Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of Virtual Rehabilitation for Middle and Older Aged Veterans With Mobility Limitations: A Pilot Study.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the transition of an outpatient center-based rehabilitation program for middle and older aged Veterans with mobility limitations to a tele-health platform.

Design: Non-randomized non-controlled pilot study including 10 treatment sessions over 8 weeks and assessments at baseline, 8, 16, and 24 weeks.

Setting: VA Boston Healthcare System ambulatory care between August 2020 and March 2021.

Changes in Mild Neurocognitive Disorder Status in Mobility Limited Older Primary Care Patients: Implications for Rehabilitative Care.

Objective: The aim of the study is to identify potential rehabilitative treatment targets associated with participants' annual cognitive status.

Design: A cohort study patients with self-reported mobility limitation who completed neuropsychological, physical performance testing, and questionnaires at baseline to 2-year follow-up were categorized into three groups (persistently cognitively normal, nonpersistent mild neurocognitive disorder, and persistently mild neurocognitive disorder) based on their annual cognitive status using baseline, years 1 and 2 performance on Hopkins Verbal Learning, Trail Making, and Digit Symbol Substitution Tests. Repeated measures multinomial regression analysis was used to examine the differences between groups and associated characteristics.

Mild Neurocognitive Disorder, Social Engagement, and Falls Among Older Primary Care Patients.

Objectives: (1) To estimate the association between social engagement (SE) and falls; (2) To examine the relation between mild neurocognitive disorder (MNCD) and falls by different levels of SE.

Design: We performed a secondary data analysis using prospective cohort study design.

Setting: Primary care.

The Live Long Walk Strong Rehabilitation Program Study: Design and Methods.

Objective: To identify attributes targeted by rehabilitative treatment within which improvements lead to short- and long-term changes in mobility. Maintaining independence in mobility is important to many older adults and is associated with critical outcomes such as aging in place, morbidity, and mortality.

Design: The Live Long Walk Strong rehabilitation study is a phase 2 single-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Reliability of Virtual Physical Performance Assessments in Veterans During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: To determine the reliability of 3 physical performance tests performed via a telehealth visit (30-s arm curls test, 30-s chair stand test, 2-min step test) among community-dwelling older veterans.

Design: Cross sectional study.

Setting: Virtual.

Evaluating the Feasibility and Effects of a Short-Term Task Specific Power Training With and Without Cognitive Training Among Older Adults With Slow Gait Speed: A Pilot Study.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of short-term functional power training and further examine whether the addition of cognitive training targeting sustained attention and inhibitory control would augment the effect on the outcomes.

Design: Randomized pilot study.

Setting: Clinical research facility.

Metabolic Syndrome and Physical Performance: The Moderating Role of Cognition among Middle-to-Older-Aged Adults.

Objective: Mobility limitation and cognitive decline are related. Metabolic syndrome (MetS), the clustering of three or more cardiovascular risk factors, is associated with decline in both mobility and cognition. However, the interrelationship among MetS, mobility, and cognition is unknown.

Effects of meditation and mind-body exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor: A literature review of human experimental studies.

This paper provides a literature review of current studies investigating the effects of meditation and mind-body exercise on peripheral concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an important mediator of the neuroplasticity of the central nervous system and cognitive function. A literature search was conducted to collect currently published randomized controlled, non-randomized controlled and uncontrolled intervention studies. Fifteen studies were identified; and among these studies, seven were randomized controlled studies, three were non-randomized studies, and five were uncontrolled studies.

Effects of Exergaming on Cognition and Gait in Older Adults at Risk for Falling.

Purpose: To test whether an 8-wk exergaming (EG) program would improve cognition and gait characteristics compared with a traditional physical exercise (TPE) program in older adults at risk for falling.

Methods: A pilot quasi-experimental study was conducted in adults age ≥65 yr at risk for falls, living in senior communities. Participants enrolled (n = 35) in either exercise program offered twice weekly for 8 wk.

Chronic Pain Characteristics and Gait in Older Adults: The MOBILIZE Boston Study II.

Objective: To investigate a proposed cognitively-mediated pathway whereby pain contributes to gait impairments by acting as a distractor in community-living older adults.

Design: A cross-sectional study of a population-based cohort of older adults.

Setting: Urban and suburban communities in a large metropolitan area.

Effects of Tai Chi on beta endorphin and inflammatory markers in older adults with chronic pain: an exploratory study.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the effects of Tai Chi on blood levels of beta endorphin (β-endorphin) and inflammatory markers in older adults with chronic pain. Forty community-dwelling older adults with chronic pain were randomized to Tai Chi or light physical exercise, and each offered twice weekly for 12 weeks. Following the 12-week intervention, neither Tai Chi nor light physical exercise changed levels of β-endorphin and inflammatory markers.

Physiological responses and enjoyment of Kinect-based exergames in older adults at risk for falls: A feasibility study.

Background: Exergaming has the potential to improve physical function, cognition and dual-task function, and could be an effective new strategy for reducing risk of falling in older adults.

Objective: To evaluate and test custom Microsoft Kinect-based motion-tracking exergames in older adults at risk for falls.

Methods: Community-dwelling older adults who reported mobility difficulties or had fallen in the past year played three newly developed exergames (Target Trackers, Double Decision, and Visual Sweeps, 5 minutes each) in random order.

Exercise Intensity-Driven Level Design.

Games and experiences designed for virtual or augmented reality usually require the player to move physically to play. This poses substantial challenge for level designers because the player's physical experience in a level will need to be considered, otherwise the level may turn out to be too exhausting or not challenging enough. This paper presents a novel approach to optimize level designs by considering the physical challenge imposed upon the player in completing a level of motion-based games.

Tai Chi for older adults with chronic multisite pain: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Background: Chronic pain is associated with poorer cognition and mobility, and fall risk in older adults.

Aims: To investigate the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial of mind-body exercise (Tai Chi) versus light physical exercise in older adults with multisite pain.

Methods: Adults aged ≥ 65 years with multisite pain who reported falling in the past year or current use of an assistive device were recruited from Boston area communities.

Physical activity and telomere length: Impact of aging and potential mechanisms of action.

Telomeres protect the integrity of information-carrying DNA by serving as caps on the terminal portions of chromosomes. Telomere length decreases with aging, and this contributes to cell senescence. Recent evidence supports that telomere length of leukocytes and skeletal muscle cells may be positively associated with healthy living and inversely correlated with the risk of several age-related diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, chronic pain, and stress.

Physical Activity Domains/Recommendations and Leukocyte Telomere Length in U.S. Adults.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between different physical activity (PA) domains, PA recommendations, and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) using data from a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2002.

Potential Benefits of Exergaming for Cognition and Dual-Task Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.

This paper provides a systematic review of current research findings using exergaming as a treatment for improving cognition and dual-task function in older adults. A literature search was conducted to collect exergaming intervention studies that were either randomized controlled or uncontrolled studies. Of the seven identified studies (five randomized controlled studies and two uncontrolled studies), three studies focused on cognitive function alone, two studies focused on dual-task function alone, and two studies measured both cognitive function and dual-task function.