Predicting Falls in Healthy Elderly: A Comparison between Unified Balance Scale versus Four-Square Step Test

Background: Falls is a major incidence in elderly life and its sequence may be a major cause of mortality. Falls can be predicted and thus prevented. Screening scales are either a brief one component balance or more composite multifactorial assessment. Four Square Step test is an easy, less time consuming, versus Unified Balance scale which is multi domain. The present study was intended to see which of the two scales could accurately predict adults who were at risk of falls. Thus, helping therapist perform a single test to screen them and give them targeted treatment. Method: 80 Healthy elderly above the age of 60 years were included in the study. Fall history was noted post which Four Square Step test and Unified Balance Scale was administered in sequence. Data Analysis was done, and sensitivities and specificities were calculated. Result: Statistical Analysis was done by plotting the contingency table and plotting the Receiver Operating Curve. The Unified Balance Scale had a better combination of sensitivity and specificity than Four Square step test. Conclusion: Unified Balance scale is better than Four-Square step test in predicting falls in healthy elderly. Key words: Elderly, Fall-Risk, Screening, Four Square Step Test, Unified Balance Scale, Prediction.

A prospective cohort study comparing two predictor models for 30-day emergency readmission in the elderly.

Aim: To undertake a prospective study of the efficacy of two models (LACE and BOOST) in predicting unplanned hospital readmission. Methods: Data were collected from a single centre prospectively over a continuous 30-day period on all patients over 75 years old admitted to the acute medical unit. The primary outcome was the area under the curve for both models. Results: Area under the curve were calculated for both tools with BOOST score 0.667 (95% CI: 0.559-0.775, p=0.005) and C-statistic for LACE index 0.685 (95% CI: 0.579-0.792, p=0.002). Conclusion: In this prospective study, both the BOOST and LACE scores were found to be significant predictive models of hospital readmission. Recent hospitalisation was found to be the most significant contributing factor. Key Words: Elderly, prediction, readmission

Upaya Peningkatan Kesehatan Lansia Melalui Pendidikan Kesehatan Massage Kaki di Posyandu Lansia Lenggono

Hypertension is known as the silent killer disease because the symptoms are few, sometimes it does not cause any symptoms at all. One of the non-pharmacological therapies that can be given to people with hypertension is foot massage. The aim of this community service activity is to increase the knowledge of the elderly about foot massage. The target of this activity is the elderly group of Posyandu Lenggono. Implementation of this community service activity includes lecture, question and answer, and online discussion. The activity stages include meeting with elderly health cadres, preparation of tools and materials, implementation of health education and monitoring, and evaluation. The result of this activity shows the increasing knowledge of the elderly about foot massage from an average value of 46.4 to 82.4. Recommendations that can be taken from this activity are monitoring and evaluation the results of this community service activity where collaborate with cadres and health workers. Key words: elderly, hypertension, foot massage

Vulnerabilidad, trabajo y salud en mujeres de la tercera edad en Ameca, Jalisco

Resumen: en esta investigación se analizan las condiciones de vida de los adultos mayores, en especial de las mujeres en Ameca, Jalisco, México. Examinar su situación, desde un enfoque de género, permite mostrar la complejidad de las relaciones que construyen para enfrentar la desigualdad, el empobrecimiento y una mayor vulnerabilidad, en comparación con los hombres. El estudio es cualitativo, aunque no se descartó el análisis cuantitativo. A partir de entrevistas a profundidad, se reconstruyen experiencias de algunas adultas mayores que enfrentan desamparo, incapacidad o maltrato, y que tienen que trabajar para sobrevivir. Este trabajo contribuye a visibilizar la situación riesgosa y vulnerable de esta población, y los resultados muestran que existe una relación entre sus padecimientos y el exceso de trabajo físico que realiza. Por tanto, la condición de vida de los ancianos es vulnerable, debido a circunstancias familiares, culturales y económicas, que se reflejan en pobreza, abandono y marginalidad. Palabras clave: mujeres adultas mayores; mujeres trabajadoras en Ameca Jalisco; vulnerabilidad social de mujeres mayores; salud en mujeres trabajadoras; interacción social en mujeres mayores. Elderly women’s vulnerability, work and health in Ameca, JaliscoAbstract: this research analyzes the living conditions of elderly people, especially women, in Ameca, Jalisco, Mexico. Examining their situation from a gender perspective enables us to show the complexity of the relationships constructed by them in order to face inequality, impoverishment and a greater vulnerability as compared with men. This study is qualitative, although quantitative analysis was not discarded. Based on in-depth interviews, experiences of some elder women facing abandonment, disability or battering, and who must work to survive are reconstructed. It contributes to make visible the risky and vulnerable situation of this population segment. Results show a relationship between their sufferings and their work overload. Therefore, the elderly’s living conditions are vulnerable on account of family, cultural and economic circumstances, which become evident in poverty, abandonment and marginalization. Key words: elderly women; women workers in Ameca, Jalisco; elderly women’s social vulnerability; women workers’ health; social interaction of elderly women.

VEIAS, RUGAS E CAMINHOS ABERTOS: O DIREITO DO IDOSO NA AMÉRICA LATINA E OS EXEMPLOS DE BRASIL E BOLÍVIA

Resumo: Este artigo considera as mudanças demográficas em curso na América Latina e as condições de surgimento do Direito do Idoso no subcontinente. Ele discute em que consiste essa nova especialidade legal, quais seus atuais instrumentos normativos, que conteúdo encerra e, a partir dos exemplos brasileiro e boliviano, quão variadas podem ser suas manifestações. O método comparativo delineia um cenário de desigualdade e diversidade, mas também permite a identificação de problemas semelhantes e de soluções compartilhadas. Palavras-chave: Direito do Idoso; América Latina; Brasil; Bolívia. Abstract: This article presents the demographic changes in Latin America and the conditions for the emergence of Elderly Law in the region. It discusses of what this legal specialty consists, which are its normative instruments and, considering Brazilian and Bolivian examples, how diverse can its manifestations be. The comparative method reveals a scenario of diversity and inequality, but it also allows identifying similar problems and shared solutions. Key words: Elderly Law; Latin América; Brazil; Bolivia.