Life Of Older People Research Articles

Challenges, Concerns, and Experiences of Community-Dwelling Older Women with Chronic Low Back Pain—A Qualitative Study in Hong Kong, China

Although chronic low back pain (CLBP) is known to negatively affect multiple aspects of the lives of older people, prior qualitative studies mainly focused on the lived experiences of older people with CLBP in Western countries. Given cultural and contextual differences and poor understanding of CLBP in older women with CLBP, it is important to better understand the concerns and lived experiences of Chinese older women with CLBP. The current study aimed to investigate the experiences, challenges, concerns, and coping strategies of older women with CLBP in Hong Kong. A total of 15 community-dwelling older women with CLBP aged ≥60 years were recruited from a physiotherapy clinic or a community center for semi-structured interviews. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed 'verbatim'. The transcription was imported to NVivo 12 software. Thematic analysis was conducted using Braun and Clarke's method. Five themes were identified: (1) physical impacts of CLBP on daily life; (2) psychological influences of CLBP; (3) management of CLBP; (4) family support; and (5) social activities and support. Negative physical and psychosocial impacts of CLBP were common among older women, and they adopted diverse pain management strategies, although some of their treatment options were influenced by the Chinese culture. Misbeliefs and responses of family and friends also affected their management strategies. Elderly community centers are a significant source of social support for older women with CLBP, making it an ideal platform for establishing self-help groups to facilitate their self-management of CLBP.

“Seeing the day-to-day situation”: A grounded theory of how persons living with dementia and their family caregivers experience the hospital to home transition and beyond

Most older adults with dementia live at home, they primarily receive care provided by family members and friends. Given the decline in memory and other cognitive functions, there to be higher rates of touch points with the health system for those living with dementia. Evidence has shown that these care transitions mark critical changes in the lives of older people, including significant and far-reaching changes to family caregivers. Therefore, it is imperative that complex social processes enacted by persons with dementia and their family caregivers in response to care transitions be more thoroughly explained. This study took place in Canada between 2019 and 2021 and adopted a constructivist grounded theory design. Twenty-five people participated in 20 interviews: 4 people living with dementia and 21 caregivers. We report on six concepts grounded in the data that are linked to a core process engaged in by the participants throughout the care transition journey and beyond: Seeing the day-to-day situation. This study contributes theoretically to the care transition literature by making explicit not only the visible work done by patient-caregiver days during the care transition journey, but it has also illuminated the ongoing processes engaged in by caregivers who are navigating the health and social care systems with their family member living with dementia. During the care transition, and beyond, the caregiver is forced to take over and connect the dots. Even though the caring experience is fraught with traumatic and very challenging situations, for many caregivers, they rise above and can reconcile their suffering with a desire to help their family member and others who may be going through similar experiences. This theory provides a foundation on which to develop theory-driven interventions that focus on support the patient-caregiver dyad during care transitions.

"Analyzing the Influencing Factors on Quality of Life of Older People with Swallowing Dysfunction in Nursing Homes in China"

"Analyzing the Influencing Factors on Quality of Life of Older People with Swallowing Dysfunction in Nursing Homes in China"

The WHO Active Aging Pillars and Their Relationship with Quality of Life in Older Adults Indonesian

One of humanity’s outstanding accomplishments is population aging, with the elderly offering valuable resources and significantly contributing to the structure of our societies. Concurrently, this aging population poses enormous challenges, as it needs more significant economic and social requirements. This research aims to consider active aging factors to increase the quality of life of older people. The research design was qualitative and quantitative analysis with cross-sectional for the case studies and evaluations in three areas of active aging by collecting data through interviews, focus group discussions with the elderly, caregivers, and direct observation. Geriatric assessment instruments of the Geriatric Division of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) were used for diagnosis. EQ-5D index score Indonesia version was applied to measure the quality of life, with 0,692 cut-off points for the low and high. From the study results, it was found that routinely carrying out health checks, being grateful, social activities, cooperation, and participating in/out of the environment is significantly related to the quality of life of the elderly. In addition, occupational status and the number of illnesses are also significantly related to the quality of life, while cognitive function tends to be significant. Physical participation, social participation, and experience of falling were significantly correlated with quality of life. Health check-up behavior was also significantly correlated with health quality of life. Based on the resulting study, it is recommended for future studies would be better if they could cover social security, including pensions, as pensions are the most essential source of security that will directly affect the welfare of the elderly.

Wrist Accelerometer Estimates of Physical Activity Intensity During Walking in Older Adults and People Living With Complex Health Conditions: Retrospective Observational Data Analysis Study.

