Britta Löfgren

In-patient rehabilitation after stroke : outcome and factors associated with improvement

A study aimed at examining the outcome of activities of daily living (ADL) of patients undergoing geriatric stroke rehabilitation was performed. Background and admission data of 99 patients surviving the acute phase and needing further hospital rehabilitation were registered. Forty per cent of the patients improved their ADL ability. The logistic regression modelling with the dichotomous dependent variable improvement versus no improvement showed the following factors associated with improvement: a diagnosis of intracerebral haemorrhage, male sex, high postural stability score at the admission and cohabitation. In conclusion, the most severely affected stroke patients, especially patients with intracerebral haemorrhage, have a great potential for improving their ADL. The results of the logistic regression model can serve as a useful guide when it comes to identifying patients that stand a fair chance of improving during their rehabilitation stay. Equally important, patients with a poor rehabilitation prognosis who may need intensified rehabilitation efforts to achieve optimum improvement can now be identified.

Activities of daily living for old persons in primary health care with chronic heart failure

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a common condition among Europes aging population. Findings indicate that CHF patients must make significant changes in many aspects of daily life. Previous studies of older primary health-care participants and their activities of daily living (ADL)-ability are rare. The aim of this study was to describe ADL-ability in older people with CHF syndrome. The factors considered were dependence on others, perceived strain, quality of performance, and the association between The New York Heart Association classification (NYHA) and ADL-ability. The participants, recruited from a primary health-care centre, had symptoms indicating CHF and were diagnosed by a cardiologist. Forty persons over 65 years (mean age 81), participated in the study and self-reported co-morbidity was frequent. The Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) and the Staircase of ADL were used to describe ADL-ability. Most participants were independent with respect to personal activities of daily living (PADL), and 75% were dependent in one or more instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), usually shopping. Most participants perceived strain, and only three could perform all ADL without strain. Age had a significant impact on ADL performance (motor measures: OR 7.11, CI 1.19-42.32, p = 0.031 and process measures: OR 8.49, CI 1.86-38.79, p = 0.006). However, participants showed lower ADL motor and process ability in AMPS compared with well persons of the same age. Participants in NYHA III/IV (adjusted for age), had significantly increased effort (under motor cut-off) when performing ADL-tasks (OR: 15.5, CI 2.40-100.1, p = 0.004) compared to those in NYHA I/II. Older persons in primary health care with CHF exhibit a high amount of dependence, perceived strain and increased effort during performance of ADL. There is an association between NYHA class III/IV and a decreased ADL-ability (AMPS motor ability) even when adjusted for age.

Three Years after In-Patient Stroke Rehabilitation: A Follow-Up Study

A 3-year follow-up study was performed aimed at describing the outcome for severely affected stroke survivors who had undergone geriatric in-patient rehabilitation. Living conditions, psychological well-being, and changes in functions were assessed in 55 survivors. Twenty-five people were living in the community, 15 in apartment hotels or homes for the aged and 15 in nursing homes. From discharge to follow-up 11 people had had to move to an accommodation offering more support. Living alone, recurrent strokes and functional decline were associated with moving. Many of those living in the community were supported by relatives or home help services. Home adjustments and assistive devices were common and in most cases were aimed at facilitating transfers and bathroom activities. Motor function had deteriorated from discharge to follow-up, otherwise no statistically significant changes were seen in the survivors’ abilities and functions. Most survivors had in fact been able to maintain their functions or to make further improvements. Also, their psychological well-being seemed quite good. These results should encourage rehabilitation efforts for elderly people severely affected by stroke.

Occupational Engagement and Life Satisfaction in the Oldest-Old: The Umeå 85+ Study:

This study was designed to evaluate whether the level of occupational engagement is related to life satisfaction among the oldest-old. The study was performed as part of a cross-sectional study of individuals 85 years and older in northern Sweden. The results revealed significant correlations between life satisfaction and engagement in both leisure and activities of daily living, and the effect sizes were interpreted as medium. This study adds some support to earlier findings that a higher level of task performance is related to a higher level of life satisfaction. The results also give some clinical evidence to support a client-centered approach that includes consideration of leisure tasks a person is motivated to perform.

Focus on Leisure Repertoire in the Oldest Old: The Umeå 85+ Study

This study elucidates the oldest olds’ leisure repertoire and how this repertoire varies due to gender, where they live, and cognitive status. A validated 20-item leisure interest checklist with four subscales was used to measure leisure participation and investigate the leisure repertoire among participants. The oldest old were most likely to be interested in, perform, be motivated for, and perceive well-being from social activities, cultural activities, and TV/video/movies. The respondents were least likely to be interested in, perform, be motivated for, and perceive well-being from equipment sports and ball games. Some gender, geographic differences, and differences in cognitive status were found. The oldest old were more likely to endorse the same activities across all subscales of the checklist, but the linear magnitude varied across sub-scales. The relationships between performance and the other subscales suggested that a sense of engagement or participation is related to actual performance.

