Salmand: Iranian Journal of Ageing
Year:2015 | Volume:9 | Issue:4|Papers Count:11

Objectives: Relative and absolute reliability are important aspects of tests that many clinical decisions are based upon. In many cases, the only basis for the decision is relative reliability while the absolute reliability is also very important. We aimed to measure and calculate the relative and absolute reliability of the 5-repetition Sit-to-stand test.Methods and Materials: 11 community-dwelling over 65 year-old adults (69.64±3.585) and 20 healthy 20-35 year-old young adults (28.80±4.15) were evaluated twice with an interval of 2 to 5 days when using the 5-repetition Sit-to-stand test.Results The minimal detectable changes were 29.5 and 3.02 seconds in the seniors and young adults, respectively. The coefficients of variation were 27% and 19% in the seniors and young adults, respectively.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that upon assessing progress during treatment sessions or judgment about progression or regression, elderly people must exhibit more change than younger adults to consider changes to be real and not accidental.

Objective: The aim of the present study is to examine the effectiveness of horticultural therapy on increasing general health and self-esteem of elderly people.Methods & Materials: The research design was quasi-experimental and its method was prepost test design with a control group. The study population was all of elderly people who were living in nursing homes of Tehran in 2013. 24 of them were selected as sample group by convenience sampling method that were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. For data gathering General Health Questionnaires and Cooper smiths’ self-esteem inventory were used. The experimental group was exposed to 13 sessions of gardening training and then equipments of gardening provided by researcher for experimental group members. Then, groups completed questionnaires at the end of gardening therapy (post test) and 3 month later (follow up). Data analysis was performed by analysis of variance with repeated measures.Results: There was a significant difference between mean scores of general health and self-esteem in post test and follow up stages compared to pre test stage. In other words, horticultural therapy could significantly increase general health and self-esteem of elderly people in nursing home.Conclusion: the results indicated that horticultural therapy can improves general health and self esteem of elderly people of nursing homes. Also, it can be suggested as a low-cost and non-pharmacological treatment for other groups of patients.

Background: The world population is aging rapidly because of the rising life expectancy and decreasing fertility rate. Considering the increased longevity and special aging problems, it is important to pay attention and evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of elderly for health promotion. We aimed to evaluate the QOL of the elderly population covered by healthcare centers in Southern Tehran, Iran.Methods & Materials: In this descriptive analytical study, 132 elderly were selected using the cluster random sampling method from 5 healthcare centers in Tehran, during 2010-2011. A standardized QOL questionnaire (Short Form Health Survey [SF-36]–Iranian Version) was used for evaluating 8 diverse domains of QOL. Demographic and background factors were recorded in questionnaires through face-to-face interviews.Results: The mean±SD scores of the physical and emotional domains were 54.42±24.42 and 55.19±24.04, respectively, yielding an overall score of 54.81±22.62 for the couplet indices of QOL. The mean±SD age was 67.97±6.86 years. Age had meaningful reverse relationship to QOL (P=0.000, r=-0.4). Men had higher quality of life scores than women. Education level was directly related to all domains of QOL (P=0.000). Married individuals and those who lived with their children or others had higher QOL scores than divorced or widowed singles (P<0.001). Physical activity was directly related to QOL (P=0.000). But statistically significant differences were not found between the mean scores of the physical (P=0.59) and emotional (P=0.127) domains of QOL and BMI. Non-smokers had higher QOL score than smokers (P<0.05).Conclusion: The total score of QOL of the elderly was moderate (54.81±22.62). The QOL subscales were influenced by different factors including age, sex, and more importantly by education, and marital status and physical activity and status of living as other studies showed. Therefore, improving the QOL of the elderly is essential. And, it is important to inform the elderly population of the behavioral modifications benefits of the QOL.

