Biomedical subjects

Nina M Silverstein

Publications and source records attributed to Nina M Silverstein.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

The value of a gerontology certificate: a survey of Frank J Manning alumni, 1980-2001.

The Frank J. Manning Certificate Program in Gerontology at the University of Massachusetts Boston was established in 1979 as part of an Administration on Aging (AoA) grant to develop and expand services to the elderly citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The program was designed to implement concepts associated with productive aging theory and traditionally has targeted learners age 60 and older. Alumni representing classes from 1980 to 2001 were surveyed by phone to learn if the original program objectives still have relevance today and to document how alumni have utilized knowledge and skills attained in the program. Almost 80% (364) of surviving alumni completed interviews. Specifically, alumni were asked about their volunteer experiences, employment, and advocacy efforts within the aging network of programs and services, as well as the impact of their training on their own aging. About 3/4 of the alumni had volunteered with elders since completing the program, while 1/4 worked in the aging network. Additional outcomes support the notion of life-long learning with many alumni continuing their education beyond the certificate program. In addition, many alumni reported utilizing knowledge and skills in caregiving for family members and friends. This study will help document the value of certificate-level training in Gerontology for its students and for the communities they serve.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Promoting safe and comfortable driving for elders.

Americans are life-long drivers. It is imperative that aging drivers remain on the road safely. This chapter addresses one strategy for achieving this end, namely the utilization of low-tech vehicle modifications for addressing challenges with driving due to functional deficits that normally occur with aging. It focuses primarily on the selection of useful features to be demonstrated in a video intervention in a research project to assess whether watching the video would increase elders' awareness of and likelihood of using the features. The features were chosen with the assistance of a panel of experts in transportation, aging, rehabilitation, and related fields plus a focus group of older drivers. Selecting the features, developing survey instruments, and producing the video constitute Phase I of the study. Phase II investigates whether watching a video would increase older drivers' awareness of such features and motivate them to use any of them. This chapter also includes an overview of Phase II and some comments with respect to high-tech features and the future of automobile travel.

Accident Prevention↗

PubMed2003

Environmental correlates to behavioral health outcomes in Alzheimer's special care units.

PURPOSE: We systematically measured the associations between environmental design features of nursing home special care units and the incidence of aggression, agitation, social withdrawal, depression, and psychotic problems among persons living there who have Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder. DESIGN AND METHODS: We developed and tested a model of critical health-related environmental design features in settings for people with Alzheimer's disease. We used hierarchical linear modeling statistical techniques to assess associations between seven environmental design features and behavioral health measures for 427 residents in 15 special care units. Behavioral health measures included the Cohen-Mansfield physical agitation, verbal agitation, and aggressive behavior scales, the Multidimensional Observation Scale for Elderly Subjects depression and social withdrawal scales, and BEHAVE-AD (psychotic symptom list) misidentification and paranoid delusions scales. Statistical controls were included for the influence of, among others, cognitive status, need for assistance with activities of daily living, prescription drug use, amount of Alzheimer's staff training, and staff-to-resident ratio. Although hierarchical linear modeling minimizes the risk of Type II-false positive-error, this exploratory study also pays special attention to avoiding Type I error-the failure to recognize possible relationships between behavioral health characteristics and independent variables. RESULTS: We found associations between each behavioral health measure and particular environmental design features, as well as between behavioral health measures and both resident and nonenvironmental facility variables. IMPLICATIONS: This research demonstrates the potential that environment has for contributing to the improvement of Alzheimer's symptoms. A balanced combination of pharmacologic, behavioral, and environmental approaches is likely to be most effective in improving the health, behavior, and quality of life of people with Alzheimer's disease.

Aged↗