scholarly journals Semi-Autonomous Vehicles as a Cognitive Assistive Device for Older Adults

Geriatrics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Frank Knoefel ◽  
Bruce Wallace ◽  
Rafik Goubran ◽  
Iman Sabra ◽  
Shawn Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Cognitive Change ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Assistive Device ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Vehicle Automation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Aging Drivers

Losing the capacity to drive due to age-related cognitive decline can have a detrimental impact on the daily life functioning of older adults living alone and in remote areas. Semi-autonomous vehicles (SAVs) could have the potential to preserve driving independence of this population with high health needs. This paper explores if SAVs could be used as a cognitive assistive device for older aging drivers with cognitive challenges. We illustrate the impact of age-related changes of cognitive functions on driving capacity. Furthermore, following an overview on the current state of SAVs, we propose a model for connecting cognitive health needs of older drivers to SAVs. The model demonstrates the connections between cognitive changes experienced by aging drivers, their impact on actual driving, car sensors’ features, and vehicle automation. Finally, we present challenges that should be considered when using the constantly changing smart vehicle technology, adapting it to aging drivers and vice versa. This paper sheds light on age-related cognitive characteristics that should be considered when developing future SAVs manufacturing policies which may potentially help decrease the impact of cognitive change on older adult drivers.

scholarly journals The Impact of Assistive Device Use on Disability and Depression Among Older Adults With Age-Related Vision Impairments

2006 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
pp. S274-S280 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Horowitz ◽  
M. Brennan ◽  
J. P. Reinhardt ◽  
T. MacMillan
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Assistive Device ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Device Use ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Aging in Place with Age-Related Cognitive Changes: The Impact of Caregiving Support and Finances

Societies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 31
Author(s):  
Alexandra Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Aging In Place ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Age In Place ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Personal Finances ◽  
The Impact ◽  
At Home

In the United States, aging in place is a common concept that refers to older adults’ desire to remain in their homes as they age. However, this ability to age in place is a complex process that is not only impacted by the home’s accessibility or individual functional abilities. This paper aims to examine different factors, such as home environment and home modification, caregivers, finances, and other supports present in the participants’ lives, that impact older adults with age-related cognitive changes (ARCC) (in)ability to age in place. Qualitative interviews with older adults with ARCC (n = 5) and their caregivers (n = 5) were conducted. The participants’ experiences while aging in place indicate that finances and caregiving support greatly impacted their lives at home and ability to age in place. Personal finances dictated where some of the participants could age and the support, they could afford from home health aides. Additionally, informal and formal caregivers were an important source of support that aided in the older adults’ ability to remain home. As researchers, we need to continue to address personal finances and the support that the individual has in their lives to most effectively promote aging in place and their life at home.

scholarly journals Spousal Loss and Cognitive Functioning: Do Pre-Loss Marital Quality and Gender Matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 366-366
Author(s):  
Joohong Min ◽  
Jieun Song
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Marital Quality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cognitive Change ◽  
Life Transitions ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Spousal Loss ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Prior research has found that the risk of cognitive decline increases after the death of a spouse. In general, the impact of life transitions is contingent on contextual factors such as socio-demographic characteristics or relationship quality. However, there is limited research on how marital quality before spousal loss and gender influence the association between spousal loss and cognitive change. The current study examines the effects of spousal loss on change in cognitive functioning as well as the moderating effects of pre-loss marital quality and gender. Data from two waves of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study were analyzed (MIDUS2: 2004-05, MIDUS3: 2013-14). The analytic sample consists of two groups: (1) 179 bereaved adults who were age 54 or older at MIDUS2 (M = 65.2, SD = 9.5) and whose spouses died between MIDUS2 and MIDUS3, and (2) 179 non-bereaved adults, matched with the bereaved group on age and gender, who did not experience spousal loss between the two waves. Cognitive function was assessed via BTACT (Brief Telephone Adult Cognition Test) at both waves. Regression results show that both pre-loss marital quality and gender significantly moderate the association between spousal loss and change in cognitive functioning. Specifically, relative to their counterparts, men and those who reported better marital relationships prior to spousal death had a greater risk of cognitive decline after a spouse’s death. The findings suggest the significance of pre-loss marital quality and gender for cognitive changes in widowhood and have implications for the development of efficient interventions

