Mental health in adults living with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita.

Little is known about the mental well-being of adults living with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC). The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of depression in an international population of adults with AMC and to identify variables independently associated with depression. This cross-sectional study used independent samples t-test and hierarchical multiple regression.

Providing community services for persons with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review.

Community organisations and municipalities support people with disabilities by providing resources and services that are essential for their engagement in the community. Their services were particularly impacted by restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study is to identify scientific literature that examines how community organisations and municipalities adapted services and resources provided to people with disabilities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Performance Assessment of Self-Care Skills to Predict Adverse Events Post-Discharge.

The Performance Assessment of Self-Care Skills (PASS) is a standardized assessment of the ability to perform daily activities. This preliminary exploratory study aimed to 1) explore the ability of four PASS tasks to predict adverse events (readmissions and injuries) in older adults following hospitalization; 2) compare PASS's predictive validity to that of a generic tool (SMAF) and OT clinical judgement. Twenty-two older patients were assessed in hospital at discharge and at home one week later.

The Impact of COVID-19-Related Restrictions on Social and Daily Activities of Parents, People With Disabilities, and Older Adults: Protocol for a Longitudinal, Mixed Methods Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to wide-scale changes in societal organization. This has dramatically altered people's daily activities, especially among families with young children, those living with disabilities such as spinal cord injury (SCI), those who have experienced a stroke, and older adults.

Objective: We aim to (1) investigate how COVID-19 restrictions influence daily activities, (2) track the psychosocial effects of these restrictions over time, and (3) identify strategies to mitigate the potential negative effects of these restrictions.

Evaluation and facilitation of intervention fidelity in community exercise programs through an adaptation of the TIDier framework.

Background: Despite high quality evidence supporting multiple physical and cognitive benefits of community-based exercise for people after stroke, there is little understanding on how to facilitate uptake of these research findings to real-world programs. A common barrier is a lack of standardised training for community fitness instructors, which hampers the ability to train more instructors to deliver the program as it was designed. Scaling up program delivery, while maintaining program fidelity, is complex.

Exoskeleton for post-stroke recovery of ambulation (ExStRA): study protocol for a mixed-methods study investigating the efficacy and acceptance of an exoskeleton-based physical therapy program during stroke inpatient rehabilitation.

Background: The ability to walk is commonly reported as a top rehabilitation priority for individuals after a stroke. However, not all individuals with stroke are able to practice walking, especially those who require more assistance from their therapist to do so. Powered robotic exoskeletons are a new generation of robotic-assisted gait training devices, designed to assist lower extremity movement to allow repetitious overground walking practice.

Determinants Influencing the Prestroke Health Behaviors and Cardiovascular Disease Risk of Stroke Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Knowledge about stroke and stroke prevention may provide motivation to lead a healthy lifestyle to prevent stroke. The goal of this study is to quantify the knowledge of stroke and stroke prevention of patients with a recent stroke and its association with health behaviors and cardiovascular disease risk.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study utilizing consecutive stroke admissions at 2 hospitals in Vancouver, Canada.

Exploring perceptions of stroke survivors and caregivers about secondary prevention: a longitudinal qualitative study.

: To explore the changes in perceived barriers and facilitators associated with participation in secondary prevention activities of stroke survivors and their caregivers over the early stroke recovery period.: We conducted two individual interviews (at 2 weeks and 6 months post-discharge) with stroke survivors and their family members. Using purposive sampling, participants were recruited from the stroke units of two acute care hospitals.

Effectiveness of interventions involving nurses in secondary stroke prevention: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Purpose: Among members of the health care team, nurses play a large role in actively engaging stroke survivors in secondary stroke prevention programs. This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of interventions in which nurses have a primary role on modification of risk factors among stroke survivors.

Methods: We systematically searched for randomized controlled trials in relevant databases investigating the role of nurses in secondary stroke prevention.

Understanding the Burden Experienced by Caregivers of Older Adults Who Use a Powered Wheelchair: A Cross-Sectional Study.

In this study, we aimed to describe the burden of family caregivers providing powered wheelchair-related and overall assistance and test the hypotheses that caregiver burden correlates with participation, wheelchair skills capacity, anxiety, depression, and social support. Cross-sectional study. Participants included 35 family caregivers of powered wheelchair users.

