Promoting Healthy Aging through "Elder-Healer" Training

通过“老年治疗师”培训促进健康老龄化

• 批准号: 6790363
• 负责人: WILLIAM B COLLINGE
• 金额: $ 10万
• 依托单位: COLLINGE AND ASSOCIATES
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-05-15 至 2006-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6790363
• 关键词: aging; alternative medicine; altruism; behavioral /social science research tag; caregivers; clinical research; education evaluation /planning; educational resource design /development; emotional adjustment; focus groups; functional ability; human old age (65+); human subject; interpersonal relations; longitudinal human study; patient oriented research; psychological aspect of aging; quality of life; self concept; social psychology; touch; training; volunteer

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Research in healthy aging has determined that interpersonal connectedness and sense of meaning and life purpose are important predictors of well-being in the elderly. This Phase I SBIR application is to test the feasibility of a novel approach to strengthening these qualities in a sample of community-dwelling elders. Subjects will be trained in a standardized regime of touch therapy techniques commonly used in holistic nursing and hospice care, and will practice the skills through volunteer service or providing support to others in their natural social networks. Aim 1: Determine the longitudinal within-subject effects of the intervention on sense of meaningful life, sense of belonging, emotional well-being, and functional quality of life in a sample of elders living in the community, assessed as individuals. Aim 2: Stratify the sample into subgroups to identify markers that predict who is most likely and who is least likely to benefit from the intervention. Aim 3: Identify barriers and facilitators of utilization of the techniques taught in the intervention. Achieving the above aims will support testing of the following hypotheses: Hypothesis 1: There will be significant improvements in sense of meaningful life, sense of belonging, emotional well-being, and functional quality of life for subjects in the intervention phase compared to the control phase. Hypothesis 2: Frequency of use of the intervention techniques with others will predict subjects' levels of meaningful life, sense of belonging, emotional well-being, and functional quality of life. Sample: 60 elders (age 60+) living in the Boston area. Method: We will use a longitudinal, within-subjects, control and intervention phases design employing statistical methodologies that provide insights into the data that are not afforded by traditional methods (N-of- 1 "pre-processing"; screening the data prior to combining individual subjects into composite groups; and hierarchically optimal classification tree analysis). Pre- and post focus groups will provide qualitative data on barriers and facilitators of utilization of the training, phenomenology of the intervention, and critique for future refinement. Long-term goal: A Phase II study would develop a multimedia approach to the training for popular consumption by elders. The goal is an educational program that is evidence-based, inspirational, and accessible to the growing mass market of elders seeking meaning and connection through service.

描述（由申请人提供）： 健康衰老的研究确定，人际关系的联系，意义和生活目的是老年人幸福感的重要预测指标。此阶段I SBIR的应用是为了测试一种新型方法在社区居住长者样本中增强这些品质的可行性。受试者将接受经过整体护理和临终关怀护理的标准化触摸疗法技术的培训，并将通过志愿者服务或为其自然社交网络中的其他人提供支持。目标1：确定干预措施对有意义的生活，归属感，情感幸福感和生活质量生活质量的纵向内部受试者的影响。目标2：将样本分为子组，以识别预测谁最有可能和最不可能从干预中受益的标记。目标3：确定干预中教授的技术利用的障碍和促进者。实现上述目标将支持以下假设的测试：假设1：与控制阶段相比，干预阶段的受试者的有意义的生活，归属感，情感幸福感，情感幸福感和功能质量的生活质量将有显着改善。假设2：干预技术与他人使用的频率将预测受试者的有意义的生活，归属感，情感幸福感和生活质量的水平。样本：居住在波士顿地区的60名长老（60岁以上）。方法：我们将使用纵向，受试者内部，控制和干预阶段设计采用统计学方法来设计，这些方法可以洞悉传统方法（n-n of-1“预处理”；在将单个受试者组合到综合组中，然后筛选数据；筛选数据；并等同于最佳的分类树分析）。焦点前后小组将提供有关培训的障碍和利用障碍，干预现象学以及对未来改进的批评的定性数据。长期目标：第二阶段研究将开发多媒体方法，以培训长者的大众消费。目标是一个教育计划，是基于证据的，鼓舞人心的，并且可以通过不断增长的长者大众市场来寻求意义和联系。