Background: The aim of this present study was to examine the effect of 6 weeks balance training on some of the kinematic features of walking in elderly women.Methods & Materials: 20 elderly women with the mean±SD age of 67.72±4.48 were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. Participants in each group took part in a walking test in a pre-test session followed by a post-test after 6 weeks. During this period, participants in the experimental group did the balance training systematically for 3 sessions in a week. Overall training was 18 sessions of balance training until the somatesensory, visual, vestibular systems were engaged (such as jumping out of the hole, gait by 8, crossing obstacle, walking with heel) while the control group followed their ordinary lives. Kinematic features of the walking such as length and width of the step, double support time and walking speed were collected and analyzed with the Cortex software. Repetitive ANOVA (2*2) was used for data analysis.Result: The results of this study showed that balance training during 6 weeks increased some of the kinematic features like step length 11.33% (P=0.01), and walking speed 18% (P=0.04) significantly in elderly women of the experiment group. Although variables such as double support time (P=0.06), width of step (P=0.48) and, this reductions were not significant in comparison to the control group.Conclusion: Results of the current study confirmed the effect of balance exercises for 6 weeks for increasing length of step and walking speed in elderly women. Therefore, this exercise program has improved the general pattern of walking in elderly women.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the response of plasma Myostatin and insulin growth factor like-1 (IGF-1), as two of the most important proteins involved in Cachexia syndrome, to acute resistance exercise in healthy elderly people.Methods & Materials: Twelve healthy older men (Age=67±1.3 years, BMI=25±1.4 kg/m2) volunteered for participation in this study. 72 hours after the determination of muscular maximal strength (by 1-RM test), subjects participated in acute resistance exercises via 75% 1-RM. In this research, two blood samples were collected at before and immediately after the exercise from Antecubital vein. Plasma Myostatin and serum levels of IGF-1 were measured by ELISA methods. Paired T-Test used for statical analyses of research data. Significant level was set at P≤0.05.Results The results of this study showed that plasma Myostatin significantly decreased in response to resistance exercise (P=0.0001). Also the serum levels of IGF-1 increased significantly in response to resistance exercise (P=0.0001). In turn, the results revealed that the IGF-1 to Myostatin ratio increased significantly in response to resistance exercise (P=0.001).Conclusion: The results of this study showed that resistance exercise through increases of IGF-1 and decreases of Myostatin causes increment of IGF-1 to Myostatin ratio. According to the results of this study it seems prescription of resistance exercise could positive changes in proteins that involved in Cachexia syndrome in elderly people. Presumably, through this way we can prevent from Cachexia and its many physiological and physical related dysfunctions in theses people.

Background: The aim of this study was the compare different levels of religious attitude on the sense of meaning, loneliness and happiness in the life of elderly persons under cover of social welfare organisation of Urmia city.Methods & Materials: The study was a descriptive analytical research and sample size of 221 persons (81 women and 140 men) aged over 60 years using a random cluster sampling were selected. The Khodayari’s religious attitude questionnaire, Russell`s loneliness questionnaire, Salehi’s questionnaire for sense of meaning and Oxford’s happiness questionnaire were used as instruments in this study.Results The results of multivariate analysis of variance and Scheffe method of follow-up showed that stronger levels of religious attitudes is associated with happiness and meaning of life in elderly persons (P<0.05). Also, the elderly who have strong religious attitude compared with others feel less lonely.Conclusion: Religious attitude is a preventive factor to reduce the problems of the elderly and on this basis the relevant authorities could strengthen religious beliefs of elderly persons by proper planning and providing their participation in religious activities.

Background: The present research aimed to study the effects of whole body vibration, mental practice and combined vibration and mental practice on static and dynamic balance of elderly men.Methods & Materials: This was a semi-experimental research. The participants included 42 healthy, elderly men aged 60-80 years from Mashhad who was randomly categorized into 4 groups: vibration (n=12), mental practice (n=10), combined practice (n=10) and control (n=10). The experimental groups practiced their specific protocols for 8 weeks, 3 sessions a week. The vibration group practiced 6 body positions based on the overload principle with intensity 30-35 HZ and 5 mm amplitude. The mental group practiced for the same duration of time as the vibration group meanwhile the control group was just engaged in their daily life routine. Static and dynamic balances were assessed using stability tests on Biodex and TUG tests, respectively. One-way ANOVA with Gabriel post Hoc was applied in order to analyze the data. The significance level was set at a≥0.05. Results: Our results showed a significant difference between the control group and mental practice (P=0.005), and combined training group (P=0.026) regarding their static balance. However no difference was observed between the control group and vibration group (P=0.422) or between the two experimental groups. Results of the dynamic balance showed significant difference between groups (P=0.001) and in comparison control group there was significant difference with vibration group (P=0.001), mental group (P=0.004), and combined training group (P=0.001).Conclusion: It seems that 8 weeks of mental, vibration and combined vibration and mental practice could improve dynamic balance of the participants and mental practice, and combined vibration and mental practice could improve their static balance.

Background: The purpose of this study was to the relationship of physical activity and risk factors of coronary heart disease (CHD) in older men.Methods & Materials The target population of this study was all older men in city of Kermanshah. 123 healthy older men with mean age of 63.5±3.58 years, height 174.11±7.83 cm, weight 84.23±8.13 kg and body mass index 27.74±4.2 kg.m2 were selected using the clustering method for sampling. Subjects completed an informed consent form, health history questionnaire and physical activity questionnaire (Beack). Measurements included weight, height, body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (PBF), waist to hip ratio (WHR) and CHD risk (total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), systole blood pressure (SBP) and Diastolic blood pressure (DBP)). For data analysis, inferential statistics of Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Pearson correlation coefficient were used. Results The results showed significant negative correlations between physical activity and percent body fat (PBF), body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), systole blood pressure (SBP) and Diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Also, results showed that was significant positive correlations between physical activity and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).Conclusion: This research showed that the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and hypertension in older men in is over expectation. Also it cleared that the increase in the levels of physical activity can reduce the risk of heart disease – cardiovascular disease is effective, it is recommended that through various ways such as the holding of the workshop of educational meetings, holding a lecture about the benefits of regular sport activity and Increase participation in physical activity can be a method for improving health and reducing cardiovascular diseases in them.