Effectiveness of Horticultural Therapy in Older Adults without Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: Horticultural therapy (HT) has garnered growing interest because of its psychological and physical benefits. Previous reviews have demonstrated its therapeutic effects in older adults with cognitive impairment or mental illnesses. However, its impact on older adults without dementia has not been synthesized.

Effectiveness of community-based Baduanjin exercise intervention for older adults with varying frailty status: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Due to poorer exercise tolerance, it may be challenging for frail older adults to engage in moderate- or vigorous-intensity exercise. While low-intensity exercise interventions may be more feasible, its effectiveness for such population group remains unclear. We examined the effectiveness and implementation of community-based Baduanjin Qigong, a low-intensity exercise program in older adults with varying frailty status.

Mapping of technological strategies for reducing social isolation in homebound older adults: A scoping review.

Background: Homebound older adults (HOAs) are particularly vulnerable to social isolation and loneliness, which engender a poorer physical and mental health, and greater cognitive decline. The purpose of this review is to map the literature to identify potential technological strategies that reduce social isolation in HOAs, and to understand facilitators and barriers for adoption and implementation.

Methods: Six databases including PubMed (MEDLINE), Google Scholar, Cochrane Database, EBSCOHost, National Library ProQuest, Web of Science, and the Journal of Medical Internet Research were searched for relevant articles.

Clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a multicomponent frailty management program "Say No To Frailty" in Singapore: A cluster-randomized controlled trial protocol.

Background: A 12-week multicomponent frailty management program - Say No To Frailty (SNTF) consisting of interactive talks and fitness exercises led by a trained program leader has shown feasibility and positive health outcomes in community-living older adults with frailty and pre-frailty in Singapore. This study aims to evaluate the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of SNTF on physical functions, self-confidence, community participation, quality of life and fall reduction in the local community setting.

Methods: This study will use the cluster-randomization method to randomly allocate 12 participating centres into three arms.

The Healthy Ageing Questionnaire Index: Validation in the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study.

Introduction: Healthy ageing (HA) indices typically use full questionnaire, performance- or blood-based assessment of functional ability which are time-consuming and resource-intensive. We developed and validated a simple and brief Healthy Ageing Questionnaire (HAQ) index with comparable measurement accuracy.

Methods: The 15-item HAQ (scored 0-100) was developed using data of 500 participants in the Singapore Study of Successful Ageing (SSOSA), a sub-cohort of the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study (SLAS-2).

Happy people live longer because they are healthy people.

Objectives: Higher levels of happiness are associated with longer life expectancy. Our study assessed the extent to which various factors explain the protective effect of happiness on all-cause mortality risk, and whether the association differs between older men and women.

Methods: Using data from the Singapore Longitudinal Aging Studies (N = 6073) of community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 55 years, we analyzed the association of baseline Likert score of happiness (1 = very sad to 5 = very happy) and mortality from mean 11.

Risk Factors of Progression to Cognitive Frailty: Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study 2.

Introduction: Cognitive frailty is associated with higher risk of dementia and adverse health outcomes. However, multidimensional factors that influence cognitive frailty transitions are not known. We aimed to investigate risk factors of incident cognitive frailty.

Digits in noise testing in a multilingual sample of Asian adults.

Objective: Appropriate speech-in noise assessment is challenging in multilingual populations. This study aimed to assess whether first preferred language affected performance on an English Digits-in-noise (DIN) test in the local Asian multilingual population, controlling for hearing threshold, age, sex, English fluency and educational status. A secondary aim was to determine the association between DIN test scores and hearing thresholds.

Longitudinal associations of housework with frailty and mortality in older adults: Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study 2.

Background: Housework may provide a sustainable form of physical activity for older adults and improve health and survival outcomes. Longitudinal studies on associations between housework status over time and health outcomes are lacking. We aim to assess the longitudinal association of intensity and duration of housework with frailty and mortality outcomes.

Physiological and Cognitive Determinants of Gait Variability of Asian Population: The Yishun Study.

Introduction: Gait variability is associated with frailty, dementia, and falls. Studies on the association of physiological and cognitive factors with gait variability have seldom included middle-aged adults, even though these adults already experienced loss of muscular strength and postural stability. This study aimed a) to examine and compare the trend of gait variability in men and women, across the adult age spectrum, and b) to identify and compare the contributions of physiological and cognitive factors to gait variability.

Body composition reference values in Singaporean adults using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-The Yishun study.

Objectives: This study establishes age- and sex-specific reference values for fat mass index (FMI), lean mass index (LMI), appendicular LMI (aLMI), and body fat distribution indices including Android/Gynoid % fat ratio and Trunk/Limb % fat ratio in multi-ethnic Singaporean adults.

Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (Hologic Discovery Wi) was carried out to measure whole body and regional fat and lean mass in community-dwelling adults. A total of 537 adults (57.

Frailty and risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Background: Prospective cohort studies suggest that frailty is associated with an increased risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality, but their mechanistic and developmental relations are not fully understood. We investigated whether frailty predicted an increased risk of incident nonfatal and fatal CVD among community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: A population cohort of 5015 participants aged 55 years and above free of CVD at baseline was followed for up to 10 years.

