Quality of Life and Elderly People

‘”The Voylence of this my Fall: Falling and the Elderly in Early Modern England”, European Social Science History Conference, Glasgow, Scotland, 11-14 April 2012.

by Lynn Botelho

‘A Respectful Challenge to the Nineteenth-Century’s View of Itself: An Argument for the Early Modern Medicalization of Old Age’, The Cultural Politics of Ageing in the Nineteenth Century Conference, University of Regensburg, Germany, 24-26 November 2011.

by Lynn Botelho

Generational Use of New Media and the (Ir)relevance of Age

by Eugène Loos

Senior citizens: Digital immigrants in their own country?

by Eugène Loos

Senior citizens: Digital immigrants in their own country?

by Eugène Loos

Just Care

by Sophie Moullin

Transfer technologii w kształtowaniu srebrnej gospodarki (Technology Transfer in Shaping the Silver Economy)

by Andrzej Klimczuk

A. Klimczuk, Transfer technologii w kształtowaniu srebrnej gospodarki (Technology Transfer in Shaping the Silver Economy), [in:] M. Grzybowski (ed.), Transfer wiedzy w ekonomii i zarządzaniu, Wydawnictwo Uczelniane Akademii Morskiej w Gdyni, Gdynia 2011, p. 57-75.

Wzrost długości życia ludzkiego sprzyja rozwojowi dóbr i usług skierowanych do osób starszych. Opracowanie przybliża... more Wzrost długości życia ludzkiego sprzyja rozwojowi dóbr i usług skierowanych do osób starszych. Opracowanie przybliża zjawisko srebrnej gospodarki jako systemu ekonomicznego opartego na zaspokajaniu potrzeb starzejących się społeczeństw. W artykule przedstawione zostały przykłady rozwiązań strategicznych i organizacyjnych związanych z tworzeniem gerontechnologii. Uwzględniono koncepcje obejmujące współpracę podmiotów sektora publicznego, komercyjnego i pozarządowego: strategie innowacji, klastry dobrobytu i regionalne sieci srebrnej gospodarki. Zwrócono także uwagę na nowe instytucje badawcze typu "agelab" i instytucje kultury typu "medialab", które mogą być wykorzystane do kształtowania społecznego wizerunku gerontechnologii.
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The increase in the length of human life favors development of goods and services to the elderly. Article describes phenomenon of the silver economy as an economic system based on meeting the needs of ageing populations. Study presents examples of strategic and organizational solutions related to the creation of gerontechnology. Work takes into account concepts of cooperation between public, commercial and non-governmental sector entities: strategies for innovation, welfare clusters and silver economy networks. It also highlighted the new research institutions such as "agelab" and cultural institutions "medialab", which can be used to shape public image of gerontechnologies.

The safety of anti-TNF agents in the elderly

by Raffaele Pilla

Rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis are commonly thought of as inflammatory diseases... more Rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis are commonly thought of as inflammatory diseases that affect younger individuals. Although the initial presentation of these diseases is common in a patients twenties or thirties, they usually persist for the duration of the patients life. In addition, up to one-third of patients with RA have disease onset after 60 years of age. Anti-TNF-a therapies now have well-recognized safety profiles that have been demonstrated in the usual clinical trial populations for these diseases, but such populations under-represent patients > or =65 years of age. This retrospective study aims to determine the safety profiles for etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab in patients of 65 years or more, undergoing anti-TNF treatment for an active inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis or psoriatic arthritis, or skin disease like psoriasis. Our data show that admitting elderly patients into anti-TNF therapeutic regimens is a safe option and that it grants these patients access to the best current therapeutic option, possibly leading to better disease outcome. Quality of life in elderly patients affected by arthritis or psoriasis, often reduced by comorbidities, is as important as quality of life in younger patients. Applying the recommended screening before using biological treatment helps to reduce adverse events related to the therapy, and the application of the same screening in elderly patients seems to lead to comparable results.

TÁRKI - Monitor pension developments through micro socio-economic instruments based on individual data sources

by TARKI Social Research Institute

Final Report for The European Commission
Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
DG EMPL E4 Unit

Submitted by:
TARKI Social Research Institute (Hungary)
Prepared by:
Róbert I. Gál
András Horváth
Gábor Orbán
in collaboration with
Gijs Dekkers (FPB, Belgium)

TARKI Social Research Institute was awarded a contract by the European Commission to prepare a feasibility study on... more TARKI Social Research Institute was awarded a contract by the European Commission to prepare a feasibility study on “Monitoring pension developments through micro socioeconomic
instruments based on individual data sources”. From the onset the project was designed so as to

- Inform on the state of development of instruments used by Member States to monitor life time earnings and related acquisition of pension rights
- Provide descriptions of available tools, such as data sets and models of prospective pension outcomes based on individual data sources
- Identify and characterise tools, in particular where they already exist and where they could be further developed (notably needs for adequate data sources, need for building models).
- Analyse and describe both the administrative and survey data used for the prospective models of pension outcomes across all Member States (where such instruments exist) and elaborate a classification of instruments built to assess future developments
of pension benefits, based on individual information
- Characterise the various results available and review them as well as those likely to be derived through such instruments

