Measurement of Allostatic Load in Caregivers of Older Hispanic People With Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders.

BACKGROUND: Allostatic load (AL) has been studied in the context of biomarkers that may be affected by environmental and contextual stressors, including social determinants of health. The specific stressor studied here is the provision of caregiving to older persons with Alzheimer disease and related disorders. The aims were to examine the factor structure of stress and nonstress biomarkers, different methods for calculating AL, and the relationship of AL with other variables. METHODS: Latent variable models were used to examine biomarkers. Regression analyses were performed with the outcomes: AL calculated as percentile-based and clinically-based for both stress and nonstress components. The sample was 187 Hispanic caregivers to individuals with dementia. RESULTS: The results of the confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) suggested defining 2 factors: nonstress and stress-related. Performance was better for the CFA results and the associations with covariates when stress and nonstress components were examined separately. Despite some limitations, this is one of the first studies of biomarkers in Hispanic caregivers to patients with dementia. It was possible to explain almost 30% of the variance in the nonstress AL component. CONCLUSION: It may be important to differentiate among biomarkers indicative of cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune response as contrasted with the more stress-related biomarkers.

Home Blood Pressure Telemonitoring and Nurse Case Management in Black and Hispanic Patients With Stroke: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Black and Hispanic patients have high rates of recurrent stroke and uncontrolled hypertension in the US. The effectiveness of home blood pressure telemonitoring (HBPTM) and telephonic nurse case management (NCM) among low-income Black and Hispanic patients with stroke is unknown. Objective: To determine whether NCM plus HBPTM results in greater systolic blood pressure (SBP) reduction at 12 months and lower rate of stroke recurrence at 24 months than HBPTM alone among Black and Hispanic stroke survivors with uncontrolled hypertension. Design, Setting, and Participants: Practice-based, multicenter, randomized clinical trial in 8 stroke centers and ambulatory practices in New York City. Black and Hispanic study participants were enrolled between April 18, 2014, and December 19, 2017, with a final follow-up visit on December 31, 2019. Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to receive either HBPTM alone (12 home BP measurements/week for 12 months, with results transmitted to a clinician; n = 226) or NCM plus HBPTM (20 counseling calls over 12 months; n = 224). Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were change in SBP at 12 months and rate of recurrent stroke at 24 months. Final statistical analyses were completed March 14, 2024. Results: Among 450 participants who were enrolled and randomized (mean [SD] age, 61.7 [11.0] years; 51% were Black [n = 231]; 44% were women [n = 200]; 31% had ≥3 comorbid conditions [n = 137]; 72% had household income <$25 000/y [n = 234/324]), 358 (80%) completed the trial. Those in the NCM plus HBPTM group had a significantly greater SBP reduction than those in the HBPTM alone group at 12 months (-15.1 mm Hg [95% CI, -17.2 to -13.0] vs -5.8 mm Hg [95% CI, -7.9 to -3.7], respectively; P < .001). The between-group difference in SBP reduction at 12 months, adjusted for primary care physician clustering, was -8.1 mm Hg (95% CI, -11.2 to -5.0; P < .001) at 12 months. The rate of recurrent stroke was similar between both groups at 24 months (4.0% in the NCM plus HBPTM group vs 4.0% in the HBPTM alone group, P > .99). Conclusions and Relevance: Among predominantly low-income Black and Hispanic stroke survivors with uncontrolled hypertension, addition of NCM to HBPTM led to greater SBP reduction than HBPTM alone. Additional studies are needed to understand the long-term clinical outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and generalizability of NCM-enhanced telehealth programs among low-income Black and Hispanic stroke survivors with significant comorbidity. Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT02011685.

Unexpected lucidity in dementia: application of qualitative methods to develop an informant-reported lucidity measure.

