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Item A mixed-methods evaluation of an intervention for enhancing alcohol screening in adults aged 50+ attending primary health care(CSIRO Publishing on behalf of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, 2025-01-02) Towers A; Newcombe D; White G; McMenamin J; Sheridan J; Rahman J; Moore A; Stokes TIntroduction Adults aged 50 years and over are drinking more than ever but primary health care (PHC) professionals find it challenging to screen them for alcohol-related harm, despite being at greater risk for harm than younger drinkers. Aim This intervention aimed to enhance alcohol screening for this cohort by (a) introducing an algorithm in the patient management system to automate detection of alcohol risk in patients and (b) providing training to support health professionals' practice of, knowledge about, and comfort with alcohol screening in this cohort. Methods Eleven PHC practices in Aotearoa New Zealand took part in this intervention, including 41 PHC health professionals. Development and integration of the automated alcohol screening process within PHC patient management systems was undertaken in parallel with health professional training approaches. Results Screening rates increased substantially at intervention initiation but fell immediately with the onset of the New Zealand COVID-19 national lockdown. Two-thirds of health professionals identified the system screening prompts, over 40% felt this changed their screening practice, and 33% increased their awareness of - and felt more comfortable screening for - alcohol-related risk in those aged 50+. Discussion We illustrated an initial increase in alcohol screening rates in those aged 50+ as a result of this intervention, but this increase could not be sustained in part due to COVID-19 disruption. However, health professionals indicated that this intervention helped many change their practice and enhanced their awareness of such risk and comfort in screening for alcohol-related risk in those aged 50+.Item The effects of ageing treatment on bioactive contents and chemical composition of liquid smoke food flavourings(Springer Nature, 2022-05-01) Xin X; Zhao W; Essien S; Dell K; Baroutian SLiquid smoke food flavouring is an alternative to traditional food smoking. Ageing treatment of liquid smoke can remove tar to improve a consistent sensory experience but traditionally takes months by storage. This study proposed a thermal treatment approach to accelerate the ageing process. Liquid smoke samples from kānuka and hickory woodchips were prepared by fast pyrolysis. The obtained liquid smoke samples were subjected to ageing by storing them at ambient temperature for 18 months. Accelerated ageing of liquid smoke was carried out by heat treatment at 80 °C for 24 and 48 h. Tar formed during the ageing process, with a yield ranging from 2.2 to 4.1 wt.%. Both ageing treatments resulted in decreases in bioactive content and their activities in terms of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity (DPPH). Chemical composition and principal component analyses indicated that liquid smoke chemical compositions were influenced by wood type and ageing conditions. It was found that thermal treatment at 80 °C for 24 h was sufficient to age liquid smoke.Item The life course effects of socioeconomic status on later life loneliness: The role of gender and ethnicity(Elsevier Inc., 2024-09-07) Szabó Á; Stephens C; Breheny MPrecursors of loneliness include individual risk factors and experiences of social exclusion. Using the New Zealand Health Work and Retirement Life Course History Study, we investigated the impact of unequal access to material resources across the life course (from age 10 to present) on late life emotional and social loneliness and the moderating effects of gender and Māori ethnicity (indigenous population of Aotearoa/New Zealand) in 613 adults aged 65 to 81 years. Childhood and adult life socioeconomic status (SES) negatively predicted late life emotional and social loneliness, but their effects disappeared after controlling for late life SES, suggesting a mediation effect. Education was also a significant predictor; however, it exerted different effects on social (positive) and emotional (negative) loneliness. Education's effect was moderated by gender, indicating a protective effect for emotional and an exacerbating effect for social loneliness in men. These findings suggest that lifelong exclusion from material resources is a risk factor for late life loneliness.Item Older adult's experiences during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Aotearoa New Zealand: Diversity and change in long term disaster situations(Elsevier B.V., 2024-01-01) Stephens C; Uekusa S; Breheny MThe COVID-19 global pandemic has highlighted the morbidity and mortality risks of older adults as well as their heterogeneity and resilience. The immediate need to address psychosocial and health issues among this age group is driven by global concerns about the growing number of disaster occurrences, the growing ageing population, and widening inequalities. Using an inductive analysis of written comments about their experiences by 1,400 older people in the second year of the pandemic in Aotearoa New Zealand, we found that responses to the pandemic and government actions had fractured as different groups of older adults felt neglected or wronged by the centralised response. Negative themes of anxiety and fear describe aspects of vulnerability in older adult's lives and point to issues for repair and protection in pandemic situations. Positive themes describe the resources that people drew on to maintain their wellbeing in a lengthy disaster. Drawing on theorising around conservation of resources and disaster communitas, our analysis shows that across a long-term disaster situation, resilience may be best sustained by drawing on local support systems and enabling community volunteers. Institutional responses and planning must include and empower grass roots groups who