The Role of Healthcare Providers and Caregivers in Educating Older Adults about Foodborne Illness Prevention

Adults aged 60 or older are more likely than younger adults to experience severe complications or even death as a result of foodborne infections. This study investigated which specific groups of healthcare providers or other caregivers are most receptive to providing food safety information to older adults. Telephone-based focus groups were conducted with health care providers and caregivers to determine their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding foodborne illness prevention for older adults. Focus groups identified a gap between older adults’ trust in healthcare providers as a credible source of food safety information and healthcare providers’ lack of training, knowledge, and willingness to provide food safety information to older adults.     

A CLASSICAL MNEMONIC FOR OLDER LEARNERS: A TRIP THAT WORKS!

ABSTRACT

This study investigated age preferences for 11 different service providers and the age at which workers in these occupational roles were considered to be “too old” by three age groups: young (18–24), middle-aged (35–55), and older adults (65 +). Results indicate that in comparison to middle-aged and older adults, young adults continue to have unrealistic age preferences and, at a time when the workforce is becoming increasingly older, feel that many workers are too old. The hypothesis of a positive relationship between age group and age preference was not supported; there were few significant differences between the middle-age and older adults.     

Predicting Trainee Ageism Using Knowledge,Anxiety, Compassion,and Contact with Older Adults

Despite the growing proportion of older adults in the population, ageism is prevalent and can facilitate discriminatory behavior, even in healthcare settings. This study used multiple regression to investigate the relationship between knowledge of aging, aging anxiety, and degree of older adult contact with ageism in undergraduates training for careers in allied health and mental health settings. It also investigated the relationship between compassion and ageism. All variables, with the exception of contact with older adults, significantly predicted ageism scores in undergraduates enrolled in an aging course. Implications for training are discussed.     

Investigating older adults’ intention to learn health knowledge on social media

ABSTRACT

Abundant health knowledge resources are available on social media to facilitate technology-enhanced knowledge learning among older adults. The objective of this study is to investigate the predictors and the underlying formation mechanism of older adults’ intention to learn health knowledge on social media. We propose a novel model to examine how older adults’ emotional state (i.e., health anxiety) and cognitive state (i.e., e-health literacy) during knowledge acquisition influence threat appraisal (i.e. perceived severity and perceived susceptibility) and coping appraisal (i.e. self-efficacy and perceived benefits), thereby shaping older adults’ intention to learn health knowledge. Survey data from 337 Chinese older adult users of social media was collected to test the research model. Results reveal that perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy and perceived benefits exert positive effects on older adults’ health knowledge learning intention, while the impact of perceived severity on health knowledge learning intention is not statistically significant; health anxiety is positively correlated with perceived severity and perceived susceptibility, and e-health literacy is a powerful predictor of self-efficacy and perceived benefits. This paper enriches the literature related to technology-enhanced knowledge learning and online health behavior among older adults. Effective strategies are proposed based on the findings for practitioners dedicated to promoting health knowledge via social media and older adults who apply health knowledge to address health-related needs.     

The impact of Age-Tastic! On health literacy about depression among older adults: a pilot study

ABSTRACT

Age-Tastic! is a health and wellness intervention designed for older adults. Incorporating game theory and behavioral activation concepts, this intervention is a board game that engages older adults in an interactive and immersive experience over 8 weeks. This paper reports on a pilot study that evaluated the impact of this intervention on health literacy about depression among community-dwelling older adults from New York City. The sample comprised 123 older adults recruited from 15 senior centers. Participants were tested on their knowledge and awareness of depression prior to the intervention and again at the end of the intervention after eight weeks. Statistically significant gains were made in the knowledge and awareness regarding the relationship of aging to depression, stigma of seeking help and knowing where to seek help. Implications for replication and use of this intervention are discussed.     

