Mia Conradsson

Berg Balance Scale: Intrarater Test-Retest Reliability Among Older People Dependent in Activities of Daily Living and Living in Residential Care Facilities

Background and Purpose: The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is frequently used to assess balance in older people, but knowledge is lacking about the absolute reliability of BBS scores. The aim of this study was to investigate the absolute and relative intrarater test-retest reliability of data obtained with the BBS when it is used among older people who are dependent in activities of daily living and living in residential care facilities. Subjects: The participants were 45 older people (36 women and 9 men) who were living in 3 residential care facilities. Their mean age was 82.3 years (SD=6.6, range=68–96), and their mean score on the Mini Mental State Examination was 17.5 (SD=6.3, range=4–30). Methods: The BBS was assessed twice by the same assessor. The intrarater test-retest reliability assessments were made at approximately the same time of day and with 1 to 3 days in between assessments. Absolute reliability was calculated using an analysis of variance with a 95% confidence level, as suggested by Bland and Altman. Relative reliability was calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: The mean score was 30.1 points (SD=15.9, range=3–53) for the first BBS test and 30.6 points (SD=15.6, range=4–54) for the retest. The mean absolute difference between the 2 tests was 2.8 points (SD=2.7, range=0–11). The absolute reliability was calculated as being 7.7 points, and the ICC was calculated to .97. Discussion and Conclusion: Despite a high ICC value, the absolute reliability showed that a change of 8 BBS points is required to reveal a genuine change in function among older people who are dependent in activities of daily living and living in residential care facilities. This knowledge is important in the clinical setting when evaluating an individuals change in balance function over time in this group of older people.

Usefulness of the Geriatric Depression Scale 15-item version among very old people with and without cognitive impairment

Objectives: The aim of this population-based study was to investigate the usefulness of the Geriatric Depression Scale 15-item version (GDS-15) to assess depressive symptoms among very old people with differing levels of cognitive function. Methods: The 834 participants were aged 85 and over. Feasibility of GDS-15 was evaluated as the proportion of people who completed the scale. Concurrent criterion validity was evaluated by calculating correlations between GDS-15 and Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS). PGCMS measures psychological wellbeing which is closely related with depressive symptoms. Correlations were calculated within groups according to cognitive function assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); 0–4, 5–9, 10–14, 15–19, 20–24, 25–27, and 28–30, using Pearsons two-sided correlation and compared using Fisher r-to-z transformation. Internal consistency of the GDS-15 was evaluated by calculating Cronbachs α in each group. Results: In total, 651 (78%) of the 834 participants completed the GDS-15. For the two MMSE-groups with scores of <10, the proportion who completed GDS-15 were 1% and 42%, respectively, compared to 65–95% in the MMSE-groups with scores of ≥10. Cronbachs α in each MMSE-group ranged from 0.636 (MMSE 28–30) to 0.821 (MMSE 5–9). The level of correlation between GDS-15 and PGCMS did not significantly differ between MMSE-groups with scores of 5–27 compared to the MMSE-group with scores of 28–30. Conclusions: The GDS-15 seems to have an overall usefulness to assess depressive symptoms among very old people with an MMSE score of 10 or more. More studies are needed to strengthen the validity of GDS-15 among older people with MMSE scores of 10–14. For older people with MMSE scores lower than 10, there is a need to develop and validate other measurements.

Effects of a high-intensity functional exercise programme on depressive symptoms and psychological well-being among older people living in residential care facilities: A cluster-randomized controlled trial

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a high-intensity functional exercise programme on depressive symptoms and psychological well-being among older people dependent in activities of daily living (ADL) and living in residential care facilities. Method: Cluster-randomized controlled study. Participants were 191 older people, aged 65–100, dependent in ADL and with Mini Mental State Examination scores between 10 and 30. One-hundred (52%) of the participants had a diagnosed dementia disorder. A high-intensity functional weight-bearing exercise programme and a control activity were performed in groups. Sessions were held five times over each two week period for three months, a total of 29 times. The outcome measures, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS) were blindly assessed at baseline, three and six months. Results: At baseline, mean ± SD (range) for GDS was 4.4 ± 3.2 (0–14), and for PGCMS 11.0 ± 3.5 (2–17). There were no significant differences in GDS or PGCMS between the exercise and the control group at the three and six month follow-ups in the total sample. Among people with dementia, there was a between-group difference at three months in PGCMS scores in favour of the exercise group. Conclusion: A high-intensity functional exercise programme seems generally not to influence depressive symptoms or psychological well-being among older people dependent in ADL and living in residential care facilities. An individualized and multifactorial intervention may be needed in this group. However, an exercise programme as a single intervention may have a short-term effect on well-being among people with dementia.