OBJECTIVES: Unexpected lucidity is a phenomenon of scientific, clinical, and psychological relevance to health professionals, to those who experience it, and their relatives. This paper describes qualitative methods used to develop an informant-based measure of lucidity episodes. METHODS: The approach was refinement of the operationalization of the construct; review of seminal items, modification, and purification; and confirmation of the feasibility of reporting methodology. Modified focus groups were conducted with 20 staff and 10 family members using a web-based survey. Themes included reaction when hearing the term; words that come to mind; description of and first reaction to referenced or observed 'lucidity' events. Semi-structured cognitive interviews were conducted with 10 health professionals working with older adults with cognitive impairment. Data were extracted from Qualtrics or Microsoft 365 Word® for analysis using NVivo. RESULTS: Conceptual issues, as well as issues regarding comprehension, interpretation, clarity, semantics, and standardization of definitions derived from an external advisory board, focus groups and cognitive interviews informed items' modification, and resulted in the final lucidity measure. CONCLUSIONS: An obstacle to understanding the mechanisms and estimating the prevalence of lucid events among individuals with dementia and other neurological conditions is the scarcity of reliable and valid measures. The substantive and varied data gathered from multiple methods including the collaborative work of an External Advisory Board, modified focus groups with staff and family caregivers, and structured cognitive interviews with health professionals were central in creating the revised version of the lucidity measure.

The use of subjective cognitive complaints for detecting mild cognitive impairment in older adults across cultural and linguistic groups: A comparison of the Cognitive Function Instrument to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.

INTRODUCTION: This pilot study aims to explore the psychometric properties of the Cognitive Function Instrument (CFI) as a measure of subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) and its performance in distinguishing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from normal control (NC) compared to an objective cognitive screen (Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA]). METHODS: One hundred ninety-four community-dwelling non-demented older adults with racial/ethnic diversity were included. Unidimensionality and internal consistency of the CFI were examined using factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, and McDonald's omega. Logistic regression models and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were used to examine the performance of CFI. RESULTS: The CFI demonstrated adequate internal consistency; however, the fit for a unidimensional model was suboptimal. The CFI distinguished MCI from NC alone or in combination with MoCA. ROC analysis showed comparable performance of the CFI and the MoCA. DISCUSSION: Our findings support the use of CFI as a brief and easy-to-use screen to detect MCI in culturally/linguistically diverse older adults. HIGHLIGHT: What is the key scientific question or problem of central interest of the paper? Subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) are considered the earliest sign of dementia in older adults. However, it is unclear if SCC are equivalent in different cultures. The Cognitive Function Instrument (CFI) is a 14-item measure of SCC. This study provides pilot data suggesting that CFI is sensitive for detecting mild cognitive impairment in a cohort of older adults with racial/ethnic diversity. Comparing performance, CFI demonstrates comparable sensitivity to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, an objective cognitive screening test. Overall, SCC may provide a non-invasive, easy-to-use method to flag possible cognitive impairment in both research and clinical settings.

Reports About Paradoxical Lucidity from Health Care Professionals: A Pilot Study.

Although clinicians caring for persons at the end of life recognize the phenomenon of paradoxical/terminal lucidity, systematic evidence is scant. The current pilot study aimed to develop a structured interview instrument for health care professionals to report lucidity. A questionnaire measuring lucidity length, degree, content, coinciding circumstances, and time from episode to death was expanded to include time of day, expressive and receptive communication, and speech during the month prior to and during the event. Thirty-three interviews were conducted; 73% of participants reported ever witnessing paradoxical lucidity. Among 29 events reported, 31% lasted several days, 20.7% lasted 1 day, and 24.1% lasted <1 day. In 78.6% of events, the person engaged in unexpected activity; 22.2% died within 3 days, and 14.8% died within 3 months of the event. The phenomenological complexity of lucidity presents challenges to eliciting reports in a systematic fashion; however, staff respondents were able to report lucidity events and detailed descriptions of person-specific characteristics. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 49(1), 18-26.].

Guidelines for Designing and Evaluating Feasibility Pilot Studies.

BACKGROUND: Pilot studies test the feasibility of methods and procedures to be used in larger-scale studies. Although numerous articles describe guidelines for the conduct of pilot studies, few have included specific feasibility indicators or strategies for evaluating multiple aspects of feasibility. In addition, using pilot studies to estimate effect sizes to plan sample sizes for subsequent randomized controlled trials has been challenged; however, there has been little consensus on alternative strategies. METHODS: In Section 1, specific indicators (recruitment, retention, intervention fidelity, acceptability, adherence, and engagement) are presented for feasibility assessment of data collection methods and intervention implementation. Section 1 also highlights the importance of examining feasibility when adapting an intervention tested in mainstream populations to a new more diverse group. In Section 2, statistical and design issues are presented, including sample sizes for pilot studies, estimates of minimally important differences, design effects, confidence intervals (CI) and nonparametric statistics. An in-depth treatment of the limits of effect size estimation as well as process variables is presented. Tables showing CI around parameters are provided. With small samples, effect size, completion and adherence rate estimates will have large CI. CONCLUSION: This commentary offers examples of indicators for evaluating feasibility, and of the limits of effect size estimation in pilot studies. As demonstrated, most pilot studies should not be used to estimate effect sizes, provide power calculations for statistical tests or perform exploratory analyses of efficacy. It is hoped that these guidelines will be useful to those planning pilot/feasibility studies before a larger-scale study.

The 32-Item Multilingual Naming Test: Cultural and Linguistic Biases in Monolingual Chinese-Speaking Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: This study describes the performance of the Multilingual Naming Test (MINT) by Chinese American older adults who are monolingual Chinese speakers. An attempt was also made to identify items that could introduce bias and warrant attention in future investigation. METHODS: The MINT was administered to 67 monolingual Chinese older adults as part of the standard dementia evaluation at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, USA. A diagnosis of normal cognition (n = 38), mild cognitive impairment (n = 12), and dementia (n = 17) was assigned to all participants at clinical consensus conferences using criterion sheets developed at the ADRC at ISMMS. RESULTS: MINT scores were negatively correlated with age and positively correlated with education, showing sensitivity to demographic factors. One item, butterfly, showed no variations in responses across diagnostic groups. Inclusion of responses from different regions of China changed the answers from "incorrect" to "correct" on 20 items. The last five items, porthole, anvil, mortar, pestle, and axle, yielded a high nonresponse rate, with more than 70% of participants responding with "I don't know." Four items, funnel, witch, seesaw, and wig, were not ordered with respect to item difficulty in the Chinese language. Two items, gauge and witch, were identified as culturally biased for the monolingual group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights the cultural and linguistic differences that might influence the test performance. Future studies are needed to revise the MINT using more universally recognized items of similar word frequency across different cultural and linguistic groups.

Challenges in Measuring Applied Cognition: Measurement Properties and Equivalence of the Functional Assessment in Acute Care Multidimensional Computerized Adaptive Test (FAMCAT) Applied Cognition Item Bank.

OBJECTIVE: To present challenges in assessment of applied cognition and the results of differential item functioning (DIF) analyses used to inform the development of a computerized adaptive test (CAT). DESIGN: Measurement evaluation cohort study. DIF analyses of 107 items were conducted across educational, age, and sex groups. DIF hypotheses informed the evaluation of the results. SETTING: Hospital-based rehabilitation from a single hospital system. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2216 hospitalized patients (N=2216). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Applied cognition item pool from multiple sources. RESULTS: Many items were hypothesized to show DIF, particularly for age. Information was moderately high in the lower (cognitive disability) tail of the distribution, but some items were not informative. Reliability estimates were high (>0.89) across all studied groups, regardless of estimation method. There were 35 items with DIF of high magnitude and 19 with accompanying supportive hypotheses. CONCLUSIONS: A key clinical tool in inpatient rehabilitation medicine is assessment of applied functional cognitive ability to inform patient-centered rehabilitation strategies to improve function. This was the first study to evaluate measurement equivalence of the applied cognition item pool across large samples of hospitalized patients. Although about one-third of the item pool evidenced DIF or low discrimination, results supported placement of most items into the bank and its use across groups differing in education, age, and sex. Six items were classified with salient DIF, defined as consistent DIF of high magnitude and or impact, with confirmatory directional DIF hypotheses, generated by content experts. These were recommended for adjustment or removal from the bank; 4 were deleted from the bank and 2 had lowered CAT exposure (administration frequency) rates. Many items hypothesized to show DIF contained content measuring constructs other than applied cognition such as physical frailty, perceptual difficulties, or skills reflective of greater educational attainment. Challenges in measurement of this construct are discussed.

Examination of the Measurement Equivalence of the Functional Assessment in Acute Care MCAT (FAMCAT) Mobility Item Bank Using Differential Item Functioning Analyses.

OBJECTIVE: To assess differential item functioning (DIF) in an item pool measuring the mobility of hospitalized patients across educational, age, and sex groups. DESIGN: Measurement evaluation cohort study. Content experts generated DIF hypotheses to guide the interpretation. The graded response item response theory (IRT) model was used. Primary DIF tests were Wald statistics; sensitivity analyses were conducted using the IRT ordinal logistic regression procedure. Magnitude and impact were evaluated by examining group differences in expected item and scale score functions. SETTING: Hospital-based rehabilitation. PARTICIPANTS: Hospitalized patients (N=2216). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A total of 111 self-reported mobility items. RESULTS: Two linking items among those used to set the metric across forms evidenced DIF for sex and age: "difficulty climbing stairs step-over-step without a handrail (alternating feet)" and "difficulty climbing 3-5 steps without a handrail." Conditional on the mobility state, the items were more difficult for women and older people (aged ≥65y). An additional 18 items were identified with DIF. Items with both high DIF magnitude and hypotheses related to age were difficulty "crossing road at a 4-lane traffic light with curbs," "jumping/landing on one leg," "strenuous activities," and "descending 3-5 steps with no handrail." Although DIF of higher magnitude was observed for several items, the scale-level effect was relatively small and the exposure rate for the most problematic items was low (0.35, 0.27, and 0.20). CONCLUSIONS: This was the first study to evaluate measurement equivalence of the hospital-based rehabilitation mobility item bank. Although 20 items evidenced high magnitude DIF, 5 of which were related to stairs, the scale-level effect was minimal; however, it is recommended that such items be avoided in the development of short-form measures. No items with salient DIF were removed from calibrations, supporting the use of the item bank across groups differing in education, age, and sex. The bank may thus be useful to assist clinical assessment and decision-making regarding risk for specific mobility restrictions at discharge as well as identifying mobility-related functions targeted for postdischarge interventions. Additionally, with the goal of avoiding long and burdensome assessments for patients and clinical staff, these results could be informative for those using the item bank to construct short forms.

Evaluation of the measurement properties of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) in Hispanic caregivers to patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.

OBJECTIVES: The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is the most widely used measure of perceived stress; however, minimal psychometric evaluation has been performed among Hispanic respondents, and even less among Hispanic caregivers to persons with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRDs). DESIGN: Secondary data analysis. SETTING: New York City, NY, USA. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of 453 community dwelling Hispanic caregivers to patients with ADRD. MEASUREMENTS: Latent variable models were used to evaluate the PSS. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine unidimensionality. Differential item functioning (DIF) was examined for age, education, and language using the graded item response model. RESULTS: The factor and bifactor analyses results supported essential unidimensionality of the item set; however, positively worded items were observed using response item theory to be less informative than the negatively worded items. Reliability estimates were high. Salient DIF was not observed for age, education, or language of interview using the primary DIF detection method. Sensitivity analyses using a second DIF detection method identified uniform language-DIF for the item, "In the last month, how often have you felt that you were on top of things?" However, the non-compensatory DIF value was below the threshold considered salient. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the 10-item PSS performed well in a sample of English- and Spanish-speaking Hispanic caregivers to patients with ADRD. Very little DIF, and none of high magnitude and impact, was observed. However, the negatively worded items, perhaps because they are more directly reflective of stress, were more informative. In the context of a short-form measure or computerized adaptive test, more informative items are those that would be selected for inclusion.

Evaluation of measurement equivalence of the Family Satisfaction with the End-of-Life Care (FAMCARE): Tests of differential item functioning between Hispanic and non-Hispanic White caregivers.