Implementation of Health Promotion in the Older Adults in Bangkok,Thailand

ABSTRACT

Effective strategies that bring health promotion messages to older adults in a developing country are needed. To evaluate the impact of various education media upon changes in knowledge and health behavior, a double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 1,268 older adults in a southwest Bangkok suburb. Group teaching supplemented by a video program was provided in the communities. A simplified booklet and an audiotape containing the same health education information as in the videotape were given to the older adults for self-study. Health knowledge was assessed before the health education program. Identical assessment was performed again 3 months after the intervention. The quadriceps exercise and Cawthorne-Cooksey head-and-neck-balance exercise—representing changes in health promotion behavior—were also evaluated. Those who attended the group-teaching program had higher test scores than the control group. Only those who both read the booklet and listened to the audiotape in the intervention group gained more knowledge than the control group. The combination of group teaching supplemented by the video program and self-study using the booklet and audiotape was effective in improving health knowledge and behavior.     

THE VALUE OF GERONTOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE FOR ELDERS: A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE ON AGING AND WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE

Worry influences how we perceive and interpret new information. By filtering and distorting information to protect his or her belief systems, the worrier lowers the probability that new experience will result in new learning and, thus, personal growth is greatly reduced.

This study's major concern was to investigate the relationship between knowledge of aging and worry about the aging process among older and younger adults in Israel. Worry adds additional difficulty to daily living, interferes with problem‐solving ability, and lowers quality of life. The present study investigates the relationship between realistic, accurate knowledge of the aging process and the degree of worry experienced by older adults. The findings indicate that there is a clear and consistently significant relationship between years of education and both knowledge of aging and degree of worry about the commonly held negative stereotyped beliefs regarding old age.

The main finding of this study is that knowledge of aging is consistently associated with lower worry scores. The better educated respondents and those better informed about the facts on aging were found less vulnerable to worrisome beliefs that are inaccurate or have low probability of occurrence. The findings suggest the importance of increasing knowledge on aging through educational programming. Increased knowledge on aging can provide older persons with anticipatory socialization that can moderate stressful future events and make extreme worry an unnecessary and avoidable condition.     

The Development of Health Knowledge in Low-Income Mexican-American Children

Children growing up in poverty are at risk for various health problems. For low-income, Mexican-American children, these risks include obesity, diabetes, and accidental injuries, 3 conditions that can largely be prevented by healthy life-styles. Despite the potential for prevention through education leading to health-promoting behaviors, very little is known about the development of health knowledge in this population. The present study examined low-income, Mexican-American children's understanding of the relation between health behavior and health status in 3 areas: nutrition, hygiene, and safety. 79 children (41 boys, 38 girls) ages 4 to 8 years participated. Children's knowledge was assessed in a structured play situation conducted in a laboratory setting. Results revealed that children knew the least about the relation between food consumption and their health, and knew the most about beneficial and harmful practices in the areas of safety and hygiene. Age and gender differences were also significant, with girls and older children more likely to provide elaborate and complex rationales for their responses. Implications of the findings for understanding the role of cognitive development and experience in the development of health knowledge are considered.     

Racial differences in attitudes toward aging,aging knowledge,and contact

The present study assessed knowledge of aging, attitudes toward aging, ageism, and contact with older adults in a sample of 271 Non-Hispanic White and African-American undergraduates. Research examining racial differences in knowledge of aging, attitudes toward aging, ageism, and contact with older adults has been sparse. Results for the current study demonstrated a significant correlation between knowledge of aging measured by the Facts on Aging Quiz-Revised (FAQ-R) and attitudes toward aging measured by the Aging Semantic Differential (ASD) for Non-Hispanic Whites but not African-Americans. In contrast, correlations between the FAQ-R and the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA) were significant for both groups. Significant group differences were also noted for the ASD-total score and ASD-Instrumentality subscale as well as for the FSA-total score, Antilocution, and Discrimination subscales. Discussion focuses on the importance of identifying cultural and contextual factors that have been neglected in the “one size fits all” approach to promoting more positive attitudes toward older adults across different racial and ethnic groups.     

