Gerontology

In 2003, the John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing (Hartford Institute), in collaboration with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, conducted a survey of baccalaureate schools of nursing in the United States to compare gerontological content to baseline data collected by the Hartford Institute in 1997. Since last surveyed in 1997, baccalaureate nursing programs have been the recipients of substantial new resources and initiatives focused on gerontological curriculum enhancement. While these initiatives are ongoing, and some are in an early stage of development, resurveying baccalaureate programs was seen as a means of taking a midcourse "pulse" as to the effectiveness of these efforts. Data suggest that there has been a fundamental shift in baccalaureate curriculum toward incorporation of a greater amount of gerontological content, integration of gerontological content in a greater number of nursing courses, and more diversity of clinical ...

1 Un programme de formation de trois jours sur le sommeil a l'hopital a ete cree en 2008 a l'initiative de l'Association nationale pour la formation permanente du personnel hospitalier, en collaboration avec le ministere de la Sante 1448 soignants ont ete formes grâce a un programme participatif integrant de nouveaux outils pedagogiques interactifs.

Objective: To identify the efficacy of group-based nutrition interventions to increase healthy eating, reduce nutrition risk, improve nutritional status, and improve physical mobility among community-dwelling older adults.Design: Systematic review. Electronic databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Sociological Abstracts were searched on July 15, 2020, for studies published in English since January 2010. Study selection, critical appraisal (using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s critical appraisal tools), and data extraction were performed in duplicate by two independent reviewers.Setting: Nutrition interventions delivered to groups in community-based settings were eligible. Studies delivered in acute or long-term care settings were excluded.Participants: Community-dwelling older adults aged 55+ years. Studies targeting specific disease populations or promoting weight loss were excluded.Results: Thirty-one experimental and quasi-experimental studies with generally unclear-high...

L’article porte sur la représentation des premiers diplômés et doctorants d’un programme de formation doctorale en gérontologie sur la place de la composante interdisciplinaire dans leur cursus. Celle-ci est représentée comme une source d’enrichissement personnel et professionnel pour les étudiants, essentielle à la compréhension en profondeur des phénomènes complexes qui émergent du vieillissement et à la constitution d’une perspective gérontologique. La condition fondamentale favorable à cet effet semble être la constitution dans le cadre des séminaires d’un espace inter-épistémologique de formation qui a su se prolonger dans l’ensemble des activités du lieu de formation.

Background and Objectives: There is a lack of understanding of how older adults’ involvement and participation matters in actual design practice. This systematic literature review investigates existing empirical studies involving older users during the design of technologies and explores the nature and consequences of involving older people. Research Design and Methods: Our literature review is informed by the guidelines of the PRISMA statement. We examined the included studies by means of thematic content analysis to identify the nature of older users’ involvement and existing evidence on what consequences it has. Results: In total, 40 empirical studies published in the period 2014–2018 are included in the review. Most empirical studies involve older people from local networks, with underlying stereotypical images and at lower levels of participation. The results reveal three main consequences of involving older users: learning, adjusted design, and an increased sense of participat...