Accurate measurement of daily physical activity (PA) is important as PA is linked to health outcomes in older adults and people living with complex health conditions. Wrist-worn accelerometers are widely used to estimate PA intensity, including walking, which composes much of daily PA. However, there is concern that wrist-derived PA data in these cohorts is unreliable due to slow gait speed, mobility aid use, disease-related symptoms that impact arm movement, and transient activities of daily living. Despite the potential for error in wrist-derived PA intensity estimates, their use has become ubiquitous in research and clinical application. The goals of this work were to (1) determine the accuracy of wrist-based estimates of PA intensity during known walking periods in older adults and people living with cerebrovascular disease (CVD) or neurodegenerative disease (NDD) and (2) explore factors that influence wrist-derived intensity estimates. A total of 35 older adults (n=23 with CVD or NDD) wore an accelerometer on the dominant wrist and ankle for 7 to 10 days of continuous monitoring. Stepping was detected using the ankle accelerometer. Analyses were restricted to gait bouts ≥60 seconds long with a cadence ≥80 steps per minute (LONG walks) to identify periods of purposeful, continuous walking likely to reflect moderate-intensity activity. Wrist accelerometer data were analyzed within LONG walks using 15-second epochs, and published intensity thresholds were applied to classify epochs as sedentary, light, or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Participants were stratified into quartiles based on the percent of walking epochs classified as sedentary, and the data were examined for differences in behavioral or demographic traits between the top and bottom quartiles. A case series was performed to illustrate factors and behaviors that can affect wrist-derived intensity estimates during walking. Participants averaged 107.7 (SD 55.8) LONG walks with a median cadence of 107.3 (SD 10.8) steps per minute. Across participants, wrist-derived intensity classification was 22.9% (SD 15.8) sedentary, 27.7% (SD 14.6) light, and 49.3% (SD 25.5) MVPA during LONG walks. All participants measured a statistically lower proportion of wrist-derived activity during LONG walks than expected (all P<.001), and 80% (n=28) of participants had at least 20 minutes of LONG walking time misclassified as sedentary based on wrist-derived intensity estimates. Participants in the highest quartile of wrist-derived sedentary classification during LONG walks were significantly older (t16=4.24, P<.001) and had more variable wrist movement (t16=2.13, P=.049) compared to those in the lowest quartile. The current best practice wrist accelerometer method is prone to misclassifying activity intensity during walking in older adults and people living with complex health conditions. A multidevice approach may be warranted to advance methods for accurately assessing PA in these groups.

Relationship between Health Literacy in Disease Prevention and Quality of Life of Older People in the Region Public Health of Thailand

Objective: To examine relationship between health literacy (HL) in disease prevention associated with the quality of life (QOL) of the older people. Materials and Methods: Three hundred sixty elderly persons aged 60 to 80 years living in the Health District 7 of Thailand were included in this study. The subjects were randomized by the multi-stage sampling technique. The data were collected using the HL in disease prevention and WHOQOL-OLD questionnaire. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: The results showed that most of the HL in disease prevention was in the sufficient to excellent level at 71.67%, and most of the QOL was in the good level at 85.84%. The factors relating to the QOL in the elderly included HL in disease prevention at a sufficient to excellent level (adjusted OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.18 to 3.99, p=0.013). Conclusion: HL in disease prevention is associated with QOL in the older people. Therefore, HL in disease prevention among the older people should be continually strengthened to have a good QOL as long as possible in old age. Keywords: Health Literacy; Quality of Life; Older people; Associated factors

Person–Environment Fit in Urban Neighbourhoods in Slovenia: Challenges and Coping Strategies

A poor person-environment fit may bring various negative effects to older people's independence and physical and psychological well-being. The presented study is especially valuable as it explores the challenges of living in cities in a country located in central and eastern Europe; namely, a less researched area when it comes to the quality of life of older people dwelling in an urban environment. The research questions that were explored are (1) what environmental pressures have people identified in the urban environment in Slovenia; and (2) what strategies have they used to deal with them? The study is based on 22 interviews with older people and three focus groups, that were then analysed using a thematic analysis approach. The study results identify a number of environmental pressures, which were divided into structural housing pressures, structural neighbourhood pressures, and formal and informal pressures. The analysis shows important behavioural responses, such as strategies of using formal and informal help, moving away from environmental pressures, mobility, actively involved in changing the environment, as well as attitudinal adaptation strategies, such as acceptance, resilience, using distraction, modesty and planning for the future. We further emphasize how these coping strategies are linked to individual and community capabilities, which function as a conversion factor.