Understanding Older Adults’ Perceptions of Internet Use: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

The current study examined factors related to older adults’ perceptions of Internet use. Three hundred ninety five older adults participated in the study. The factor analysis revealed four factors perceived by older adults as critical to their Internet use: social connection, self-efficacy, the need to seek financial information, and the need to seek health information. Key differences were found between previous research and the factors extracted in this study. The regression analysis demonstrated that variables like health condition, financial status, computer experience, and life satisfaction significantly predict, at various levels, factors perceived by the older adults to affect Internet use. The significance of the study as well as its implications for research and practice are discussed. Suggestions are made for future research and practice.     

Is There a Double Standard of Aging?: Older Men and Women and Ageism

This study was designed to determine current young adults' attitudes toward older adults and to explore, more specifically, whether they hold different attitudes towards older men and women. An additional objective was to examine the association between knowledge of aging processes and attitudes towards older adults. A total of 405 (210 males, 195 females) undergraduate students at a small Midwestern university were assessed on their attitudes toward an older male and an older female and on their knowledge of aging. Data analyses revealed that the participants showed more positive, rather than negative, attitudes towards older adults, and they rated older women significantly more positively than older men. No relationship was found between knowledge of aging processes and attitudes toward aging. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Self-perception of emotional development in individuals attending university programmes for seniors: training needs and answers

In older adults, emotional competencies become the most important reason to preserve quality of life. In this study we focused on Emotional Intelligence in a group of older adults. by means of examining the relationship between perceived emotional competencies and sociodemographic variables. A total of 255 older participants (72.2% women), mean age?=?64.59 years old (SD?=?5.82, range?=?52–83 years old), who attended the University of the Experience in Salamanca (Spain), were evaluated. Information on sociodemographic data, perceived health and motivation to take part in university programmes, and perceived emotional competence was collected using self-reported questionnaires. Results show significant differences, mainly in relation with sex and perceived health in various areas of emotional competence. These results open the way to design and implement quality intervention programmes that enhance social-emotional skills and personal and social well-being to improve quality of life of older people.     

Maternal-fetal attachment in african-american and Hispanic-american women

This pilot study used Cranley's Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS) to explore the feasibility of comparing maternal-fetal attachment behaviors of African-American and Hispanic-American gravidas. Data analysis revealed no significant differences between the two groups' MFAS total scale score means; however, the Hispanic-American gravidas displayed significantly higher scores in two of the subscales. While study limitations were apparent, the results lend support to health care professionals' responsibilities to be cognizant of potential similarities and differences in the cultural care needs of pregnant women.     

Motivations and Benefits of the Travel Experiences of Older Adults

The motivations and benefits of educational travel among individuals aged 55 years old and over were examined in this study. A total of 136 older adults enrolled in Elderhostel programs participated in this study and reported their perceived benefits and motivations for engaging in educational travel experiences. Correlation analyses were used to explore relationships between the adults' perceived benefits and motivations. Analyses of variance were conducted and significant differences in adults' motivations for educational travel were found by gender, education level, health, and activity level of the program. The findings from this study are discussed in terms of successful aging, and implications for organizations offering educational travel programs are provided.     

Role of cognitive prompts in video caregiving training for older adults: optimizing deep and surface learning

Enhancing the cognitive functionality of digital technology can be critical in learning complex topics like caregiving for older adults. This study examines the deployment of cognitive prompts in video-based training to optimize older adults’ cognitive information process in both deep and surface learning. The path analysis revealed the relationship among cognitive prompts, crystallized knowledge and learning outcomes showing crystallized knowledge as a significant mediator between cognitive prompts and learning outcomes. Additionally, cognitive prompts were shown to be significant in activating older learners’ prior knowledge, rendering the learning process more meaningful and purposeful for older adults.     

Older Adults' Acceptance of Information Technology

This study investigated variables contributing to older adults’ information technology acceptance through a survey, which was used to find factors explaining and predicting older adults’ information technology acceptance behaviors. Four factors, including needs satisfaction, perceived usability, support availability, and public acceptance, were found using factor analysis. According to older adults’ self-reported scores, the factors of needs satisfaction and support availability are relatively more important among the four factors. According to linear regression results, the factors of needs satisfaction and perceived usability are significantly related to use intention of information technology.     

