Browsing by Subject "older adult"

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    Central Indiana Senior Fund State of Aging in Central Indiana Report (SoAR) Newsletter No. 1
    (The Polis Center, Indiana University at Indianapolis, 2022-11) The Polis Center
    Older adults are the fastest growing demographic in Central Indiana. Approximately 20,000 individuals in Central Indiana reach the age of 60 every year. By the year 2030, one in every five residents will be over the age of 65. To enhance the ability of older adults to live and thrive in Central Indiana, it is important to understand the population trends and basic needs of the growing older adult demographic. The Central Indiana Senior Fund is partnering with The Polis Center at IUPUI to develop the State of Aging in Central Indiana Report, a trusted source of information about Central Indiana’s older adult population.
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    Developing Group Therapy Protocols for the Older Adults Residing in Senior Care Facilities: A Doctoral Capstone Experience
    (2025) Mays, Mallory; Bednarski, Julie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Murray, Cassie
    Of the 55.8 million older adults living in the United States, one-third of that population will reside in a senior living community (Health in Aging Foundation, 2023). Many of those individuals will require some form of rehabilitation. Healthcare Therapy Services, also known as HTS, is an organization that provides therapeutic services such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy to aid in the rehabilitation process for the older adult. Through stakeholder meetings, needs assessment, and gap analysis, the capstone student identified that practitioners employed by HTS were under utilizing group therapy as a mode of therapeutic delivery. The doctoral capstone student developed “Synergy: Group Therapy Protocols”, a set of 10 group therapy protocols tailored to meet the needs of the older adult population as well as support the practitioners that will utilize the protocols in clinical practice. To support the implementation of the program, an educational presentation was developed and recorded to enhance the therapist’s knowledge of the benefits of social participation as well as highlight the overall program. Finally, the program, an executive summary, and a document highlighting tips for implementing group therapy into senior living communities was uploaded into the clinical toolbox, which is available to all practitioners employed by HTS. The overall goal of the project was to increase the use of group therapy across the organization, as well as, improve quality of life for all older adults residing in senior living communities.
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    Intergenerational Communication Among Older Adults and Children
    (2024-04-23) Lansing, Cayla; DeRolf, Annie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Hoog, Hannah
    Older adults living in long-term care facilities are 3 to 4 times more likely to develop depression as compared to older adults living in society (Jongenelis, 2004). This doctoral capstone experience aimed to improve quality life and overall mood and to promote socialization of older adults living in long-term care facilities through the use of an intergenerational pen-pal program. Residents were deemed eligible to participate if they had a current score of a 13-15 on the Brief Interview of Mental Status (BIMS), indicating intact cognition. There were 18 eligible and willing participants, 15 females and three males. The pen-pal program consisted of six-weeks of communication between the participants and a third-grade class. Participants took a pre- and post- quality of life survey and reported their weekly moods to the capstone student. Overall, 50% of participants had an increase in their quality of life and 48% of participants had an increase in their overall happiness.