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Purpose: The current randomized controlled trial aimed to bolster the physical fitness of prefrail older adults, potentially delaying their need for admission to care facilities and enhancing their overall well-being. Method: The experimental group received a physical fitness intervention comprising resistance band use and tai chi three times per week for 12 weeks, whereas the control group received frailty-related health education. Thirty-four male participants completed the study. Results: A total of seven items had statistically significant differences at 12- and 16-week posttest, respectively: frailty index (p = 0.03; p = 0.03); Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (p < 0.001; p < 0.001); and physical fitness, back (p < 0.001; p < 0.001); physical fitness, arm curl (p = 0.02; p < 0.001); physical activity (p < 0.001; p = 0.009); quality of life, physiological (p = 0.04; p < 0.001); and heart rate variability (p < 0.001; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Results revealed substantial improvements in physical fitness, frailty conditions, self-care abilities, and quality of life, but not balance or lower limb flexibility, for the experimental group. Therefore, exercise interventions may effectively improve prefrail older adults' quality of life. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 50(5), 19–26.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High‐risk newborns, such as premature or severely ill infants, often experience painful treatments and separation from their parents. While previous studies have focused on the positive impacts of a mother's voice on newborns' physiology and pain response, research on the father's voice and vocal acoustics in high‐risk newborns is limited. Aim: To examine whether parents' voices reduce heel puncture pain in high‐risk newborns and the relationship between parents' vocal acoustics, physiological parameters and pain response. Study Design: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted with 105 high‐risk newborn–parent dyads. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: recorded mother's voice, recorded father's voice or control group without any recorded voice. Outcome measures included heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and pain response assessed using the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale. Data analysis utilized generalized estimation equations, and parents' vocal acoustics were analysed using Praat voice credit software. Results: The mother's voice group exhibited significantly lower heart rates at 1, 5 and 10 min after the procedure, along with lower respiratory rates and pain levels at 5 and 10 min after the procedure compared with the control group. Similarly, the father's voice group demonstrated significantly lower heart rates at 1 and 5 min after the procedure, decreased respiratory rates at 5 and 10 min after the procedure and reduced pain levels at 1 and 5 to 10 min after the procedure compared with the control group. Higher minimum and mean pitches in parents' voices correlated with slower heart rates, while slower parental speech was associated with reduced newborn pain. Conclusion: Both maternal and paternal vocal interventions alleviated pain during heel puncture procedures among high‐risk newborns. Relevance to Clinical Practice: The noninvasive intervention serves as a reference for parental participation in care. Nurses can help parents to intervene with the acoustic characteristics that alleviate pain among high‐risk newborns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the social participation, positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) of patients with hip fractures after surgery and determined their possible predictive factors. We used a cross-sectional study design to recruit 154 participants with hip fractures post-surgery. Assessment tools included the Barthel Index, the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, the Assessment of Life Habits, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Patients with better functioning in daily living activities experienced more social participation, higher PA, and lower NA. Patients with more positive automatic thoughts experienced more social participation and higher PA. Patients with more negative automatic thoughts experienced more social participation, lower PA, and higher NA. Early rehabilitation and psychosocial interventions should be provided for postoperative hip fracture patients to improve their activities of daily living and emotional well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]