American comedian, actor, writer, and singer George Burns said, "You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you could do while you're down there." Having lived to be 100 years old, George Burns certainly had many years of experience with the aging process and how the human body responds to the unavoidable process of getting older. Every day, we as rehabilitation professionals assist patients with the consequences of injury and disease as well as the overall aging process. Because our jobs are multifaceted, we may be called upon to guide patients in dealing with a variety of impairments related to mobility, strength, range of motion, balance, coordination, flexibility, and/or communication. We also may assist patients with reducing acute pain or managing chronic pain. With such a great responsibility, our knowledge base needs to be multifarious with strong foundational scientific knowledge as well as a current understanding of evidence-based research. Only with these tools is the clinician able to integrate clinical expertise with the best available research evidence. We are pleased to bring you this "Off the Topic" issue of Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, which contains submissions from Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Turkey, Malaysia, and the United States.
In this issue, we are pleased to present this valuable collection of information to you on a diverse assortment of topics.
* Yoga therapist Carol Krucoff provides a thoughtful article on the essential safety considerations developed in the Integrative Yoga for Seniors Professional Trainings at Duke Integrative Medicine. Krucoff states, "If you can breathe, you can practice yoga. You don't need to twist into a pretzel or stand on your head to reap tremendous benefit from yoga."
* In an implementation study conducted in West Virginia churches, characteristics of participants with and without a history of falls participating in a Tai Ji Quan intervention program reveal predictors of falls in a rural adult population.
* Do your older patients present with limited functional independence due to decreased performance in hand function? This study from Thailand discusses that both unilateral and bilateral hand functional training can benefit older patients in certain decades of life.
* Individuals with Parkinson disease may experience reduced FOG (freezing of gait) and reduced EEG activity of the frontal beta band by performing rhythmic finger movement training that can be safely performed in a sitting position.
* Is there a relationship with handgrip strength and pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, and cardiopulmonary fitness? This study from Taiwan analyzes these relationships.
* In patients with spinal deformities, the Dubousset Functional Test is a practical 4-component assessment test to assess the physical function and balance capacities of these individuals.
* Individuals with Parkinson disease and their caregivers experience significant challenges related to communication, physical dependency, and social interactions. These patients and caregivers would benefit from referrals to support systems as well as appropriate therapies including speech therapists and other rehabilitation professionals.
* This study from Turkey analyzes the negative impact of hearing deprivation on perception, attention, memory, and quality of life in older adults.
* As much as we would like to think that COVID-19 is behind us, many individuals and families are still affected by stringent visitation policies in long-term care facilities. One study in Taiwan outlines the impact these policies are having on family dynamics.
Reading research helps the rehabilitation professional to think critically. By critically thinking, we are better able to evaluate the quality and validity of information while processing the benefits and risks of different interventions. This will ultimately lead us to better decision-making about patient care. Just as George Burns thought he should multitask while stooping down to tie his shoe, so should we try to multitask with our patients by not only using our foundational knowledge to make decisions for our patients but also implementing research findings to provide better and more effective care for our patients.
-Wendy Powers James, PT
Managing Editor of
Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation