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This study investigated the effect of a small added load on postural stability in older adults. Sixteen healthy older adults (6 male, 10 female, age=72 ± 3.2y, height=172± 9.3 cm, weight=84± 7.6 kg) performed clinical measures of postural control with different loads placed on the shoulders (0%, 1% and 3% bodyweight). The functional reach test, comprising a forward, right and left lateral reach, along with COP data measured through the use of a force plate were the postural control measures utilized in this study. COP data used were COP sway velocity and COP mean sway area, in the form of a 95% confidence ellipse. During the COP trials, visual input (eyes open and eyes closed) and surface conditions (firm and foam) were varied to evaluate the effect of the loads under different conditions. Two trials of each measurement were performed for all tests, and participants were allowed rest intervals as needed. Anticipated results show a decreased reach distance of 8% in the forward direction, and a 7% decrease in the left and right lateral directions under a 1% bodyweight load. For expected results of COP velocity, there will be a 12% increase from baseline COP sway velocity in the 1% bodyweight condition. Anticipated results for COP sway area show a 39% increase in the eyes open firm surface, under a 1% bodyweight load, and a 40% increase under the 3% load. These expected results show a significant effect on postural control with a 1% and 3% bodyweight load placed on the shoulders of older adults. This information may be valuable in combatting the epidemic of falls seen among the elderly population, as part of an exercise program for improving balance and postural stability.
ContributorsScherwinski, Eric (Author) / Dounskaia, Natalia (Thesis director) / Vidt, Meghan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The purpose of this paper was to review existing literature on exercise interventions to improve postural stability in older adults in order to assist with the development of a novel intervention with the same function. A brief review of balance changes with aging is followed by a summary of the methods and findings of various interventions. Many types of interventions are discussed, including resistance training, balance training, t'ai chi, and whole body vibration. The studies show promising results, but none utilize the approach of the proposed intervention. This intervention being developed involves the use of a weighted vest to raise one's center of mass, creating a more unstable posture. Performing exercises or daily activities with the vest may improve balance by training muscles in unsteady conditions. The intervention principles to improve postural stability in older adults are beneficial to the foundation of future studies.
ContributorsWiedemann, Ava Marie (Author) / Dounskaia, Natalia (Thesis director) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
Objectives: The goal of this study was to compare older adults (ages 60 to 80) with a fixed sleep schedule compared to a restricted sleep schedule. The purpose was to determine if reducing one's sleep by an hour each night for 12 weeks, led to worse cognition and mood over time. Study Design: The study contained two groups: older adults with their sleep restricted and older adults with their sleep un-restricted. Participants were recruited by researchers at Arizona State University and The University of Arizona by advertising in newspapers, on flyers in senior centers, and on radio stations. After rigorous screening for health conditions, current sleep patterns and depression, individuals entered the study. Participants completed the Geriatric Depression Scale after two weeks of baseline, and again after treatment week 14 of the study. Likewise, males and females performed three cognitive tests after two weeks of baseline, and again after treatment week 14 of the study. These cognitive tests included Stroop Color and Word Test, Trail making and PVT. Results: The depression scale and three cognitive tests showed that there was no significant difference with cognition and mood over 14 weeks between individuals with a fixed sleep schedule compared to a restricted sleep schedule. Conclusions: Reducing older adult's sleep duration by an hour each night for 14 weeks does not produce negative effects, and does not provoke signs of depression or weakened cognition.
