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Vision‐Enhancing Interventions in Nursing Home Residents and Their Short‐Term Effect on Physical and Cognitive Function
Author(s) -
Elliott Amanda F.,
McGwin Gerald,
Owsley Cynthia
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2008.02099.x
Subject(s) - medicine , psychological intervention , refractive error , cataract surgery , cognition , activities of daily living , physical therapy , nursing , visual acuity , ophthalmology , psychiatry
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of vision‐enhancing interventions (cataract surgery or refractive error correction) on physical function and cognitive status in nursing home residents. DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Seventeen nursing homes in Birmingham, Alabama. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 187 English‐speaking adults aged 55 and older. INTERVENTION: Participants took part in one of two vision‐enhancing interventions: cataract surgery or refractive error correction. Each group was compared against a control group (persons eligible for but who declined cataract surgery or who received delayed correction of refractive error). MEASUREMENTS: Physical function (ability to perform activities of daily living and mobility) was assessed using a series of self‐report and certified nursing assistant ratings at baseline and at 2 months for the refractive error correction group and at 4 months for the cataract surgery group. The Mini Mental State Examination was also administered. RESULTS: No significant differences existed within or between groups from baseline to follow‐up on any of the measures of physical function. Mental status scores significantly declined from baseline to follow‐up for the immediate ( P =.05) and delayed ( P <.02) refractive error correction groups and for the cataract surgery control group ( P =.05). CONCLUSION: Vision‐enhancing interventions did not lead to short‐term improvements in physical functioning or cognitive status in this sample of elderly nursing home residents.