Home care workers, the fastest growing segment of the U.S. direct care workforce, provide nonmedical services that are not reimbursed by Medicare; consequently, requirements for training and supervision are left to the states. The purposes of this study are to compare these state requirements and to identify core competencies for home care workers. Our content analysis of relevant state laws de...

BACKGROUND Cognitive impairment in general is known to predict functional disability, but it is not clear whether performance on specific cognitive domains predicts future disability trends among nondemented elderly persons. METHODS In a representative elderly community-based cohort over up to 10 years of follow-up, we examined predictors of longitudinal trajectories in ability to perform Ins...

PURPOSE Behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and disrupt the effective management of AD patients. The present study explores the use of radio electric asymmetric brain stimulation (REAC) in patients who have had a poor response to pharmacological treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eight patients (five females and three males; mean [±standa...

OBJECTIVE This study aims at working on a systematic review of articles published on social determinants associated with the elderly mortality. METHODS We searched articles published in Portuguese, English and Spanish language periodicals from January 1st 2007 to December 31st 2009, by means of Lilacs and Pubmed databases. Twenty cohort studies were identified, having most of them been develo...

Functional status is often defined by cumulative scores across indices of independence in performing basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL/IADL), but little is known about the unique relationship of each daily activity item with the fall outcome. The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the level of relative risk for a future fall associated with difficulty with p...

2. Can you get to places beyond walking distance without help with some help Or are you completely unable to travel unless special arrangements are made? [ ] 3 [ ] 2 [ ] 1 3. Can you go shopping for groceries without help with some help Or are you completely unable to do any shopping? [ ] 3 [ ] 2 [ ] 1 4. Can you prepare your own meals without help with some help Or are you completely unable to...

INTRODUCTION The Hospital Admission Risk Profile (HARP) instrument is commonly used to assess risk of functional decline when older people are admitted to hospital. HARP has moderate diagnostic accuracy (65%) for downstream decreased scores in activities of daily living. This paper reports the diagnostic accuracy of HARP for downstream quality of life. It also tests whether adding other measure...

INTRODUCTION This study examined differences between men and women in the ability to perform basic activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, and higher physical functioning after stroke. The objective of the study was to determine whether sex differences in stroke recovery can be explained by depressive status beyond older age, stroke severity, prestroke physical func...

OBJECTIVES We attempt to understand the influence of residential mobility on changes in objective activity of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) limitations, while taking into account the subjective reason for the move. METHODS We examine noninstitutionalized adults aged 70 and older who are in the Longitudinal Study of Aging. We use bivariate regression to identify differences be...

An evidence-based review was undertaken to answer the question, "What is the evidence for the effect of interventions designed to establish, modify, and maintain activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), leisure, and social participation on quality of life (QOL), health and wellness, and client and caregiver satisfaction for people with Alzheimer's dise...