Older Adults' Online Dating Profiles and Successful Aging.

This study examined how relevant Rowe and Kahn's three criteria of successful aging were to older adults' self-portrayals in online dating profiles: low probability of disease and disability, high functioning, and active life engagement. In this cross-sectional study, 320 online dating profiles of older adults were randomly selected and coded based on the criteria. Logistic regression analyses determined whether age, gender, and race/ethnicity predicted self-presentation.

The power of power wheelchairs: Mobility choices of community-dwelling, older adults.

Background: Power wheelchairs are purported to have a positive effect on health, occupation, and quality of life. However, there is limited knowledge about what factors shape power wheelchair use decisions.

Aims/objectives: A study was undertaken to understand the mobility choices of community-dwelling, power wheelchair users.

Validating the wheelchair outcome measure for residents in long-term care.

Purpose: To determine the retest reliability and construct validity of the self-report and proxy versions of the wheelchair outcome measure (WhOM) among residents in long-term care.

Method: The WhOM was administered to 55 wheelchair users living in residential care (38 self-respondents and 17 proxy respondents). Retest data were collected to estimate reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for each of the tool scores (Importance, Satisfaction and Importance × Satisfaction).

A systematic review of therapeutic interventions for pressure ulcers after spinal cord injury.

Objective: To systematically review evidence on the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers in those with a spinal cord injury (SCI).

Data Sources: For this evidence-based review, the following data sources were used: MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and PsycINFO.

Study Selection: To be selected for inclusion in the current review, there had to have been an intervention, studies had to have 3 or more subjects, and 50% or more of the participating group had to have an SCI.

Issues for the selection of wheelchair-specific activity and participation outcome measures: a review.

Objectives: To use the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a framework to identify and to evaluate wheelchair-specific outcome instruments that are useful for measuring activity and participation.

Data Sources: CINHAL, PsychInfo, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Dissertation Abstracts Medline databases, and conference proceedings.

Study Selection: Activity and participation measures that were specifically intended for adults who use wheelchairs and that were published in English in a peer-reviewed journal were included in this review.

Prevalence and predictors of need for seating intervention and mobility for persons in long-term care.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to (a) determine the prevalence of need for wheel-chair seating intervention in two long-term care facilities in Vancouver, BC, (b) determine the extent of the residents' independent mobility within these facilities, and (c) explore the relationship between proper wheel-chair seating and positioning and independent mobility. The study population comprised 99 wheel-chair-using older adults. Four trained raters assessed need for seating intervention, using the Seating Identification Tool, and quantified extent and frequency of wheel-chair mobility, using the Nursing Home Life-Space Diameter.

Measuring wheelchair intervention outcomes: development of the wheelchair outcome measure.

Purpose: Provision of a wheelchair has immediate intuitive benefits; however, it can be difficult to evaluate which wheelchair and seating components best meet an individual's needs. As well, funding agencies now prefer evidence of outcomes; and therefore measurement upon prescription of a wheelchair or its components is essential to demonstrate the efficacy of intervention. As no existing tool can provide individualized goal-oriented measure of outcome after wheelchair prescription, a research project was undertaken to create the Wheelchair Outcome Measure (WhOM).

Overarching principles and salient findings for inclusion in guidelines for power mobility use within residential care facilities.

Although power mobility has many potential benefits for users, power mobility incidents and accidents are a serious concern. To date, little research has explored power mobility safety, and no gold standard exists to determine whether the user is a safe driver. As a possible alternative to a facility unilaterally imposing regulations on power mobility users, we conducted a research project in which power mobility users and other stakeholders used the Delphi method to develop guidelines for power mobility use within a residential facility setting.

Perceptions of power mobility use and safety within residential facilities.

Background: Power wheelchairs enhance quality of life by enabling occupation, improving self-esteem and facilitating social interaction. Despite these benefits, the risks associated with power mobility use raise serious concerns in residential facilities.

Purpose: As there is no gold standard to assess when a client is unsafe, a two-phase study was conducted to develop client-centred guidelines for power mobility use.