OBJECTIVE: Although the psychometric properties of the Family Satisfaction with End-of-Life Care measure have been examined in diverse settings internationally; little evidence exists regarding measurement equivalence in Hispanic caregivers. The aim was to examine the psychometric properties of a short-form of the FAMCARE in Hispanics using latent variable models and place information on differential item functioning (DIF) in an existing family satisfaction item bank. METHOD: The graded form of the item response theory model was used for the analyses of DIF; sensitivity analyses were performed using a latent variable logistic regression approach. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to examine dimensionality were performed within each subgroup studied. The sample included 1,834 respondents: 317 Hispanic and 1,517 non-Hispanic White caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease and cancer, respectively. RESULTS: There was strong support for essential unidimensionality for both Hispanic and non-Hispanic White subgroups. Modest DIF of low magnitude and impact was observed; flagged items related to information sharing. Only 1 item was flagged with significant DIF by both a primary and sensitivity method after correction for multiple comparisons: "The way the family is included in treatment and care decisions." This item was more discriminating for the non-Hispanic, White responders than for the Hispanic subsample, and was also a more severe indicator at some levels of the trait; the Hispanic respondents located at higher satisfaction levels were more likely than White non-Hispanic respondents to report satisfaction. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The magnitude of DIF was below the salience threshold for all items. Evidence supported the measurement equivalence and use for cross-cultural comparisons of the short-form FAMCARE among Hispanic caregivers, including those interviewed in Spanish.

Psychometric Properties of a Spanish-Language Version of a Short-Form FAMCARE: Applications to Caregivers of Patients With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias.

Although family satisfaction is recognized as a critical indicator of quality care for persons with serious illness, Spanish-language measures are limited. The study aims were to develop a Spanish translation of the short-form Family Satisfaction With End-of-Life Care (FAMCARE), investigate its psychometric properties in Hispanic caregivers to patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD; N = 317; 209 interviewed in Spanish), and add parameters to an existing item bank. Based on factor analyses, the measure was found to be essentially unidimensional. Reliabilities from a graded item response theory model were high; the average estimate was 0.93 for the total and Spanish-language subsample. Discrimination parameters were high, and the model fit adequate. This is the first study to examine the performance of the short-form FAMCARE measure among Hispanics and caregivers to patients with ADRD. The short-form measure can be recommended for Hispanics and caregivers to patients with ADRD.

Development and Spanish translation of the Weinberg Center Risk and Abuse Prevention Screen (WC-RAPS).

Barriers for enhanced detection, identification, and reporting of elder abuse include the paucity of appropriate, valid, easily administered screening tools. This article describes the qualitative methods used in the development of the Weinberg Center Risk and Abuse Prevention Screen (WC-RAPS), and of its Spanish version. Focus groups and cognitive interviews were instrumental in identifying problematic items, underscoring potential response errors, and informing about putative causes for divergent interpretations of item-intent. Seven of the 11 original items were modified, a double-barreled item was segregated into two, one item deleted, and three additional items included to create the final 13 WC-RAPS items. The multi-step approach implemented for the Spanish conversion evidenced deviation from the original intended meaning for one item. The readability for English and Spanish versions was also assessed. Screening for elder abuse, if implemented systematically can be instrumental in identifying unrecognized abuse and preventing reoccurrence.

Methodological approaches to the analyses of elder abuse screening measures: Application of latent variable measurement modeling to the WC-RAPS.

While several elder abuse screens exist, few measure risk and none target long-term support services. The aims were to examine the psychometric properties of the Weinberg Center Risk and Abuse Prevention Screen (WC-RAPS), comparing approaches to modeling self-reported risk and abuse in relation to reported Adult Protective Services contacts. METHODS: The sample (n = 7,035), admissions to managed long-term care (79%) and short-term rehabilitation (20%), was primarily (66%) female, with mean age 77.6 (SD = 9.10); 7% each were African American and Latino and 12% Asian. Latent variable models were used to examine measurement properties of six indicators of abuse and five of risk. RESULTS: Good model fit and stable subscale measurement models were observed across analyses. Reliability was >0.80 across methods, and concurrent criterion validity estimates were as expected. CONCLUSION: Evidence supported the reliability and concurrent criterion validity of the risk and abuse subscales in an ethnically diverse cohort.