are better placed to recognise and respond to the resource needs of their own communities.Item Primary metabolic processes as drivers of leaf ageing(Springer Nature Switzerland AG, 2021-10) Kanojia A; Shrestha DK; Dijkwel PPAgeing in plants is a highly coordinated and complex process that starts with the birth of the plant or plant organ and ends with its death. A vivid manifestation of the final stage of leaf ageing is exemplified by the autumn colours of deciduous trees. Over the past decades, technological advances have allowed plant ageing to be studied on a systems biology level, by means of multi-omics approaches. Here, we review some of these studies and argue that these provide strong support for basic metabolic processes as drivers for ageing. In particular, core cellular processes that control the metabolism of chlorophyll, amino acids, sugars, DNA and reactive oxygen species correlate with leaf ageing. However, while multi-omics studies excel at identifying correlative processes and pathways, molecular genetic approaches can provide proof that such processes and pathways control ageing, by means of knock-out and ectopic expression of predicted regulatory genes. Therefore, we also review historic and current molecular evidence to directly test the hypotheses unveiled by the systems biology approaches. We found that the molecular genetic approaches, by and large, confirm the multi-omics-derived hypotheses with notable exceptions, where there is scant evidence that chlorophyll and DNA metabolism are important drivers of leaf ageing. We present a model that summarises the core cellular processes that drive leaf ageing and propose that developmental processes are tightly linked to primary metabolism to inevitably lead to ageing and death.Item Non-pharmacological interventions a feasible option for addressing dementia-related sleep problems in the context of family care(BioMed Central Ltd, 2021-05) Gibson R; Dowell A; Jones L; Gander PBackground Sleep disturbances are challenging symptoms associated with mild cognitive impairment or dementia (MCIoD). This study assessed the feasibility of sleep monitoring and non-pharmacological interventions to improve the sleep of New Zealanders with MCIoD and their family carers. Methods A 5-week multi-modal intervention consisting of timed bright light therapy, physical activity, and sleep education was piloted. Sleep was monitored for a week at baseline and conclusion of the trial using actigraphy, diaries, and questionnaires alongside additional health and wellbeing information concerning both care recipients and carers. Results Fifteen pairs participated, 9 completed the trial. Patterns of attrition and participant feedback are discussed. Case studies showed that six of the care recipients had minor improvements to sleep efficiency. Some also had improved subjective sleep ratings and quality of life. Changes did not clearly translate to family carers. However, five of them also showed some improvements in sleep status and mental health. Health deterioration of care recipients may mask the effects of the intervention. Conclusions It is feasible to use non-pharmacological sleep interventions for people with MCIoD and their family carers. Given the limited treatment options, further consideration of such interventions in future research and clinical practice is warranted. Trial registration As this study was to assess the feasibility of proposed methods, it was an observational study without case-control groups nor a medical-based intervention, clinical registration was not required. A future full version of the trial would be registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trails Registry.Item False memories and ageing : source-monitoring interventions reduce false recognition in both younger and older adults : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand(Massey University, 2015) Sim, RachaelThe purpose of the current research was to examine age-related differences in false recognition and attempt to establish whether these differences were best explained by the fuzzy-trace theory, source-monitoring processes (as part of the activation-monitoring theory), or sensitivity and/or criterion differences in signal detection ability. Eighty participants (40 younger adults, 16-30 years old, and 40 older adults, 75-80 years old) were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions. Twenty participants from each age group completed one of two versions of the Deese (1959) Roediger and McDermott (1995) false recognition task (DRM). The standard version required a simple old/new recognition judgement, while the source-monitoring version also required a source judgement. The results showed that older adults were sometimes, but not always, more prone to making false recognition errors compared to younger adults. Requiring source judgements decreased false recognition in both younger and older adults to a similar extent. Signal detection analyses showed that older adults were less sensitive than younger adults, and those in the source-monitoring condition were more conservative than those in the standard condition when making decisions about whether items were old. These and other results are discussed in terms of their implications and applications to real life false memories. As expected the results did not favour one theoretical perspective over another. Most of the results can be adequately explained by both the fuzzy-trace and activation-monitoring theory, although source-monitoring processes provided a simpler explanation of the research findings than fuzzy-trace theory or an appeal to bias and/or sensitivity differences.Item Food intake and exercise study in older adults : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nutritional Science at Massey University(Massey University, 1998) Ley, SarahThis study aimed to explore the relationships between food intake, body composition and exercise levels of a group of people (8 men and 34 women) currently exercising with the Sport North Harbour programs. Food intake was estimated by three day records and a calcium food frequency questionnaire. Participants kept two week exercise diaries using the PEPSA scoring system to record levels of activity. In addition bioelectrical impedance analysis was carried out and data collected on supplement use, nutrition education, alcohol intake and gardening and housework undertaken in the last four weeks. Mean exercise levels for the group were approximately one hour per day with walking the most popular form of exercise. Fat free mass (FFM) for women was found to decline with age despite this level of exercise. The quality of food intake was similar to that obtained from the LINZ study participants 45 years and older. 