bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com

Jan 25, 2025 | bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com | Fredrik Snellman |Maria Wiklund |Mattias Hedlund |Erik Rosendahl |Nina Lindelöf |Carl-Johan Boraxbekk | +1 more

Physical activity and exercise are promoted worldwide as effective interventions for healthy ageing. Various exercise initiatives have been developed and evaluated for their efficacy and effectiveness among older populations. However, a deeper understanding of participants’ experiences with these initiatives is crucial to foster long-term activity and exercise among older persons. A constructivist grounded theory study was conducted to explore the experiences of older persons participating in a supervised group supramaximal high-intensity training (HIT) programme. Four focus groups were held, involving 28 persons aged 65 to 78. The focus groups were analysed inductively, followed by an iterative process of abstraction, abduction, and theory generation using a constant comparative method. A conceptual framework comprising three theoretical concepts—stereotype embodiment, ageist practices, and self-efficacy—was employed during the abductive phase as an analytical lens. The core category of our grounded theory, Negotiating a physically active life in tune with ageing, encapsulates the complex processes and actions influencing older persons as they engage in physical activities in their daily lives and in relation to HIT. This core category was created from the conceptual framework and the four categories: Grit in the moment and overall life, Empowered by the training group, Navigating one’s physically active self, and Committing to exercise for duty and pleasure. Participants reported feeling invigorated by the exercise, enjoying the challenge, and valuing the group setup for its social connectedness and structure. The generated theory illustrates how participants’ engagement with physical activity and exercise is shaped by various perspectives accumulated over their lifespan. The findings provide a plausible explanation of how participation in HIT groups can challenge negative age stereotypes and ageist practices while enhancing self-efficacy for high-intensity exercise. Our grounded theory underscores that physical activity and exercise should be regarded as multifaceted processes, which must be considered when promoting physical activity initiatives for older persons. By considering the older person and societal norms and values, we can gather knowledge to design physical exercise interventions that are not only effective but also enjoyable and capable of transforming how individuals perceive themselves as exercising persons.

Jan 3, 2025 | bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com | Yau Chan |Yuet Yi Hung |Tai On Kwok |Wang Yee Chu |Juming Jiang |Wing Yiu Yeung | +1 more

The prevalence of age-related eye disorders is increasing with the aging of the global population. Community-based visual health education for the elderly has become a crucial intervention. With the advancement of technology, the application of extended reality (XR), such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), in health education has become more popular. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of educating the elderly about common age-related eye disorders through a novel AR-based health education workshop. An AR-based education workshop was designed for the elderly to understand the major visual symptoms of several eye diseases and experience the challenges faced by visually impaired people. The effectiveness of the workshop was assessed by conducting pre- and post-activity surveys to measure the knowledge acquisition of the participants from this workshop. The intervention was found to significantly improve knowledge of age-related eye diseases among the elderly, while the participants’ age and education level could influence the effectiveness of their knowledge gained from the workshop. Our study revealed the potential of the use of AR technology in facilitating health education on eye diseases in the elderly. The specific backgrounds and characteristics of target participants and the combination of AR with other pedagogical approaches warrant further investigation to maximize the impact of AR-based workshops in health education in broader healthcare contexts.

Dec 23, 2024 | bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com | Mohammad Salehpoor-Emran |Milad Bakhtiyary |Farshad Sharifi |Fatemeh Sadat Mirzadeh |Pouya Farokhnezhad Afshar |Keyvan Karimi

Population aging presents a significant challenge that requires comprehensive planning. Limited research has been done on the interconnections between happiness, sleep, and self-care in older adults. This study aimed to determine the Happiness, Sleep quality, and Self-care ability among community-dwelling older adults in Tehran, 2023. This is a cross-sectional study. We selected 306 eligible, community-dwelling older adults through multistage sampling. Participants were recruited from comprehensive health service centers. We employed three assessments: the Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Self-Care Ability Scale for the Elderly (SASE). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 27, the Spearman correlation test, and univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. The results indicated that 58% of older adults were male, 67.6% were married, and 44% were retired. A multivariate linear regression analysis revealed a significant association with happiness. Self-care ability had a negative impact (β = -1.50, p < 0.001), while sleep quality had a positive effect (β = 0.50, p < 0.001). Self-care and sleep quality are associated with overall happiness. Policymakers and planners should prioritize happiness enhancement by addressing its relationship with sleep and self-care practices.