Assessment of financial decision making: an informant scale.

Older adults with cognitive impairment are a population at great risk for financial exploitation. At-risk older adults often have difficulty reporting on their own financial abilities. Collecting information from trusted others is vital for professionals investigating the financial exploitation older adults. There are few reliable, valid, and standardized informant-report measures of financial capacity, and none that assess decisional abilities for an ongoing, real-world financial transaction. The present study sought to examine the psychometric properties of a new informant-report scale of financial decisional abilities in older adults. One hundred fifty participants were recruited to complete the Family and Friends and Interview regarding a known older adult's financial decisional abilities. A factor analysis identified two subscales. The full scale had adequate sensitivity and specificity to detect an informant's current concerns regarding financial exploitation. The Family and Friends Scale is a useful tool for collecting informant-report regarding an older adult's ability to make financial transactions.

Improving Community Stroke Preparedness in the HHS (Hip-Hop Stroke) Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Deficiencies in stroke preparedness cause major delays to stroke thrombolysis, particularly among economically disadvantaged minorities. We evaluated the effectiveness of a stroke preparedness intervention delivered to preadolescent urban public school children on the stroke knowledge/preparedness of their parents. METHODS: We recruited 3070 fourth through sixth graders and 1144 parents from 22 schools into a cluster randomized trial with schools randomized to the HHS (Hip-Hop Stroke) intervention or attentional control (nutrition classes). HHS is a 3-hour culturally tailored, theory-based, multimedia stroke literacy intervention targeting school children, which systematically empowers children to share stroke information with parents. Our main outcome measures were stroke knowledge/preparedness of children and parents using validated surrogates. RESULTS: Among children, it was estimated that 1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0%-1%) of controls and 2% (95% CI, 1%-4%; P=0.09) of the intervention group demonstrated optimal stroke preparedness (perfect scores on the knowledge/preparedness test) at baseline, increasing to 57% (95% CI, 44%-69%) immediately after the program in the intervention group compared with 1% (95% CI, 0%-1%; P<0.001) among controls. At 3-month follow-up, 24% (95% CI, 15%-33%) of the intervention group retained optimal preparedness, compared with 2% (95% CI, 0%-3%; P<0.001) of controls. Only 3% (95% CI, 2%-4%) of parents in the intervention group could identify all 4 letters of the stroke FAST (Facial droop, Arm weakness, Speech disturbance, Time to call 911) acronym at baseline, increasing to 20% at immediate post-test (95% CI, 16%-24%) and 17% at 3-month delayed post-test (95% CI, 13%-21%; P=0.0062), with no significant changes (3% identification) among controls. Four children, all in the intervention group, called 911 for real-life stroke symptoms, in 1 case overruling a parent's wait-and-see approach. CONCLUSIONS: HHS is an effective, intergenerational model for increasing stroke preparedness among economically disadvantaged minorities. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01497886.

The Abrams geriatric self-neglect scale: introduction, validation and psychometric properties.

OBJECTIVE: Self-neglect is an imprecisely defined entity with multiple clinical expressions and adverse health consequences, especially in the elderly. However, research has been limited by the absence of a measurement instrument that is both inclusive and specific. Our goal was to establish the psychometric properties of a quantitative instrument, the Abrams Geriatric Self-Neglect Scale (AGSS). METHODS: We analyzed data from a 2007 case-control study of 71 cognitively intact community-dwelling older self-neglectors that had used the AGSS. The AGSS was validated against two "gold standards": a categorical definition of self-neglect developed by expert consensus; and the clinical judgment of a geriatric psychiatrist using chart review. Frequencies were examined for the six scale domains by source (Subject, Observer, and Overall Impression). Internal consistency was estimated for each source, and associations among the sources were evaluated. RESULTS: Internal consistency estimates for the AGSS were rated as "good," with the Subject responses having the lowest alpha and omega (0.681 and 0.692) and the Observer responses the highest (0.758 and 0.765). Subject and Observer scores had the lowest association (0.578, p < 0.001). Using expert consensus criteria as the primary "gold standard," the Observer and Overall Impression subscales were "good" at classifying self-neglect, while the Subject subscale was "fair." CONCLUSIONS: The AGSS correctly classified and quantified self-neglect against two "gold standards." Sufficient correlations among multiple sources of information allow investigators and clinicians to choose flexibly from Subject, Observer, or Overall Impression. The lower internal consistency estimates for Subject responses are consistent with self-neglectors' propensity to disavow symptoms. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A systematic review protocol of educational programs for nursing staff on management of resident-to-resident elder mistreatment in residential aged care homes.

