Thesis (M.Soc.Sc. Psychology)--University of Waikato, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-115) Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 162-173).

Osteoarthritis is a disease that causes decreases in hand function in the elderly adult and can lead to full disability of the hand. There is no clear cause of osteoarthritis of the hand, although injury and overuse can contribute to development of the disease. Traditional treatments include splinting, paraffin therapy, medications and, in severe cases, joint replacement. Nontraditional therapies include mobility training, therapeutic touch, acupuncture and exercise. The purpose of this study was to explore the non-traditional treatment of hand-strengthening exercise as a way to improve hand function. Specifically, this study evaluated the effects of an eightweek hand exercise program utilizing Hand Exercisers and FlexBars on hand grip strength and dexterity in 13 elderly women aged 70-85 (M=80.4, SD= +/- 4.25) who showed signs and symptoms of hand osteoarthritis, which are pain, stiffness and swelling.. Participants were evaluated before and after the exercise intervention for grip strength, pinch strength, range of motion of the trapeziometacarpal, metacarpophalangeal, interphalangeal and wrist joints, and were timed on a hand dexterity test that involved putting on and buttoning a shirt with ten 3/8th inch buttons. A repeated measures ANOVA was the mode of data analysis. Hand strength significantly improved (p<0.05), as both grip (19%) and pinch (26%) strength showed improvements. In range of motion testing, palmar flexion (12%), interphalangeal flexion (46%), metacarpophalangeal flexion (39%) and wrist extension (11%) showed significant improvements while palmar abduction (12%) and wrist flexion (8%) did not. Hand dexterity also improved as evidenced by a 24% decrease in the amount of time to button a shirt. Pain, stiffness and disability, as measured by the AUSCAN, also decreased significantly, with a 17.3% decrease in means. The results indicate that hand exercise programs can be used to increase hand function while decreasing the signs and symptoms in patients with hand osteoarthritis. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--Wichita State University, College of Education, Dept. of Kinesiology and Sport Studies. / "July 2006." / Includes bibliographic references (leaves 33-37).

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio State University. / Bibliography: leaves 50-53. Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Thesis (M.S.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Nov. 30, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-90).

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

No description available.

This research examined how the needs of elderly women are being met in the hospital setting. Qualitative data were gathered through in-depth interviews with eleven women between the ages of 70 and 93 who had had a hospital stay in the previous year. Data analysis revealed that the system failed to attend to participants' age specific needs. This failure created gaps in care which were particularly troubling for elderly female patients whose frailty made them susceptible to additional health problems. Participants received inadequate care in such areas as bathing, walking assistance and help with eating. Hearing impairments and denture issues were at times overlooked. These gaps in care caused participants to view a hospital stay as a matter of survival. Participants developed strategies to cope with gaps in care which included lowering their expectations, developing support networks and relying on family members to meet their basic needs and advocate on their behalf. Recommendations for change include identifying elderly women as a vulnerable patient population and defining the problems they face as structural issues as opposed to individual problems.

No description available.

Dietary assessment methods are often plagued with inconsistent or inaccurate data. Self-reported intakes are particularly susceptible to error as research has shown that humans habitually report food intake inappropriately. Self-reported intakes have been used to create energy recommendations for populations. In order to assess energy intake, a novel 4 day multimedia dietary assessment method was developed utilizing a tape-recorder and camera in an attempt to more accurately quantify energy intake than traditional methods. The Recommended Nutrient Intakes for Canadians ( RNIC) provide population mean energy estimations. An objective was to determine whether the RNIC provides an accurate index of energy requirements. Current literature suggests that the RNIC is inadequate in some populations to meet energy needs when validated against methods such as doubly-labelled water (DLW). Total energy expenditure (TEE) and body composition were determined through the use of DLW in 76 women (49--93 years) over 13 days. The multimedia diet records did not reflect true intake in these subjects as demonstrated by a mean 24% underreporting rate when compared to TEE. Mean energy expenditure (MJ/day) as determined by doubly-labelled water was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in each stratified age range when compared to reported energy intake by multimedia diet records. The use of tabulated RNIC's underestimated true energy requirements by a mean of 29%. Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization energy predictions closely estimated actual TEE in the study population. This research agrees with current literature questioning the validity of self-reported dietary intake data.