فصلنامه سالمند
پیاپی 6 (زمستان 1386)

Poor balance is one of risk factors of falling, a cause of injury and even death in elderly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a water exercise program on static and dynamic balance in elder women.Methods & Materials: Thirty participants aged 55-70 years completed an exercise program (60 min, 3 days and 6 weeks), in 2 groups, exercise and control, voluntarily. Static and dynamic balances were measured before and after exercise program in both groups. Postural sway parameters, including mean displacement of center of pressure and velocity of center of pressure in Medio-Lateral (ML) and Anterio-Posterior (AP) directions, in single stance position, as a measure of static balance and functional reach test, functional reach right test and functional reach left test, as dynamic measure of balance was considered. T test for deepened groups was used for evaluation of changes within groups, and T test for independent groups was used for between group's changes at threshold of 0.05 After 6 weeks. Significant changes were observed in results of Functional Reach Test (FRT), Functional Reach Left Test (FRLT) after exercise program, also in average displacement of cop and velocity of cop in ML direction. Between groups significant differences were observed in results of average cop displacement and velocity of displacement, FRT and FRLT. These results suggest that challenging the physiological systems involved in balance control, in water, while on the non stable support surface, improved both static and dynamic balance and probably might decrease the risk of falling.

The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of elderly people on loneliness.Methods & Materials: Hermeneutic interpretive phenomenology was selected as the research methodology, and a sample of thirteen elders undertook in-depth interview. Participants were asked for descriptions of their day-to-day lived experiences of loneliness. The data were analyzed using van Mannen's thematic analysis. The text revealed three common themes: feelings of pain and suffering, losses and deprivation and, compensation mechanisms. This study provides explicit knowledge about how older persons experience the phenomenon of loneliness. The lived experience of the older adults showed that loneliness is a feeling of pain and suffering which is related to the losses. Relationship with God, starting new relationships and reminiscences of the past were stressed as ways of coping or dealing with the loneliness experience. These findings can help the healthcare providers to define the sense of loneliness, the factors contributing to, and the mechanisms used by the adults to cope with it and perhaps the ways which may prevent it.

The elderly population in Iran is increasing and they likely use more drugs than any other age groups. The older adults are often suffered from chronic conditions that may require long-term medical treatment, and likely involve multiple drug therapies and may consume up to four times as many defined daily doses as the rest of the population. Therefore we examined the drug used pattern in people of 55 years age and older and its association with their demographic characteristics.Methods & Materials: This study is cross-sectional. Information on the intake of all drugs was collected from 400 subjects of 55 years age and older residents in Tehran, randomly selected and interviewed at home by a brief questionnaire regarding personal, social and medical factors. The average number daily drugs used were 3.4±1.9 different drugs, 40% used 4 or more drugs daily, %35 visited several physicians for the same illness, and 19% experienced adverse drug reactions. The most commonly used drugs were ASA, Atenolol, and propranolol. Pattern of drug consumption between the two genders, different age groups, level of educations and economic status except for ASA were similar. The most used drug categories were cardiovascular drugs (%35), central nervous system drugs (%25) and hormones (%9). The most common sources of drug information were physician’s %86. Patient education, physicians and pharmacist's education in feedback systems and regulatory intervention can improve the drug prescribing and usage in older persons.

Urinary tract infections are today counted aging as one of the infectious and hospital related disease with high especially in aging women. As we know the infection would be identified in urine sample based on KASS scale while in spite of valuable usage of this method the culture results of a significant number of patients appear to be negative while there may be symptoms of infection. On the other hand organisms which are not identified using the above separation method are called "Fastidious". So the objective in this research work is to find an effective way fro identification and treatment using separation of fastidious bacteria technique in those urine samples showing a negative culture result with common (abovementioned) methods while the patient may have some infection symptoms.Methods & Materials: In this research the job was to identify and separate fastidious bacteria in 1075 samples of aging women urine, with changes in culture media incubation conditions and level of gases able to separation of fastidious Bacterium. As well number of leucocytes in the initial sample and existence of pus in urine sample were determined. Meantime study of medical records for determination of symptoms and antibiotics administration was considered and all results were compared with each other and finally evaluated based on the control group. After aerobic and nocturnal culture of 1075 urine samples, 338 cases were positive, 99 cases had basic count, 159 cases were mixed and 434 cases were negative. Out of negative cases in the said method, using fastidious bacteria separation technique, cases had fastidious bacteria more than 50% of which had some symptoms of infection showing a significant difference. For separation and identification of urine infection factors in aging women patients with negative nocturnal aerobic culture, especially when it was coincided with presence of symptoms. Additional sample in selective and extra environment along with changes in incubation conditions would be necessary for bacteria separation.