Occupational performance and strategies for managing daily life among the elderly with heart failure

Abstract Aim: The aim of this study was to describe experiences of limitations in occupational performance and strategies for managing daily activities among the elderly with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods: Ten participants from primary healthcare with a confirmed diagnosis of CHF were interviewed. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The first theme, “Redefining an active life, aware of one’s impaired body”, was based on four sub-themes: realizing one’s limited activity ability; striving to preserve an active life; focusing on meaningful activities; and changing vs. not changing habits and roles. The second theme, “Planning activities and balancing the degree of effort”, was based on three sub-themes: limiting, organizing, and rationalizing activities; adjusting activities to today’s ability; and using technology and adapting the environment. Conclusions: Elderly people with CHF are struggling with an ongoing process of occupational adaptation due to periodical physical decline and fluctuating day-to-day ability. This highlights a need for information on strategies from a holistic perspective and client-centred occupational therapy interventions.

Dimensionality of Nonmotor Neurobehavioral Impairments When Observed in the Natural Contexts of ADL Task Performance

Objective. To examine diverse nonmotor neurobehavioral impairments (NBIs) that impact activities of daily living (ADL) task performance and to verify if such impairments can be viewed as one dimension when evaluated in an ecologically-relevant context. Methods. Rasch analysis was performed on data from 206 individuals diagnosed with dementia or cerebral vascular accident (CVA) who had been scored on 50 standardized NBIs from the A-ONE Neurobehavioral Impairment scale, based on naturalistic observation of ADL task performance. Evaluation of mean square (MnSq) infit and outfit values and principal components analysis (PCA) of residuals were used to evaluate unidimensionality of the items. Two evaluations were implemented: (1) to evaluate if there is a single global dimension common for persons with either dementia or CVA, and (2) to evaluate if the 50 NBIs are unidimensional, but comprised of different diagnosis-specific global hierarchies (dementia, left CVA, and right CVA). Results. The PCA indicated that 56.8% of variance was explained by the global measure (Rasch factor) of NBIs, with 4.9% of the unexplained variance explained by the first contrast. Four items showed outfit misfit to the common hierarchy. Developing diagnosis-specific global hierarchies resulted in improved PCA results for all 3 diagnostic groups (Rasch factor = 79.2% to 85.5%; unexplained variance in first contrast = 1.7% to 3.4%) after removal of 2 to 3 misfitting items. Conclusions. Nonmotor NBIs, when evaluated based on naturalistic performance of ADL, can be considered unidimensional, but the hierarchical structure of the dimension likely varies across diagnostic groups. Further study is needed with larger samples to verify these results.

Impact of fatigue on everyday life among older people with chronic heart failure

AIM To explore the relationship between fatigue and performance of activities of daily living (ADL), use of assistive devices, home-help service and community mobility services in older clients with chronic heart failure. METHODS A cross-sectional descriptive study of 40 patients was performed using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, the Staircase of ADL, Assessment of Motor and Process Skills and a demographic checklist. RESULTS We found high levels of general fatigue, physical fatigue and reduced activity. Greater fatigue was associated significantly with increased dependence and decreased quality of ADL, but not for shopping. Use of community mobility services and assistive devices was frequent and home help less frequent. Use of assistive devices and home help were associated significantly with greater fatigue, but not the use of community mobility services. CONCLUSIONS Fatigue had a negative impact on ADL mainly from physical rather than from mental causes. Improved energy conservation strategies to reduce the consequences of fatigue are needed.

DIFFERENCE IN IMPACT OF NEUROBEHAVIOURAL DYSFUNCTION ON ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING PERFORMANCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND LEFT HEMISPHERIC STROKE

OBJECTIVE To explore whether persons with right- and left-sided cerebrovascular accidents differ significantly in mean impact of neurobehavioural impairments on ability to perform activities of daily living. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS Retrospective study of data from 215 persons (103 right-sided, 112 left-sided cerebrovascular accident). The Activities of daily living-focused Occupation-based Neurobehavioral Evaluation was used to evaluate ability on an activities of daily living scale and the impact of neurobehavioural impairment on ability on another scale. METHODS To control for possible differences in activities of daily living ability between groups, analysis of covariance, with activities of daily living ability as a covariate, was used to test for a significant difference in impact of neurobehavioural impairments on activities of daily living ability between groups. RESULTS Expected moderate correlation (r = -0.57) was obtained between activities of daily living ability and neurobehavioural impact measures, and there was no difference in mean neurobehavioural impact measures between groups (F [1, 212] = 2.910, p = 0.090). CONCLUSION This study is the first to explore directly the impact of neurobehavioural impairment on activities of daily living ability. While persons with right-sided and left-sided cerebrovascular accidents may differ in type of neurobehavioural impairments, direct evaluation of the impact of such impairments on activities of daily living ability reveals no difference between groups.

Daily life among the oldest old with and without previous hip fractures

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe the oldest old, with and without previous hip fracture with regard to their ability to perform personal and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL); home adaptations received; possession of assistive devices; perceived health and morale. A random sample drawn from the population of 85-year-olds, all 90-year-olds and all ≥95-year-olds (n=253) in Umeå, a city in northern Sweden, were examined. Data obtained from assessments and interviews carried out in the participants’ homes, as well as data from medical charts, were analysed. Those with an earlier hip fracture (n=58) had more difficulties in performing both personal and instrumental ADLs than those without (n=195) but regarding individual home adaptations and the possession of assistive devices for personal care, no differences were detected between the groups. Self-perceived health and morale were equally good in both groups. The conclusion drawn is that lifelong consequences, in the form of reduced abilities to perform ADLs and wheelchair dependency are common among the oldest old after a hip fracture. Therefore, trials concerning the effects of more extensive and prolonged rehabilitation following hip fracture would be of great interest