This study critically reviewed empirical literature examining nutrition education intervention st... more This study critically reviewed empirical literature examining nutrition education intervention studies with community-dwelling older adults over the period 2003-2012 to: (1) determine the number, (2) evaluate the research designs, and (3) report the study outcomes. A search of online databases yielded 74 studies six of which met our criteria. The studies reported favorable intervention outcomes. Because of the number, variability in the types, designs, measures, scope, educational and behavioral strategies, results can only inform future studies and encourage scholars to use strong evaluation design. We recommend the utilization of an ecological conceptual model when conducting nutrition interventions studies and discussed implications in terms of research and practice.
The purpose of this pilot study was to gather data from urban-dwelling African-American and Carib... more The purpose of this pilot study was to gather data from urban-dwelling African-American and Caribbean- born elders in order to explore their normal food habits, awareness about nutrition, influence of personal health conditions on food habits, and receipt of specific practitioner-initiated personalized nutrition intervention. A series of four focus groups were conducted among 50 Black elders, 36 of whom were
Journal of health and human services administration, 2014
The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship across race/ethnicity relative to repo... more The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship across race/ethnicity relative to reported subjective physical symptoms and clinically assessed medical conditions among the aging minority population using the Health and Retirement Study data for years 1998-2000. Poisson and negative binomial regressions were used to estimate three count dependent variables: physical symptom, chronic, and life-threatening medical conditions. Results indicate that while Black respondents were 18% more likely to report physical symptoms when compared to White respondents (B = .171, p < .01, e(.171) = 1.18) and 1.06 times more likely to report life-threatening medical conditions (B = .058, p < .01, e(.058) = 1.06), when SES variables were added being Black was no longer significantly associated with physical symptoms and chronic conditions. However, being Black did remain statistically significant and positively associated with life-threatening conditions, even after controlling for SES...
This study used path analysis to examine the impact of cognitive impairment, functional impairmen... more This study used path analysis to examine the impact of cognitive impairment, functional impairment, and behavior disorder on affective disorder among a probability sample of 181 older, Black nursing home residents from New York State. The sample was from one of the ten collaborative studies of dementia special care, commissioned and funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA). The
... Elaine P. Congress is Assistant Professor, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Servi... more ... Elaine P. Congress is Assistant Professor, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service, 113 West 60th Street, New York, NY 10023. Beverly P. Lyons is a doctoral candidate at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service. ...
Many older adults lack knowledge concerning the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle, atypical d... more Many older adults lack knowledge concerning the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle, atypical disease symptoms, the adverse effects of multiple medication use, and the hazards of frequent hospitalizations. Medically trained healthcare providers and community health practitioners can provide older adults with this information through health education classes. However, these healthcare professionals must continually update their knowledge as the science of gerontology and geriatrics is always expanding. The advanced certificate in gerontology administration program at LIU-Brooklyn hosted a 3-h train-the-trainer seminar, which was attended by 62 healthcare professionals to raise awareness concerning the realities of aging and to describe a range of behaviors that support health. For approximately 90 min, the keynote speaker presented issues and solutions that addressed the before-mentioned areas of knowledge deficit, followed by a question and answer period. Participants were asked to use an anonymous survey evaluation form featuring both quantitative and qualitative questions to rate the seminar. Close-ended questions were developed on a five-point scale ranging from 5 = strongly agree to 1 = strongly disagree. These items were analyzed to compute frequency and percent. The participants rated the seminar favorably with 98% stating that they learned the benefits of exercise for older adults; 97% learned how to avoid the hazards of hospitalization. Evaluations of the seminar suggest that it is feasible to develop educational programs targeting healthcare professionals and community health practitioners.
ABSTRACT This study sought to compare the differences in attributes between older SCU residents a... more ABSTRACT This study sought to compare the differences in attributes between older SCU residents and non-SCU residents with dementing illnesses. It used the Institutional Comprehensive Assessment and Referral Evaluation (INCARE) screening measure as a basis for analyses. A probability sample, consisting of 181 black elders residing in nursing homes in New York State, had been drawn earlier as part of the ten collaborative studies of dementia special care sponsored by the National Institute on Aging. Findings indicate that black elders in SCUs are different from the typical dementia special care residents as discussed in the literature. Implications are discussed in terms of social work practice.