Evaluation of the elderly people satisfaction with social programs of active longevity, on the example of the city of Moscow

The aging of the population is a new global problem, which attracts much attention in many countries: the strategies and programs aimed at maintaining the health of people over working age are being developed and implemented.Aim. Due to the increasing part of the elderly in the total population and the number of state programs implemented in the Russian Federation to support them, it is interesting to evaluate the satisfaction of this target group with active longevity program on the example of the Moscow Longevity Center program.Materials and methods. The object of the study was the population of retirement age in the South-eastern administrative District (Marjino, Kapotnya) of Moscow. The site was the territorial social centers of the South-Eastern Administrative District of Marjino, Kapotnya. The subject of the study was state social programs for citizens of retirement age. The questionnaire, including 15 closed and 1 open question was created in order to study the satisfaction of citizens of retirement age with active longevity programs.Results. Social programs for active longevity have a positive effect on citizens of retirement age, which affects their wellbeing, physical and social activities, and also encourages the population to maintain a healthy lifestyle.Conclusion. The study showed that state social programs of supporting citizens of retirement age are an example of effective interagency cooperation, they contribute to improving the quality of the active life of older people and should be actively developed and implemented throughout the Russian Federation.

Sexuality, quality of life and psychological well-being in older adults: A correlational study

This study aimed at analyzing the relationship between general health status, quality of life, and sexual life among older adults. This descriptive-correlational design study was conducted with the participation of 323 (169 female and 154 male) older people at the age of 65+. The participants were clients of the outpatient services in a general hospital in Istanbul. Data were collected with the General Health Questionnaire, Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale, and Quality of Life Scale. Psychological well-being had no association with sexuality scores whereas quality of life had a significant association. Older people with better quality of life had less sexual dysfunctionality. Participants who were up the 75 years old, who have lower education, lower economic status, unemployed, having chronic diseases seemed to experience higher ASEX scores, meaning that higher sexual dysfunction, lower GHQ scores and lower quality of life level. Sexuality in older people changes over time and continues to hold its importance. Less sexual dysfunction seemed to relate with higher quality of life in older people. Researchers should consider the importance of the quality of life on sexual satisfaction in older people.

Home Care in the Daily Lives of Older People: Protocol for an Ethnographic Two-Year Longitudinal Study.

Research on eldercare has been dominated by a provider-oriented perspective, concerned with the conditions and views of care providers. There are striking differences compared with the field of disability studies, where help is framed as part of a larger project of having a daily life and being included in society. Pilot interviews indicate that older people develop active strategies to make care work. These include practical preparations, emotional activities such as showing an interest in staff members' lives, or rhetorical skills in asking for help. The aim of this project is to develop empirical and theoretical knowledge of eldercare as a relational practice, accomplished by older people in their daily lives. This perspective will also offer an alternative to ongoing attempts to reduce the user perspective to an issue about older people acting as customers in a market. The project will map, investigate, and follow up on care use from the perspective of care users. The project has an ethnographic 2-year longitudinal approach. Data consist of interviews and participant observations with 35 persons (home care users and cohabitating partners) and a diary study with additional 10 care users. Inclusion criteria are people 65 years or older with home care provided by needs assessors. It is preferred that they have had home care between 6 months and 2 years in order to follow a progression in roles, identities, and strategies within home care use. Between May and October 2022, 25 interviews with home care users were conducted. Data collection with follow-up interviews and observations, analysis, and reporting of findings will be completed by December 2024. By studying care use in the context of older people's lives the project will add important knowledge about the strategies and adjustments older people apply to make care arrangements work. A user-oriented perspective will further the understanding of how power relations play out in home care over time in relation to the formal rights, categorical belongings, and established norm systems that place the user in superior or subordinate positions. PRR1-10.2196/42160.

Editorial introductions.