scholarly journals Dual Effects of Hearing Loss and Dementia on Functional Limitations in Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 214-214
Author(s):  
Michael McKee ◽  
Yunshu Zhou ◽  
Joshua Ehrlich ◽  
Elham Mahmoudi ◽  
Jennifer Deal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Household Activity ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Lower Mobility ◽  
Independent Effects ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Age-related hearing loss (HL) is both common and associated with elevated risk for cognitive decline and poorer health. To care for an aging population, it is critical to understand the effect of coexisting HL and dementia on functional activities. The effect of co-existing dementia and self-reported HL on daily functioning were assessed. A cross-sectional analysis was performed using nationally-representative data from the 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study consisting of U.S. adults 65+. The sample included 1,829 adults with HL (22.8%) and 5,338 adults without HL. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to model the independent effects and interaction of self-reported HL and dementia status on three validated functional activity scales (self-care, mobility, and household). All analyses adjusted for sociodemographic and medical factors. HL participants were more likely to be white, older, male, less educated (p <0.01). 8.4% had possible dementia and 6.5% had probable dementia. Respondents with HL or possible or probable dementia had significantly lower mobility, self-care, and household activity scores (p<.001 for all comparisons) compared to their peers. A small yet significant interaction was present in all models, suggesting that HL respondents with co-occurring dementia had lower mobility, self-care, and household activity scores than predicted by the independent effects of dementia and self-reported HL (p<.001 for all comparisons). Older adults with co-occurring dementia and HL are at increased risk for poor functioning and should be screened by healthcare providers. Future work should consider the impact of intervention in this vulnerable/at-risk population.

scholarly journals The Impact of Behavioral Intervention on Obesity Mediated Declines in Mobility Function: Implications for Longevity

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joe Nocera ◽  
Thomas W. Buford ◽  
Todd M. Manini ◽  
Kelly Naugle ◽  
Christiaan Leeuwenburgh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Aging Process ◽  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Mobility Performance ◽  
Mobility Function ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Primary Focus ◽  
The Impact

A primary focus of longevity research is to identify prognostic risk factors that can be mediated by early treatment efforts. To date, much of this work has focused on understanding the biological processes that may contribute to aging process and age-related disease conditions. Although such processes are undoubtedly important, no current biological intervention aimed at increasing health and lifespan exists. Interestingly, a close relationship between mobility performance and the aging process has been documented in older adults. For example, recent studies have identified functional status, as assessed by walking speed, as a strong predictor of major health outcomes, including mortality, in older adults. This paper aims to describe the relationship between the comorbidities related to decreased health and lifespan and mobility function in obese, older adults. Concurrently, lifestyle interventions, including diet and exercise, are described as a means to improve mobility function and thereby limit the functional limitations associated with increased mortality.

scholarly journals Age-Related Differences in Actual-Ideal Personality Trait Level Discrepancies

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Hennecke ◽  
Paul Schumann ◽  
jule specht
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Big Five ◽  
Personality Trait ◽  
Age Effects ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Trait Level ◽  
Patterns Of Behavior ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Impact

People differ from each other in their typical patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion and these patterns are considered to constitute their personalities (Funder, 2001). For various reasons, for example because certain trait levels may help to attain certain goals or fulfill certain social roles, people may experience that their actual trait levels are different from their ideal trait levels. In this study, we investigated (1) the impact of age on discrepancies between actual and ideal Big Five personality trait levels and (2) the impact of these discrepancies on personality trait changes across a period of two years. We use data of a large, nationally representative, and age-diverse sample (N = 4,057, 17-94 years, M = 53 years). Results largely confirmed previously reported age effects on actual personality trait levels but were sometimes more complex. Ideal trait levels exceeded actual trait levels more strongly for younger compared to older adults. Unexpectedly, neither ideal trait levels nor their interaction with beliefs about the extent to which personality is malleable vs. fixed predicted trait change over two years (controlling for actual trait levels). We conclude that ideal-actual trait level discrepancies may provide an impetus for change but that they appear to neither alone nor in combination with the belief that personality trait change is possible suffice to produce such change. We discuss commitment, self-efficacy, and strategy knowledge as potential additional predictors of trait change.

scholarly journals Systematic review and meta-analysis of age-related differences in instructed emotion regulation success

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e6051 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brooke Brady ◽  
Ian I. Kneebone ◽  
Nida Denson ◽  
Phoebe E. Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cognitive Change ◽  
Emotional Behavior ◽  
Response Modulation ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Process Strategy

The process model of emotion regulation (ER) is based on stages in the emotion generative process at which regulation may occur. This meta-analysis examines age-related differences in the subjective, behavioral, and physiological outcomes of instructed ER strategies that may be initiated after an emotional event has occurred; attentional deployment, cognitive change, and response modulation. Within-process strategy, stimulus type, and valence were also tested as potential moderators of the effect of age on ER. A systematic search of the literature identified 156 relevant comparisons from 11 studies. Few age-related differences were found. In our analysis of the subjective outcome of response modulation strategies, young adults used expressive enhancement successfully (g = 0.48), but not expressive suppression (g = 0.04). Response modulation strategies had a small positive effect among older adults, and enhancement vs suppression did not moderate this success (g = 0.31 and g = 0.10, respectively). Young adults effectively used response modulation to regulate subjective emotion in response to pictures (g = 0.41) but not films (g = 0.01). Older adults were able to regulate in response to both pictures (g = 0.26) and films (g = 0.11). Interestingly, both age groups effectively used detached reappraisal, but not positive reappraisal to regulate emotional behavior. We conclude that, in line with well-established theories of socioemotional aging, there is a lack of evidence for age differences in the effects of instructed ER strategies, with some moderators suggesting more consistent effectiveness for older compared to younger adults.