W procesie planowania „dobrej starości” ważne miejsce zajmuje profilaktyka pomyślnego starzenia się, określana jako profilaktyka gerontologiczna. Działania te odnoszą się przede wszystkim do procesów sprzyjająych podejmowaniu aktywności fizycznej, kulturowej, afirmacji życia, rozwoju jakości i ilości kontaktów interpersonalnych (Szarota, 2010, s.135). Pojmowanie starości jako aktywnego i pełnowartościowego okresu w życiu człowieka jawi się jako jedno z najważniejszych zadań rozwojowych sprzyjających podniesieniu jakości życia.
Aktywne starzenie się ujmowane w kategorii „produktywnego życia” (Perek-Białas, Worek, 2005, s.13) jest koncepcją niezwykle pojemną w aspekcie działań praktycznych i bogactwa analiz badaczy zajmujących się tematyką gerontologii społecznej i edukacyjnej. Permanentne dociekanie uwarunkowań indywidualnych i społecznych wymuszane jest nie tyko przez szereg zmian związanych z następstwami demograficznymi z którymi powoli zaczyna mierzyć się Europa środkowo-wschodnia, lecz również z przeobrażeniami stylu życia osób star-szych.
Funkcjonowanie na etapie późnej dorosłości związane jest
w dużej mierze ze stylem życia we wcześniejszych okresach. Starość postrzegana jako zbieranie owoców życia dla wielu ludzi stanowi dar
i szczęście, jednocześnie dla innych osób w tej kategorii wiekowej może być związana z rozczarowaniem i cierpieniem (Vážanský, 2014, s.142). Niewątpliwie podniesienie jakości życia osób starszych odnosi się rówież do „edukacji do starości” we wcześniejszych etapach życia, a także uwarunkowana jest zbiorem cech indywidulanych - biopsychicznych oraz zespołem okoliczności społecznych i politycznych (zob. Hátar, 2014, s.16). Tak pojmowany zespół cech służy dookreślaniu systemowego ujęcia aktywnej starości, tworzącej w szerszej perspektywie istotne obszary związane z codziennym funkcjonowaniem seniorów.
Niniejszy III tom z serii „Czesko-Polsko-Słowackie studia z andargogiki i gerontologii społecznej” jest próbą ukazania aktywnej starości w wymiarze: edukacyjnych potrzeb i możliwości osób starszych (Adam Zych, Andrea Bontová, Łukasz Tomczyk), indywidualnych i społecznych uwarunkowań kształtujących zachowania określane mianem „żywotnych i witalnych” (Remigiusz Kijak, Drahomíra Gracová, Andrzej Klimczuk) oraz kulturowego odbioru procesów związanych ze starzeniem się i starością (Małgorzata Bortliczek, Maja Dziedzic).
Publikacja wpisuje się w założnia programów mających za zadanie stymulowanie do podejmowania ciągłego namysłu nad skuteczną aktywizacją osób starszych w wymiarze indywidualnym jak
i społecznym. Ważność koncepcji aktywnego starzenia dostrzegają nie tylko gerontolodzy społeczni, lecz również stała się ona podstawą strategii państwowych, przykładowo „Rządowego Programu na rzecz Aktywności Społecznej Osób Starszych na lata 2014–2020” (Ministerstwo Pracy i Polityki Społecznej, Polska), czy też „Národný program aktívneho starnutia na roky 2014–2020” (Ministerstvo Práce, Słowacja) oraz „Národní strategie podporující pozitivní stárnutí pro období let 2013 až 2017” (Ministerstvo práce a sociálních věcí, Republika Czeska).


Štefan Chudý
Łukasz Tomczyk
Bibliografia:


Hátar C. (2014), Geragogika, Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa, Nitra.
Perek-Białas J., Worek B. (2005), Aktywne starzenie się. Aktywna starość – określenie pojęć, [w:] Perek-Białas J. (red.), Aktywne starzenie. Ak-tywna starość, Wyd. AUREUS, Kraków.
Szarota Z. (2010), Starzenie i starość w wymiarze instytucjonalnego wspar-cia, Wyd. Uniwersytetu Pedagogicznego, Kraków.
Vážanský M. (2014), Senioři v životnim finale, „Lifelong learning”, roč. 5,
č. 1, Brno.


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In the process of planning the „well ageing”, the important position is filled by the well ageing preventive treatment, determined as
a gerontology prevention. These actions refer to processes which favor undertaking physical, cultural activity, life affirmation, development of quality and quantity of interpersonal relationships (Szarota, 2010, p. 135). Perception of the old age as an active and quality phase of
a human life appears in a form of one of the most important developmental tasks that favor improving the quality of life.
Active ageing is perceived as a category of „productive life” (Perek-Białas Worek, 2005, p. 13) is an extremely broad concept
in the aspect of practical actions and a range of analyses of scientists dedicated to social and educational gerontology. Permanent search for individual and social conditions is forced not only by a range of changes connected with demographic aftermath which  Middle East Europe has to face, but also by  the transformation of senior life quality.
Functioning in the phase of late adulthood is connected mainly with the life style at the earlier stages. Old age is perceived as collecting fruits of life is a gift and a blessing for many people, at the same time for other people in the same age category it may be connected with disappointment and suffering (Vazansky, 2014, p. 142). There
is no doubt that improving the quality of life of older people refers to the preparation for old age at the stage of medium adulthood, and
is also determined by a set of individual features – bio psychical and determinants generated by political and social space (see Hatar, 2014, p. 16). This set of features serves as a way to determine the systematic perception of active old age, which creates distinguished and important areas connected with every-day functioning of seniors.
This III Volume from „Czech-Polish-Slovak studies in andragogy and social gerontology” is an attempt to depict the active ageing in the dimension of : educational needs and abilities of elder people (Adam Zych, Andrea Bontova, Łukasz Tomczyk), individual and social conditions determining  behaviour referred to as „lively and vital” (Remigiusz Kijak, Drahomira Gracova, Andrzej Klimczuk)
and a cultural choie of processes connected with ageing and old age (Małgorzata Bortliczek, Maja Dziedzic).
The publication incorporates in the assumptions of programmes aiming at stimulating for undertaking constant consideration on efficient activation of older people in the individual and social dimension. The importance of the concept of active ageing is recognized not only by social gerontologists, but it also became a basis of many government programmes, e.g. „Rządowy Program na rzecz Aktywności Społecznej Osób Starszych na lata 2014–2020” (Ministerstwo Pracy
i Polityki Społecznej, Polska), „Národný program aktívneho starnutia na roky 2014–2020” (Ministerstvo Práce, Słowacja), „Národní strategie podporující pozitivní stárnutí pro období let 2013 až 2017” (Ministerstvo práce a sociálních věcí, Republika Czeska).


