Predicting independent functioning in an elderly population: the evaluation of working memory capacity as a biomarker of ageing.

The ageing process is characterised by declines in physical and cognitive ability and by a general increase in dependence in carrying out daily tasks. Maintenance of functional independence is critical to quality of life in elderly populations (Black & Rush, 2002; Sulander et al., 2005). Therefore, identifying measures that can predict functional ability is of particular interest to societies with an ageing population. Due to increases in inter-individual and intra-individual variability with age, chronological age has been demonstrated to be a poor predictor of an individual's functional ability (Bauco et al, 1996; Willis et al., 1992). Consequently, other, more successful indicators, referred to as biomarkers, have been established (e.g. grip strength and visual acuity). However, of these more accurate measures, few are cognitive. This is surprising given the reported strong and positive relationship between independent functioning and intact cognition (Atkinson et al.,2005; Bäckman & Hill, 1996). Therefore, the current project investigated whether a task of working memory capacity (Reading Span), could predict a range of independent functioning outcome measures. Employing a longitudinal study design (three measurement occasions over approximately 18 months), 150 community-dwelling participants, 70 years of age and over (99 females, 51 males), were tested on a range of cognitive and physiological tasks. Cross-sectional results from logistic and linear regressions showed that chronological age was in fact a significant predictor of all three functional outcome measures. In contrast, Reading Span was a significant predictor only of one outcome measure (reasoning ability). Some of the physiological and sensorimotor biomarkers were found to predict two of the three functional outcome measures. Therefore, cross-sectional results showed that all of the biomarkers were limited in their ability to predict outcomes measured concurrently and, in the current sample, chronological age was the best predictor of some outcome measures. However, over time, Reading Span became a significant predictor of most of the outcome measures and explained a comparable amount of variance to age. Reading Span also often accounted for more variance than physiological and sensorimotor variables. The current sample was healthy, independent functioning and cognitively intact. Performance variability was low initially and was further reduced by the presence of selective attrition (i.e. individuals with poorer reasoning and crystallised ability and lesser working memory capacity dropped out of the study). Based on this, it is not surprising that biomarkers were able to explain less than 10% of the variance in any outcome measure. In summary, the current study shows that working memory capacity, as measured by Reading Span, is a valuable addition to the assessment of functional ability in an elderly population and highlights the importance of cognition in this context. However, further investigations are required before Reading Span can be described as a biomarker of ageing.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Psychology, 200

Understanding lactation consultants\u27 evaluation of oral mechanism function and dysphagia in nursing neonates

Infants with dysphagia are at increased risk for poor health and nutritional outcomes (Arvedson, 2008) if improperly diagnosed or managed. Communication between multidisciplinary team members is imperative for transition from screening to intervention. An overlap in scope of practice may exist between lactation consultants (LCs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs). In order to facilitate multidisciplinary understanding and communication, this study was designed to understand how LCs evaluate oral mechanism function and dysphagia in breastfeeding neonates as well as their understanding of the role of SLPs in the management of dysphagia in neonates through a comparative multi-case, summative qualitative study. Participants described a multifaceted clinical assessment process. The participants’ understanding of the role and knowledge of SLPs in the care of neonates with idiopathic dysphagia was limited. The study identified a clear position for the SLP in the assessment and interpretation of craniofacial/orofacial function and dysphagia in newborns

Life ‘on high alert’:How do people with a family history of motor neurone disease make sense of genetic risk? Insights from an online forum

Open access via Taylor and Francis agreement Acknowledgements We wish to thank the MND Association for allowing us to use the publicly available information on the MND Association Forum for this research, and for their overall support of the study. We are grateful to Karen Forrest Keenan and Gabrielle King for feedback on an earlier version of the paper. Jade Howard is funded by a doctoral studentship provided by the Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen. Funding Jade Howard is funded by a doctoral studentship provided by the Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen. Louise Locock is supported by funding from the Scottish Chief Scientist Office.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Letter from Louise Howard, North Middleboro, Massachusetts, to Anne Whitney, Boston, Massachusetts, 1914 April 14

https://repository.wellesley.edu/whitney_correspondence/2653/thumbnail.jp

Card from Louise Howard, to Anne Whitney, between 1910? and 1915

https://repository.wellesley.edu/whitney_correspondence/2654/thumbnail.jp

Letter from Louise Howard, North Middleboro, Massachusetts, to Anne Whitney, Boston, Massachusetts, 1911 June 4

https://repository.wellesley.edu/whitney_correspondence/2652/thumbnail.jp

Summary Data Report of the 2007-2008 Annual Survey of Divisions of General Practice

The Divisions Network today consists of 111 Divisions, six State Based Organisations (SBOs), two hybrid SBO-Divisions (ACT and NT) and the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN), having evolved from the ten demonstration Divisions funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing in 1992. The broad aim of the Divisions of General Practice Program is to improve health service delivery to local communities, through local Divisions, SBOs operating at state and territory level and the national peak representative body, AGPN. The members of the Network function independently but are united in the objective of strengthening the primary health care capacity of Australian general practice. To ensure Divisions are accountable for their funding, each year all Divisions have been required to complete the Annual Survey of Divisions (ASD), one of two formal National Quality and Performance System (NQPS) contractual reporting requirements (the other being the 6 and 12 month reports). PHCRIS commenced managing and reporting on this survey in 1997-98 and this 2007-08 report is the 14th in the series

Informal Education as Freedom

IntroductionAusterity policies have failed to recognise and account for the value of youth and community work. Against a backdrop of excessive cuts since the 2008 financial crash, youth services have been disproportionately affected, with a growing emphasis on measurement, outcomes and, ultimately, performativity (de St Croix, 2018, Youdell and McGimpsey, 2015). In their recent research project, Louise Doherty and Tania de St Croix have highlighted tensions in measuring and evaluating youth work, and argue that the way practice is recognised and valued by young people and youth workers is disconnected from the way it is measured, monitored and evaluated. They argue that, rather than seeking to ‘measure’ practice, a grassroots democratic approach to accountability would attempt to create the conditions in which high quality practice can be nurtured and developed' (Doherty, 2019)