Knowledge of Alzheimer's Disease Among Norwegian Undergraduate Health and Social Care Students: A Survey Study

With an aging general population and a concurrent increase in the prevalence of dementia, health and social care professional students are increasingly exposed to this group of patients during their clinical placements and after graduation. A sound dementia-related knowledge base among health and social care students is important in providing high-quality dementia care. The present study assessed dementia-related knowledge in health and social care students. The Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) was utilized to measure the level of dementia knowledge. A total of 321 undergraduate students from various disciplines in their final years of study, but prior to graduation, participated in this study. The study identified a moderate dementia knowledge base (mean score: 23.51 out of 30) among health and social care students. The results revealed that the students were also ignorant of many facts and had many misconceptions pertaining to Alzheimer's Disease (AD). In addition, significant differences in knowledge were evident between student groups. These results suggest that the current dementia curriculum should be evaluated in an attempt to improve the dementia knowledge base of health and social care students.     

Adverse childhood experiences,chronic diseases,and risky health behaviors in Saudi Arabian adults: A pilot study

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked with risky health behaviors and the development of chronic diseases in adulthood. This study examined associations between ACEs, chronic diseases, and risky behaviors in adults living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2012 using the ACE International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ). A cross-sectional design was used, and adults who were at least 18 years of age were eligible to participate. ACEs event scores were measured for neglect, household dysfunction, abuse (physical, sexual, and emotional), and peer and community violence. The ACE-IQ was supplemented with questions on risky health behaviors, chronic diseases, and mood. A total of 931 subjects completed the questionnaire (a completion rate of 88%); 57% of the sample was female, 90% was younger than 45 years, 86% had at least a college education, 80% were Saudi nationals, and 58% were married. One-third of the participants (32%) had been exposed to 4 or more ACEs, and 10%, 17%, and 23% had been exposed to 3, 2, or 1 ACEs respectively. Only 18% did not have an ACE. The prevalence of risky health behaviors ranged between 4% and 22%. The prevalence of self-reported chronic diseases ranged between 6% and 17%. Being exposed to 4 or more ACEs increased the risk of having chronic diseases by 2–11 fold, and increased risky health behaviors by 8–21 fold. The findings of this study will contribute to the planning and development of programs to prevent child maltreatment and to alleviate the burden of chronic diseases in adults.     

ADULT AGE DIFFERENCES IN VOCABULARY ACQUISITION

Both working memory (WM) and existing vocabulary knowledge are used when the meaning of a new word is deciphered in context. Age-related WM deficits and vocabulary strengths suggest that younger and older adults rely on these factors differently. Participants gave definitions for rare, novel words that appeared in short passages. Three measures of each individual difference factor (WM and vocabulary) were administered. Older adults gave more complete definitions for the novel words, had higher vocabulary knowledge test scores, but reduced WM scores compared to younger adults. As predicted, existing vocabulary knowledge contributed more to extracting word meaning from context than did WM for the older adults only.     

Using Film and Intergenerational Colearning to Enhance Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Older Adults

This study evaluated whether two evidence-based methods used collaboratively, intergenerational colearning and use of films/documentaries in an educational context, enhanced knowledge levels and attitudes toward older adults in nursing, social work, and other allied profession students. Students participated in a gerontology film festival where they were exposed to two documentary films related to older adults. The films were followed by a discussion led by a panel of persons who had knowledge of the topic and were models of healthy aging. A pretest/posttest design was used to measure aging knowledge and attitudes toward older adults. Additional data consisted of demographics and information on prior older adult-related trainings. Significant increases were found in aging quiz and attitude scores. The combination of exposure to the documentary films and an intergenerational panel consisting of older adults leading a discussion of the films appears to have an immediate positive effect not only on knowledge of aging, but also on attitudes. Combining the two modalities can be done using existing resources that are available cross-nationally at no or little cost.