35% of women and 12% of men under-reported energy intake according to the FAO/WHO/UNU criteria. No relationships were found between energy intake, energy expenditure or levels of FFM. Extremely good correlations (r=>0.9) were found between the PEPSA system and other validated methods of recording activity levels. Despite these older adults exercising to provide health benefits they were not choosing a desirable food intake which would specifically provide health benefits; over 50% took dietary supplements. It is recommended that nutrition be included as an integral part of programs to promote exercise in older adults.Item Harmonisation of the self : narratives of older Chinese about ageing, health and wellbeing : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Health Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2014) Tse, Siu-Chun CannisThe older population in New Zealand is increasingly culturally and ethnically diverse. While the New Zealand Government has acknowledged that these diverse groups of older people have their specific ageing processes, needs and expectations, there is a paucity of research conducted to understand their ageing lives and experiences. This research seeks to explore the experiences of ageing among older Chinese migrants through the lens of subjective wellbeing. Specifically, it looks into older Chinese migrants’ experiences of happiness, struggles and challenges while they are ageing in New Zealand. Particular consideration is given to the role the self plays in the creation, restoration and preservation of a sense of happiness in old age. In-depth narrative interviews were conducted with fourteen older Chinese migrants from diverse backgrounds. The analysis was informed by the dialogical self theory, Chinese philosophical perspectives of yin/yang and harmony, Chinese conceptions of happiness and the self and narrative methodology to focus on the dynamics of the self, through which a theoretical link between the self and human experience of happiness is developed. The results indicate several factors that could enhance or undermine the participants’ ability to live happy and satisfying lives. The enhancing factors included: the natural environment, social welfare, health, wellbeing of the offspring, and family, ethnic community and social supports. The potential hindering factors were: language barriers, transportation problems, crimes, and inadequate healthcare services. The central findings reveal that happiness is a function of the harmonious interplay and balance of different aspects (I-positions) of the self within a dynamic, complex and ongoing process of dialogical negotiation. Three prominent pairs of I-positions, including the “independent” and the “interdependent” positions, “xiao wo” (the private and individuated self) and “da wo” (the large self) positions, and the “devoted” and the “affirmed” positions, were identified. Examples from three cases show that happiness may be attained when these self-positions interact with each other in harmony. The research also illustrates that happiness is dependent upon the individual reaching a balance among mind, body and surrounding environments. Furthermore, happiness is dependent upon the balanced dynamic interplay between individual agency and the social structures of changing contexts and situations.Item Living at home after 95 years : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Nursing at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2013) Russell, Julia MayGlobally the number of older people is increasing with the largest increases occurring in those aged over 85 years. Historically little has been written about this group and because of increasing numbers more information is needed to inform the development of future services. The question was how people live in their own home independently after 95 years? This work was informed by narrative gerontology overlaid with a critical gerontological lens to give voice to this group. Through a purposive sampling strategy ten narrators were identified and were interviewed using a semi-structured format. Data analysis was undertaken using thematic analysis with three themes; staying socially connected, managing the physical environment and keeping and ageing well emerging. Further to this, there were associated subthemes, which support and further illuminate the detail of the theme itself. These findings also unsettled the ageist, biomedical view of the oldest-old and what we think we know about them. In this study the narrators gave voice to their lives and what contributed to them living at home independently. Not everyone will live to 95+ years and how this was achieved by this group was the result of their entire lives and showed itself in the resilient characters of these narrators. All of whom considered the benefits of social connectedness, hard work and keeping well as reasons for living independently at home. As well as this, the need to stay mobile and the current contribution of help and support from both family were contributing factors. This research provides considerations for changes in not only the way we view those over 95 years but also the way we consult and provide services to them. There is an urgent need to promote achieving resilience, eliminate ageism and promote a more balanced view of the oldest-old.