ContributorsSchneck, Morgan Gail (Author) / Youngstedt, Shawn (Thesis director) / Petrov, Megan (Committee member) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Abstract The purpose of this study is to draw attention to problematic peer behaviors experienced among older adults in low income housing. Antagonistic behaviors including peer bullying are commonly associated with youth yet they also occur among older adults. This study shares findings from a recent study of negative social interactions among older adults in independent low-income housing. Using a sample size of 11 tenants, and semi-structured interviews, this author used thematic analysis to code and categorize themes. This author found that common themes included types of behaviors experienced, contributing factors, interventions and perceived barriers to interventions. Results indicated that tenants experienced a variety of antagonistic behaviors including verbal, physical and relational aggression. The most common behaviors reported were verbal threatening (36.4%) and being gossiped about (54.4%). The least common reported were physical behaviors (27.3%). Tenants reported the most common contributing factor for the aggressor's actions as having mental health or emotional issues (45.5%), whereas they reported physical disability as the most common contributing factor in those who were victimized (54.5%). Individuals reported responding to these behaviors most commonly through isolation, withdrawal, and avoidance. Findings suggest the need for interventions to minimize bullying and other antagonistic behaviors in low-income housing. Additionally, findings suggest the need to help those who are mistreated to find ways to address the bullying in more positive ways. Keywords: themes, behaviors, factors, interventions, barriers
ContributorsCasalean, Monica Ruth (Author) / Bonifas, Robin (Thesis director) / Mendoza, Natasha (Committee member) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / School of Social Work (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Executive function is a crucial part of daily living and activities for individuals with Down Syndrome (DS). The aim of this study was to examine if Assisted Cycle Therapy (ACT) would improve cognitive planning as measured by the Tower of London (TOL), set switching as measured by the modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and spatial memory as measured by the Corsi Block Test in older adults with DS. Twenty-six participants were randomly assigned to one of three interventions over eight weeks. 1) Thirteen older adults with DS completed the ACT intervention, which is stationary cycling with the assistance of a motor to maintain a cadence at least 35% greater than voluntary cycling. 2) Eleven older adults with DS completed voluntary cycling (VC) and 3) Two older adults with DS were in our no cycling intervention. There were tests administered a week prior to the invention (or no intervention) and one week after their completed intervention (or no intervention). The pre- and post-tests were used to assess different measures, which could have been influenced from the eight-week intervention. The measures analyzed from our study were as followed; Tower of London, Card Sorting Test, and the Corsi Block Test. Our results showed that cognitive planning improved after ACT and VC, but not NC. Cognitive planning was assessed through the TOL task and showed improvements after the eight-week intervention (due to its sensitive nature in analyzing smaller changes pre- and post-intervention). Our results are discussed with respect to upregulation of neurotrophic factors that increase functioning in the prefrontal cortex that accompanies exercise.
ContributorsLopez, Corinna Lolita (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Holzapfel, Simon (Committee member) / School for the Science of Health Care Delivery (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
Research supports that music therapy can be used in multiple aspects of care for patients living within different environments. There is a gap in the literature when it comes to the impact of music sessions for older adults who do not have a diagnosed disease, therefore this study analyzes this population specifically. This study examines music therapy and its effects on anxiety and depression in adults aged 65 or older living in independent living homes. The adults participated in a mixed-methods study over the span of one month examining music as an intervention to decrease anxiety and depression. Each subject consented into the study, completed a demographic survey, answered open-ended questions regarding their experience with anxiety/sadness and ways to cope, as well as Profile of Moods Scale (POMS) during the first session. On the last week of the study, the participants were asked to fill out the same POMS scale to evaluate whether music influenced anxiety and depression. There was limited evidence found in this study to support the use of music therapy as an intervention to decrease anxiety and depression in adults over the age of 65.
