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Mouths, teeth and dentures: look good, feel better, eat well!
- Author:
- RELATIVES AND RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
- Publisher:
- Relatives and Residents Association
- Publication year:
- 2006
- Pagination:
- 4p.
- Place of publication:
- London
A practical guide to the problems of providing dental care in Homes. This booklet which explains in simple terms why good dental health and care are important, and the steps required to achieve these. Includes a dental health assessment form
Valuing older people: the Mayor of London's older people strategy
- Author:
- GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY
- Publisher:
- Greater London Authority
- Publication year:
- 2006
- Pagination:
- 92p.
- Place of publication:
- London
London is often seen as a city of young people, but almost 16 per cent of the city's population – nearly 1.2 million people – are aged 60 or over, and almost a quarter of a million people are aged over 80. Valuing Older People, the Mayor's Older People's Strategy, aims to challenge stereotyping of older people and provide a framework to develop a city in which older Londoners have the support they need to lead active, healthy and independent lives.
Valuing older people: highlights of the Mayor of London's older people strategy
- Author:
- GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY
- Publisher:
- Greater London Authority
- Publication year:
- 2006
- Pagination:
- 17p.
- Place of publication:
- London
London is often seen as a city of young people, but almost 16 per cent of the city's population – nearly 1.2 million people – are aged 60 or over, and almost a quarter of a million people are aged over 80. Valuing Older People, the Mayor's Older People's Strategy, aims to challenge stereotyping of older people and provide a framework to develop a city in which older Londoners have the support they need to lead active, healthy and independent lives.
Gender differences in health-related quality of life among the elderly: The role of objective functional capacity and chronic conditions
- Authors:
- ORFILA Francesc, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Social Science and Medicine, 9(63), November 2006, pp.2367-2380.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Although worse Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) among women has been widely described, it remains unclear whether this is due to differential reporting patterns, or whether there is a real difference in health status. The objective of this study was to evaluate to what extent gender differences in HRQL among the elderly might be explained by differences in performance-based functional capacity and chronic conditions, using the conceptual model of health outcomes as proposed by Wilson and Cleary. Data are from a cross-sectional home survey of 872 surviving individuals from an elderly cohort representative of Barcelona's general population. Complete valid data for these analyses were obtained from 62% of the subjects (n=544). The evaluation included the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), a generic measure of HRQL; three performance-based functional capacity tests (balance, chair-stand, and walking tests); and a standardized list of self-reported chronic conditions. A series of multiple linear regression models were built with the total NHP score as the dependent variable, with gender, socio-demographic information, performance-based functional capacity and chronic conditions included sequentially, as independent variables. Women (65.4%) showed worse results than men on HRQL and functional capacity. Functional capacity, arthritis, back pain, diabetes, and depression were significantly associated to the NHP total score in the final regression model, which explained 42% of the variance. Raw differences by gender in the total NHP score were 11.5 points, but decreased to a non-significant 3.2 points after adjusting for all the other variables. In conclusion, our data suggest that worse reported HRQL in elderly women is mainly due to a higher prevalence of disability and chronic conditions.
A cross-sectional study on the health related quality of life of depressed Chinese older people in Shanghai
- Authors:
- CHAN Sally Wai-chi, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 21(9), September 2006, pp.883-889.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
With an increasing life expectancy, there is a rapidly growing sector that is aging. Depression is the most prevalent functional mental disorder of older population. It is estimated that about 21% of the older population in Shanghai are suffering from depression. This study investigated the self-rated health related quality of life of community-dwelling older people diagnosed with depression in Shanghai, and to examine the relationships between this and mental and physical health, functional status and social support. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in two community centres with a convenience sample of 71 participants. Measures included subjective perception of health related quality of life, level of depression, cognitive function, number of medical conditions, activities of daily living, functional abilities, and social support. The majority of the participants were female (n = 52, 73.23%), and married (n = 51, 71.8%). A higher level of depression was related to a poorer health related quality of life. Participants were least satisfied with their physical health. The level of depression, activities of daily living and satisfaction with social support were predictors of health related quality of life ratings. The study identified how depression affects the bio-psychosocial status of Chinese older people. Findings are discussed in light of the socio-cultural environment in Shanghai.
