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Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia often leads to behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Sensory processing abnormalities may be associated with BPSD. The purpose of this study was to explore relationships among sensory processing, behavior, and environmental features within the homes of people with MCI or dementia. This project used mixed methods to assess participants' sensory processing, care partner perspectives on behaviors, and in situ observations of the home environment. Nine participants with cognitive impairment (MCI n = 8, early dementia = 1) and their care partners were included. Seven participants with cognitive impairment were reported to have abnormal sensory processing. Findings suggest that unique environmental adaptations, tailored to personal and sensory preferences for each participant, were associated with a decreased level of behavioral disruption during the observation periods. Implementing sensory-based approaches to maximize environment adaptation may be beneficial in reducing disruptive behaviors for adults with cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Question: What interventions are being conducted to reduce opioid use among older adults (age 65+ years)? Design: Systematic review. Method: Five databases were searched for publications from 2005 through 2019. Articles were evaluated by two independent reviewers. The articles were selected related to the search inclusion/exclusion criteria, quality/risk of bias, and ultimately the strength of evidence with a goal of informing clinical practice. Results: In total, 1,105 articles were evaluated. Through abstract and full article review, 1,093 articles were removed. Ultimately, 11 articles were included in the final review, falling into five themes. All themes resulted in low strength of evidence except for the two surgical themes resulted in one recommendation with strong strength of evidence and one recommendation with moderate strength of evidence. Conclusion: There is limited evidence; however, pharmacists should be aware of alternative evidence-based treatments for surgical pain. More research is needed in this area to study issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational therapy practitioners often adapt evidence-based interventions for implementation into practice, yet these adaptations are seldom captured systematically. The purpose of this study was to apply the Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications–Expanded (FRAME) to describe adaptations to one intervention modified for teletherapy in the wake of COVID-19. An embedded multiple case study design was used to track adaptations made to a vestibular and bilateral integration (VBI) protocol—traditionally delivered in-person—that was implemented via teletherapy in a pediatric outpatient clinic. The "Modification and Adaptation Checklist" was used to track protocol adaptations. Data were examined through descriptive analyses; 63 adaptations were made to the VBI protocol. The most frequently noted adaptation was "Repeating protocol activities," whereas the "Integrating another treatment approach with the VBI protocol" was the least common adaptation. The FRAME may be useful for tracking adaptations and evaluating how adaptations influence intervention effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Successfully maintaining (managing) paid employment can be a challenge as people negotiate the cancer care pathway and survivorship. Little research explores the influence of age on this situation. The purpose of this project was to explore the role of age in managing employment for survivors from age 45 to 64 years. Method: A qualitative descriptive design was conducted to explore the intersection of age and managing employment for cancer survivors. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 United States cancer survivors (lung, breast, colorectal). Interviews were conducted in person or by phone. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Codes were grouped by categories, incorporated into separate topical files, and then aggregated into broader emergent themes. Findings: Survivors are not just "returning" to work after treatment. They are often managing work both during and after treatment. Age may have benefits but can also provide barriers to positive survivorship and employment experiences. Fulfilling the role of employee and maintaining a worker identity was a strong driver for many participants. Again, this was potentially both a support and a barrier. It was discovered that health care providers provided little support to facilitate employment. Conclusion: Age is a factor that is poorly understood but influences both health and personal aspects of the experience of managing paid employment during and after cancer treatment. Occupational therapy practitioners should acknowledge this important role in addressing cancer survivorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging population is growing rapidly, raising rates of cognitive impairment, which makes strategies for protection against cognitive impairment increasingly important. There is little evidence indicating highly effective interventions preventing or slowing onset of cognitive impairment. Music playing influences brain and cognitive function, activating multiple brain areas and using cognitive and motor functions as well as multiple sensory systems, simultaneously. The purpose of this study was to review the current evidence related to playing a musical instrument being a potentially protective mechanism against cognitive decline among older adults. Using scoping review procedures, four databases were searched. Paired reviewers analyzed articles for content, design, and bias. Eleven studies met study criteria and were included in the review. All studies showed that music playing was correlated with positive outcomes on cognitive ability; more high-quality research is needed in this area to understand mechanisms behind potential cognitive protection of music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited research exists examining video communication among cognitively intact nursing home residents to connect with family. This scoping review evaluated existing literature for video communication usage with nursing home residents, family, and nursing homes. A comprehensive search was completed using PubMed and EBSCOhost (including AgeLine, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) between 1972 and 2016 to locate English-language articles. The analysis identified five eligible studies (four involved an intervention, one assessed family views) meeting inclusion criteria. Findings included, seeing family members separated by distance, seeing other parts of their life, and visually monitoring resident's health. Participants described frustration with technology limitations, such as video or audio lag. Current literature does not show a comprehensive assessment of video communication usage for residents, family, and nursing homes. Future studies should address the complexity of the intersection of the person, nursing home, and families in terms of potential benefits and capability of video communication use with residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer-related impairments result in disabilities similar to those typically encountered in inpatient rehabilitation settings; however, the use of rehabilitation services by cancer survivors is low. This is particularly important for older adults as they are at higher risk for cancer. This retrospective study collected data from medical records from 215 charts of patients admitted to an inpatient physical rehabilitation hospital, within a 5-year period, with a primary diagnosis of cancer. Mean age was 61 years (SD = 15.7) for 109 (51%) females and 106 (49%) males. Regardless of age, patients achieved significant functional improvement, as shown by their FIM scores (t = 23.06, p < .0001), from admission to discharge. The results have several important implications related to cancer survivorship among older adults. With a push toward aging in place, maintaining optimal physical functioning is crucial. Physical rehabilitation benefited the functional outcomes of this group of cancer survivors regardless of age. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The challenge posed by the nutrition transition occurring throughout the world is enormous: rates of chronic disease, particularly overweight and obesity and cardiovascular disease, have reached alarming levels-often occurring in parallel with high levels of micronutrient deficiencies. Lebanon is no exception. And yet this Mediterranean country enjoys a rich biodiversity, with thousands of endemic species and an equally rich culinary history, largely based on its local biodiversity, including wild edible plants.Objectives: To record traditional Lebanese recipes based on wild edible plants and to investigate their potential to contribute to a more diversified diet.Methods: A series of nine focus group meetings was conducted with key informants knowledgeable in wild edible plant identification, harvesting, and use.Results: Common recipes based on wild edible plants were collected and standardized from rural communities where collection of wild edible plants is common. Nutrient analysis and food-composition analysis were performed, including comparisons with processed dishes that are increasingly common in the Lebanese diet, revealing that the wild edible plant-based dishes offered a healthier alternative.Conclusions: Since traditional recipes often use items from several food groups in one dish, they can be a good model for diet diversification. The promotion of the collection and use of wild edible plants and their derived products can lead to improved nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article evaluates the teacher education curricula. The author aims to emphasize the discrete courses which typically make it up. effective teacher education curricula are considered as those which consciously work toward making connections. He believes that environment has an impact to teacher behavior than individual personality or intelligence factors. Teacher education programs need to help their students create environments which encourage intellectual and affective learning. It is called collaborative learning, placing people where they want to be and learn.