ContributorsWolfus, Sarah Ilyssa (Author) / Lee, Rebecca (Thesis director) / Larkey, Linda (Committee member) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Elective cosmetic surgery has grown more popular in the last several decades, including procedures specifically targeted at older adults and anti-aging. The aim of this study is to better understand elective cosmetic surgery rationale for older adults. The first part of the study summarizes literature on elective cosmetic surgery for older adults and determines what factors influence the desire for elective cosmetic procedures. From the research databases PubMed, JSTOR, and ScienceDirect, eighteen sources were referenced in the final review. The review found that there are differences in sociocultural views of men and women as they age as well as internal views of aging. The modest number of studies used in the literature review reflect a current gap in current research studying elective cosmetic surgery in older adults. For the second part of the study, data was collected from a 2018 survey designed to better understand aging, body image, and subjective age. The survey was limited to individuals living in the United States aged 40 and above and was deployed through MTurk (Mechanical Turk). A total of 1199 responses were received. Only participants 55 years and above are included for the purpose of this study. Most participants who answered the question for elective cosmetic surgery rationale answered that their primary rationale is to reduce age-related physical markers. For participants identifying as female, nine percent cited self-esteem as their rationale while no male-identifying participants responded similarly. Future research can include questions on internal and external factors older adults feel have the greatest impact on their decision to have elective cosmetic procedures.
ContributorsSirilan, Angeli (Author) / SturzSreetharan, Cindi (Thesis director) / Bernstein, Katie (Committee member) / Agostini-Walesch, Gina (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2022-12
Description
The purpose of this Honors Thesis was to first, understand the implications of social isolation and loneliness on an individuals’ physical and mental health and second, uncover successful strategies that individuals used to overcome social isolation and loneliness. This thesis used two primary data sets to draw conclusions about individuals’ subjective feelings of loneliness and isolation and to further understand what strategies were used to overcome these feelings. The results from this thesis demonstrated that individuals who successfully avoided feelings of social isolation and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic took up new activities, used strategies to facilitate communication, participated in community engagement, completed acts of service, practiced mindfulness and reflection, and made new connections.
ContributorsPishko, Claire (Author) / Harelson, Haley (Co-author) / Doebbeling, Bradley (Thesis director) / Meja, Mauricio (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor)
Created2021-12
Description
Older adults tend to learn at a lesser extent and slower rate than younger individuals. This is especially problematic for older adults at risk to injury or neurological disease who require therapy to learn and relearn motor skills. There is evidence that the reticulospinal system is critical to motor learning and that deficits in the reticulospinal system may be responsible, at least in part, for learning deficits in older adults. Specifically, delays in the reticulospinal system (measured via the startle reflex) are related to poor motor learning and retention in older adults. However, the mechanism underlying these delays in the reticulospinal system is currently unknown.
Along with aging, sleep deprivation is correlated with learning deficits. Research has shown that a lack of sleep negatively impacts motor skill learning and consolidation. Since there is a link between sleep and learning, as well as learning and the reticulospinal system, these observations raise the question: does sleep deprivation underlie reticulospinal delays? We hypothesized that sleep deprivation was correlated to a slower startle response, indicating a delayed reticulospinal system. Our objectives were to observe the impact of sleep deprivation on 1) the startle response (characterized by muscle onset latency and percentage of startle responses elicited) and 2) functional performance (to determine whether subjects were sufficiently sleep deprived).
21 young adults participated in two experimental sessions: one control session (8-10 hour time in bed opportunity for at least 3 nights prior) and one sleep deprivation session (0 hour time in bed opportunity for one night prior). The same protocol was conducted during each session. First, subjects were randomly exposed to 15 loud, startling acoustic stimuli of 120 dB. Electromyography (EMG) data measured muscle activity from the left and right sternocleidomastoid (LSCM and RSCM), biceps brachii, and triceps brachii. To assess functional performance, cognitive, balance, and motor tests were also administered. The EMG data were analyzed in MATLAB. A generalized linear mixed model was performed on LSCM and RSCM onset latencies. Paired t-tests were performed on the percentage of startle responses elicited and functional performance metrics. A p-value of less than 0.05 indicated significance.