Graduate Foundation Scheme with a Focus on Dignity and Older Adults

by Allyson Lipp

The care experiences of older people in Wales and rest of the UK have risen to the top of the political agenda... more The care experiences of older people in Wales and rest of the UK have risen to the top of the political agenda recently, and it is the role of the nurse manager to find ways to meet the demands of the ‘dignity agenda’. A review by the Older People’s Commissioner of Wales (Marks 2011) recommended that ‘better knowledge of the needs of older people with dementia is needed, together with improved communication, training, support and standards of care’.  In an effort to meet this recommendation, a health care organization, Cwm Taf Health Board, has developed a Graduate Foundation Programme which focuses on the dignity of older patients in various hospital settings. This article describes the develoment and implementation of the Programme.

Graduate Foundation Scheme with a Focus on Dignity and Older Adults

by Allyson Lipp

The care experiences of older people in Wales and rest of the UK have risen to the top of the political agenda... more The care experiences of older people in Wales and rest of the UK have risen to the top of the political agenda recently, and it is the role of the nurse manager to find ways to meet the demands of the ‘dignity agenda’. A review by the Older People’s Commissioner of Wales (Marks 2011) recommended that ‘better knowledge of the needs of older people with dementia is needed, together with improved communication, training, support and standards of care’.  In an effort to meet this recommendation, a health care organization, Cwm Taf Health Board, has developed a Graduate Foundation Programme which focuses on the dignity of older patients in various hospital settings. This article describes the develoment and implementation of the Programme.

Dar a voz... narrativas da vivência da viuvez na terceira idade

by Joaquim Luís Coimbra

Psychometric Properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale among Turkish University Students, Correctional Officers, and Elderly Adults

by Mithat Durak

Key Words: Satisfaction with Life Scale, SWLS, university students, elderly, correctional officers, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability, concurrent validity, discriminant validity, multi-group comparison

This study aims to extensively examine the psychometric properties of adapted version of the Satisfaction with Life... more This study aims to extensively examine the psychometric properties of adapted version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) in different Turkish samples. In order to test the psychometric properties of the SWLS three separate and independent samples are utilized in this study, namely university students (n = 547), correctional officers (n = 166), and elderly adults (n = 123). Concerning the reliability of the scale, internal consistency and item-total correlation coefficients are found to be satisfactory for all three samples. As for the validity studies, concurrent validity of the scale is supported in all three samples by revealing the association of SWLS with conceptually related measures, which included depression, self-esteem, positive affect and negative affect, work stress, and monthly income measures. Discriminant validity is examined only in the sample of university students, and SWLS revealed a non-significant correlation with a conceptually unrelated construct (i.e., willingness to self-censor). Consistent with the original scale, a single-factor solution model reveals an adequate fit in all three different samples. Furthermore, confirmatory factor analysis with multi-group comparisons performed demonstrates that SWLS has the same theoretical structure for three different groups on the basis of a single-factor solution model. The theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.

Psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale among Turkish university students, Correctional officers, and elderly adults

by Mithat Durak

Key Words: Satisfaction with Life Scale, SWLS, university students, elderly, correctional officers, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability, concurrent validity, discriminant validity, multi-group comparison

This study aims to extensively examine the psychometric properties of adapted version of the Satisfaction with Life... more This study aims to extensively examine the psychometric properties of adapted version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) in different Turkish samples. In order to test the psychometric properties of the SWLS three separate and independent samples are utilized in this study, namely university students (n = 547), correctional officers (n = 166), and elderly adults (n = 123). Concerning the reliability of the scale, internal consistency and item-total correlation coefficients are found to be satisfactory for all three samples. As for the validity studies, concurrent validity of the scale is supported in all three samples by revealing the association of SWLS with conceptually related measures, which included depression, self-esteem, positive affect and negative affect, work stress, and monthly income measures. Discriminant validity is examined only in the sample of university students, and SWLS revealed a non-significant correlation with a conceptually unrelated construct (i.e., willingness to self-censor). Consistent with the original scale, a single-factor solution model reveals an adequate fit in all three different samples. Furthermore, confirmatory factor analysis with multi-group comparisons performed demonstrates that SWLS has the same theoretical structure for three different groups on the basis of a single-factor solution model. The theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.

In search of information on websites: A question of age?

by Eugène Loos

The information network of senior citizens in Geneva, Switzerland, and progress in flu vaccination coverage between 1991 and 2000.

by Pascal Gaberel

Switzerland has lagged behind other industrialized countries in increasing vaccination coverage against flu in the... more Switzerland has lagged behind other industrialized countries in increasing vaccination coverage against flu in the elderly population. The information campaign "United against Flu", started in Geneva in 1993, gradually extended to other French and Italian speaking cantons in Switzerland and indirectly affected German-speaking cantons. Activities developed include the production of TV spots, press conferences, information forwarded to health professionals, an Internet site and information material such as leaflets and posters to risk groups. The campaign is evaluated by repeated surveys that measure vaccination coverage as well as network of informants, knowledge and perceptions in the geriatric population. Vaccination coverage of the geriatric population in Geneva canton has increased from 29% in 1991 to 59% in the year 2000.

