Search

Background and Objectives: Previous studies have found that falls among community-dwelling older people with dementia negatively impact the health and well-being of their relative/friend care partners. Limited studies have explored the challenges care partners experience because of older people's falls (including fall incidents and fall risks). We sought to investigate care partners' experiences of these challenges and how care partners responded. Methods: We conducted an inductive thematic analysis of 48 dementia care partner interviews (age range: 33–86, mean: 61, 70.8% women; 58.3% adult children; 29.2% spouse; 62.5% completed college; 25% people of color), conducted after a health crisis of older people with dementia from three local university-affiliated hospitals in the United States. Findings: Care partners reported that falls in older people with dementia can intensify overall care demands and lead to self-sacrificing behaviors, dissatisfaction with healthcare providers, conflicts with care recipients, and intense emotions. Care partners described several adaptations to mitigate these impacts, including practicing acceptance, approaching falls as an opportunity for learning, facilitating collaborations within formal/informal care networks, collaborating with older people with dementia to balance autonomy and safety, and modifying the physical environment. Discussions and Implications: Falls among older people with dementia are a significant stressor and an important activation stimulus for their care partners. Our findings suggest that care partners are "second clients" and "competent collaborators." As they provide important insights about fall prevention, care partners should be engaged to co-design new multi-level interventions to facilitate collaborations among care networks, older people with dementia, and service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Cordyceps militaris have proven to be effective in treating inflammation, prostate cancer and oxidative in cell line models. Experimental treatments on animal subjects have demonstrated evidence of increased sex hormones and gonadal volumes, and phytosterols, especially β-sitosterol, in terms of decreasing hypertrophied prostate glands. Aim of the study: Evaluating the effects of how ingesting Cordyceps militaris fruiting bodies can alleviate BPH disease as well as improve sexual function in elderly male volunteers who were the main subjects of this study. Materials and Methods: We conducted an open clinical trial, consisting of 62 patients in conjunction with administering the standard medical treatment. The maximum flow (Q-max), post void residual volume (PVR), the prostate volume, International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire (IPSS), International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire (IIEF) and blood test for prostate specific antigen (PSA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), testosterone (T), estradiol (E2) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were recorded before and after administering the treatment. We used a Pair-t-test for the analysis. Results: The study showed an increase in the maximum flow (p = 0.025*), and a decrease in prostate volume (p = 0.016*). The IPSS and IIEF Questionnaire results were (p = 0.0001***) and (p = 0.005**) respectively, and was therefore duly significant in terms of demonstrating visible clinical results. Conclusions: Cordyceps militaris fruiting bodies had the tendency in increasing the urinary flow, decreasing the size of the prostatic gland and alleviating micturition symptoms as well as having positive effect on sexual functions.

Objectives: Managing multimorbidity as aging stroke patients is complex; standard self-management programs necessitate adaptations. We used visual analytics to examine complex relationships among aging stroke survivors' comorbidities. These findings informed pre-adaptation of a component of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. Methods: Secondary analysis of 2013–2014 Medicare claims with stroke as an index condition, hospital readmission within 90 days (n = 42,938), and 72 comorbidities. Visual analytics identified patient subgroups and co-occurring comorbidities. Guided by the framework for reporting adaptations and modifications to evidence-based interventions, an interdisciplinary team developed vignettes that highlighted multimorbidity to customize the self-management program. Results: There were five significant subgroups (z = 6.19, p <.001) of comorbidities such as obesity and cancer. We constructed 6 vignettes based on the 5 subgroups. Discussion: Aging stroke patients often face substantial disease-management hurdles. We used visual analytics to inform pre-adaptation of a self-management program to fit the needs of older adult stroke survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]