Associations of low handgrip strength and hand laterality with cognitive function and functional mobility - the Yishun Study.

Background: Emerging evidence suggest that in addition to low hand grip strength (HGS), HGS asymmetry is associated with declining cognitive and physical functions. We examined the associations of low HGS and asymmetry with cognitive function and functional mobility in older adults.

Methods: Cross-sectional data of 330 community-dwelling adults (55.

Effects of Humanitude care on people with dementia and caregivers: A scoping review.

Aims And Objectives: This study aimed to comprehensively review the research literature to provide an overview of the effects of Humanitude on people with dementia and their caregivers.

Background: Humanitude is a relationship-centred and compassionate care approach that focuses on improving the communication between people with dementia and their caregivers. There is a lack of updated and comprehensive synthesis on the evidence of the effects of Humanitude in dementia care.

Association of Tai Chi exercise with physical and neurocognitive functions, frailty, quality of life and mortality in older adults: Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study.

Background: real-world observations on the long-term benefits of Tai Chi (TC) exercise, in terms of physical and cognitive functioning, frailty, quality of life (QOL) and mortality are lacking.

Methods: prospective cohort study participants were community-dwelling adults aged 55+, including 5,407 non-frequent TC participants (<1x/week) and 572 frequent TC participants (≥1x/week). Outcome measures at baseline and 3-5 years follow-up included physical performance (Knee Extension Strength, POMA Balance and Gait, Timed-up-and-go, Gait Speed) and neurocognitive performance (attention and working memory, visual-motor tracking and mental flexibility, verbal learning and memory, visual memory, spatial and constructional ability), Frailty Index ≥0.

Functional health index of intrinsic capacity: multi-domain operationalisation and validation in the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study (SLAS2).

Background: ad hoc approaches are used to create composite indexes of intrinsic capacity (IC) based on five domains recommended by the World Health Organization for healthy ageing. We examined how combinations of domain-specific measures determine measurement performances of composite IC indexes.

Methods: in this population-based prospective cohort study, community-dwelling older persons (N = 2,906) aged 55 years and above were recruited.

Perspectives on frailty screening, management and its implementation among acute care providers in Singapore: a qualitative study.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has reminded how older adults with frailty are particularly exposed to adverse outcomes. In the acute care setting, consideration of evidence-based practice related to frailty screening and management is needed to improve the care provided to aging populations. It is important to assess for frailty in acute care so as to establish treatment priorities and goals for the individual.

Co-occurrence of Physical Frailty and COPD and Association With Disability and Mortality: Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study.

Background: Physical frailty commonly is associated with COPD, and its evaluation in COPD may provide important prognostic information for risk stratification.

Research Questions: What are the comorbid associations of physical frailty with COPD? Does physical frailty singly and in combination with FEV percent predicted and dyspnea predict disability and mortality?

Study Design And Methods: Prospective cohort study of community-dwelling adults 55 years of age or older in the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study. Baseline data of 1,162 participants with COPD and 3,465 participants without COPD included physical frailty, FEV percent predicted, and dyspnea.

Cross-sectional associations of housework with cognitive, physical and sensorimotor functions in younger and older community-dwelling adults: the Yishun Study.

Objectives: Regular moderate-to-vigorous intensity recreational physical activity (PA) improves physical and cognitive functions. However, the age-associated relationships between non-recreational PA and functional ability remain less explored. We examined the associations between housework and functional health among younger and older Singaporean community-dwelling adults.

Effectiveness of a community-delivered pneumatic machine resistance training programme (Gym Tonic) for older adults at neighbourhood senior centres - a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Resistance training with pneumatic machines attenuates the age-associated loss in muscle strength and function in older adults. However, effectiveness of scaled-up pneumatic machine resistance training in the community is not known. We evaluated the effectiveness of a multi-site community-delivered 12-week pneumatic machine resistance programme (Gym Tonic (GT)) on muscle strength and physical function in older adults.

Peripheral Hearing Loss and Its Association with Cognition among Ethnic Chinese Older Adults.

Introduction: Many studies on hearing loss (HL) and cognition are limited by subjective hearing assessments and verbally administered cognition tests, the majority of the document findings in Western populations. This study aimed to assess the association of HL with cognitive impairment among ethnic Chinese Singaporean older adults using visually presented cognitive tests.

Methods: The hearing of community-dwelling older adults was assessed using pure tone audiometry.

The Elderly Nutritional Index for Geriatric Malnutrition Assessment (ENIGMA): concurrent, construct and predictive validity in an external evaluation cohort of community-dwelling older persons.

We previously developed a malnutrition risk index, the Elderly Nutritional Index for Geriatric Malnutrition Assessment (ENIGMA) with good predictive accuracy for mortality risk in an original population cohort (SLAS1). Herein, we further evaluate the concurrent and predictive validity of the ENIGMA construct in an external validation cohort (SLAS-2) of 2824 community-dwelling older adults aged 55+ years. They were assessed on the ENIGMA index, Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) and the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), known correlates of malnutrition, and baseline and follow-up functional dependency and 10-year mortality risk.