255 results match your criteria: "Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging[Affiliation]"

Reduced orthostatic tolerance is common following periods of bed rest that are associated with illness or surgery, putting individuals at higher risk for syncope and falls following hospitalization. Following menopause, mechanisms of female cardiovascular regulation change, which may be associated with sex-specific responses to orthostatic stress following bed rest. The purpose of our experiment was to investigate sex differences between healthy post-menopausal women and similar age men (age: 55-65 years) for their orthostatic tolerance and cerebrovascular responses to standing following bed rest.

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Unlabelled: Decline in the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) or 'functional decline' is a major health concern among aging populations. With intervention, ADL decline may be delayed, prevented or reversed. The capacity to anticipate the trajectory of future functional change can enhance care planning and improve outcome for residents.

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The Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) was created by the Canadian federal government through its health research funding agency, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), in 2014, as a response to the G7 initiative to fight dementia. Two five-year funding cycles (2014-2019; 2019-2024) have occurred following peer review, and a third cycle (Phase 3) has just begun. A unique construct was mandated, consisting of 20 national teams in Phase I and 19 teams in Phase II (with research topics spanning from basic to clinical science to health resource systems) along with cross-cutting programs to support them.

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Objectives: To describe lumbar spine (LS) trabecular bone score (TBS) values after SCI, and to explore the differences in fractures risk assessment between FRAX® and TBS-adjusted FRAX® in individuals living with chronic SCI.

Methods: Baseline dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans from an established cohort were acquired using a Hologic Discovery QDR 4500. TBS measurements were performed using the TBS iNsight software version 2.

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Factors associated with high nutrition risk by 10-year age group: Data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Nutr Health

November 2024

School of Rehabilitation Therapy and Health Services and Policy Research Institute, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.

Article Synopsis
  • Nutrition at midlife and older age significantly affects how people age, with many adults at risk for poor nutritional health.
  • The study aims to investigate the factors linked to high nutrition risk across different age groups, using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).
  • Results show that better social support, higher social status, community involvement, absence of depression, and good self-rated health are linked to lower nutrition risk, suggesting the need for proactive screening and targeted programs to improve these factors.
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Article Synopsis
  • Geriatric Emergency Department Guidelines aim to improve care transitions for older patients, highlighting the need for coordinated interprofessional services such as occupational therapy and social work.
  • The study involved assessing older adults in 10 EDs across Canada to determine their referral patterns, focusing on those with high-risk characteristics, and utilized rigorous assessment tools to identify complex needs.
  • Results showed that while a majority of high-needs patients received referrals to various services, factors like hospital location and the extent of their healthcare needs influenced referral decisions, indicating that risk-based referrals may not be consistently applied.
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Being a Husband and Caregiver: The Adjustment of Roles When Caring for a Wife Who Has Dementia.

Can J Aging

October 2024

School of Public Health Sciences & Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.

As demographics and gender norms shift, more older men will be providing care for their wives living with dementia than ever before. Research on husbands as caregivers is limited and offers an incomplete picture of their role development and how they experience caregiving. This study examined husbands whose wives have dementia and how they provide care and construct their sense of self.

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Background: Rehabilitation can help long-term care (LTC) residents with dementia maintain their independence. However, many residents do not receive rehabilitation. This study aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators to providing rehabilitation for LTC residents with dementia and propose practical interventions for overcoming them.

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Article Synopsis
  • Older adults with dementia on multiple medications are at a higher risk for using potentially inappropriate medications (PIM), which can result in serious health issues.
  • A systematic review analyzed 11 studies with over 4,500 participants, finding that approximately 38% of these older adults were using PIMs, with certain medications like anticholinergics and benzodiazepines being the most common culprits.
  • The study noted significant variability in PIM prevalence based on the definition used and location, indicating the need for standardized criteria in future research.
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Beamforming-integrated neural networks for ultrasound imaging.

Ultrasonics

January 2025

Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada. Electronic address:

Sparse matrix beamforming (SMB) is a computationally efficient reformulation of delay-and-sum (DAS) beamforming as a single sparse matrix multiplication. This reformulation can potentially dovetail with machine learning platforms like TensorFlow and PyTorch that already support sparse matrix operations. In this work, using SMB principles, we present the development of beamforming-integrated neural networks (BINNs) that can rationally infer ultrasound images directly from pre-beamforming channel-domain radiofrequency (RF) datasets.

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Unlabelled: People with prior lean mass loss had a ~ 10% higher risk of MOF and ~ 22-26% higher risk of hip fracture, and the results were similar in people on anti-osteoporosis medications. Loss of lean mass is associated with increased fracture risk. Patients should be encouraged to pursue strategies to prevent loss of lean mass.

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Lumbar Spine Densitometry in People with Spinal Cord Injury: Investigation of Potential Sources of Errors.

