Salmand: Iranian Journal of Ageing
Year:2016 | Volume:11 | Issue:3|Papers Count:14

Objectives: Malnutrition is a clinical disorder and a common risk factor in older patients with diabetes that may impact their health. This study aimed to assess nutritional status and associated factors in elderly with diabetes in Kerman City, Iran.Methods & Materials: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Kerman in which 190 older patients with diabetes were included. Their nutritional habit was measured using the MNA. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and correlation among variables, analyzed by the Chi Square, T-test, and One Way ANOVA.Results: The findings showed that 5.3% of elderly patients were suffering from malnutrition, and in 51.6% nutritional status was normal. Also, there was a statistically significant association between nutritional status and gender (P=0.036). There was a significant negative relationship between duration of diabetes and nutritional status in the elderly (r=0.192, P=0.008).Conclusion: It is necessary to maintain and improve the status of elderly diabetic patients with malnutrition by administering normal nutritional status and special attention.

Objectives: The elderly are an increasing social group in the present society which has gained importance in the age pyramid of our country. The present study aimed to examine the effects of group counseling based on "logo-therapy" as a method of rehabilitation to reduce loneliness in elderly men.Methods & Materials: This was a quasi-experimental study with pretest posttest and control group. Thirtysix elderly men from Jahandidegan center in Tehran were selected for our study by sampling. They were randomly divided into two groups; experimental and control. Each group consisted of 18 men. Group logo therapy was applied to the experimental group for eight 90-minute sessions, once a week. Followup test was conducted one month after the test. We used the Dehshiri et al. Loneliness questionnaire (2008) to assess the level of loneliness.Results: Using analysis of covariance, our findings showed that group counseling based on logo therapy had meaningful and positive effect on decreasing loneliness of elderly male in the experimental groups (P<0.003).Conclusion: Group counseling based on logo therapy was found to decrease loneliness scores of elderly men. Therefore, the approach taken in this study can be considered as an appropriate method for psychological interventions in elderly men.

Objectives: Time usage patterns of older adults is an important indicator of their health and quality of life. This study aimed to assess the time usage patterns of Iranian older adults and its association with social-demographic factor.Methods & Materials: This study was based on the secondary analysis of time use data of Iranians. The data were collected by questionnaire based on stratified sampling by Statistical Center of Iran in 2009.The sample size comprised 3516 Iranian elderly (60 years and older) who live in urban areas. The Chi-square, ANOVA, and multiple classification analysis (MCA) were used for data analysis.Results: The results indicated that Iranian older adults allocated the highest average time on activities related to personal care, leisure, unpaid works, religious activities, voluntary social activities, and paid works. The results also showed differential time usage patterns among different socioeconomic groups.Conclusion: Multivariate analysis indicated that age, gender, activity status, education level, living arrangement, and disability status are most important variables in the prediction of time use patterns.

Objectives: The relationship between grandparents and grandchildren is an important and sensitive issue.Exploring grandchild’s experiences can demonstrate and throw light on the relationship of two generations and form the basis of familial interactions. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the viewpoint and experience of college students about living with their grandfathers and grandmothers.Methods & Materials: In this qualitative study, 50 college students were selected via purposeful sampling method. The students were interviewed to find answers about their viewpoint and experience of living with grandparents. All the interviews were conducted in scripted form; Then the data were coded and analyzed with content analysis method.Results: Content analysis showed dichotomy in sense of students about grandfathers and grandmothers. Two main themes were obtained “kindness and compassion” and “annoyance and offense”. Subthemes of “kindness and compassion” were “spiritualty”, “patient,” and “unsparing love”. Subthemes of “annoyance and offense “were “familial prejudice,” “interfere in works,” and “gripe.”.Conclusion: This experience was instructive for students. It was important that parents behave as the connecting path for this two generation and shape personality of this generation.

Objectives: Stroke is the main health problem of the elderly in the world. The disease may create a spiritual crisis in the person. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between prayer and spiritual health of elderly patients with cerebrovascular accidents (CVA).Methods & Materials: In this correlational study, 142 patients with CVA were investigated in the Neurology Department of Bou Ali Sina Hospital in Sari City, Iran. Data collection was done by Ellison and Paloutzian spiritual health questionnaire and Meraviglia prayer questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS 20 with descriptive parameters (mean and standard deviation) and Pearson correlation coefficient, t-test and 1-way ANOVA.Results: Of 142 patients, 64 (45.1%) were men and 78 (54.9%) were women. The mean age of the elderly was 72.97±7.67 years with the range of 60-95 years. The mean of total prayer scores was 181.62±25.50 and the highest score of prayer was related to prayer frequency with the mean of 96.47±22.3. The mean of total spiritual health scores was high (102.28±18.89), too. The relationship between prayer and spiritual health was direct and significant (P<0.001, r=0.602). There was significant relationship between age and spiritual health, too (P<0.001, r=0.607). There was no significant relationship between spiritual health and education level, job, and the marital status.Conclusion: Religious practice and prayer can be a powerful resource for coping with stressful situations and psycho-social support in patients with stroke.