Štefan Chudý
Łukasz Tomczyk

SUMMARY Background Dental health is an important determinant of nutritional status, but has not been investigated as a risk factor for dementia. This study aimed to investigate the association between number of teeth, use of dentures and recent-onset dementia. Methods This was ...

The purpose of this brief note is to present a discussion of the first two sessions of a poetry group conducted with moderately to severely cognitively impaired adults in a nursing home. Exercises and techniques used with this population are discussed. Poetry groups such as this may provide joy those who suffer, a chance to re-experience memories, to connect to others, and the creation of moments of increased value and meaning.

Older people are often assumed to be both asexual and de-gendered, meaning that sexuality is often overlooked in the older population (Barrett and Hinchcliff 2017). Moreover, even when sexuality is acknowledged within gerontology, heterosexu- ality is often assumed (Westwood 2016; King 2016a). Gerontology has thus been hetero- normative: heterosexuality is viewed as the taken-for-granted and desirable norm. It is also cis-normative, making the assumption that a per- son’s current gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth. The term queering gerontology in this entry refers to attempts by critical gerontologists/ageing scholars to interro- gate and challenge these assumptions in main- stream gerontology by drawing on queer theory.

Background: India has begun to feel the burden of an aging society. Aging individuals are now living longer with increasing life expectancy and availability of better health facilities but are also requiring more assistance or care to manage their day to day activities. Objective: This paper examines gender differences in the term of care of older parents in India by studying the expected provision of care by family members. Gender differences in care are important, as the socio-cultural environment of India shapes the role of married children. While married sons are expected to provide long-term care for their biological parents, married daughters have limited scope to do so. This paper examines the level of care of the elderly on basis of gender in the family. Method: To conduct the above-mentioned study the present researcher used both quantitative and qualitative methods. Present study has been conducted based on the 2011 census of Kolkata City in the West Bengal, India, 150 res...

This chapter focuses on introducing ideas of the creative ageing policy in the context of international and national strategies. It also overviews the best practices at regional and local levels. The chapter suggests that the roots of the creative ageing policy are derived mainly from the countries characterized by Anglo-Saxon capitalism and the liberal model of the welfare state. The chapter also shows that some important ideas, principles, and observations in this paradigm come from the countries of the European Union as well as the states of the Asia-Pacific region.
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/978-1-137-53523-8_5

Introduction: Elderly constitute rapidly growing proportion of our population. About 10-15% elderly have mental health problems Aim: To study the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in elderly persons attending the outpatients department in GHMC Method: Study was conducted in OutPatients in GHMC over 6 months and total of 180 patients aged 60-years and above was enrolled. Based on analysis prevalence rates were obtained.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between health literacy, demographics, and access to health care.DESIGN: Cross-sectional study, Health, Aging and Body Composition data (1999/2000).SETTING: Memphis, Tennessee, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.PARTICIPANTS: Two thousand five hundred twelve black and white community-dwelling older people who were well functioning at baseline (without functional difficulties or dementia).MEASUREMENTS: Participants' health literacy was assessed using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine. Scores were categorized into 0 to sixth-, seventh- to eighth-, and ninth-grade and higher reading levels (limited health literacy defined as <9th grade). Participants' demographics, socioeconomic status, comorbidities, and three indicators of healthcare access (whether they had a doctor/regular place of medical care, an influenza vaccination within the year, or insurance for medications) were also assessed.RESULTS: Participants' mean age was 75.6, 52% were female, 38% were black, and 24% had limited health literacy. After adjusting for sociodemographics, associations remained between limited health literacy and being male, being black, and having low income and education, diabetes mellitus, depressive symptoms, and fair/poor self-rated health (P<.02). After adjusting for sociodemographics, health status, and comorbidities, older people with a sixth-grade reading level or lower were twice as likely to have any of the three indicators of poor healthcare access (odds ratio=1.96, 95% confidence interval=1.34–2.88).CONCLUSION: Limited health literacy was prevalent and was associated with low socioeconomic status, comorbidities, and poor access to health care, suggesting that it may be an independent risk factor for health disparities in older people.

