نشریه سالمندشناسی
سال چهارم شماره 3 (پیاپی 14، پاییز 1398)

In elderly patients, the prevalence of chronic diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is increased. COPD causes many problems, including dyspnea, fatigue, depression, malnutrition and limitation in daily activities and death anxiety among patients that can affect their self-care.

This study considered as a descriptive-correlation study in 128 elderly with COPD that referred to Masih daneshvari hospital in Tehran with accessible sampling method. Research tools were included demographic information questionnaire, Templer death anxiety questionnaire and Elderly self-care questionnaire. Data were analyzed by spss v.16 software using Spearman’s correlation test, One-way ANOVA and   Independent t-test.

Mean and standard deviation total score of death anxiety was 60.09±8.3 in the score range of 15-75. Mean and standard deviation total score of self-care was 94.89±4.85 in the score range of 40-160. Based on the spearman correlation test, there was statistically significant and reverse correlation between death anxieties with self-care (r=-0.590, p=0.001)

The results of our study showed that the level of death anxiety in elderly patients with COPD was high. Death anxiety in patients has a negative effect on their self-care ability.

Being an elderly is associated with major changes in the quality and pattern of sleep. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of sleep hygiene education compared to cognitive- behavioral methodology on the quality of sleep in the elderly patients referred to daily care centers.

This is a quasi-experimental research conducted on two-groups of 80 elderly people referring to day care centers in Sari city. In one group, sleep health education was conducted and in the other group, cognitive-behavioral methodology was held. Eighty eligible elders were assigned to two groups of sleep hygiene education (40N) and cognitive-behavioral intervention (40N). Sleep quality was assessed by Pittsburgh sleep quality standard questionnaire before and after intervention. At the beginning of the study, questionnaires (demographic characteristics questionnaire and Pittsburgh sleep quality questionnaire) were completed in both groups. Data was analyzed by SPSS v. 20 and descriptive and inferential statistics.

The mean age of the samples was  in the cognitive behavioral group and it was  in the sleep hygiene education group. The mean and standard deviation of sleep quality of elderly people, before and after the cognitive behavioral method in the first group were 8.05 ± 3.651, 6.67 ± 2.66 respectively, the mean and standard deviation of sleep quality in the elderly before and after the sleep hygiene education in the second group were8.42 ± 3.39, 7.23 ± 2.454respectively. Comparison of the mean of sleep quality before and after intervention in both groups showed that the sleep quality of the elderly was significantly improved (P< 0.001). Given that the F statistics of covariance analysis test is significant (F (1.79) = 0.999, P = 0.321), Therefore, these two methods had the same effect on the overall quality of sleep in the elderly

, Considering that Cognitive- behavioral and sleep hygiene education method are an effective alternative to medication therapy replacement in the elderly, and each of the two methods have no side effects, it is recommended that, given the based on economic conditions and social facilities for the elderly, and facilities available to them. Each of these two alternatives is a substitute for hypnotics.

 The number of elderly people admitted through the emergency department is rapidly increasing, which has a significant and serious impact on emergency care and costs. In order to identify correctly and preventively the elderly who are at greater risk of being readmitted to the emergency wards, we examined the validity of the ISAR tool in this area.

In this correlational study, 264 elderly men and women 60 years and older who were discharged from the Emergency wards of “Vasei”, “Emdad” and “Heshmatieh” Hospitals were studied. They were selected by random sampling in 1397 and were included in the study and followed for 3 months. Data were collected using demographic questionnaire and ISAR tool and analyzed by SPSS v.19 software to evaluate the validity of the tool.

The mean age of the sample group was approximately 72 years. The ISAR tool for predicting elderly re-admission one month after emergency discharge had 31% sensitivity and 88% specificity (PPV = 42%, NPV = 82%, AUC = 59%), two months after had 36% sensitivity and 85% specificity (PPV = 43%, NPV = 81%, AUC = 0.60) and three months after had 58% sensitivity and 77% specificity (PPV = 52%, NPV = 81%, AUC = 0.67).

Our study showed that the ISAR tool lacked validity to predict elderly re-admission in the short-term after discharge from emergency wards (1to3months).

Mental and health-related stressors are exacerbated with age. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of spiritual well-being, coping strategies, and sense of cohesion in predicting perceived stress in the elderly.

The research method was analytical and correlational. The statistical population of this study was all the elderly in elderly home of Mandegaran and Ata in Ardabil city in 2018, out of whom 120 were selected by purposeful sampling based on entry criteria. Data collection tools included perceived stress scale, spiritual well-being questionnaire, coping strategies questionnaire, and 13-item cohesion sense questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression.

There was a negative and significant relationship between the perceived stress of elderly with spiritual well-being (β=-0/110: p<0/004), problem-based coping strategy (β=-0/152: p<0/001), sense of cohesion (β=-0/176: p<0/008) and positive and significant relationship with negative religious coping (β=0/131: p<0/017). Spiritual well-being, coping strategies, and sense of cohesion predicted 68% of the variance in perceived stress scores of elderly (p<0/01).

According to the findings, spiritual well-being, coping strategies, and sense of cohesion are associated with the perceived stress of elderly and can explain how the elderly behave. Therefore, educating elderly to empower them in these areas is recommended.

