Planning for Care
The New Mexico Senior Olympics 400/800M Estimated Walk/Run: A Feasibility Study in Older Adult Behavior Change View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ellen Driber-Hassall, John Bishop
The purpose of this mixed methods feasibility study is to determine if a novel physical activity intervention helps to modify behavior in terms of activity barrier identification, improvements to physical ability level, and sustained behavior change. Our state-wide research is conducted through a social science experiment with an older adult population. It examines self-reported and observed levels of physical activity, self-reported barriers to physical activity, and longitudinal physical ability changes using the New Mexico Senior Olympics, Inc. (NMSO) 400/800M Estimated Walk/Run as the intervention with adults 50 years of age and older. The study uses both qualitative data, through interviews, instant polls, etc., in addition to quantitative data in the form of surveys, scales, physical ability measurement, and self- reported physical ability changes. Through the testing of a proposed novel behavior change model, the researchers examine various demographic, physical, psychological, and motivational variables for analysis purposes. Anticipated implications of this study include: 1) an increase in participation with NMSO events for adults ages 50 and older, 2) the transition of casual walkers into walking athletes, 3) the validation of a novel behavior change model for older adults, and 4) the recognition and acceptance of the 400/800M Estimated Walk/Run event as a viable, competitive event in the National Senior Games. Such results may have application in fields where professionals work with older adults to enhance the aging process.
End-of-Life Preferences in the Face of Alzheimer's Disease: A Survey of Americans over Fifty View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Dena Davis
The current state of advance directives in the United States allows only limited options to people facing a diagnosis of dementia. Existing options focus on choices involving the final stages of dementia, e.g. refusing feeding tubes when one can no longer swallow. Our question was whether these choices responded to the concerns of many Americans. Our hypothesis was that a substantial number might wish their lives to end at earlier stages. Plan: We sampled 1050 people over the age of 50 in the United States. 58% of respondents had experienced loved ones living with dementia. Participants were divided into two groups (n=525). Group One responded to a vignette about four people who experience fatal heart attacks at different stages of their life with dementia. Group Two imagined that they were writing a document directing a health care proxy about when to accept or refuse antibiotics for pneumonia, should they be in a state of dementia. The majority of Group One respondents (56%) would prefer a life trajectory in which they had a final heart attack while still in the first stage of dementia. The majority of Group Two (57%) would choose to refuse antibiotics for a fatal pneumonia sometime in the first or second stage of dementia. Advance directives and end-of-life strategies that focus only on the final stage(s) of dementia fail to reflect the concerns of a majority of Americans over 50.
Current Housing Options Not Meeting Needs for Mobile Seniors in Poland: Polish Seniors Want to Remain Independent as Long as Possible Contrary to Cultural Beliefs View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Gretchen (Greta) Garniss
Programs, policies, and research in the senior housing demographic focus on the social, medical, and economic areas of aging. Housing for mobile seniors is an area that is neglected in research. While development of nursing/care homes and social housing units is important, the senior demographic is divers in its mobility, income and living wants. The needs of mobile seniors are not being met in this market. Briefly reviewing historical and current real estate activity in housing development along with surveying active seniors through original research provides the basis of this paper that aims to promote more diverse housing choices and development for mobile seniors. This study focuses on Poland because it is the largest country in Central and Eastern Europe and there are similar real estate and senior housing issues across this region. It is hoped that as a result of this research, Poland could be used as a model to diversify and improve housing conditions for seniors at all levels of age, mobility, and health not only in Poland, but across Central and Eastern Europe. There is an economic and social return on investment for building housing that better meets needs.