Current Opinion in Psychiatry was launched in 1988. It is one of a successful series of review journals whose unique format is designed to provide a systematic and critical assessment of the literature as presented in the many primary journals. The field of psychiatry is divided into 13 sections that are reviewed once a year. Each section is assigned a Section Editor, a leading authority in the area, who identifies the most important topics at that time. Here we are pleased to introduce the Journal's Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS Perminder S. SachdevPerminder S. SachdevPerminder S. Sachdev AM, MBBS, MD, FRANZCP, PhD, FAHMS, is Scientia Professor of Neuropsychiatry, Co-Director of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) in the School of Psychiatry, UNSW Sydney, Australia, and Clinical Director of the Neuropsychiatric Institute (NPI) at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia. He is co-chair of the Australian Dementia Network (ADNeT), and director of the Centre of Research Excellence in Vascular Contributions to Dementia. His major areas of research are drug-induced movement disorders, brain imaging, cognitive ageing and dementia. He has published over 700 peer-reviewed journal papers and six books, including one for lay readers (The Yipping Tiger and Other Tales from the Neuropsychiatric Clinic) and a book of poems (A Migrant's Musings). He was named NSW Scientist of the Year for Biomedical Sciences in 2010. In 2011, he was appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to medical research. In 2018, he won the DARF-Yulgilbar Innovation Award for dementia research. In 2022, he was awarded the Ryman Prize for research concept or initiative that has enhanced quality of life for older people. Roma VasaRoma VasaDr Roma Vasa is an internationally recognized developmental neuropsychiatrist and the Director of Psychiatric Services at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. She is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr Vasa is co-chair of the Autism and Intellectual Disability Committee of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Within the field of developmental neuropsychiatry, Dr Vasa specializes in the assessment and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders and their associated psychiatric conditions, as well as neuropsychiatric outcomes after pediatric traumatic brain injury. Her research focuses on investigating the phenotype and underlying transdiagnostic constructs of anxiety in autism spectrum disorder, notably intolerance of uncertainty. Dr Vasa is committed to training the next generation of psychiatrists, students, and other professionals in developmental neuropsychiatry and has developed innovative educational models in this area. She recently launched the Developmental Neuropsychiatry Scholar Program at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, which provides advanced specialty training to child and adolescent psychiatrists.

An Explorative Study of the Political, Economic, and Social Factors Influencing the Development of Senior Housing: A Case Study of Hong Kong

Senior housing with age-friendly design and elderly care services contributes to the health and well-being of older people. Previous research has evidenced that the immediate environment factors of senior housing, such as the design of housing features and facilities, have a direct bearing on the satisfaction and quality of life of older people. However, external environment factors, such as political, economic, and social ones that affect key stakeholders’ behaviors in senior housing development, are relatively under-researched. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the external environmental factors influencing the development of senior housing. Taking Hong Kong as case study, this study first commenced with a systematic review to identify the factors in political, economic, and social domains from global evidence. Following this, we interviewed local experts from academia, industry, and government to solicit their opinions on the relative importance of these factors. We then determined the factor rankings using the analytical hierarchy process method. The results showed that local experts perceived economic factors as the most critical ones in influencing senior housing development in Hong Kong, including land costs, funding from financial institutions, and government incentives. If policymakers tend to promote senior housing in densely populated cities like Hong Kong, the policies should be attractive for housing developers, such as land premium concessions and innovative financial channels for supporting the long-term development of senior housing.

The Design and Engineering of a Fall and Near-Fall Detection Electronic Textile

Falls can be detrimental to the quality of life of older people, and therefore the ability to detect falls is beneficial, especially if the person is living alone and has injured themselves. In addition, detecting near falls (when a person is imbalanced or stumbles) has the potential to prevent a fall from occurring. This work focused on the design and engineering of a wearable electronic textile device to monitor falls and near-falls and used a machine learning algorithm to assist in the interpretation of the data. A key driver behind the study was to create a comfortable device that people would be willing to wear. A pair of over-socks incorporating a single motion sensing electronic yarn each were designed. The over-socks were used in a trial involving 13 participants. The participants performed three types of activities of daily living (ADLs), three types of falls onto a crash mat, and one type of near-fall. The trail data was visually analyzed for patterns, and a machine learning algorithm was used to classify the data. The developed over-socks combined with the use of a bidirectional long short-term memory (Bi-LSTM) network have been shown to be able to differentiate between three different ADLs and three different falls with an accuracy of 85.7%, ADLs and falls with an accuracy of 99.4%, and ADLs, falls, and stumbles (near-falls) with an accuracy of 94.2%. In addition, results showed that the motion sensing E-yarn only needs to be present in one over-sock.

