the TMT-B (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.224) compared to the CG. Conclusion: These results indicate that dual-task training is clinically beneficial to improving static and dynamic balance as well as executive function in older adults with a history of falls. These findings shed new light on a clinical implication that executive function should be considered in balance training for older adults.
This study aims to analyse the current demand by senior citizens in Lanzhou, China for a combination of medical and elderly care services and to identify the factors influencing their needs.
7500 ...participants aged 60 or above living in Lanzhou, China, were recruited, a unified questionnaire concerning elderly people's demand for a service combining medical and elderly care has been adopted to survey these subjects. The status quo of the demand of the service combining medical and elderly care and its influencing factors were analysed with the single-factor Chi-square test and multi-factor binomial logistic regression method.
3772 of 7320 older people have the demand for the service combining medical and elderly care, accounting for 53.15% of survey respondents. Many factors are in play, including gender, marital status, degree of education, occupation before retirement, number of children, monthly income, health self-assessment status, endowment insurance type, medical insurance type, current nursing arrangements, old-age demands, self-care ability and the knowledge of combining medical and elderly care and the willingness to pay for the combination of medical and elderly care have statistical significance (P < 0.05) with the elderly's needs, different ages, living styles and the prevalence of chronic diseases, have no statistical significance (P > 0.05) with the elderly's care needs in Lanzhou. The number of children, type of medical insurance and willingness to pay for the combination of medical treatment and nursing care are major influencing factors among the complex factors influencing the elderly's demand for the proposed service.
The low knowledge rate and demand rate, the number of children, the type of medical insurance, and the willingness to pay for the medical-nursing combination service for the elderly in Lanzhou have a great impact on the elderly's demand rate for combining medical and elderly care. Meanwhile, relevant government departments should focus more on the promotion of the endowment model of combining medical and elderly care and provide integrated medical care services by integrating multiple resources, and improving social security.
Objectives: Socialization predicts cognitive aging outcomes. Neighborhoods may facilitate socially engaged aging and thus shape cognition. We investigated places where older adults socialized and ...whether availability of these sites was associated with cognitive outcomes. Methods: Qualitative analysis of interviews and ethnography with 125 older adults (mean age 71 years) in Minneapolis identified where participants socialized outside of home. This informed quantitative analysis of a national sample of 21,151 older Americans (mean age at baseline 67 years) from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study. Multilevel generalized additive models described associations between access to key social places and cognitive function and decline. Results: Qualitative analysis identified eateries, senior centers, and civic groups as key places to socialize. We identified significant positive associations between kernel density of senior centers, civic/social organizations, and cognitive function. Discussion: Specific neighborhood social infrastructures may support cognitive health among older adults aging in place.
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