Is a change in functional capacity or dependency in activities of daily living associated with a change in mental health among older people living in residential care facilities

Aim Functional capacity and dependency in activities of daily living (ADL) could be important mediators for an association between physical exercise and mental health. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a change in functional capacity or dependency in ADL is associated with a change in depressive symptoms and psychological well-being among older people living in residential care facilities, and whether dementia can be a moderating factor for this association. Methods A prospective cohort study was undertaken. Participants were 206 older people, dependent in ADL, living in residential care facilities, 115 (56%) of whom had diagnosed dementia. Multivariate linear regression, with comprehensive adjustment for potential confounders, was used to investigate associations between differences over 3 months in Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) scores, and in BBS and Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS) scores. Associations were also investigated between differences in Barthel ADL Index and GDS-15 scores, and in Barthel ADL Index and PGCMS scores. Results There were no significant associations between changes in scores over 3 months; the unstandardized β for associations between BBS and GDS-15 was 0.026 (P=0.31), BBS and PGCMS 0.045 (P=0.14), Barthel ADL Index and GDS-15 0.123 (P=0.06), and Barthel ADL Index and PGCMS −0.013 (P=0.86). There were no interaction effects for dementia. Conclusion A change in functional capacity or dependency in ADL does not appear to be associated with a change in depressive symptoms or psychological well-being among older people living in residential care facilities. These results may offer one possible explanation as to why studies of physical exercise to influence these aspects of mental health have not shown effects in this group of older people.

Functional capacity and dependency in transfer and dressing are associated with depressive symptoms in older people

Background This study examined associations between depressive symptoms and functional capacity, overall dependency in personal activities of daily living (ADLs), and dependency in individual ADL tasks, respectively, in people with a high mean age, large range of functional capacity, and wide spectrum of dependency in ADLs. Methods Cross-sectional data from three studies were used. A total of 392 individuals living in community and residential care facilities were included. Mean age was 86.2 years, 72% were women, 75% were dependent in ADLs, 42% had depression, and 39% had dementia. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), functional capacity with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and ADLs with the Barthel ADL Index. Multiple linear regression analyses with comprehensive adjustments were performed between GDS-15 and BBS, GDS-15 and Barthel ADL Index, and GDS-15 and each individual ADL task, separately. Results GDS-15 score was associated with BBS score (unstandardized b =−0.03, P=0.008), but not with Barthel ADL Index score (unstandardized b =−0.07, P=0.068). No significant interaction effects of sex, dementia, or living conditions were found in these associations. Among individual ADL tasks, dependency in transfer (unstandardized b =−1.03, P=0.007) and dressing (unstandardized b =−0.70, P=0.035) were associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusion Functional capacity seems to be independently associated with depressive symptoms in older people living in community and residential care facilities, whereas overall ADL performance may not be associated. Dependency in the individual ADL tasks of transfer and dressing appear to be independently associated with depressive symptoms and may be an important focus of future interdisciplinary multifactorial intervention studies.

Effects of a high-intensity functional exercise program on depressive symptoms among people with dementia in residential care: a randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a high‐intensity functional exercise program on depressive symptoms among older care facility residents with dementia.

Antidepressant use and mortality in very old people.

