Evaluating Successful Aging in Older People Who Participated in Computerized or Paper-and-Pencil Memory Training: The Memoria Mejor Program

p. 191Background. The evaluation of successful aging includes objective criteria to measure cognitive function and psychological well-being and levels of functional capacity needed to perform daily activities related to the preservation of autonomy. In addition, the emergence of computerized cognitive training programs has allowed us to use a new class of tools to verify the theoretical postulates of neural plasticity in aging. Objective. The present study investigates subjective and objective criteria of successful aging in healthy older adults participating in a memory training program offered as two versions: computer and paper-and-pencil. Method. Fifty-four healthy older adult participants recruited for the study were organized into two training groups. Group 1 (G1) used the computer program and Group 2 (G2) used the paper-and-pencil program. Results. The analysis revealed no significant differences in psychological well-being between the two training groups. However, the groups did differ significantly in objective evaluations of successful aging, as measured by attention and everyday memory, and brain activity as measured by sLORETA, with G1 outperforming G2 on both measures. Conclusion. Computerized memory training programs show promise for restoring cognitive and cerebral functioning in older adults, and consequently, may be better suited to achieving the objective criteria of successful aging than paper-and-pencil memory training programs. However, this conclusion should be taken with caution since differences in age and educational level may have influenced the results.S

Single Time-Point Study of the Home Environment and Functionality of Older Adults in Spain

p. 8317Background: The literature favors discussion on socio-spatial conditions at the macro- (city) and micro- (housing) level that promote healthy aging in place. Objectives: (a) Identify the association between physical and social characteristics of the family home and the functional level and quality of life of older people and (b) provide normative data on adequate/inadequate households based on the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) inventory and the Spanish Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (S-IQCODE) test. Methods: In total, 79 healthy older adults completed the HOME inventory and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), S-IQCODE, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10) and ICEpop CAPability measure for Older people (ICECAP-O) tests. A regression model, the effect size and the means of the scores of HOME (adequate/inadequate) test and the cognitive level (optimal/normal) were calculated. Results: The regression model discloses that adequate home scores are associated with cognitive level (odds ratio (OR): 0.955, confidence interval (CI)95%: 0.918–0.955); quality of life (OR: 6.542, CI95%: 1.750–24.457), living with other people (OR: 5.753, CI95%: 1.456–22.733) and level of education (OR: 0.252, CI95%: 0.064–0.991). The normative data between HOME and S-IQCODE scores showed a good adjustment (d = 0.70). Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between the physical environment of the home and personal variables (sociodemographic information, quality of life and cognitive functionality). In addition, from this last variable, the normative data of an adequate/inadequate household for an older person have been established.S

Evidence linking brain activity modulation to age and to deductive training

p. 1-10Electrical brain activity modulation in terms of changes in its intensity and spatial distribution is a function of age and task demand. However, the dynamics of brain modulation is unknown when it depends on external factors such as training. The aim of this research is to verify the effect of deductive reasoning training on the modulation in the brain activity of healthy younger and older adults (N = 47 (mean age of 21 ± 3.39) and N = 38 (mean age of 68.92 ± 5.72)). The analysis reveals the benefits of training, showing that it lowers cerebral activation while increasing the number of correct responses in the trained reasoning task (p < 0 001). The brain source generators were identified by time-averaging low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) current density images. In both groups, a bilateral overactivation associated with the task and not with age was identified. However, while the profile of bilateral activation in younger adults was symmetrical in anterior areas, in the older ones, the profile was located asymmetrically in anterior and posterior areas. Consequently, bilaterality may be a marker of how the brain adapts to maintain cognitive function in demanding tasks in both age groups. However, the differential bilateral locations across age groups indicate that the tendency to brain modulation is determined by ageS

Good practices in the recovery of ambulation in octogenarian women with hip fractures

p. 1417-1422OBJECTIVE: Determine good recovery practices for ambulation of octogenarian women after hospital discharge after being operated on for hip fracture. METHODS: Prospective study during the second half of 2019, with 192 women (85.95 ± 5.1 years) with hip fracture. A medical history, fracture types, complications, surgical treatment, and assessment of the level of ambulation were recorded before and after six months of hospital discharge. RESULTS: 100 patients lived in the family home and 92 in an institutional center, 68.2% provided pertrochanteric fracture and a total of 3.7 comorbidities, all of them received spinal anesthesia and were admitted an average of 11.4 days. After six months, the patients showed a significant loss of functional independence with respect to the situation prior to the fracture, both for the ability to wander and for activities of daily living. It is noteworthy that the worst prognosis in the recovery of ambulation has to do with intermediate levels of ambulation and that the functional level of departure influences to a lesser extent than the place where they perform the recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Age is a factor that influences the recovery of hip fracture, but there are other influential factors since patients who remain in the family home have a better functional prognosis than those who recover in institutionalized centers, after six months of hospital discharge.S