The article focuses on the cross-age tutoring program in a public school. The program is part of a methods course that offers college students an opportunity to teach youngsters, to study their own teaching and the teaching of an older child as he tutors a younger child. The program involves 31 Hunter College students and fifth and sixth-graders and second and third-graders. College students involved in the cross-age program stated that the program was a good learning experience for them and that youngsters are looking forward to the tutoring sessions of the program.

The article presents several experiments and surveys related to education including "An Investigation to Determine Most Effective Means of Dissemination of a Curriculum Innovation for Elementary Science," by Earl Brakken, "An Exploration of the Relationship Between Teacher Creative Ability and Teacher-Pupil Classroom Behavior," by Charles D. Castelli, "Exploratory Studies of a Teaching Situation Reaction Test," by James K. Duncan, John B. Hough and James Thompson, "The Relationship of Parental Acceptance to the Professional Attitudes and Academic Achievement of Students in Teacher Education," by William J. Gnagey and "A Comparison of College Students' Preferences for Methods of Teaching Reading With the Methods Actually Used by Them as Teachers," by Elizabeth Hunter.

The article focuses on areas of experimentation and innovation directly related to the future role of direct experience in teacher education. The fields of experimentation include: the expansion of direct experience with children so that it occurs throughout the professional sequence; the use of new media such motion pictures, tape recorders and television; the cooperation between school and college in providing quality direct experiences for future teachers; aids in financing for student teaching programs; varying approaches to full-time experiences with children; and the emphasis upon the study of teaching and the use of systems for analyzing the verbal behavior of student teachers and pupils in the classroom.

The article discusses the issues faced by teacher educators in relation to information technology in the U.S. The author stresses that the present computer programs that have been developed are weak. Education students are needed to be taught to design programs. Such would provide some of the most useful computer fallout in the exploration of programs that cause students to use logical thought processes. The use of computers by the teaching curriculum to design courses might provide qualitative difference that would guide students to productive curricula.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to Larry Shaw's article which describes his 1975 visit to Nanking Teachers College.