BACKGROUND Antidepressant treatment may increase the risk of death. The association between antidepressants and mortality has been evaluated in community-dwelling older people, but not in representative samples of very old people, among whom dementia, multimorbidity, and disability are common. METHODS Umeå 85+/GERDA study participants (n = 992) aged 85, 90, and ≥95 years were followed for up to five years. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyze mortality risk associated with baseline antidepressant treatment, adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS Mean age was 89 years; 27% of participants had dementia, 20% had stroke histories, 29% had heart failure, and 16% used antidepressants. In age- and sex-adjusted analyses, antidepressant use was associated with a 76% increased mortality risk (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41-2.19). Adding adjustment for Geriatric Depression Scale score, HR was 1.62 (95% CI, 1.29-2.03). The association was not significant when adjusting for additional confounding factors (HR = 1.08; 95% CI, 0.85-1.38). Interaction analyses in the fully adjusted model revealed a significant interaction between sex and antidepressant use (HR: 1.76; 95% CI, 1.05-2.94). Among male and female antidepressant users, the HRs for death were 0.76 (95% CI, 0.47-1.24) and 1.28 (95% CI, 0.97-1.70), respectively. CONCLUSION Among very old people, baseline antidepressant treatment does not seem to be independently associated with increased mortality risk. However, the risk may be different in men and women. This difference and the potential risk of initial treatment require further investigation in future cohort studies of very old people.

Higher morale is associated with lower risk of depressive disorders five years later among very old people

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate whether higher morale, i.e. future-oriented optimism, at baseline was associated with lower risk of depressive disorders five years later among very old people.Methods The Umeå85+/GErontological Regional Database, a population-based study with a longitudinal design, recruited participants in Sweden and Finland aged 85, 90 and ≥95 years. The sample in the present study included 647 individuals (89.1±4.4 years (Mean±SD), range 85-103). After five years, 216 were alive and agreed to a follow-up (92.6±3.4 years, range 90-104). The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS) was used to assess morale. The depressive disorder diagnosis was determined according to DSM-IV based on medical records and interview data including assessment scales for depressive disorders. A number of sociodemographic, functional and health-related variables were analysed as possible confounders.Results For those with no depressive disorders at baseline, the only baseline variable significantly associated with depressive disorders five years later was the PGCMS score. A logistic regression model showed lower risk of depressive disorders five years later with higher baseline PGCMS scores (odds ratio 0.779 for one point increase in PGCMS, p<0.001). The association remained after adjusting for social isolation (p<0.1 association with depressive disorders five years later).Conclusion Our results indicate that the higher the morale, the lower the risk of depressive disorders five years later among very old people. The PGCMS seems to identify those very old individuals at increased risk of depressive disorders five years later. Preventive measures could befocused on this group.

Prevalence of loneliness over ten years among the oldest old

Aims: This study examined the prevalence of loneliness among the oldest old within a 10-year period and studied the influence of various sociodemographic, social and health characteristics on loneliness. Methods: The study used population-based data from the Umeå85+/GErontological Regional DAtabase-study (GERDA) for the years 2000–2002, 2005–2007 and 2010–2012 including 85-year-old, 90-year-old and ⩾95-year-old participants. A final sample of 304 participants in 2000–2002, 329 participants in 2005–2007 and 401 participants in 2010–2012 was included in the analyses. Results: Although the level of loneliness was already high in 2000–2002 (49.3% reported frequent loneliness), the results showed limited changes in loneliness during the 10-year study period. Loneliness was closely related to living alone, depressive symptoms and living in institutional settings. Conclusions: Although societal changes such as solitary living and growing urbanization suggest a changing trend in loneliness, we found that the prevalence of loneliness was relatively stable in this study. Nevertheless, loneliness is common among the oldest old and a focus on social issues related to living arrangements and on depressive symptoms is important in understanding loneliness.

Five-year change in morale is associated with negative life events in very old age

ABSTRACT Objectives: The objectives were to study changes in morale in individuals 85 years and older, and to assess the effect of negative life events on morale over a five-year follow-up period. Method: The present study is based on longitudinal data from the Umeå85+/GERDA-study, including individuals 85 years and older at baseline (n = 204). Morale was measured with the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS). Negative life events were assessed using an index including 13 negative life events occurring during the follow-up period. Linear regression was used for the multivariate analyses. Results: The majority of the sample (69.1%) had no significant changes in morale during the five-year follow-up. However, the accumulation of negative life events was significantly associated with a greater decrease in PGCMS. A higher baseline PGCMS score did not attenuate the adverse effect negative life events had on morale. Conclusion: Morale seemed to be mainly stable in a five-year follow-up of very old people. It seems, nonetheless, that individuals are affected by negative life events, regardless of level of morale. Preventing negative life events and supporting individuals who experience multiple negative life events could have important implications for the care of very old people.