Introduction: Hearing, vision, and cognitive impairment commonly co-occur in older people. However, the rate of recognition and appropriate management of combined hearing and vision impairment in people with dementia impairment is low. The aim of this work was to codevelop internationally relevant, multidisciplinary practice recommendations for professionals involved in the diagnosis, care, and management of older people with these concurrent conditions. Methods: We applied consensus methods with professional and lay expert stakeholders, using an adapted version of the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development. The development involved 4 phases and included: (1) collating existing evidence, (2) filling the gaps in evidence, (3) prioritising evidence, and (4) refining the final list of recommendations. Each phase encompassed various methodologies including a review of existing guidelines within the 3 clinical domains, systematic reviews, qualitative studies, a clin...

Though only for few people old age is the best part in their lives, it is not per definition the worst.  Good ageing, as I understand it, is simply making the best  of growing old. 
(1) first I want to make some remarks on my understanding of ethics and its relationship to ageing. Then I want to make an inventory of the ingredients that a theory of good ageing needs to include. Here I especially want to draw attention  to its contribution to, what I would coin, an existential gerontology; concentrating on what it means to grow old.  (2) Besides being constructive, the ethical reflection on good ageing also needs to be critical. I conclude therefore with questioning some master narratives and gerontological paradigms of ‘normal’ ageing. (3)

Alzheimerova bolest pogađa sve aspekte života oboljele osobe, njene vještine i izvedbu aktivnosti dnevnog života. Skrb za osobu oboljelu od Alzheimerove bolesti ili nekog drugog oblika demencije opisana je kao najzahtjevniji oblik skrbi s kojim se osoba treba suočiti, sukladno razvojnom stadiju bolesti. Svakim danom broj starih osoba, a s njime i broj osoba oboljelih od Alzheimerove bolesti raste. U Hrvatskoj zbog nedostatka pružanja pomoći, podrške i kompetentnih stručnjaka često skrb za oboljele osobe pada „na leđa“ obitelji koja, sve što vrijeme više odmiče od trenutka kada su saznali za bolest, gube podršku prijatelja, obitelji i okoline. Skrbnici su u situacijama u kojima se moraju sami snalaziti i često nisu upućeni u sva prava koja imaju te je moguće da postanu tzv. indirektne žrtve te povećati vjerojatnost da se o njoj treba također cjelodnevno brinuti. Adekvatnom pomoći to se zasigurno može prevenirati te osim što trebamo raditi na senzibilizaciji javnosti također trebamo i treba nastojati povećati kvalitetu života osoba oboljelih od Alzheimerove bolesti metodama interdisciplinarnog pristupa.

The elderly not only face the problem of physical changes but also undergo emotional, psychological and social changes. Some individuals cope with these changes effectively but others will experience extreme frustration and mental agony. The family members should understand the psychosocial changes and stresses experienced by the elderly and fosters necessary care and concern to them. The biological age and chronological age are closely related but will not correlate. As the age advances, the health problems tend to increase with age and these problems also depend on economic condition and family and social support system. The main objective of this investigation is to study the plight of the elderly women in the institutional settings with the following broad objectives: To make a study of personal profile of the respondents; To understand the living arrangements of the elderly women in the institutions; To assess the extent of family relationship as well as the psychological condition of the respondents; To know and understand the social status of the elderly women in the institutions; and to study the coping patterns of elderly women. Total 80 respondents were interviewed from four care homes in the Udupi District through simple random sampling method. The study reveals that majority of the respondents are from rural area and economically poor status. They suffer from depression since they lack psychological and emotional support. They express their emotions by getting short tempered and irritable. Some try to cope up with indulging themselves more with religious activities like prayer and meditation. The healthy interaction in an institution will help in getting integration and healthy bond with other inmates. The study concludes by saying the most important aspect in every human being life is to have a financial plan for future at the middle age itself.

The majority of Vietnamese Australians migrated to Australia as refugees to escape a war and this unique migration background may affect their ability to access and utilize healthcare services in Australia. Inability to utilize dementia services is associated with higher levels of caregiver burden, higher rates of morbidities and mortality and hospitalization. The aim of the study was to explore the perceived challenges of dementia care from Vietnamese family caregivers and Vietnamese care workers. Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics was used to interpret and describe the experiences of the participants. Data were collected from in-depth interviews with six Vietnamese family caregivers and a focus group with Vietnamese care workers using purposive sampling. Participants were recruited from a Vietnamese community care organization in South Australia. Five themes were identified from the data analysis namely: (1) a need for culturally and linguistically appropriate dementia education programs; (2) a willingness and unwillingness to seek help; (3) poor knowledge of health care service availability related to dementia; (4) the effect of language barrier in accessing services; and (5) the main sources of services utilized. The study revealed that Vietnamese family caregivers and Vietnamese care workers held different views on the association of stigma with dementia. Findings also revealed factors that impacted accessing and utilizing dementia services. These findings facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of Vietnamese family caregivers' needs and have implications for developing individualized support for family caregivers and for consumer-directed dementia services in Australia.