Development of an intrinsic health risk prediction model for camera-based monitoring of older adults living alone.

The number of older adults in Korea is increasing, along with the number of depressed older patients. The causes of depression in older adults include social isolation with negligible interaction with others, irregular nutritional habits, and self-negligence, i.e.

The associations between caregivers' psychosocial characteristics and caregivers' depressive symptoms in stroke settings: a cohort study.

Background: Studies have found that caregivers can influence stroke survivors' outcomes, such as mortality. It is thus pertinent to identify significant factors associated with caregivers' outcomes. The study objective was to examine the associations between caregivers' psychosocial characteristics and caregivers' depressive symptoms.

Examining the Influence of Social Interactions and Community Resources on Caregivers' Burden in Stroke Settings: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Since the introduction of the integrated care model, understanding how social interactions and community resources can alleviate caregivers' burden is vital to minimizing negative patients' outcomes. This study ( = 214) examined the associations between these factors and caregivers' burden in stroke settings. It used 3-month and 1-year post-stroke data collected from five tertiary hospitals.

Foreign Domestic Workers and Eldercare in Singapore: Who Hires Them?

In Singapore, policy makers expect families to remain actively involved in the care of their frail older relatives, as manifestly expressed in its Many Helping Hands approach to long-term care. To enable families to fulfill this expectation, the government has enacted policies that encourage the hiring of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) to complement or supplement informal caregiving efforts. Using the Andersen Behavioral Model, we were interested in identifying caregiver and care receiver characteristics that might predict the hiring of FDWs.

Activity Patterns Associated With Health Status in Later Life Among Singaporeans.

Research on activities overlooks the possibility that older adults engage in different activities contemporaneously. To address this gap, we used latent class analyses to identify activity patterns and then examined demographic and health correlates of these patterns among a nationally representative sample of older adults in Singapore. We identified four classes of activities: the family-focused instrumental activity (FIA) class, the social leisure activity (SLA) class, the multidynamic activity (MDA) class, and the passive activity (PA) class.

Estimating the prevalence of problem gambling among older adults in Singapore.

This study examined the prevalence rates of problem gambling among older adults in Singapore. A stratified sampling method was used to select the nationally representative sample of 3010 older adults aged 55 years and above. The survey participants were of varying ethnicities living in the community, including Chinese, Malay, and Indian (and others).

Maximizing a nurturing care style for persons with dementia: a person-centered analysis.

Background: Our aim was to structure the configuration of family caregivers' management strategies for the person with dementia (PWD) and to examine factors differentiating caregiving styles.

Methods: Using a latent class analysis on the data (N = 338) collected from an ambulatory dementia clinic of a tertiary hospital and the local Alzheimer association, we classified overall patterns of caregivers' dementia management strategies into three domains: criticism, encouragement, and active management. As determinants related to caregiving style, caregiver sociodemographics, caregiving experience, and health outcomes were tested while controlling for the PWD's characteristics.

The Lay Public's Understanding and Perception of Dementia in a Developed Asian Nation.

Background: Early detection of dementia aims to improve treatment outcomes. However, poor perception and understanding of dementia are significant barriers. We aim to investigate the public's perception of dementia and identify variables associated with the different profiles of public perception.

Gambling behavior and problems among older adults: a systematic review of empirical studies.

Objectives: With the rapid aging of the population and the increased availability of gambling facilities over the past three decades, older adults may gamble more and may be increasingly at risk for problem gambling (PG) or pathological gambling disorder (PGD). To facilitate a better understanding of gambling behavior among older adults that will inform preventive strategies, this article systematically examined empirical studies on issues related to older adults' gambling.

Method: This article reviewed 75 empirical studies including data on the distribution and determinants of PG and PGD and the outcomes of gambling.

Understanding patterns of service utilization among informal caregivers of community older adults.

Purpose: The article seeks to identify patterns of service utilization among informal caregivers of frail older adults. In particular, the study examined determinants that explain heterogeneous variations in caregivers' service use patterns.

Methods: Using a latent class analysis (LCA) on the 2004 National Long-Term Care Survey and Informal Caregiver data (n = 1,908), this study classifies overall patterns of caregiver service utilization: financial information, support group, respite service, day care or senior center, personal or nursing care, housework, meal delivery, transportation, house modification, and assistive devices.

Who benefits from volunteering? Variations in perceived benefits.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to document the benefits of volunteering perceived by older adults and to explain variation in these self-perceived benefits.

Design And Methods: This is a quantitative study of 13 volunteer programs and 401 older adults serving in those programs. Program directors completed telephone interviews, and older volunteers completed mailed surveys.

Structural relationships between social activities and longitudinal trajectories of depression among older adults.

Purpose: This study examines the structural relationships between social activities and trajectories of late-life depression.

Design And Methods: Latent class analysis was used with a nationally representative sample of older adults (N = 5,294) from the Longitudinal Study on Aging II to classify patterns of social activities. A latent growth curve model captured longitudinal changes in depression and tested the impact of social activities while controlling for residential relocation, health status, insurance, and sociodemographics.

An empirical typology of lifetime and current gambling behaviors: association with health status of older adults.

Purpose: Despite the low prevalence of gambling problems, older adults experience poorer health status given certain vulnerabilities associated with aging. Thus, we aimed to classify lifetime (LPG) and current (CPG) problem gambling patterns, identify determinants of gambling patterns, and examine their association with current health status.

Methods: Using older adult gamblers (n = 489) in the Gambling Impact and Behavior Study, Latent Class Analysis classified LPG and CPG subgroups based on 10 DSM-IV criteria: preoccupation, tolerance, withdrawal, loss of control, escape, chasing losses, lying, illegal acts, relationship impairment and financial bailout.

Contribution of residential relocation and lifestyle to the structure of health trajectories.

Objective: Underlining ecological theories of aging, we assessed the impact of relocation, residential type, and individual lifestyle factors on the structure of health status overtime.

Methods: From the data of Longitudinal Study on Aging II, we included older adults aged 70 and older (N = 5,294). To analyze individual longitudinal trajectories of health outcomes, Latent Growth Curve Modeling (LGCM) was employed.

The quality of medical care for comorbid conditions of depressed elders.

Objectives: In light of large variation in the quality of medical care, this study assesses the extent to which medical care for depressed elders is consistent with systematic quality standards.

Method: Using the Donabedian model, we assess factors related to two quality measures: medical service fit and medical provider contact. We assessed 110 depressed older adults with comorbid conditions through practical guidelines of medical services.

A Latent Class Analysis (LCA) of problem gambling among a sample of community-recruited gamblers.

Problem gambling rates are relatively low (2%-4%), yet these gamblers experience multisystemic negative consequences, high comorbidity, and low treatment utilization. We aimed to characterize variations in gambling patterns to inform prevention and intervention efforts. Using community advertising, we recruited a diverse sample of lifetime gamblers (n = 312) for telephone interviews for a psychometric study of the newly developed Computerized-Gambling Assessment Module.