The aim of the present study was to investigate satisfaction levels with hearing aids in daily life of older adult users, in addition to associated factors.Methods & Materials: In this cross sectional study, 32 subjects with moderate to severe sensory neural hearing loss (mean age; 63.5±9.8 Yrs) and different socio-economic status, referred to private practice audiology clinic (Alltone Shenava audiology clinic, Newsha hearing rehabilitation center, Golriz audiology clinic), were selected to answer Farsi version of SADL (Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life) questionnaire. This questionnaire quantifies satisfaction using a global score and four subscales. Based on history form, all subjects had moderate socio-economic status. Mean score of Farsi Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life (SADL) and respective correspondence of categorical scale were: Overall score 4.24±0.57 (min. 2.24 and max. 5.12); Medium satisfied; Positive effects 4.33±0.83; Medium to considerably satisfied; Services and costs 3.60±0.84; Somewhat satisfied; and Personal image 5.00±1.25; considerably satisfied. Difference between satisfaction level and experience with current hearing aid, daily hearing aid use, degree of hearing loss and educational level was significant (P<0.05) but there was no significant difference between sex (P<0.0566). Results of hearing aid satisfaction in geriatric hearing impaired population were less than those of the previous studies. Upon analyzing factors associated with satisfaction with the use of hearing aids, it seems that factors such as use of modem technology, evaluation of communication and listening needs (before and after hearing aid prescription), detailed consultation about abilities and limitations of this devices as well as improvement in public and social services, enhance the satisfaction with hearing aid use.

the proportion of older adults in the population continues to increase in the developing countries. In addition, in elderly persons decrease quality of life because of several factors such as low physical activity and impairment in mobility. This study was performed to assess the effect of exercise program on the quality of life in Shahrekord elderly people.Methods & Materials: This quasi-experimental study was conducted older adults in 2007. In this study 60 elderly persons were randomly divided into two groups; experimental (30) with mean age 68.63±6.96 and control (30) with mean age 68.03±10.65. this groups can doing Exercise and Daily activity without Depends to other and without any systematic disease and restrictive. Exercise program was administrated to the individual of experimental group for 60sessions; subsequently using Leipard questionnaire, the level of quality of life was measured in the two groups at the beginning and the end of the study. The data was analyzed, using, chi-square, Manwitny and t tests. Using exercise program, mean level of quality of life in different were increase statically significant (P<0.05), whereas in the control group these parameters were unchanged. According to the result of this research that showed using a regular and prolong exercise program, and good acceptance toward geriatrics can increase the level of quality of life in older adult in different dimension, and showed that healthy way of living for them.

There is worldwide growth in the elderly population. Family care of elderly is key to long term care system and main duty of women at home. Qualitative study about facilitating and hindering factor of family care giving process provide clarified viewpoint on female caregivers need to plan and make effective supportive health policy.Methods & Materials: The present study was conducted by grounded theory. A purposive sample of 12 family caregiver participated in this study and data was gathered by deeply semi-structured interview and observation in the field. All of them were transcribed word by word and were analyzed through open, axial and selective coding according to Strauss and Corbin's approach (1998). Triangulation of the data gathering from different methods, prolonged engagement with caregivers, member check by participants and experts, was used to increase rigor of the study. Female caregivers experience facilitator and hindering factors that affect the care giving process. These factors were categorized in 3 main classes of personal, familial and external factors and 9 subcategories of caregiver's knowledge on elderly care, personal characters of caregiver and care recipient, care giving burden, background of interpersonal relationship between caregiver and care recipient, familial supportive network, family member participation, formal supportive system, context of family care giving at home, and community based health care systems for elder people. Naturally, intervening factors in care giving process can confront caregivers with relief or difficulty Based on caregivers experiences, modifying facilitator and hindering factors by more family participation, psychosocial support, care giving education, improvement of care giving context and establishing appropriate age friendly health care systems would be effective in managing of the process by female caregivers, and could be helpful for them to be success in this manner.

The present paper attempts to appraise the quality of life of the elderly people in Tehran city with special reference to their social security and pathology. In this research, different dimensions of material, social, well-being and food conditions of the elderly people are assessed. While the universe of research is the elderly people of Tehran city, in that, the human rights, the elderly dignity, and the gradual decline of their social security are studied. Similarly, seeking various dimensions of the lives of the elderly is one of the main aims of the study, i.e. The age groups who gradually lose their physical and mental self-reliance, and as a result, their dependency on others and various services enhances.Methods & Materials: The universe of study in this research is the city if Tehran. In that, in an empirical method, 500 elderly people have randomly been selected and referred to, and in the process of which the intended data have been collected through questionnaires. Findings indicate that ageing pyramid shrinks and narrows at the age of 60 and over, and from that age on, only 60 percent of the elderly have their spouses. Similarly, another research finding reflects the economic, social, and remedial conditions of these people. Findings also show the amount of emotional and material supports that the elderly receive from their children. Research reached the conclusion that the young elderly or those born in 1320/1942 and beyond, under the current social, economic and cultural conditions, i.e. with new needs and expectations, are highly different from those of previous generations with special reference to Tehran. To meet such needs, relevant resources must intervene.