Search results for ‘Subject term:"activities of daily living"’ Sort:
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Relationship between psychiatric disorders and adaptive functioning in adults with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- BERTELLI Marco O., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 10(1), 2016, pp.92-101.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: Though the very high prevalence of psychiatric disorders (PD) in people with intellectual disability (PwID), the impact of these disorders on adaptive functioning has been minimally investigated. The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of the presence of a PD on the adaptive functioning of adults with intellectual disability (ID). Design/methodology/approach: In total, 107 adults with ID living in residential facilities or attending day care centres in Tuscany were consecutively assessed with the Psychiatric Instrument for the Intellectually Disabled Adult (SPAID-G), the Diagnostic Manual-Intellectual Disability (DM-ID) criteria, and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS). The scores were statistically compared and results were controlled for level of ID and other background variables. Findings: The presence of a PD resulted to have a significant negative impact on individual adaptive skills. Participants with PD scored significantly lower than those without PD in communication and socialisation areas of VABS. Participants with ND scored significantly lower than people without ND in daily living and motor skills. The average scores of participants with only PD and those of participants with PD and ND showed no significant differences. Significant differences were found between participants with only ND and participants with ND and PD in the interpersonal relationship subscale. Originality/value: As far as the best knowledge, this is the first study on the evaluation of the impact of any kind of PD on the abilities of PwID. This paper suggests that the presence of a PD seems to have a relevant negative impact on functioning of PwID higher than that of ND, particularly in communication and socialization skills. (Publisher abstract)
Redefining agency in late life: the concept of ‘disponibility’
- Authors:
- ROMAIOLI Diego, CONTARELLO Alberta
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 39(1), 2019, pp.194-216.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
In light of an increased ageing population, policy makers are faced with the urgent problem of planning programmes that reflect active ageing or, in other words, the promotion of activities that help individuals to remain active in a societal context. The construct of agency, defined as the capacity to make decisions and to address situations depending on the individual's future plans, reflects a specific normative criterion: individuals are expected to live in an active and productive way, while those who are unable to live up to this expectation are considered dependent, passive, unproductive, weak. From a social constructionist perspective, the current study proposes a critical reflection on the qualities usually attributed to the construct of agency that are liable to appear reductive and oppressive when applied to an elderly population. Once the basic premises underlying agency, as it is commonly defined in the Western tradition, have been deconstructed, a different conceptualisation, based on interviews with older individuals, will be presented. The current work aims to produce a different conceptual framework that will permit examination of experiences and organisational modalities of agency typifying later life. The comments made by the interviewees in many cases resonate with ideas contained in Taoist philosophy and, more specifically, with the concept of disponibilité (or disponibility) outlined by the French sinologist François Jullien, which we discuss here. (Publisher abstract)
Social vulnerability, mental health and correlates of frailty in older outpatients living alone in the community in Italy
- Authors:
- BILOTTA Claudio, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 14(8), November 2010, pp.1024-1036.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This study aimed to determine the main social, functional and clinical characteristics of community-dwelling older outpatients living alone and to find correlates of frailty in this population. This cross-sectional survey considered 302 community-dwelling outpatients aged 65 and over consecutively referred to a geriatric medicine clinic in Italy from June to November 2009. The participants underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment including frailty status evaluated by means of the study of osteoporotic fractures (SOF) criteria. Student's t-test and the chi-squared test were used to compare subjects 'living alone' and 'not living alone' as well as 'frail' and 'not frail' subjects among the participants living alone. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to find independent correlates of frailty among participants living alone. The results showed that 124 (41%) of participants were living alone. Compared to the subjects not living alone, they were older, received less assistance from informal and formal caregivers, had poorer living and financial conditions, a better cognitive status and functional self-sufficiency, but a worse emotional status. Forty-one of them were frail. Among the 116 frail elders, subjects living alone also showed a higher prevalence of unexpected new diagnoses of dementia than those not living alone. Independent correlates of frailty among participants living alone were: having experienced a severe acute disease in the past year, dependence in the bathing BADL ability, depression, and incontinence. The article concludes that in older outpatients living alone, including those who were frail, there is a lower availability of personal assistance, significantly more social and financial vulnerability and a higher risk of depression.
The effects of a physical activity programme on the psychological wellbeing of older people in a residential care facility: an experimental study
- Authors:
- CIAIRANO Silva, LIUBICICH Monica Emma, RABAGLIETTI Emanuela
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 30(4), May 2010, pp.609-626.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This study analyses the physical and psychological benefits associated with physical exercise sessions given by 6 specially trained instructors on older people living in a northern Italian residential care home. Previous research, mostly focusing on older people living independently suggests that physical exercise (formal or e.g. gardening or housekeeping) may minimise or reverse physical frailty and spontaneously boost basic activities such as unassisted dressing and washing, while formal physical exercise programmes in nursing home residents decreased depression and anxiety levels and increased cognitive functioning. The effects of such aerobic activity interventions on the residents’ general health perceptions, perceptions that health limits moderate to heavy physical exercise, and positive and negative self-perceptions were assessed. Twenty two, mixed gender, self-sufficient, older people (10 control, 12 test - given two 45 minute sessions for 13 weeks over 5 months) of average age 80.6 years, completed the Italian version of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire, pre and post-test. The findings showed that the perception that one’s health can limit moderate to heavy physical activity decreased post intervention in the test group while it increased in the control group, positive self-perception remained stable in the test group but it was reduced in the control group and that there was no interaction between group and time with respect to general health perceptions and negative self-perception.
How individuals with phenylketonuria experience their illness: an age-related qualitative study
- Authors:
- VEGNI E., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child: Care, Health and Development, 36(4), July 2010, pp.539-548.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a hereditary disease caused by the absence of the phenylalanine hydroxylase enzyme. This deficiency produces an increase of phenylalanine in the blood causing severe mental retardation in untreated individuals – those who do not follow rigorous dietary control. This study examined the illness experience of individuals affected by PKU and its differences in different patient age groups. A qualitative–interpretative methodology was used through in-depth interviews of 47 participating patients, aged 10 to 25 years, from the San Paulo Hospital, Milan, Italy. Textual data were explored using the principles of grounded theory. The results suggested the age-related PKU experience a paradox – either to feel normal but isolated from the social context, or to be different while participating in the convivial aspects of the social being. Findings also highlighted the need for education about the disease tailored to the individual’s growing needs. Specific dietary themes seem to characterise each age range. In the ten year range, suffering is largely about social exhibition of the diet. At 15 years, frustration from dietary control from parents is dominant. At around 20 years, patients start to consider PKU from their parent’s perspective. At 25 years the principle challenge is to manage the PKU diet during working activity. This study constitutes a first attempt at understanding PKU from a non-medical-biological perspective.