Care partner support.

Palliative care focuses on improving the quality of life of people living with serious illness and their family carers. However despite policy, clinical, and research evidence underpinning the importance of a family approach to care, as well as justification for early palliative care integration, systemic inadequacies have impeded the quality of family support. This chapter provides an overview of common concepts in caregiving, a framework through which carer well-being can be understood, and an overview of disease specific considerations for care partners.

Predictors of Spiritual Well-Being in Family Caregivers for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative illness that causes disability through both motor and nonmotor symptoms. Family caregivers provide substantial care to persons living with PD, often at great personal cost. While spiritual well-being and spirituality have been suggested to promote resiliency in caregivers of persons living with cancer and dementia, this issue has not been explored in PD.

The presence of a caregiver is associated with patient outcomes in patients with Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonisms.

Introduction: Approximately 88% of men and 79% of women with Parkinson's disease (PD) identify an informal caregiver. Although caregivers can play a key role in supporting patients, little is known about how and whether PD patients with and without caregivers differ in terms of physical, cognitive, and mood outcomes. This study explored whether caregiver presence was associated with variations in patient presentation and outcomes in a palliative PD and atypical PD population.

Effects of a Health Education and Research Participation Enhancement Program on Participation and Autonomy in Diverse Older Adults.

Social engagement and autonomy are vital for life satisfaction among older adults. We measured multiple domains of social participation and autonomy in 120 adults over age 55 years that were part of an educational program at pretest, posttest, and follow-up. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed for differences between Black and White participants.

Patient and caregiver characteristics associated with caregiver burden in Parkinson's disease: a palliative care approach.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with caregiver burden. Higher rates of burden are associated with adverse outcomes for caregivers and patients. Our aim was to understand patient and caregiver predictors of caregiver burden in PD from a palliative care approach.

Correlates of spiritual wellbeing in persons living with Parkinson disease.

Background: Spirituality influences chronic disease coping skills through both positive and negative means. Although previous research notes similar associations between faith and Parkinson disease (PD) management, little is known about spirituality in the context of PD management in a palliative setting. The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of the association between spirituality and PD management to best maximize the effect of spiritual counseling in treatment of the disease.

Measuring quality of life in palliative care for Parkinson's disease: A clinimetric comparison.

Introduction: Quality of life (QOL) assessments allow for more complete evaluation of patients' lived experiences in relation to chronic conditions, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). In palliative care, such instruments are vital to ensure QOL issues are catalogued and addressed for patients. However, little is known regarding the psychometric properties of quality of life scales for use in palliative care for PD, specifically.

A Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding the Palliative Needs of Parkinson's Patients.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second-most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder. Despite recommendations for a palliative approach, little is known about what palliative needs are unmet by standard care. This study aims to (a) identify palliative needs of PD patients, (b) determine the relationship between palliative needs and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and (c) probe into factors affecting HRQoL.

Progressive Support for Activities of Daily Living for Persons Living With Dementia.

Background And Objectives: Dementia is accompanied by increasing need for support in activities of daily living (ADLs). This brief report/literature review summarizes the practices to care for early stage, middle stage, and late stage ADL needs (dressing, toileting, and eating/nutrition), and examines commonalities across ADL needs and the extent to which practices are reflected in guidelines and/or evidence.

Research Design And Methods: A review of the grey and peer-reviewed literature, using some but not all procedures of a systematic review.

Using social exchange theory to understand non-terminal palliative care referral practices for Parkinson's disease patients.

Background: A palliative approach is recommended in the care of Parkinson's disease patients; however, many patients only receive this care in the form of hospice at the end of life. Physician attitudes about palliative care have been shown to influence referrals for patients with chronic disease, and negative physician perceptions may affect early palliative referrals for Parkinson's disease patients.

Aim: To use Social Exchange Theory to examine the association between neurologist-perceived costs and benefits of palliative care referral for Parkinson's disease patients and their reported referral practices.

A Comprehensive Approach to Care in Parkinson's Disease Adds Quality to the Current Gold Standard.

Background: Providing high-quality care for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) involves addressing both motor and nonmotor features. We describe the implementation and evaluation of a 2-day, interdisciplinary Comprehensive Care Clinic (CCC) for patients with PD.

Methods: Patients who attended the CCC between January 2010 and July 2013 were matched by sex and age with patients who were evaluated in specialist care during the same time frame.

The Role of Age in Moderating the Association Between Disability and Light-Intensity Physical Activity.

Purpose: There's a lack of evidence on the association between light-intensity physical activity and disability. This study examines the relationships in activity by self-reported physical function in five domains (i.e.

Depressive symptomology management and falls among middle aged and older adults.

Objectives: This study aims to examine the relationship between middle-aged and older adults' depressive symptomology and anti-depressant use and the frequency of falls within the previous 12 months, controlling for sociodemographic variables, health indicators, and health behaviors.

Method: From the 2010 National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, 2338 cases were examined. Falls were categorized into a binary variable, comparing zero falls with one or more falls.

Health indicators associated with falls among middle-aged and older women enrolled in an evidence-based program.

Background: Evidence-based fall prevention programs primarily attract older women, who are increasingly burdened by fall-related injuries. However, little is known about the relationship between older female participants' baseline health status and self-reported falls over the course of fall prevention interventions. Using data from A Matter of Balance/Volunteer Lay Leader Model (AMOB/VLL) workshops, this study examines female participants' sociodemographics and health indicators associated with self-reported falls at baseline and postintervention.

Complexities of fall prevention in clinical settings: a commentary.

Falls and associated injury and mortality are of increasing concern among aging Americans. Effective fall risk management is a complicated process requiring involvement by both health care professionals and older adults for three related actions: (a) early screening to detect risk factors; (b) prescription of tailored interventions; and (c) implementation of, adherence to, and compliance with the intervention by the older adult. Early detection of fall risk can prevent future falls; however, uptake of evidence-based screening and assessment protocols in the clinical setting has been limited.

Adaptation of the health literacy universal precautions toolkit for rheumatology and cardiology - applications for pharmacy professionals to improve self-management and outcomes in patients with chronic disease.

Over a decade of research in health literacy has provided evidence of strong links between literacy skills of patients and health outcomes. At the same time, numerous studies have yielded insight into efficacious action that health providers can take to mitigate the negative effects of limited literacy. This small study focuses on the adaptation, review and use of two new health literacy toolkits for health professionals who work with patients with two of the most prevalent chronic conditions, arthritis and cardiovascular disease.

Associations of educational attainment, occupation, and community poverty with hip osteoarthritis.

Objective: To examine cross-sectional baseline data from the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project for the association between individual and community socioeconomic status (SES) measures with hip osteoarthritis (OA) outcomes.

Methods: We analyzed data on 3,087 individuals (68% white and 32% African American). Educational attainment and occupation were used as individual measures of SES.

The integrative care of Parkinson's disease: a systematic review.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease, and it is characterized by a complex variety of both motor and neuropsychiatric issues. Effective treatment of PD symptoms requires a combination of pharmacotherapy and allied health therapies; however, treatment is generally monodisciplinary, with the neurologist referring out to varied therapists as needed. In order to more effectively manage PD as it progresses over time, clinics are beginning to implement and advocate the use of more integrative models of care for PD.