Predictors of Delirium in Octogenarian Patients Hospitalized for a Hip Fracture

p. 7467Introduction: Since delirium is a major complication that can arise after a patient with a hip fracture has been hospitalized, it is considered to be one of the most common geriatric conditions. Therefore, its prevention and early detection are essential for reducing both the length of the patient’s stay in the hospital and complications during the hospitalization process. Objective: To identify and analyze the predictors for developing delirium in octogenarians who were admitted to hospital for a hip fracture. Methodology: A prospective study conducted with a sample of 287 patients aged 80 years and older (mean age 87.2 ± 3.2 years; 215 women, 72 men), recruited from the Trauma Unit of the University Hospital of León (Spain). Further, 71.1% of the patients lived in a family member’s home, while the other 28.9% lived in a nursing home. After observing each patient’s interactions with their doctor in a clinical setting, the data for this study were obtained by reviewing the selected patients’ charts. The variables analyzed were sociodemographic information (age, sex, and place of residence), medical information (type of hip break and surgical intervention), cognitive impairment (MMSE score), functional level (Barthel Index score), and clinical information (pharmacological, comorbidities, complications, and the diagnosis and assessment of the severity of delirium in a patient). The univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a significant relationship between acute confusional state and the following variables: anemia, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) III and IV patients, state of cognitive frailty and functional level, a urinary tract infection, changes in the visual field, renal arterial occlusion, and the type and dosage of drugs administered (this variable was identified in the multivariate model). The inverse relationship between anemia and acute confusional state is surprising. Conclusion: This research shows that clinical observation of acute confusional state is necessary but not sufficient for addressing this condition early and adequately in older adults who have been hospitalized for a hip fracture.S

Propiedades psicométricas de la escala de satisfacción con la vida en mujeres mayores activas

p. 146-148El presente estudio analiza las propiedades psicométricas de la versión en castellano de la Escala de Satisfacción con la Vida. Se utilizó una muestra de 310 mujeres mayores activas, con estudios primarios y que vives en su domicilio habitual. La fiabilidad de la escala se examinó con el alfa de Cronbach y con un análisis factorial exploratorio. La fiabilidad de la escala fue de 0,75. El análisis de componentes principales mostró un único factor que explicaba el 51,32% de la variancia. El ítem 5 «Las circunstancias de mi vida son buenas» es el que explica un mayor porcentaje de variancia de los datosS

Actividades de ocio y funcionamiento cognitivo en personas jubiladas independientes

p. 193-206Poco se conoce acerca de los niveles normales de ocio en las personas jubiladas y de los factores que explican la influencia de este mecanismo en la protección frente al declive cognitivo de las actividades de ocio. Esta investigación pretende conocer las diferencias en el funcionamiento cognitivo (medido mediante Stroop, Test del trazo, Test de memoria conductual Rivermead y subescala de memoria verbal de Wechsler) en función del tipo de ocio (medido mediante el test de organización del tiempo de ocio) que realizan las personas mayores en León. La muestra estuvo formada por 72 personas (40 mujeres y 32 hombres; media de edad 71.65). Los resultados muestran que las personas con una mayor variedad de ocio y que realizan más actividades son las que obtienen mejores resultados en las pruebas cognitivas empleadas (p= entre .000 y .035). Estos resultados pueden arrojar importantes implicaciones en la prevención de declive cognitivoS

Envejecimiento activo y calidad de vida: programas de intervención para mayores

30 p.[ES] El envejecimiento activo es el proceso de optimización de las oportunidades de salud, participación y seguridad con el fin de mejorar la calidad de vida a medida que las personas envejecen. Según la OMS el bienestar no sólo consiste en ausencia de enfermedad sino en sentirse bien física, mental y contar con vínculos afectivos El término activo hace referencia a una actitud, es decir la forma de sentirse útil y la vía para desarrollarse como persona hasta el final de la vida. Durante más de dos décadas, la investigación gerontológica se ha interesado por el efecto de los Programas de Estimulación Cognitiva (PEC) sobre los procesos cognitivos de las personas mayores (Kliegl, Smith y Baltes, 1989; Rebok, Rasmusson y Brandt, 1996). Se denominan PEC a los programas que tienen como finalidad, la modificación de la capacidad intelectual, el modo de pensar, las estrategias de solución de problemas, y las habilidades cognitivas y/o de aprendizaje. Se diseñan para poblaciones culturalmente desfavorecidas, personas mayores con quejas de memoria o aquellas con patologías orgánicas. Los prerrequisitos para participar en estos programas son: seguir instrucciones, contar con unos mínimos repertorios gráficos y educativos (lectura, escritura y dibujo) e interactuar ente iguales (Fernández- Ballesteros, 2009)