Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 4 of 4
Willingness-to-pay for reductions in care need: estimating the value of informal care in Alzheimer's disease
- Authors:
- GUSTAVSSON Anders, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 25(6), June 2010, pp.622-632.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study attempted to estimate the value of informal care in Alzheimer's disease patients using contingent valuation. Five hundred and seventeen primary carers in four countries (UK, Spain, Sweden, and US) were administered a questionnaire. Carers estimated the amount they were willing to pay for a reduction in care burden by 1 hour per day, or a total elimination of care needs. Further, the relationship between carer willingness to pay and carer and patient characteristics including disease severity and income was examined. Findings showed that carers spend on average 7 to 9 hours per day on giving care to their patient, of which 4 to 5 hour constituted basic and instrumental activities of daily living. For a 1 hour reduction in care per day, carers said that they were willing to pay £105, £121, £59, and £144 per month in the UK, Spain, Sweden, and US respectively. The willingness to pay was higher for carers with higher disposable income while the influence of other factors varied across countries. About one-third of carers were not willing to pay anything for a reduction in care. The authors concluded that carers’ stated willingness to pay for reductions in care giving time is substantial and comparable to the prices currently paid for treatments that achieve this benefit. Its determinants seem more directly related to carer status than directly to patient status and may vary by region and by cultural and sociologic factors.
The effects of a computer-based cognitive and physical training program in a healthy and mildly cognitive impaired aging sample
- Authors:
- GONALEZ-PALAU Fatima, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 18(7), 2014, pp.838-846.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: The Long Lasting Memories (LLM) programme concerns a newly integrated platform which combines cognitive exercises with physical activity within the context of advanced technologies. The main objective of this study was to present the preliminary results that determine the possible effectiveness of the LLM programme in the improvement of cognitive functions and symptoms of depression in healthy elderly and subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Method: Fifty healthy and MCI subjects participated in the study. All of them received one hour's physical training and 35 minutes’ cognitive training, 3 times a week, during the 12 weeks of the programme. Before and after the intervention all participants were assessed using a battery of neuropsychological tests.Results: The results showed a significant improvement after the LLM training in global cognitive function, in verbal memory, in attention, in episodic memory and symptoms of depression. Conclusion: This study indicates that LLM is a promising solution for older adults with and without cognitive impairment, maintaining their wellbeing with few professional and technical requirements. (Edited publisher abstract)
Screening for amnestic mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's disease with M@T (Memory Alteration Test) in the primary care population
- Authors:
- RAMI L., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 22(4), April 2007, pp.294-304.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This Spanish study aimed to design and validate a new screening test for amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (A-MCI) and early stage Alzheimer's disease (AD). The authors develop a verbal episodic and semantic memory test: the Memory Alteration Test. Discriminative validity was assessed in a population sample of 400 aged individuals from primary care population centres in Barcelona, Spain, 50 patients with A-MCI according to Petersen et al. criteria, and 66 with early AD (Global Deterioration Scale - 4 stage) according to the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. The Memory Alteration Test is a quick, 5-minute, and easy to administer and to score. The results found that the Memory Alteration Test provides efficient and valid screening for A-MCI and early stage AD, and discriminates between A-MCI and early AD patients.
Selective memory impairment on an adapted Mini-Mental State Examination increases risk of future dementia
- Authors:
- GLAZARIN J., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 19(12), December 2004, pp.1173-1180.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The aim was to determine whether selective memory impairment (SMI) on an adapted Mini-Mental State Examination (aMMSE) test increases risk of future dementia in a population-based survey of central Spain. SMI is a strong predictor of dementia in the elderly. However, most approaches have used extensive memory batteries, which are not always suitable for screening purposes. The basal cohort consisted of 2982 poorly educated individuals aged 65 or over. Dementia, stroke and parkinsonism cases were previously excluded. At entry, participants received a structured interview including an aMMSE. Two groups were created according to basal cognitive performance, namely: (1) aMMSE > 23 and no word remembered on the aMMSE delayed-recall task (SMI group); and (2) aMMSE > 23 and at least one word remembered on the delayed-recall task (control group). In a three-year follow-up wave, conversion rate to dementia was calculated and logistic regression was performed. Of a total of 2507 subjects who completed the two evaluations, 280 qualified for SMI at entry. In the SMI group, 25 subjects (8.9%) developed dementia vs 26 subjects (1.2%) in the control group. Taking the two groups together, and once demographic and medical variables had been controlled, a low delayed-recall score increased dementia conversion rate (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.34-0.64). Alzheimer's disease was the main cause of dementia (79.8%). Memory impairment is a risk factor for future dementia in the neurologically-healthy elderly. This can be observed in a subgroup of subjects with SMI defined on the aMMSE delayed-recall subscore. Some other measurements should be added to the SMI construct to improve its predictive validity.