scholarly journals Effects of Reallocating Time Spent in Different Physical Activity Intensities on Sarcopenia Risk in Older Adults: An Isotemporal Substitution Analysis

Biology ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 111
Author(s):  
Jort Veen ◽  
Diego Montiel-Rojas ◽  
Fawzi Kadi ◽  
Andreas Nilsson
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Protein Intake ◽  
Handgrip Strength ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Muscle Health ◽  
The Impact

The role of daily time spent sedentary and in different intensities of physical activity (PA) for the maintenance of muscle health currently remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the impact of reallocating time spent in different PA intensities on sarcopenia risk in older adults, while considering PA type (muscle strengthening activities, MSA) and protein intake. In a sample of 235 community-dwelling older adults (65–70 years), a sarcopenia risk score (SRS) was created based on muscle mass assessed by bioimpedance, together with handgrip strength and performance on the five times sit-to-stand (5-STS) test assessed by standardized procedures. Time spent in light-intensity PA (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and being sedentary was assessed by accelerometry, and PA type (MSA) by self-report. Linear regression models based on isotemporal substitution were employed. Reallocating sedentary time to at least LPA was significantly (p < 0.05) related to a lower SRS, which remained evident after adjustment by PA type (MSA) and protein intake. Similarly, reallocating time in LPA by MVPA was related to a significantly (p < 0.05) lower SRS. Our results emphasize the importance of displacing sedentary behaviours for more active pursuits, where PA of even light intensities may alleviate age-related deteriorations of muscle health in older adults.

Can Undergraduate Students Help Change Older Adults’ Confidence for Making Nutrition-Related Decisions in a 45-Minute Nutrition Workshop?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Rakhshan Kamran ◽  
Giulia Coletta ◽  
Janet M. Pritchard
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Outcome Expectations ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Dietary Choices ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose: The Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) suggests health behaviour can be modified by enhancing knowledge of health benefits and outcome expectations of changing behaviour, improving self-efficacy (confidence), and developing goals to overcome barriers to behaviour change. This study aimed to determine the impact of student-led nutrition workshops on participants’ confidence related to SCT constructs for making dietary choices that align with evidence-based nutrition recommendations. Methods: Level-4 Science students developed and delivered 9 workshops on nutrition recommendations for the prevention and management of age-related diseases. Participants attending the workshops completed pre- and post-surveys to assess SCT constructs. For each SCT construct, participants rated their confidence on a 10-point Likert scale. The number (%) of participants who rated their confidence as ≥8/10 on the pre- and post-surveys were compared using the χ2 test. Results: Sixty-three community members (60% female, mean ± SD age 71 ± 7 years) attended the workshops. The number of participants rating confidence as ≥8/10 for each SCT construct increased after the workshops (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Undergraduate students can positively influence community members’ confidence for making nutrition-related decisions. Involving students in interventions where SCT-structured workshops are used may help conserve health care resources and reach older adults who may not have access to dietitian services.

scholarly journals PARASYMPATHETIC INFLUENCE ON COGNITIVE AGING IS MODERATED BY SYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY, ESPECIALLY IN EARLY MIDLIFE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S94-S94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik L Knight ◽  
Ryan Giuliano ◽  
Sean Shank ◽  
Megan Clarke ◽  
David M Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Parasympathetic Nervous System ◽  
Cognitive Change ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Cognitive Test ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Age Related

Abstract The two branches of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) have been individually linked to age-related changes in cognitive functioning: The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is thought to support healthy cognitive aging, whereas the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) has been linked to heightened cognitive decline. Despite these separate findings and despite the integrative nature of the ANS, little work has examined the two branches simultaneously to better understand their interactive effects on age-related cognitive changes. We examined cognitive change in two waves of the MIDUS cognitive project and indexed PNS and SNS activity from heart rate variability and epinephrine levels (respectively) from the MIDUS biomarker project (n = 764, 56% female, mean age = 54.1 years). Our findings indicate that higher PNS levels attenuate cognitive decline, but only among individuals with low SNS levels; at higher SNS levels, the beneficial effects of the PNS are blocked. Further, lower PNS levels can be somewhat compensated for by increased SNS levels. This pattern was most robust among individuals transitioning to mid-life (i.e., 35-40 years old at the initial cognitive test). These results suggest that interventions targeting the ANS as a modifiable factor in cognitive aging should consider both ANS branch’s effects simultaneously, particularly in the early stages of midlife.

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