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Biomedical subjects

A Norberg

Publications and source records attributed to A Norberg.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Long-term care of the elderly. A descriptive study of 3600 institutionalized patients in the county of Västerbotten, Sweden.

Probands (n = 3607) living in long-term care institutions in the county of Västerbotten were assessed to estimate whether the prevalence of dementia in different types of institutions had changed since a similar survey was made 7 years before. The probands' motoric functions, vision, hearing, speech, prevalence of behavioral disturbances and psychiatric symptoms, work load and use of psychoactive drugs were also investigated with special emphasis on the differences between the demented and the non-demented. About 40% were demented. This proportion of demented patients had increased in somatic long-stay clinics, nursing homes and homes for the aged since 1975. Further, the mean age of the probands and their length of stay had increased in these institutions. Demented probands were more impaired with regard to motor functions, speech, vision, hearing, ADL-functions, behavioral and psychiatric symptoms, and they also imposed a higher work load on the staff than the non-demented. Demented probands were also prescribed psychoactive drugs, i.e. neuroleptics but not minor tranquilizers or antidepressants, more often than the non-demented in accordance with the increased prevalence of behavioral disturbances and psychiatric symptoms.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Feeding difficulties in long-stay patients at nursing homes. Caregiver turnover and caregivers' assessments of duration and difficulty of assisted feeding and amount of food received by the patient.

The caregivers from 21 out of 24 nursing homes in the county of Västerbotten, Sweden, recorded the behaviour at feedings of the patients who were totally dependent on assisted feeding during a 4-week period. The observations were conducted on 214 patients. These patients had a median age of 82 yr. The eating difficulty was predominantly associated with the diagnosis of dementia (n = 110), cerebrovascular disease (n = 30) and Parkinsonism (n = 16). Each patient had different feeders at different meals, with a median of 16-20 feeders for one patient during a 4-week period. Of all assisted feedings, 94% were finished within 20 min. The incidence of feeding refusal was 2%. The degree of feeding difficulty and the amount of food ingested were assessed by the caregivers as fairly constant for each patient. It is reasonable to assume that a patient assignment system for the nurses could improve the eating ability of these patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Assessment of thirst among severely demented patients in the terminal phase of life. Exploratory interviews with ward sisters and enrolled nurses.

The dying patients' experience of thirst is an important aspect of his quality of life. The ward sister and an experienced enrolled nurse at 30 geriatric wards in the Southern Health Care Region of Sweden were interviewed about their methods of assessing thirst among severely demented patients in the terminal stage of life. The answers could be classified into six categories: a priori opinion; intuition; identification with the patient; amounts of fluids received; the patient's behaviour; and state of hydration. All the reported methods are problematic. There is a need of development of more valid methods.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Caregivers' attitudes to and interpretations of the behaviour of severely demented patients during feeding in a patient assignment care system.

The feeding of six severely demented patients was changed from a task assignment to a patient assignment care system. Four caregivers participated in the study. Each caregiver fed her patient during 14 meals. Interviews with the caregivers after meal Nos 1, 7 and 14 revealed that this system made them feel more certain about how to interpret the eating behaviour of the patients. They also experienced a more positive attitude to the patient as well as more satisfaction with their work as feeders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Structure and expression of the gene encoding the vasoactive intestinal peptide precursor.

The gene encoding the human vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and the histidine-methionine amide (PHM-27) peptide hormone was isolated from lambda phage libraries. The human gene was found to be composed of seven exons spanning approximately 9 kilobase pairs. The first exon codes for an untranslated leader sequence, and the second exon codes for a putative signal peptide. DNA sequences coding for the VIP and PHM-27 hormones are located in two different exons. Southern blot analysis with genomic DNA suggested that a single copy of the VIP/PHM-27 gene is present in the human haploid genome. The expression of VIP/PHM-27 precursor mRNA in various tissues in the rat was analyzed by RNA gel blot hybridization. In the organs examined, expression was only detected in the brain and duodenum. RNA isolated from various regions of the rat brain--including the cortex, hypothalamus, and hippocampus--hybridized to both VIP- and PHM-27-specific probes. The same pattern of hybridization was found when VIP- and PHM-27-specific probes were used, suggesting that possible differences in the localization of VIP and PHM-27 peptides between different brain regions cannot be accounted for by differential RNA processing.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1987

A model for the assessment of eating problems in patients with Parkinson's disease.

A model for the assessment of eating problems in patients with Parkinson's disease was constructed on the basis of literature about eating and Parkinson's disease. The model is based on the World Health Organization's classification of disabilities and handicaps and on the Erikson theory of 'eight stages of man'.

Persons with Disabilities↗
PubMed1987

The interaction between the parkinsonian patient and his caregiver during feeding: a theoretical model.

A theoretical model for the assessment of the interaction between the patient with Parkinson's disease and his caregiver during assisted feeding is suggested. It is based on literature about impairments in Parkinson's disease and about interaction. The main concepts of the model are clarity of cues, sensitivity, interpretation, responsiveness and synchrony. It is suggested that the patient should be allowed to focus on the socio-emotional content versus the task content of communication during different phases of interaction during the meal.

Communication↗
PubMed1987

Feeding of severely demented patients in institutions: interviews with caregivers in Israel.

In an exploratory, open-ended, and non-random study, 60 health care workers in nine long-term care institutions in Israel were questioned regarding their experiences, thoughts and feelings related to force feeding senile demented patients. The main findings were analysed according to an ethical decision-making model. Israeli care workers tended to ground their explanations in traditional Jewish sanctity of life ethics. Their actions as well as their emotional reactions seemed the logical outcome of this world view: patients were force fed and caregivers did not feel guilt for using force or accepting suffering, since they felt obliged to preserve life and thus their actions were right. They did feel ugly and upset about the situation. While most caregivers felt that force feeding was the only acceptable route in an institution, some suggested family home care where discretionary case by case ethics was seen as a viable alternative. This paper compares the Israeli interview results with those of the Swedish studies.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