Lifelong learning activities for older adults: a scoping review

The lifelong learning paradigm has become a global phenomenon, having an influence on the political organization of various countries. The aim of this study was to map lifelong learning activities for the older people so to understand how this paradigm has been incorporated into practical actions. The scoping review method was chosen and the literature search was con ducted across five databases (Web of Science, Scopus, AgeLine, ERIC and MedLine) in English and between the years of 1972 and 2020. All peer reviewed papers which presented the conceptual notion of lifelong learning as a central topic to the study, the target audience of older men and women (50+ years old) and which described formal, non-formal and informal educational activities, were included in the present research. A total of 2,083 records were found, of which 309 were selected for the full reading screen ing; this, in turn, resulted in 38 records included. Most of these studies were published in the last decade (66%), originating in North America (36%) and adopting a qualitative methodological approach (81%). The lifelong learning activities for older people were noticeably more frequent in the non-formal modality (60%), within a university context (46%) and from the perspective of the third generation of the concept (60%). It was concluded that there is an imbalance between lifelong learning activities for the older adults in the formal, non-formal and informal modalities and that the lifelong learning paradigm has been incorporated into practical actions by different concep tual generations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estratégias Comunicativas De Cuidadores De Idosos Com Demência: Uma Revisão Sistemática

Conduct a systematic review of studies that investigating communication strategies used by caregivers of patients with dementia, published between 1995 and 2015. Methods: The bibliographic search was conducted using the terms "elderspeak and dementia", "caregiver’s talk and dementia", "communication and caregiver and dementia" and "communicative and Alzheimer". To be included in the review, the study had to mention that its goal it was investigate communication strategies used by caregivers of elderly with dementia and should not be intervention study. Results: Only 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. The reviewed studies showed that caregivers of elderly with dementia use communication strategies that are ineffective (eg, elderspeak communication, "control" communication and complex) and effective (using simple sentences; give a command at a time, closed choice questions). Conclusion: It is important to assess the perceptions and evaluations of caregivers about the effectiveness of the strategy used so that communication skills are taught to family caregivers and formal caregivers. Successful communication should promote the participation of older people with dementia, contributing to maintaining the autonomy and participation of both caregivers as people affected by this situation. © 2016, Editora Cientifica Nacional Ltda. All rights reserved.65218619

Effects of a multidisciplinar cognitive rehabilitation program for patients with mild Alzheimer's disease

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program on cognition, quality of life, and neuropsychiatry symptoms in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease. METHOD: The present study was a single-blind, controlled study that was conducted at a university-based day-hospital memory facility. The study included 25 Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers and involved a 12-week stimulation and psychoeducational program. The comparison group consisted of 16 Alzheimer's patients in waiting lists for future intervention. INTERVENTION: Group sessions were provided by a multiprofessional team and included memory training, computer-assisted cognitive stimulation, expressive activities (painting, verbal expression, writing), physiotherapy, and physical training. Treatment was administered twice a week during 6.5-h gatherings. MEASUREMENTS: The assessment battery comprised the following tests: Mini-Mental State Examination, Short Cognitive Test, Quality of Life in Alzheimer's disease, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, and Geriatric Depression Scale. Test scores were evaluated at baseline and the end of the study by raters who were blinded to the group assignments. RESULTS: Measurements of global cognitive function and performance on attention tasks indicated that patients in the experimental group remained stable, whereas controls displayed mild but significant worsening. The intervention was associated with reduced depression symptoms for patients and caregivers and decreased neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's subjects. The treatment was also beneficial for the patients' quality of life. CONCLUSION: This multimodal rehabilitation program was associated with cognitive stability and significant improvements in the quality of life for Alzheimer's patients. We also observed a significant decrease in depressive symptoms and caregiver burden. These results support the notion that structured nonpharmacological interventions can yield adjunct and clinically relevant benefits in dementia treatment

A visão do envelhecimento, da velhice e do idoso veiculada por livros infanto-juvenis

Este estudo, de abordagem qualitativa e tipo descritivo-exploratório, analisa a visão do envelhecimento veiculada por livros infanto-juvenis. O caminho metodológico foi permeado pela seleção, aquisição e análise, utilizando-se a técnica de análise de conteúdo categorial por temática, de livros nacionais recomendados pelo Programa Nacional Biblioteca da Escola (PNBE), publicados entre 2003 e 2012, tendo em seu enredo a menção ao idoso e/ou à velhice e/ou ao envelhecimento de seres humanos. Identificaram-se duas grandes categorias temáticas, compostas por subcategorias: 1) aspectos biológicos na velhice, com as subcategorias senescência versus senilidade e mitos relacionados aos aspectos físicos dos idosos; e 2) aspectos psicossociais na velhice, com as subcategorias conhecimento e experiência de vida do idoso, intergeracionalidade, autorrealização na velhice, isolamento social, mitos relacionados à velhice e morte na velhice. Os resultados procuram contribuir para uma melhor utilização dos livros infanto-juvenis no processo educativo a respeito do tema envelhecimento, não só em termos de cidadania e civilidade como também em termos de educação em saúde