J Clin Densitom

October 2024

Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada; KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada; Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) commonly experience significant bone loss, but lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) can appear normal or even high, prompting concerns about measurement errors.
  • A study analyzed DXA scans from 58 participants with chronic SCI to identify potential errors affecting lumbar spine BMD measurements at baseline and after 2 years.
  • Findings showed that 93% of scans had at least one error source, with common issues including facet sclerosis and difficulties in accurately detecting bone edges, suggesting the need to reconsider the use of lumbar spine BMD for assessing fracture risk in SCI patients.
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  • Chronic motor impairments are a significant disability after stroke, traditionally linked to damage in specific motor system structures like the corticospinal tract.
  • This study employs a data-driven approach to analyze chronic motor outcomes in 789 stroke patients, comparing the effectiveness of theory-based biomarkers against new data-driven biomarkers derived from clinical imaging data.
  • Results indicate that data-driven biomarkers, especially regional structural disconnection measures, show a stronger correlation with motor outcomes than traditional theory-based measures, while combining demographic factors further enhanced predictive accuracy.
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The human heart is very adaptable, with chamber size, wall thickness and ventricular stiffness all modified by periods of inactivity or exercise training. Herein, we summarize the cardiac adaptations induced by changes in physical activity, ranging from bed rest and spaceflight to endurance exercise training, while also highlighting how the ageing process (a long-term model of inactivity) affects cardiac plasticity. Severe inactivity during bed rest or spaceflight leads to cardiac atrophy and ventriculo-vascular stiffening.

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Background: Comfort-focused nutrition orders are recommended to manage eating changes among long-term care (LTC) residents nearing the end of life, though little is known about their current use. This investigation aims to describe current practices and identify resident-level and time-dependent factors associated with comfort-focused nutrition orders in this context.

Methods: Data were retrospectively extracted from resident charts of decedents (≥65 years at death, admitted ≥6 months) in 18 LTC homes from two sampling frames across southern Ontario, Canada.

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Introduction: Older adults with dementia who are on multiple medications are more vulnerable to the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), which can significantly increase the risk of adverse events and drug-related problems. PIMs use is prevalent and varies among older adults with dementia or cognitive impairment (CI) attending memory clinics. However, the prevalence of PIMs, polypharmacy, and hyper-polypharmacy among older adults with dementia or CI who are attending memory clinics is not well understood.

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What Do We Know About Nurse Practitioner/Physician Care Models in Long-Term Care: Results of a Scoping Review.

J Am Med Dir Assoc

September 2024

KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address:

Objectives: Due to the rise of the nurse practitioner (NP) role in long-term care settings, it is important to understand the underlying structures and processes that influence NP and physician care models. This scoping review aims to answer the question, "What are the structures, processes, and outcomes of care models involving NPs and physicians in long-term care (LTC) homes?" A secondary aim was to describe the structural enablers and barriers across care models.

Research Design And Methods: Seven databases were searched.

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Background: Little is known about the prevalence of malnutrition among patients receiving home care (HC) and ambulatory care (AC) services. Further, the risk of hospital readmission in malnourished patients transitioning from hospital to HC or AC is also not well established. This study aims to address these two gaps.

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Objectives: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common and impart a significant burden to patients, caregivers, and the health system. However, there are few pharmacological options for treating BPSD. We conducted a systematic review of clinical trials examining the efficacy of anticonvulsants in BPSD.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates how social network factors influence changes in nutrition risk scores (SCREEN-8) over three years in Canadians aged 45 and older, using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).
  • Results showed a slight decrease in mean SCREEN-8 scores from baseline to follow-up, indicating a -0.90 change, with higher social participation linked to better scores.
  • Dietitians are encouraged to monitor individuals with low social participation for potential nutrition risks and to create programs that integrate food and social activities to enhance nutritional health.
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Blood volume shifts during postural adjustment lead to irregular distension of the internal jugular vein (IJV). In microgravity, distension may contribute to flow stasis and thromboembolism, though the regional implications and associated risk remain unexplored. We characterized regional differences in IJV volume distension and flow complexity during progressive head-down tilt (HDT) (0°, -6°, -15°, -30°) using conventional ultrasound and vector flow imaging.

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Background & Aims: Dementia is accompanied by a variety of changes that result in an increased risk of malnutrition and low-intake dehydration. This guideline update aims to give evidence-based recommendations for nutritional care of persons with dementia in order to prevent and treat these syndromes.

Methods: The previous guideline version was reviewed and expanded in accordance with the standard operating procedure for ESPEN guidelines.

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Bedrest as an experimental paradigm or as an in-patient stay for medical reasons has negative consequences for cardiovascular health. The effects of severe inactivity parallel many of the changes experienced with natural aging but over a much shorter duration. Cardiac function is reduced, arteries stiffen, neural reflex responses are impaired, and metabolic and oxidative stress responses impose burden on the heart and vascular systems.

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