Duurzaam doen! Leren in vitale coalities; Monitoring en evaluatie van de programma's Leren voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling en Natuur- en Milieueducatie

Monitoring en evaluatie van de programma's "leren voor duurzame ontwikkeling" en "natuur- en milieueducatie". Binnen het programma NME heeft het instrument 'arrangementenmodel' een centrale plaats ingenomen. Binnen de arrangementen zijn nieuwe samenwerkingsvormen tussen NME-organisaties en blijvende contacten met nieuwe partners ontstaan, en wordt er meer aangesloten bij de bestuurlijke agenda van gemeenten. Vraagarticulatie en verankering van deze nieuwe manier van werken blijven aandachtspunten voor de toekomst

Visual determinants of reduced performance on the Stroop Color-Word test in normal aging individuals.

It is unknown to what extent the performance on the Stroop color-word test is affected by reduced visual function in older individuals. We tested the impact of common deficiencies in visual function (reduced distant and close acuity, reduced contrast sensitivity, and color weakness) on Stroop performance among 821 normal individuals aged 53 and older. After adjustment for age, sex, and educational level, low contrast sensitivity was associated with more time needed on card 1 (word naming), red/green color weakness with slower card 2 performance (color naming), and reduced distant acuity with slower performance on card 3 (interference). Half of the age-related variance in speed performance was shared with visual function. The actual impact of reduced visual function may be underestimated in this study when some of this age-related variance in Stroop performance is mediated by visual function decrements. It is suggested that reduced visual function has differential effects on Stroop performance which need to be accounted for when the Stroop test is used both in research and in clinical settings. Stroop performance measured from older individuals with unknown visual status should be interpreted with caution

Duurzaam doen! Leren in vitale coalities; Monitoring en evaluatie van de programma's Leren voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling en Natuur- en Milieueducatie

Monitoring en evaluatie van de programma's "leren voor duurzame ontwikkeling" en "natuur- en milieueducatie". Binnen het programma NME heeft het instrument 'arrangementenmodel' een centrale plaats ingenomen. Binnen de arrangementen zijn nieuwe samenwerkingsvormen tussen NME-organisaties en blijvende contacten met nieuwe partners ontstaan, en wordt er meer aangesloten bij de bestuurlijke agenda van gemeenten. Vraagarticulatie en verankering van deze nieuwe manier van werken blijven aandachtspunten voor de toekomst

Do subjective memory complaints predict cognitive dysfunction over time? A six-year follow-up of the Maastricht Aging Study

Background Middle-aged and older people often worry that their perceived diminishing memory function may indicate incipient dementia. Objectives The present study addresses questions regarding subjective memory complaints as a predictor of lower performance on cognitive tasks. Also, in participants with subjective memory complaints it was investigated, whether trying to keep mentally active improved memory function. Characteristics of the participants who were and were not interested in an intervention to decrease worries and to improve memory in daily life were determined. Methods Data were obtained from a large longitudinal study: the Maastricht Aging Study, involving 557 participants aged 55 to 85 years. Follow-up measurement was performed after 6 years. Outcome variables were simple, complex and general information processing speed and immediate and delayed recall. Results At baseline, forgetfulness was associated with a slower general information processing and delayed recall. At the six-year follow-up, being forgetful was not associated with a significant change in cognitive performance. Taking steps to remain cognitively active was not a predictor of better performance on cognitive tasks at baseline or at the six-year follow-up. Conclusion Being forgetful might be an indicator of slower general information processing speed and delayed recall at baseline but does not predict cognitive change over 6 years in older adults. However, the effects are rather small and cannot directly be generalized to applications in clinical settings. Other factors, such as depression and anxiety might also underlie the cause of the forgetfulness

Evaluatie van de Twinningfaciliteit Suriname-Nederland

De Twinningfaciliteit Suriname-Nederland (TF) is een subsidiefonds om de samenwerking tussen maatschappelijke organisaties uit Nederland en Suriname te bevorderen. Doel van deze evaluatie van de Inspectie Ontwikkelingssamenwerking en Beleidsevaluatie was na te gaan welke resultaten met de gefinancierde projecten zijn behaald en of deze hebben bijgedragen aan de beoogde doelstellingen

Subjective forgetfulness is associated with lower quality of life in middle-aged and young-old individuals: a 9-year follow-up in older participants from the Maastricht Aging Study

OBJECTIVES: Many people regard themselves as being forgetful. They may be hindered by or worried about this subjective forgetfulness in daily life. The first aim of the present study was to determine whether perceived forgetfulness in healthy older adults is related to a lower quality of life. The second objective was to assess whether the association between perceived forgetfulness and quality of life changes over a 9-year follow-up period. METHOD: A group of 412 participants in the longitudinal Maastricht Aging Study, aged 54 years or older, were interviewed and tested at baseline, 3, 6, and 9 years. Four proxy measures of quality of life were studied; satisfaction with life, mental well-being, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. RESULTS: Results showed that subjective forgetfulness was associated with a lower quality of life. In addition, in individuals considering themselves forgetful, a significant increase was found in symptoms of anxiety, compared to those who had no perceived forgetfulness. The relation between perceived forgetfulness and decreased satisfaction with life was stronger in younger (54-69 years) than in older participants (70-91 years). CONCLUSION: The observation that perceived forgetfulness and reduced quality of life are related and that this relation persists over time demonstrates the relevance of subjective forgetfulness for daily life functioning, particularly in relatively young subjects