Myths & facts ... about suicide in the elderly.
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Biomedical subjects
P Krach
Publications and source records attributed to P Krach.
Functional status of the oldest-old in a home setting.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine six domains of functioning: physical, mental, social, spiritual, economic and activities of daily living. The primary inclusion criteria at the time of recruitment were that participants be over the age of 85, be cognitively intact, and be living in a home setting. Instruments used for the study included the Older Americans Resource Survey (OARS), Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Spiritual Well Being Scale (SWBS). Fifty subjects, mean age 89 years, lived alone (65%) or with their spouse (22%) in their homes. Person's correlation analysis found significant relationships among physical, mental, social, economic and activities of daily living. Good to excellent functioning was found in the mental (82%) and social (82%) domains. Highest functional impairments were identified with ability to carry out activities of daily living (72%) and in the domains of physical functioning (55%). Common chronic illnesses reported were arthritis (56%), hypertension (46%) and cardiac problems (30%). The average daily use of prescribed drugs was three times and over-the-counter use was once per day. Eleven per cent of subjects were mildly (7%) or moderately (4%) depressed. Subjects reported that they needed visiting nurses (29%), home health aids (20%) and help with shopping (24%) and transportation (24%). The data suggest that multidimensional assessment is necessary to identify nursing interventions that will regain, maintain or enhance functioning among oldest-old people.
Activities of Daily Living↗
Identifying the responsibilities & needs of working adults who are primary caregivers.
1. Caregivers of the elderly are mostly married women caring for mothers by completing household chores and personal care, managing finances and providing financial support, transportation, and companionship. 2. Caregivers attribute a variety of health care problems related to the burden of caregiving and miss an average of 8 days of work a year related to caregiving responsibilities. 3. The majority of caregivers express ten educational needs that would be helpful in their caregiving activities.
Adult↗
Nursing implications. Functional status of older persons with schizophrenia.
1. Older persons with schizophrenia underreport medical symptoms and overrate physical well-being. 2. Changes in mental functioning and ability to perform activities of daily living are often the first signs of physical illness. 3. Completing a drug inventory for tardive dyskinesia and extrapyramidal side effects should be ongoing. 4. Social assessment and intervention should focus on the well part of the person.
Activities of Daily Living↗
Functional status of older persons with chronic mental illness living in a home setting.
The purpose of the study was to determine the functional status of older persons with chronic mental illness. One hundred subjects living in their homes were interviewed in face-to-face interviews using the Older Adult Resources Survey (OARS) to determine functioning in five areas: social, economic, mental, physical, and activities of daily living. Pearson product moment correlation showed significant relationships among all functional scores. Twenty-nine percent of the total sample had social relationships of poor quality. Thirty-five percent of subjects had severe economic impairment. The majority (53%) of subjects had psychiatric symptoms. The most common psychiatric diagnosis was depression (42%), followed by schizophrenia (22%), and bipolar illness (13%). Twenty-nine percent of subjects had a serious medical problem that required medical treatment. Cardiovascular diseases were the most frequently reported (92%), followed by arthritis (45%) and urinary tract disorders (19%). All subjects perceived that their physical health had deteriorated over the 5 years. Polypharmacy and drug misuse were common among the sample. A mean of four prescribed drugs was taken daily over the past month. Psychotropic (83%), antihypertensive (32%), and cardiac (20%) medications were the most frequently prescribed drugs. Twenty-five percent of the sample regularly required assistance with at least four activities of daily living.
Activities of Daily Living↗
Filial responsibility and financial strain--the impact on farm families.
Farmers find emotional and physical support through kin relationships. Farmers have frequent, satisfying contacts with aged parents. Filial responsibility remains strong even when financial resources decrease. Successful models of health care to the rural population have been implemented.
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Discovering the secret. Nursing assessment of elderly alcoholics in the home.
Comprehensive functional assessment of the older alcoholic is needed because of the complex needs of the aged. Signs of alcohol abuse may be more obscure for older drinkers than for younger age groups. Signs of alcohol abuse are often accepted as signs of aging. Older drinkers remain socially isolated more often than younger drinkers. Many older alcoholics will eliminate or moderate their drinking once they understand how abuse will affect their well-being.
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Incest. Nursing interventions for group therapy.
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Adaptation, Psychological↗
Assessment of depressed older persons living in a home setting.
This article discusses the complexity of assessing depression in older persons in a home setting. The author describes using the Older Adults Resource Survey to determine functional status in five domains. Other components essential to assessment of depression include inventory of medications, the Short Portable Mental Status questionnaire, the Mini-Mental Status, the Geriatric Depression Scale, a suicide assessment, and a drinking history.
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