Objectives: Spiritual distress and anxiety are the most common problems of the elderly patients admitted in coronary care units. The elder patients are more vulnerable due to the weakening of adaptation mechanisms. Given that earlier studies on spiritual health revealed that it was related to the physical and mental health, but the relationship between spiritual health and state-trait anxiety was not clear yet.Hence, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between spiritual health and state-trait anxiety among the elderly patients admitted in coronary care units.Methods & Materials: This study was a correlational cross-sectional study. Sixty-six elderly cardiac patients hospitalized in coronary care unit were selected by convenience sampling method. Data were collected by using Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Palutzian and Ellison Spiritual Well-being questionnaires. Analysis of data including descriptive statistics, Pearson, ANOVA t-test, and correlation coefficient was carried out using SPSS version 21. P level of less than 00.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Most participants (69.7%) aged between 60 to 70 years, 59.1% were female and 63.6% were married. The majority of them (57.6%) were illiterate. The mean score of spiritual well-being was 79.55.The mean of trait anxiety was in the mid-range of 45.18±9.21, and the mean and standard deviation of anxiety state was in the high range of 58.44±29.9. The results revealed a significant negative relationship between spiritual religious health, and state-trait anxiety (P<0.05). The highest correlation was found between spiritual health and trait anxiety (P<0.003).Conclusion: Because of the significant relationship between spiritual health and anxiety, identifying and addressing the elderly patients' spiritual needs can lead to reducing the patients' anxiety.

Objectives: GSTs are detoxification enzymes that remove excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) from cells. Evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a role in several stages of the neurodegenarative disease like Alzheimer disease. Free radicals and similar molecules are classified as reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can cause oxidative modifications in the cell. In this study we have investigated the association between GSTP1 (rs1695) and AD risk for genetic variant in Iranian population.Methods & Materials: The patient group consisted of 280 cases for GSTP1 gene investigation, whose Alzheimer disease had been approved by psychologists based on clinical test (DSM-IV). The control group included 168 healthy individuals, satisfying the condition of not having any psychological disorders. Individuals’ genotype have been determined by PCR-RFLP method. Statistical analysis was done by logistic regression using Open Epi 2.3.1 and SPSS 16.Results: Significant association was observed between heterozygote genotype (AG) rs1695 A/G of GSTP1 gene and the risk of Alzheimer disease (P=0.005, OR=0.57 [0.38-0.84]).This genotype acts as a protective factor. This observed result was significant in within women group (P=0.02). Significant interaction was also found between heterozygote genotype (AG) rs1695 A/G of GSTP1 gene (protective factor) and absentε4 allele in our study group (P=0.001).Conclusion: Based on our results, we suggest that heterozygote genotype (AG) rs1695 A/G of GSTP1 gene can act as a protective factor for Alzheimer disease in Iranian population.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of mindfulness program on the caregivers’strain on elderly patients with Alzheimer’s disease who were referred to the Iran Alzheimer’s Association 2012.Methods & Materials: This study was a quasi-experimental study with two groups and before and after design. The participants (n=60) were selected by convenience sampling method and then randomly allocated to intervention (n=30) and control (n=30) groups. The intervention group was trained with a mindfulness program for 6 weeks in two sessions (2 hours in each session per week). Data were collected through the caregiver’s strain questionnaires before and one week after the intervention.Results: The mean of caregivers’ strain in the intervention group decreased from 36.96±6.72 to 30.63±6.37 (P<0.05) while in the control group, the mean of caregivers’ strain before (35.56±7.61) and after (35.80±6.68) the study did not show any significant differences (P>0.05).Conclusion: The results showed that the mindfulness program could reduce the caregivers’ strain on Alzheimer’s disease, and these findings can be applicable for all caregivers.

Objectives: Falls are a major health problem and a leading cause of injury-related death and disabilities in the elderly. Therefore, the aim of this study was to survey fall prevalence and its related factors among the elderly in Bojnurd.Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional study was performed on 288 elderly residents in Bojnurd in 2015. By strata sampling, the elderly people were included in the study according to their population in each stratum by randomization. Data was collected by a self-made checklist that included demographic characteristics, history of falls in the last six months, and programs prevent of falls at habitat. Data were analyzed by independent-t and chi-square tests using SPSS 20 software.Results: The fall prevalence rate in elderly people was 30%. In total, 54.2% of samples were men and 45.8% were women, and the mean age was 70.42±8.56 years. Around 55.1% falls occurred in home or elderly care center. In this study, there was a significant correlation between fall prevalence and age over 60 years (P=0.01), consumption of hypnotic and sedative drugs (P=0.03), back pain (P=0.008), arthritis (P=0.03), problems with walking (P<0.001), problems with sitting and standing (P=0.009), hearing problems (P=0.02), environmental factors at home such as status stairs and railings (P<0.001), status cover the floors (p<0.001), status bathroom (P=0.01), status lavatory (P<0.001), and status lighting (P=0.02).Conclusion: Considering the prevalence of falls in elderly people and inadequate prevention measures at home, fall prevention programs should be considered seriously.