This study critically reviewed empirical literature examining nutrition education intervention st... more This study critically reviewed empirical literature examining nutrition education intervention studies with community-dwelling older adults over the period 2003-2012 to: (1) determine the number, (2) evaluate the research designs, and (3) report the study outcomes. A search of online databases yielded 74 studies six of which met our criteria. The studies reported favorable intervention outcomes. Because of the number, variability in the types, designs, measures, scope, educational and behavioral strategies, results can only inform future studies and encourage scholars to use strong evaluation design. We recommend the utilization of an ecological conceptual model when conducting nutrition interventions studies and discussed implications in terms of research and practice.
The purpose of this pilot study was to gather data from urban-dwelling African-American and Carib... more The purpose of this pilot study was to gather data from urban-dwelling African-American and Caribbean- born elders in order to explore their normal food habits, awareness about nutrition, influence of personal health conditions on food habits, and receipt of specific practitioner-initiated personalized nutrition intervention. A series of four focus groups were conducted among 50 Black elders, 36 of whom were
Journal of health and human services administration, 2014
The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship across race/ethnicity relative to repo... more The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship across race/ethnicity relative to reported subjective physical symptoms and clinically assessed medical conditions among the aging minority population using the Health and Retirement Study data for years 1998-2000. Poisson and negative binomial regressions were used to estimate three count dependent variables: physical symptom, chronic, and life-threatening medical conditions. Results indicate that while Black respondents were 18% more likely to report physical symptoms when compared to White respondents (B = .171, p < .01, e(.171) = 1.18) and 1.06 times more likely to report life-threatening medical conditions (B = .058, p < .01, e(.058) = 1.06), when SES variables were added being Black was no longer significantly associated with physical symptoms and chronic conditions. However, being Black did remain statistically significant and positively associated with life-threatening conditions, even after controlling for SES...
This study used path analysis to examine the impact of cognitive impairment, functional impairmen... more This study used path analysis to examine the impact of cognitive impairment, functional impairment, and behavior disorder on affective disorder among a probability sample of 181 older, Black nursing home residents from New York State. The sample was from one of the ten collaborative studies of dementia special care, commissioned and funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA). The
... Elaine P. Congress is Assistant Professor, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Servi... more ... Elaine P. Congress is Assistant Professor, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service, 113 West 60th Street, New York, NY 10023. Beverly P. Lyons is a doctoral candidate at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service. ...
Many older adults lack knowledge concerning the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle, atypical d... more Many older adults lack knowledge concerning the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle, atypical disease symptoms, the adverse effects of multiple medication use, and the hazards of frequent hospitalizations. Medically trained healthcare providers and community health practitioners can provide older adults with this information through health education classes. However, these healthcare professionals must continually update their knowledge as the science of gerontology and geriatrics is always expanding. The advanced certificate in gerontology administration program at LIU-Brooklyn hosted a 3-h train-the-trainer seminar, which was attended by 62 healthcare professionals to raise awareness concerning the realities of aging and to describe a range of behaviors that support health. For approximately 90 min, the keynote speaker presented issues and solutions that addressed the before-mentioned areas of knowledge deficit, followed by a question and answer period. Participants were asked to use an anonymous survey evaluation form featuring both quantitative and qualitative questions to rate the seminar. Close-ended questions were developed on a five-point scale ranging from 5 = strongly agree to 1 = strongly disagree. These items were analyzed to compute frequency and percent. The participants rated the seminar favorably with 98% stating that they learned the benefits of exercise for older adults; 97% learned how to avoid the hazards of hospitalization. Evaluations of the seminar suggest that it is feasible to develop educational programs targeting healthcare professionals and community health practitioners.
ABSTRACT This study sought to compare the differences in attributes between older SCU residents a... more ABSTRACT This study sought to compare the differences in attributes between older SCU residents and non-SCU residents with dementing illnesses. It used the Institutional Comprehensive Assessment and Referral Evaluation (INCARE) screening measure as a basis for analyses. A probability sample, consisting of 181 black elders residing in nursing homes in New York State, had been drawn earlier as part of the ten collaborative studies of dementia special care sponsored by the National Institute on Aging. Findings indicate that black elders in SCUs are different from the typical dementia special care residents as discussed in the literature. Implications are discussed in terms of social work practice.
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