Thirteen out of 21 participants displayed at least one startle response during their control and sleep deprived sessions and were further analyzed. No differences were found in onset latency (RSCM: control = 75.87 ± 21.94ms, sleep deprived = 82.06 ± 27.47ms; LSCM: control = 79.53 ± 17.85ms, sleep deprived = 78.48 ± 20.75ms) and percentage of startle responses elicited (control = 84.10 ± 15.53%; sleep deprived = 83.59 ± 18.58%) between the two sessions. However, significant differences were observed in reaction time, TUG with Dual time, and average balance time with the right leg up. Our data did not support our hypothesis; no significant differences were seen between subjects’ startle responses during the control and sleep deprived sessions. However, sleep deprivation was indicated with declines were observed in functional performance. Therefore, we concluded that sleep deprivation may not affect the startle response and underlie delays in the reticulospinal system.
Along with aging, sleep deprivation is correlated with learning deficits. Research has shown that a lack of sleep negatively impacts motor skill learning and consolidation. Since there is a link between sleep and learning, as well as learning and the reticulospinal system, these observations raise the question: does sleep deprivation underlie reticulospinal delays? We hypothesized that sleep deprivation was correlated to a slower startle response, indicating a delayed reticulospinal system. Our objectives were to observe the impact of sleep deprivation on 1) the startle response (characterized by muscle onset latency and percentage of startle responses elicited) and 2) functional performance (to determine whether subjects were sufficiently sleep deprived).
21 young adults participated in two experimental sessions: one control session (8-10 hour time in bed opportunity for at least 3 nights prior) and one sleep deprivation session (0 hour time in bed opportunity for one night prior). The same protocol was conducted during each session. First, subjects were randomly exposed to 15 loud, startling acoustic stimuli of 120 dB. Electromyography (EMG) data measured muscle activity from the left and right sternocleidomastoid (LSCM and RSCM), biceps brachii, and triceps brachii. To assess functional performance, cognitive, balance, and motor tests were also administered. The EMG data were analyzed in MATLAB. A generalized linear mixed model was performed on LSCM and RSCM onset latencies. Paired t-tests were performed on the percentage of startle responses elicited and functional performance metrics. A p-value of less than 0.05 indicated significance.
Thirteen out of 21 participants displayed at least one startle response during their control and sleep deprived sessions and were further analyzed. No differences were found in onset latency (RSCM: control = 75.87 ± 21.94ms, sleep deprived = 82.06 ± 27.47ms; LSCM: control = 79.53 ± 17.85ms, sleep deprived = 78.48 ± 20.75ms) and percentage of startle responses elicited (control = 84.10 ± 15.53%; sleep deprived = 83.59 ± 18.58%) between the two sessions. However, significant differences were observed in reaction time, TUG with Dual time, and average balance time with the right leg up. Our data did not support our hypothesis; no significant differences were seen between subjects’ startle responses during the control and sleep deprived sessions. However, sleep deprivation was indicated with declines were observed in functional performance. Therefore, we concluded that sleep deprivation may not affect the startle response and underlie delays in the reticulospinal system.
ContributorsGopalakrishnan, Smita (Author) / Honeycutt, Claire (Thesis director) / Petrov, Megan (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has been turned upside down. People everywhere are recommended to self-isolate and social distance to limit the spread of the deadly virus. Older adults specifically are being forced into isolation because they are at the highest risk for severe illness—illness that can result in hospitalization, intensive care, or even death. But this isolation is not new. Even before COVID-19, the older adult population has been suffering through a social isolation epidemic. And now, with social distancing measures in place, even more adults are being socially isolated to remain safe and healthy. But when individuals are isolated for long periods of time and no longer have an active social network to connect with, this social isolation can become harmful. Social isolation is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and stroke, and it is associated with anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. Furthermore, the risk of premature death from any cause increases because of social isolation. With all these negative consequences, it is crucial that we confront the toll that COVID-19 countermeasures have taken on older adults and look for ways to prevent social isolation. Venture Together, a multi-user social media platform designed for older adults, attempts to do just this and more.
ContributorsHouchins, Michelle (Author) / Doebbeling, Bradley (Thesis director) / Mejía, Mauricio (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2022-05