Складові якості життя паліативного пацієнта. Якість життя осіб похилого та старечого віку

In most of the post-industrial countries of the world, profound demographic and social changes are taking place, consisting in the aging of the population with a significant accumulation of elderly and senile people in the populations. This leads to significant shifts in the structure of morbidity and mortality, especially among the elderly and senile persons. The epidemiology of morbidity and mortality among these patients already today imposes complex organizational and financial problems on all national health systems of the countries concerned. In this regard, the concept of «quality of life» is becoming increasingly important and is used in the formation of medical, social policy and their solution to the problems of human adaptation to living conditions, have changed with aging and the appearance of incurable diseases inherent in old age. Thus, the quality of life can be considered as an integral indicator reflecting the degree of adaptation of a person to a disease and the ability to perform its inherent functions in accordance with its socio-economic situation. Assessment of the quality of life is based on a wide range of quality of life criteria developed by WHO, such as physical, psychological, level of independence, life in society, environment, spirituality. The main component of the concept of quality of life for the elderly is the availability of medical and social assistance, which provides for the implementation of treatment and prophylactic measures to maintain optimal physical, psychological and social comfort. A feature of the study of the quality of life of elderly patients is that in most cases the same tools are used as for other age groups. In general, the study of the quality of life of older people is of interest to modern science, and is of great practical importance. The data obtained can be used to select the optimal drugs and regimens for the treatment of patients, which would improve their quality of life. In addition, this would contribute to a more targeted use of material resources and an increase in the psychological and socio-economic condition of their family members. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.

Midfrontal Theta and Cognitive Control During Interlimb Coordination Across the Adult Lifespan

Interlimb coordination is required for adequate execution of most daily life activities. Yet, aging negatively affects interlimb coordination, impacting the quality of life in older people. Therefore, disentangling the underlying age-related neural mechanisms is of utmost importance. Here, we investigated neurophysiological processes of an interlimb reaction time task, including both simple and complex coordination modes. Midfrontal theta power, measured using electroencephalography (EEG), was analyzed as a marker for cognitive control. In total, 82 healthy adults participated, with 27 younger, 26 middle-aged, and 29 older adults. On a behavioral level, reaction time increased across the adult lifespan, and error rate was higher in older adults. Notably, aging disproportionately affected reaction times in the complex coordination modes, with larger reaction time increases from simple to complex movements than in younger adults, starting already at middle age. On the neurophysiological level, EEG showed that only younger adults had significantly increased levels of midfrontal theta power during complex relative to simple coordination modes, while no significant differences were found between simple and complex movements in middle-aged and older adults. The absence of this theta power upregulation with regard to movement complexity with increasing age might reflect a premature saturation of the available mental resources.

A Telehealth Home-Based Exercise Program for Community-Dwelling Older People with Dementia in Indonesia: A Feasibility Study.

(1) Background: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a telehealth home-based exercise program for older people with dementia living in Indonesia with support from their informal carers. (2) Methods: Pre-post intervention single group study with three assessment time-points (baseline, 12 and 18 weeks). Participants with dementia underwent a 12-week physiotherapist-delivered telehealth exercise program, with informal carer supervision between supervised online sessions, and continued the exercises for a further six weeks without physiotherapist online supervision. (3) Results: Thirty dyads of older people with dementia and their informal carers were recruited; four (13.3%) withdrew across the 12-week intervention and one (3.3%) in the 6-week self-maintenance period. Median adherence was 84.1% (IQR [25, 75] = 17.1) during the 12-week intervention, and 66.7% (IQR [25, 75] = 16.7) in the self-maintenance period. No falls/adverse events were reported. Physical activity level, some aspects of function and disability, health-related benefits of exercise, exercise enjoyment and quality of life of older people with dementia improved significantly at 12 and 18 weeks. (4) Conclusions: The telehealth exercise program is feasible and safe and may have benefits for the health outcomes of community-living older people with dementia in Indonesia. Additional strategies are necessary to enhance longer-term adherence to the program.

Associations of Pain and Sarcopenia with Successful Aging among Older People in China: Evidence from CHARLS.

Sarcopenia and chronic pain are geriatric syndromes that negatively impact the lives of older people. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship among sarcopenia, pain, and successful aging among older persons participating in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Cohort study with a 2-year follow-up. Data were derived from 2 waves of the CHARLS, and 4280 community-dwelling participants aged ≥ 60 years were included in the study. Sarcopenia status was defined according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 (AWGS 2019) criteria. Successful aging was defined following Rowe and Kahn's multidimensional model. Pain was assessed by a self-reported questionnaire. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to examine the associations. Longitudinal results demonstrated that compared with no sarcopenia, possible sarcopenia [OR (95%CI): 0.600 (0.304~1.188)] was not significantly associated with successful aging. Pain only was strongly associated with successful aging [0.388 (0.251~0.600)], whereas the association between sarcopenia only and successful aging was weaker [0.509 (0.287~0.905)]. The likelihood of being successful aging was substantially lower in the presence of coexisting sarcopenia and pain [0.268 (0.108~0.759)]. Both pain and sarcopenia are significant predictors for achieving successful aging among community-dwelling older adults. Early identification of sarcopenia and pain permits the implementation of treatment strategies and presents an opportunity to mitigate the risk of being unsuccessful aging.

