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Frail Elders (frail + elder)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences83%

Selected Abstracts

The needs of family caregivers of frail elders during the transition from hospital to home: a Taiwanese sample

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 3 2000
Yea-Ing Lotus Shyu RN PhD
The needs of family caregivers of frail elders during the transition from hospital to home: a Taiwanese sample This study explored the needs of family caregivers during the transition from hospital to home. Data from 37 face-to-face interviews with 16 caregivers before discharge and at 2 weeks and 1 month after discharge were subjected to constant comparative analysis. Findings revealed changes in family caregivers' needs during the discharge transition. While preparing to take caregiving responsibility, caregivers reported a need for various types of information. After the discharge, but before home caregiving settled into a pattern, they needed help with caregiving practices. After reaching a pattern for providing family care, caregivers frequently reported needs for continuous emotional support. These findings provide a basis for transitional care services such as discharge planning and home health care services. [source]

Muscle Strength After Resistance Training Is Inversely Correlated with Baseline Levels of Soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptors in the Oldest Old

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 2 2004
Helle Bruunsgaard MD
Objectives:, To test the hypothesis that physical exercise induces an antiinflammatory response that is associated with reduced chronic activation of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha system in frail elders and that the increase in muscle strength after resistance training is limited by systemic low-grade inflammation. Design:, A 12-week controlled resistance-training study. Setting:, Nursing homes in Copenhagen, Denmark. Participants:, Twenty-one frail nursing home residents aged 86 to 95 completed the study. Intervention:, Ten participants were randomized to a program of resistance training of knee extensors and flexors three times a week for 12 weeks; the remaining 11 participants served as a control group who joined social activities supervised by an occupation therapist. Measurements:, Muscle strength, plasma levels of TNF-,, soluble TNF receptor (sTNFR)-1, and interleukin (IL)-6 were measured before and at the end of the intervention period. Results:, The training program improved muscle strength but did not affect plasma levels of TNF-, and sTNFR-I or IL-6. However, plasma levels of sTNFR-I at baseline were inversely correlated with the increase in muscle strength. Conclusion:, Low-grade activation of the TNF system could limit the increase in muscle strength after resistance training in the oldest old. Furthermore, data suggest that theantiinflammatory response induced by 12 weeks of resistance training is not sufficient to reduce chronic activation of the TNF system, but the small sample size limited this interpretation. [source]

A conceptual framework for understanding the process of family caregiving to frail elders in Taiwan,

RESEARCH IN NURSING & HEALTH, Issue 2 2002
Yea-Ing Lotus Shyu
Abstract This descriptive, correlational study of family caregivers (N=125) tested a conceptual framework for family caregiving to frail elders in Taiwan, using the concept of "finding a balance point" derived from a previous qualitative study. It was hypothesized that caregivers who were better able to find a balance point among competing needs would provide better-quality care to frail elders, which would lead to more positive caregiver and family outcomes. After controlling for the influence of caregiving characteristics and caregiving factors, finding a balance point significantly explained 7% of the variance in overall caregiving consequences. The findings of this study add a new perspective to the caregiving process in Taiwan. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 25:111,121, 2002 [source]

Elders in the justice system: how the system treats elders in trials, during imprisonment, and on death row

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW, Issue 5 2007
L. Beth Gaydon B.A.
As the average lifespan increases, it becomes increasingly likely that elders will be involved in the justice system. Elders may be witnesses, victims, plaintiffs, or defendants in a trial. They are also prisoners and, in some cases, death row inmates. Because there are special needs and costs associated with elders, it is important to consider how they are treated in each of these areas of the justice system. For instance, jurors may have age biases; some prisons are unable to address elders' health problems; and critics have questioned the constitutionality of executing frail elders. In order to determine whether the court system is treating elders fairly, this analysis reviews current policies, research, and anecdotal evidence from recent high-profile cases. Recommendations for future research and policy changes are offered to ensure that elders are treated fairly in the justice system. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]