Elderly, Novice Users and Health Information Web Sites

by Alice Good

Utilização de domótica na estratégia de sustentabilidade social e ambiental

by Sara Eloy

Co-autrored with Isabel Plácido, José Pinto Duarte, Renato Nunes. To be published in CD proceedings of 1º Congresso Internacional de Habitação no Espaço Lusófono, ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, September 22-24 2010

A presente comunicação incide sobre uma investigação em curso que estuda a integração de tecnologias da informação,... more A presente comunicação incide sobre uma investigação em curso que estuda a integração de tecnologias da informação, comunicação e automação (TICA) no espaço doméstico. As TICA têm na habitação um papel fundamental na estratégia para atingir a sustentabilidade social e ambiental. Quer ao nível do edifício, quer ao nível do fogo, estas tecnologias permitem reduzir o consumo energético e o impacto ambiental, na medida em que podem gerir de forma eficiente o consumo de recursos e contribuir para a redução de desperdícios. As TICA promovem a sustentabilidade social ao
proporcionarem aos habitantes novas possibilidades de acesso a serviços, maior participação na comunidade, assim como ajuda no desenvolvimento de tarefas diárias.
Esta comunicação será centrada nas populações com maiores carências ao nível da autonomia, como os idosos e as pessoas com deficiência ou incapacidade e, nesse contexto, iremos abordar o papel das TICA na promoção de autonomia e inclusão social. Como resultado da investigação, definiremos o conjunto mínimo adequado de TICA a integrar nas habitações para estes grupos sociais.
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This paper describes an ongoing research concerned with the insertion of information, communication and automation technology (ICAT) in domestic spaces.
ICAT have a key role in the strategy for achieving environmental and social sustainability. Both at the building and at the dwelling levels, these technologies can reduce energy consumption and environmental impact, since they can efficiently manage consumptions and help reduce waste.
These technologies also promote social sustainability by contributing for improving the quality of life of inhabitants by providing residents with new opportunities for services
access, greater community participation, as well as assistance in daily domestics tasks.
In this paper we focus on elderly and handicapped people and, in this context, we discuss the role of ICAT in promoting individual autonomy and social inclusion. As a result of the investigation, we will define the minimum set of ICAT suitable for integration in dwellings targeted at these social groups.

Designing a Web-based Telehealth System for Elderly People: An Interview Study in New Zealand

by Jaspaljeet Singh Dhillon

The 24th International Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems (CBMS 2011), University of the West of England, Bristol, 27-30 June 2011

Co-authored with Czarina Ramos, Burkhard C. W¨unsche and Christof Lutteroth

Designing healthcare systems for the elderly is a challenging endeavour. Telehealth systems are gaining popularity... more Designing healthcare systems for the elderly is a challenging endeavour. Telehealth systems are gaining popularity among elderly users, but such applications are mostly doctor-centric and are predominantly used for managing and/or treating diseases instead of preventing them. They do little to motivate patients to change their lifestyle and proactively manage their health. To address these shortcomings, we propose a web-based telehealth system, which uses Web 2.0 technologies in order to add social support and user defined content. In this study, we determine the functional and interface requirements of the system by conducting open individual semi-structured interviews with eight elderly people of age range 60 to 87. A paper prototype and three interfaces of existing Web 2.0 health applications were used to determine the optimum user interface design of the system. A qualitative content analysis was used to evaluate the responses. Overall, the respondents were positive about the idea of using the web to manage their healthcare from home and made several suggestions such as including applications to manage their diet, physiotherapy exercises to improve their health conditions and simple network games to reduce loneliness.

Towards A Ubiquitous Patient-Centric Telehealth System

by Jaspaljeet Singh Dhillon

The 9th New Zealand Computer Science Research Student Conference (NZCSRSC 2011), Massey University, Palmerston North, 18-21 April 2011

Co-authored with Burkhard C. Wünsche and Christof Lutteroth

The elderly population is growing fast in most developed countries. The aging population, high medical expenses, the... more The elderly population is growing fast in most developed countries. The aging population, high medical expenses, the shrinking number of health workers and elderly carers demand for more healthcare innovation that empower health consumers to manage their health independently from home. Telehealth is thought to be a solution for effective elderly healthcare. However, the usage of telehealth is limited by a design often centered around the requirements of the clinical user, healthcare provider, and the equipment vendor. Many existing systems suffer from high initial costs, cannot be extended by third parties, require extra costs to add new functionalities, and are designed to create a continuing revenue source for the vendor. Furthermore the systems are usually designed to manage diseases rather than prevent them, and do not address the social and psychological needs of the patient. Based on these shortcomings, we propose a novel web-based telehealth framework called Healthcare4Life, which is ubiquitous, extendable by third parties, contains social aspects, and puts the user in control. In contrast to previous work, we propose an open structure with a middlewarelike functionality. The framework emphasises the need for social
support and psychological factors influencing usage and compliance. In this paper, we describe telehealth usability requirements and analysis of existing consumer health informatics applications which leads to the design of a novel ubiquitous telehealth system.