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A cross-sectional design investigated the physical attributes of 15 dyads of people with dementia and their caregivers. Physical and cognitive markers determined deviations from clinical thresholds for loss of functional independence, where 100% of participants performed below criterion-referenced threshold values for aerobic endurance. Walking distance for people with dementia was associated with bath/shower activity (p =.007), transfers (p <.001), and mobility (p =.013). Less distance walked was associated with more assistance with self-care tasks. Physical deficits associated with low aerobic endurance and lower body strength compromised independence, placing dyads at risk for falls and mobility-related health issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A lack of confidence directly impacts caregiver distress, thereby having a tremendous influence on the overall health of caregivers. The purpose of this study examined how The Family Caregiver Training Program impacts caregiver confidence. Method: A delayed-intervention, randomized design with control group and three month follow up examined confidence with 36 family caregivers of people with dementia. Participants completed the nine-item Caregiver Confidence Scale pretest, posttest, and three months posttest; the last five-items included a program evaluation subscale administered only at posttest. Results: Caregiver confidence, regardless of group assignment, improved; however, was not maintained three months posttest. Both groups reported favorable program evaluation scores, with 83% requesting the availability of online training. Conclusion: Findings provide new evidence in caregiver literature on caregiver confidence from ADL and standard care training. Clinical implications suggest implementation of training programs that include follow-up visits to maintain confidence, and trainings in an online format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine providers' perspectives on cultural barriers and facilitators to diabetes self-management (DSM) in Arab Americans to identify factors to enhance DSM education in the Arab-American community. The main barriers to DSM from the providers' perspective were the disease itself and patients' denial or refusal to recognize it, reflecting the stigma of the disease. Cultural aspects also included overlapping themes that both facilitated and presented barriers to DSM. These results suggest that DSM education for Arab Americans will be most effective if developed and delivered in a manner consistent with the cultural facilitators and barriers noted by providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Arab Americans have a high burden of diabetes and poor outcomes compared to the general U.S. population. Diabetes self-management (DSM) requires a partnership between patients and providers that fosters mutual understanding and shared decision-making. Cultural factors influence this process; however, little is known regarding the cultural impact on DSM or if perceptions differ between patients and providers. Methods: Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze five focus groups--two groups with Arab American providers (n = 8) and three groups with adult Arab Americans with diabetes (n = 23). Focus groups examined patient and provider perspectives on the meaning of DSM and cultural barriers and facilitators among Arab American patients. Results: Four distinct themes included limited resources for DSM education and support, stigma as a barrier to ongoing support, family support as an opportunity and challenge, and Arab American patient-provider relationships. Conclusions: Findings indicate several domains should be considered for clinical practice including a need to develop linguistically and culturally reliant educational materials and relevant supports for use in the Arab American population. Findings highlight differing views among providers and patients on the familial role in supporting DSM efforts and why some patients feel dissatisfied with clinical encounters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurement of the social construct of Family Quality of Life (FQOL) is a parsimonious alternative to the current approach of measuring familial outcomes using a battery of tools related to individual-level outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the internal consistency and concurrent validity of the International FQOL Survey (FQOLS-2006), using cross-sectional data collected from 65 family caregivers of children with developmental disabilities. It shows a moderate correlation between the total FQOL scores of the FQOLS-2006 and the Beach Center's FQOL scale. The validity of five FQOLS-2006 domains was supported by the correlations between conceptually related domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this study was to better understand barriers and facilitators of diabetes self-management education (DSME) among Arab American patients with diabetes. Little is known about the impact of Arab culture on DSME. Methods Arab American adults (N = 23) with medically managed diabetes participated in 1 of 3 focus groups. An Arabic-speaking, trained moderator conducted video-recorded sessions. Verbatim Arabic transcripts were translated into English. Transcripts underwent a qualitative content analysis approach. Results Arab American cultural traditions such as food sharing, religious beliefs, and gender roles both facilitated and at times impeded DSME. Patients also held conflicting views about their interactions with their providers; some participants praised the authoritative patient-physician relationship style while others perceived the gaps in communication to be a product of Arab culture. Participants expressed that lack of available educational and supportive resources are key barriers to DSME. Conclusion Arab American culture affects DSM activities, and culturally sensitive educational resources are lacking. Development of DSME programs tailored to address relevant aspects of Arab culture might improve DSME outcomes in Arab American population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients and caregivers often associate dementia with devastation and a loss of productive contribution to society. People with dementia are often depicted as confused individuals struggling through embarrassing episodes, followed by a loss of independence. The burden and devastation of the diagnosis on the families of people with dementia is exacerbated by their assumption of the role of caregiver with inadequate preparation or training. Disability scholars, in contrast, offer physical and occupational therapists a nontragic view of disability that recognizes the importance of countering the stigma and discrimination that too often accompany dementia. This case example of a woman diagnosed with dementia provides insight into the negative impact of these tragic, dependent views of dementia throughout and following the diagnosis process. Viewing her experiences through the lens of disability scholarship can increase awareness and improve the quality of care on the part of both therapists and family caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postural control requires the integration of sensory information and is essential for performing every day movements and activities. Integrating sensory information from multiple sources may be challenging when competing sources of sensory information are affected. To further understand this complex relationship, this study investigated the contribution of varying sources of sensory information to postural control in healthy, young participants. Sixty young healthy adults (n=22 males; mean age, 24.6 ± 2.1 SD years and (n=38 females, mean age 24.0 ± 1.4 SD years) were asked to maintain a stable posture under conditions that varied standing surface, head position and the availability of visual information. Sway velocity was largest when standing on foam with eyes closed and head extended (2.07°/s) however, under the same visual-surface conditions with the head in a neutral position, sway velocity (1.59°/s) was smaller yet remained significant. Findings from this study suggest that postural sway responses are dependent on the combined integration of available sources of sensory information. It is anticipated that such baseline information will allow us to apply our findings to the clinical management of individuals suffering from balance and vestibular impairments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]