by Robert Beringer  , Paneet Gill  , Gloria Gutman  and Brian de Vries

Received: 31 July 2022;  Published: 17 November 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2204213

Disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic exact a toll on vulnerable populations in terms of morbidity and mortality, but they also provide opportunities for personal growth and development and demonstration of personal and collective resiliency. This inductive thematic analysis explores self-perceived negative and positive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on 2994 Canadians aged 55+. Data derive from response to two open-ended questions included in a national online survey (View Survey (sfu.ca)) conducted between Aug [...]

by Lena Natapov  , Ayelet Berg-Warman  , Ile Kermel Schiffman  and Shlomo Paul Zusman

Received: 01 May 2022;  Published: 17 November 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2204212

To understand dental service utilization in the over-65 age group and to identify the main patterns and barriers to uptake of dental care after the 2019 expansion under the National Health Insurance Law to include dental benefits for the over-75 age group. Phone interviews with a random sample of 512 people over the age of 65 were conducted between February and April 2020. About half had visited a dentist during the previous year (an average of 2.9 visits) while 17% reported they had never visited one. Dental servi [...]

by Rotem Arieli  , Gina Lee  , Yeon ji Ryou  and Peter Martin

Received: 01 July 2022;  Published: 14 November 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2204211

This research aims to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of positive subjective well-being among centenarians and near-centenarians in the Health and Retirement Study. Participants who eventually survived to age 98 or older (N = 516) were included. Study variables included demographic characteristics, health and activities of daily living (ADL) functioning, cognitive functioning, and positive well-being. Additionally, a smaller subsample (n = 192) of participants with supplemental leave-behind qu [...]

by Angela Horyacheva  , Samantha Shune  and Ashwini Namasivayam-MacDonald

Received: 11 August 2022;  Published: 07 November 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2204210

Stroke survivors often receive spousal support for post-stroke impairments. The quality of spousal caregiving and couples’ wellbeing can suffer from post-stroke relationship changes and caregiver burden. Because swallowing impairment (dysphagia) is common post-stroke and spouses providing dysphagia care may experience burden, it is also important to explore whether relationship changes post-stroke are associated with dysphagia outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe stroke survivor-spouse relationships [...]

by Susan E. Reid  , Bessam Abdulrazak  and Tianqi Xiao

Received: 08 August 2022;  Published: 17 October 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2204209

Despite the increase in use and interest in mobile devices by older adults, to date, there is still limited research carried out to better understand older adults’ usage and needs as they relate to such devices. As such, this research examined the use of two types of mobile devices, smartphones, and tablets, by older adults (i.e., age 65+), as well as the use of a new interface, developed for research purposes, called “PhonAge”. This study was exploratory, and utilizes frequency data and tables, in order to get a s [...]

by Giacinto Libertini

Received: 22 July 2022;  Published: 14 October 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2204208

The interpretation of aging as an adaptive and programmed phenomenon implies the existence of specific genetically determined and regulated aging-causing mechanisms. This interpretation is in contrast to the explanation of aging as the gradual accumulation of the effects of harmful factors that are only partially countered by natural selection. The subtelomere–telomere theory of aging offers what is required by the interpretation of aging as a programmed phenomenon. The experimentally documented mechanisms that are [...]

by OBM Geriatrics Editorial Office

Received: 09 October 2022;  Published: 09 October 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2204207

Open AccessOBM GeriatricsInterviewAn Interview with Dr. David G. SmithardOBM Geriatrics Editorial OfficeLIDSEN Publishing Inc., 2000 Auburn Drive, One Chagrin Highlands, Suite 200, Beachwood, OH, USA; E-Mail: geriatrics@lidsen.comOBM Geriatrics 2022, volume 6, issue 4 doi:10.21926/obm.geriatr.2204207Received: October 09, 2022Accepted: October 09, 2022Published: October 09, 2022

by Dean M. Cordingley  and Stephen M. Cornish

Received: 30 May 2022;  Published: 07 October 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2204206

Myokines are cytokines secreted from muscle during contraction and are implicated in autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine regulation of biological systems. It is postulated that myokines contribute to skeletal muscle adaptations in response to resistance exercise. Exercise, including resistance exercise, is an important factor in the management of maintaining skeletal muscle strength, mass, and function with aging. Sarcopenia is exacerbated with increased age and therefore, it is important to understand the potentia [...]

by James S. Powers  , Shana Atkins  and Allison B. McCoy

Received: 05 June 2022;  Published: 28 September 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2203205

Many health systems have joined the Age-Friendly Health Systems movement to provide every older adult safe, high-quality care aligned with what matters most. Becoming an Age-Friendly Health System means that hospitals and health care systems reliably use a set of evidence-based practices known as the “4M’s” – What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility – to provide care for older, disabled and medically complex patients across all care settings. Implementing the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) 4M [...]

by Roy G Beran

Received: 01 July 2022;  Published: 13 September 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2203204

This paper examines sleep disorders in older people, focusing on Parkinson’s disease (PD). It defines PD and explores those conditions associated with sleep disorders and their relationship to PD. It identifies specific conditions which cause sleep disoders in patients with PD, namely: REM sleep behaviour disorder (RDB) which may be a precursor to PD; obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) which is very prevalent amongst people with PD; depression and mood disorders which both increase with age and are more common in peopl [...]