AIM: To review evidence concerning educational programs for nursing staff on management of resident-to-resident elder mistreatment with the aim of preventing and reducing this abuse in residential aged care homes. BACKGROUND: Although elder abuse has received considerable attention, very little is known regarding resident-to-resident elder mistreatment in residential aged care homes and about interventions/programs to prevent and reduce this harm. Nurses play an essential role in identifying and managing aggressive interactions. However, many nurses may not recognize these behaviours as forms of abuse. Thus, it is important to ascertain if educational programs for nursing staff have been developed and implemented. DESIGN: Quantitative systematic review registered on PROSPERO (CRD42017080925). METHODS: A systematic search of English published studies between 1980 - 2017 will be conducted in CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, ProQuest, PsychInfo and Scopus. Risk of bias and quality of the studies will be evaluated by using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool and the Methodological Index for Nonrandomized studies. A meta-analysis will be performed, if sufficient homogeneity exists; otherwise, data will be summarized by using a narrative description. This study was funded in January 2017. DISCUSSION: Nursing staff should play a pivotal role in preventing and/or reducing resident-to-resident elder mistreatment. Therefore, it is important to identify available educational programs for nursing staff dealing with this abuse. Consequently, this review may provide evidence-based care for nursing staff to assist them in protecting older residents from experiencing abuse or being abused and in improving their well-being.

Resident-to-Resident Mistreatment: Evaluation of a Staff Training Program in the Reduction of Falls and Injuries.

Resident-to-resident elder mistreatment (R-REM) occurs frequently in long-term services and support settings. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effect of a R-REM training program for nursing and other frontline staff on resident falls and injuries in a cluster randomized trial of units within four nursing homes. Interview and observational data from a sample of 1,201 residents (n = 600 and n = 601 in the usual care and intervention groups, respectively) and staff were collected at baseline and 6 and 12 months. A generalized linear model was used to model the falls/injuries outcome. The net reduction in falls and injuries was 5%, translating to 10 saved events per year in an averagesized facility. Although the result did not reach statistical significance due to low power, the findings of fall prevention associated with implementing the intervention in long-term care facilities is clinically important. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44(6), 15-23.].

Conceptual and Empirical Approaches to Financial Decision-making by Older Adults: Results from a Financial Decision-making Rating Scale.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were threefold: (1) to empirically test the conceptual model proposed by the Lichtenberg Financial Decision-making Rating Scale (LFDRS); (2) to examine the psychometric properties of the LFDRS contextual factors in financial decision-making by investigating both the reliability and convergent validity of the subscales and total scale, and (3) extending previous work on the scale through the collection of normative data on financial decision-making. METHODS: A convenience sample of 200 independent function and community dwelling older adults underwent cognitive and financial management testing and were interviewed using the LFDRS. Confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency measures, and hierarchical regression were used in a sample of 200 community-dwelling older adults, all of whom were making or had recently made a significant financial decision. RESULTS: Results confirmed the scale's reliability and supported the conceptual model. Convergent validity analyses indicate that as hypothesized, cognition is a significant predictor of risk scores. Financial management scores, however, were not predictive of decision-making risk scores. CONCLUSIONS: The psychometric properties of the LFDRS support the scale's use as it was proposed. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The LFDRS instructions and scale are provided for clinicians to use in financial capacity assessments.