Anxiety of death is a real anxiety and one of the most components in the mental health of people, especially the elderly. Prayer therapy is a traditional intervention to alleviate disease and promote health.  Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of listening to prayer on death anxiety of elderly in Kashan.

This clinical trial study was performed on 70 elderly in Kashan , 2019. Patients were randomly assigned to control and intervention groups. Before intervention, demographic data and death anxiety questionnaires were completed by patients in both groups. In the intervention group, during one month, every other day (three times a week) after the Maghreb and Esha prayers at the Saraallah Mosque in Kashan, the Tavasol prayer was recited with the voice of Haji Mehdi Samavati through a speaker. The control group did not receive any intervention. The death anxiety questionnaire was completed again immediately after the end of the intervention and one month later in two groups. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, Chi-square and independent and paired t-test in SPSS v=16 software.

The results showed that there was no significant difference in demographic data and mean score of death anxiety before intervention between the two groups (p> 0.05). But immediately after the sessions and one month after the intervention, there was a statistically significant difference in the mean score of death anxiety in the two groups. (p< 0.05). The results of the repeated measures ANOVA showed that the mean changes of death anxiety varied over time and the interaction between group and time was significant for the variable of death anxiety (p <0.05).

The results of this study showed that listening to Tavasol prayer will improve the death anxiety of elderly. Therefore, prayer therapy may be a useful and effective intervention to improve the death anxiety of elderly.

Frequent falls in the elderly have a direct relationship with postural control and balance. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of Concurrent cerebral transcranial direct current stimulation and neuromuscular coordination exercises on balance elderly people.

This study was an experimental, pre- and posttest design. The participants of this study were 24 elderly 60-75 year old male and female who were selected by convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two “Intervention” (real) and “control” (Placebo) groups (n=12). After a preliminary assessment of equilibrium parameters by Computerized Dynamic Posturorghraphy apparatus, “Intervention” group received direct current stimulation over the cerebellum at 2mA and “Placebo” group received sham stimulation, twenty minutes each session in five days during two weeks. At each session, immediately after stimulation, participants performed half-hour equilibrium exercises on the Huber apparatus. After completing five sessions, the variables were re-measured. Data analysis performed using MANCOVA and ANCOVA and SPSS 23 software.

The results of this study showed that current direct stimulation of the cerebral had significant effect on the postural control equilibrium variables in the first and fourth sensory condition (P<0.05). However, it did not have a significant effect on the stability of the elderly in the second, third, fifth, sixth sensory condition and composite balance (P>0.05). In addition, cerebral electrical stimulation with balance training improved postural control performance of visual system (P<0.05), but postural control performance of somatosensory system, vestibular system, and visual preference did not significantly improve (P>0.05).

The results of this study showed that cerebral TDCS with balance training has little beneficial effects on postural control and balance of elderly people and can, to a lesser extent, facilitate motor learning and improve motor adaptation.

Elderly people with low levels of health literacy are at risk because they have difficulty understanding and reading health information that may affect their care. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between health literacy status and self-care ability in the elderly in Tabriz.

This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2019 with the participation of 165 elderly people in the Tabriz Retirement Center. Sampling was done randomly and considering the inclusion criteria. The tools used included three sections: demographic characteristics, health literacy questionnaire and self-care self-care questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS ver21 with p <0.05 as the limit of significance.

The mean (standard deviation) age and body mass index were 66.47 (5.44) and 26.75 (1.90) and 52.7% of the male participants, respectively. The mean (standard deviation) score of health literacy and self-care ability were 79.58 (11.80) and 68.95 (6.37), respectively. Most of the elderly 143 (86.7%) had adequate and higher level of health literacy. Also 83 (50.3%) had low self-care ability. There was a positive and significant relationship (p <0.05) between health literacy and self-care ability, although this relationship was weak (r = 0.20).

Although the level of health literacy was moderately high, in terms of self-care ability, it was moderate and many people had insufficient self-care ability. Indicates the need to pay attention to the relevant factors in order to plan and take measures to improve the self-care capacity of the relevant authorities.

Insomnia has a significant effect negative on the quality of life of the elderly and significantly decreases in the quality of daily functioning. On the other hand, the effect of aromatherapy with lavender essential oil has been shown to improve the quality of sleep in different patients. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the effect of aromatherapy with lavender essential oil on elderly sleep quality in the elderly.

In this clinical trial study, single-blind randomized and 50 elderly people were selected using stratified random sampling method from Health Centers of Qaem Shahr. After obtaining a written consent and completing the demographic, clinical, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Elderly received a Lavender inhalation intervention group every night, half an hour before bedtime, for 4 weeks, received 2 drops of lavender oil. The elderly of the control group received paraffin solution at the same time as the lavender essential oil group.

The mean age was 68.52 ± 19.6 years. Data analysis was carried out based on seven dimensions of sleep quality questionnaire. The mean of sleep quality before intervention, There was no significant difference between the intervention and the control group but after intervention, the mean score of sleep quality was significantly different in the two groups (p <0.001).

Aromatherapy with lavender essential oil can have a positive effect on improving the quality of sleep in the elderly. Therefore, it is recommended for elderly people.