Ethnicity, older people and palliative care
- Author:
- GUNARATNAM Yasmin
- Publisher:
- National Council for Palliative Care
- Publication year:
- 2006
- Pagination:
- 32p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
One of the first reports in the UK to draw much needed attention to the palliative care needs and experiences of minority ethnic older people. The report discusses ethnic disparities in health and clinical outcomes, highlights evidence suggesting poorer access to palliative care services for minority ethnic older people and draws attention to good practices and projects in the palliative care field aimed at reducing inequalities in palliative care. The hope is that this publication will generate greater awareness and discussion of the issues addressed and help palliative care services to develop innovative approaches to addressing the palliative care needs of minority ethnic older people.
Never-married childless women in Australia: health and social circumstances in older age
- Authors:
- CWIKEL Julie, GRAMOTNEV Helen, LEE Christina
- Journal article citation:
- Social Science and Medicine, 62(8), April 2006, pp.1991-2001.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
A growing proportion of women reach older age without having married or having children. Assumptions that these older women are lonely, impoverished, and high users of social and health services are based on little evidence. This paper uses data from the Older cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health to describe self-reported demographics, physical and emotional health, and use of services among 10,108 women aged 73–78, of whom 2.7% are never-married and childless. The most striking characteristic of this group is their high levels of education, which are associated with fewer reported financial difficulties and higher rates of private health insurance. There are few differences in self-reported physical or emotional health or use of health services between these and other groups of older women. Compared with older married women with children, they make higher use of formal services such as home maintenance and meal services, and are also more likely to provide volunteer services and belong to social groups. Overall, there is no evidence to suggest that these women are a “problem” group. Rather, it seems that their life experiences and opportunities prepare them for a successful and productive older age.
Dispositional optimism and health behaviour in community-dwelling older people: associations with healthy ageing
- Authors:
- STEPTOE Andrew, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Health Psychology, 11(1), February 2006, pp.71-84.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Dispositional optimism measured with the Life Orientation Test has been associated with a variety of health outcomes. We assessed whether optimism was related to indices of healthy ageing, and if effects were mediated through health behaviours. A community sample of 128 men and women aged 65 to 80 years was recruited from general practice lists. Optimism and health behaviours were assessed by questionnaire, and healthy ageing indexed by physical health summary scores from the Short Form 36, and by self-rated health. Optimism was associated with not smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, brisk walking, and vigorous physical activities (women only), independently of socio-demographic factors and clinical condition. Physical health status was associated with optimism, independently of socio-demographic factors, clinical condition, negative affectivity, and body mass. This effect was attenuated when health behaviours were taken into account. Self-rated health was also positively related to optimism, and this association was not mediated by health behaviours. Neither the optimism nor pessimism subscales of the Life Orientation Test showed as consistent effects as the full scale. The authors conclude that dispositional optimism is associated with healthy ageing. The relationship between optimism and healthy ageing was only partly mediated by the health behaviours assessed in this sample
Correlates of depression among the Soviet Jewish immigrant elderly
- Author:
- KIM-GOH Mikyong
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 13(2), 2006, pp.35-47.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This exploratory study examined the prevalence rates of depressive symptoms among the elderly Soviet Jewish immigrants living in Southern California. Structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 50 self-identified Jewish elderly immigrants from the former Soviet Union, assessing their level of depression, health status, primary need areas, and family support. According to the results, 72% of the respondents reported mild to severe levels of depression. Age and satisfaction with the family assistance turned out to be significantly correlated with the level of depression among this group. Implications for human services practice with vulnerable older immigrant populations are discussed. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Posttraumatic stress disorder and general health problems following myocardial infarction (Post-MI PTSD) among older patients: the role of personality
- Authors:
- CHUNG Man Cheung, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 21(12), December 2006, pp.1163-1174.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study aimed to: (1) investigate the degree to which older myocardial infarction (MI) patients experienced post-MI PTSD and general health problems, and to (2) identify the association between five personality traits, post-MI PTSD and general health problems among these older people. The sample comprised 96 older MI patients and were recruited from two general practices. They were interviewed using the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS), the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). The control group comprised 92 older people who experienced no MI. They were assessed using the GHQ-28. The older MI patients experienced hyperarousal the most, followed by avoidance and re-experiencing symptoms. PDS revealed that 30% had full PTSD. The older patients were conscientious and agreeable individuals. They were also somewhat extraverted and open to experience. They also showed traits of neuroticism. Controlling for bypass surgery, heart failure, previous mental health difficulties, angina and angioplasty, regression analyses showed that neuroticism predicted re-experiencing and avoidance symptoms and general health total. Neuroticism and less agreeableness predicted hyperarousal symptoms. MI older patients could manifest PTSD symptoms and general health problems following their MI. Personality traits, particularly neuroticism and antagonism, played a role in the manifestation of these symptoms.