Internet of Medical Things Privacy and Security: Challenges, Solutions, and Future Trends from a New Perspective

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), an application of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the medical domain, allows data to be transmitted across communication networks. In particular, IoMT can help improve the quality of life of citizens and older people by monitoring and managing the body’s vital signs, including blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, and others. Since IoMT has become the main platform for information exchange and making high-level decisions, it is necessary to guarantee its reliability and security. The growth of IoMT in recent decades has attracted the interest of many experts. This study provides an in-depth analysis of IoT and IoMT by focusing on security concerns from different points of view, making this comprehensive survey unique compared to other existing studies. A total of 187 articles from 2010 to 2022 are collected and categorized according to the type of applications, year of publications, variety of applications, and other novel perspectives. We compare the current studies based on the above criteria and provide a comprehensive analysis to pave the way for researchers working in this area. In addition, we highlight the trends and future work. We have found that blockchain, as a key technology, has solved many problems of security, authentication, and maintenance of IoT systems due to the decentralized nature of the blockchain. In the current study, this technology is examined from the application fields’ points of view, especially in the health sector, due to its additional importance compared to other fields.

Assessment of the Effectiveness, Socio-Economic Impact and Implementation of a Digital Solution for Patients with Advanced Chronic Diseases: The ADLIFE Study Protocol.

Due to population ageing and medical advances, people with advanced chronic diseases (ACD) live longer. Such patients are even more likely to face either temporary or permanent reduced functional reserve, which typically further increases their healthcare resource use and the burden of care on their caregiver(s). Accordingly, these patients and their caregiver(s) may benefit from integrated supportive care provided via digitally supported interventions. This approach may either maintain or improve their quality of life, increase their independence, and optimize the healthcare resource use from early stages. ADLIFE is an EU-funded project, aiming to improve the quality of life of older people with ACD by providing integrated personalized care via a digitally enabled toolbox. Indeed, the ADLIFE toolbox is a digital solution which provides patients, caregivers, and health professionals with digitally enabled, integrated, and personalized care, supporting clinical decisions, and encouraging independence and self-management. Here we present the protocol of the ADLIFE study, which is designed to provide robust scientific evidence on the assessment of the effectiveness, socio-economic, implementation, and technology acceptance aspects of the ADLIFE intervention compared to the current standard of care (SoC) when applied in real-life settings of seven different pilot sites across six countries. A quasi-experimental trial following a multicenter, non-randomized, non-concurrent, unblinded, and controlled design will be implemented. Patients in the intervention group will receive the ADLIFE intervention, while patients in the control group will receive SoC. The assessment of the ADLIFE intervention will be conducted using a mixed-methods approach.

The health-related quality of life of older people through preventive home visits: A quantitative longitudinal study.

Preventive home visits are a low-threshold counselling and support approach. They have been reported to achieve heterogeneous effects. However, preventive home visits have the potential to reduce the risk of becoming dependent on long-term care. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of preventive home visits as a nursing intervention on health-related quality of life of older people in a longitudinal survey and to develop recommendations for which target groups preventive home visits have the highest benefit. The sample consisted of 75 people, aged between 65 and 85, who were able to understand and speak German, had not yet been eligible for benefits from the long-term care insurance and lived in the municipality under study. A quantitative longitudinal study in order to investigate the effects of preventive home visits. There were no ethical concerns. Accordingly, ethical approval was granted. The health-related quality of life was recorded four times between 01/2017 and 08/2020 with the Short-Form-Health-Survey-12 and analysed using descriptive statistics. Results reveal that the physical health status cannot be easily influenced over a short period of time. The main effect, however, is that preventive home visits have a significant positive effect on the mental health status. The main topics during the home visits were mobility, nutrition and social participation. Increased knowledge and motivation for preventive behaviour extended the autonomy of older people. Accordingly, preventive home visits can support a self-determined life in a familiar environment. The results of the present study show that preventive home visits as a nursing intervention in rural areas are successful. In Germany, preventive home visits have not yet been implemented on a regular basis. In order to do so, a general definition of the concept is needed. Preventive home visits should be officially included in the regular health care services in Germany.