Nov 14, 2024 | bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com | Eunhee Choi |Jiyoung Park |Hyejin Lee |Haesong Kim |Daehoon Song |Soong-nang Jang | +7 more

Home-based primary care (HBPC) is an emerging patient-centered, interprofessional healthcare service model that can address unmet medical needs and care burdens for homebound older adults. In December 2022, the Ministry of Health and Welfare in South Korea launched the Home-Based Medical Center Demonstration project to provide a new bundle payment for physician home visits. In this study, we seek to determine whether the recently introduced HBPC services in South Korea have been associated with a reduction in long-term care (LTC) facility admissions and acute hospitalizations among homebound older adults. The study is a community-based, multicenter, two-arm, randomized encouragement design trial with a 12-month follow-up period (n = 600). Eligible study participants are community-dwelling LTC recipients with multimorbidity and functional deterioration. Study participants are recruited from five HBPC centers located in urban areas (Northeast Seoul, West Seoul, Daejeon, Wonju, and Paju). The study participants are randomly assigned to either the HBPC group or the usual care group with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Those assigned to the HBPC group receive longitudinal home visits at least once a month by an interprofessional HBPC team according to the Widely Integrated Services in Home (WISH) intervention protocol. This protocol adheres to the Integrated Care for Older People principles, which call for a person-centered assessment and broader integration of health and LTC services at the micro-, meso- and macro-levels. Primary outcomes of the trial are 1) between-group community survival days and 2) between-group potentially avoidable hospitalizations. Results of the treatment are estimated by both modified intention-to-treat and complier average causal effect analytic methods. This study aims to investigate the real-world effectiveness of HBPC on the reduction of LTC facility admissions and acute care hospitalizations in the community setting. The findings may inform healthcare policy decisions to expand HBPC services in South Korea and other countries. CRIS KCT0007921.

Sep 25, 2024 | bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com | Niamh Gallagher |Grace O’Sullivan |Kathy Murphy |Rose-Marie Dröes |Barbara Whelan |Siobhán Smyth | +2 more

A novel Complex REsilience-building psychoSocial intervenTion (CREST) targeted at people with dementia, their informal carers, general practitioners and the wider community with the aim of increasing resilience and strengthening the personal attributes or external assets of people with dementia living at home, in the community, was developed. It included three components: cognitive stimulation therapy (CST), physical exercise and dementia education. A non-randomised feasibility study was conducted of the CREST intervention, the aim of which was to inform the design of a future randomised controlled trial. This article presents the findings from the qualitative component of the CREST intervention feasibility study, describing the experience of the people with dementia and their caregivers who participated and the volunteer older adults who supported the intervention. A descriptive qualitative research approach using semi-structured interviews was undertaken. Key stakeholders (people with dementia (n = 9), their caregivers (n = 9) and the volunteer older adults from the physical exercise component (n = 9)) were interviewed about the intervention and the perceived impact of their participation. The social aspect of the CREST intervention proved to be important for all three groups. Attendance remained high throughout the intervention. The people with dementia spoke positively about their participation in the CST and exercise components of the CREST intervention. The caregivers liked receiving coping strategies focused on how to communicate better with the person they cared for and how to better manage their own self-care and they liked the group element of the programme. The volunteer older adults supported the people with dementia in taking part in the exercise component, motivating them to do the exercises and helping with social interaction within the group. The volunteers gained exposure to the illness and as a result understood more about dementia and felt better equipped to communicate and deal with people with dementia. Participation in the CREST intervention produced a positive impact on all three groups. The social element of the intervention was noted by everybody and was regarded as being beneficial. Qualitative insights emphasised the value of embedding qualitative research within feasibility studies to inform future intervention design. Further research should focus on conducting a full-scale randomised controlled trial to evaluate CREST’s effectiveness and explore its application to individuals with more advanced dementia. ISRCTN25294519.