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Source: Geriatrics & Gerontology International (CIAP)
Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide and the fourth leading cause of death in Japan. Furthermore, stroke is the third leading cause of disability in the world, and there is concern that social medical expenses will increase due to disability handicaps that limit the activities of daily living. The mortality rate from a stroke is high in the acute phase, and remains high in survivors for 6 months to several years after stroke onset. The causes of death after stroke include extensive stroke-related brain damage, stroke recurrence, stroke-related complications (such as pneumonia and pulmonary embolism) and cardiovascular disease. Functional status after a stroke is associated with mortality, and a higher functional status indicates a good prognosis.
Source: Clinical Interventions in Aging (Open Access)
Purpose: It is important to identify factors associated with the outcome of rehabilitation after hip fracture as an aid to planning the rehabilitation framework and the future discharge of patients. Previous studies have shown that handgrip strength (HGS) is one of the factors associated with the success of rehabilitation.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective study among patients 65 years of age and above who underwent surgical repair of a hip fracture followed by rehabilitation in the Geriatrics ward between September 2019 and December 2021. Successful rehabilitation was determined as Montebello Rehabilitation Factor Score Revised (MRFS-R) ≥ 50%. Associations were assessed between various sociodemographic and clinical variables, including HGS, and rehabilitation success. HGS was tested as a continuous and dichotomous variable, in accordance with various definitions of low muscle strength.
Results: Data were collected for 173 patients. The mean age was 81.2 ± 7.2 years and 68.2% were women. In a logistic regression model only HGS, as a continuous variable, was independently associated with rehabilitation success, with each increase of 1 kg increasing the chance for successful rehabilitation by 6.8%.
Conclusion: HGS is a simple tool for the planning of the rehabilitation process among patients with hip fracture.
Keywords: hip fracture, rehabilitation, handgrip strength, a Montebello Rehabilitation Factor Score Revised, geriatric
Source: Canadian Geriatrics Journal (CGJ) (ProQuest - My Athens)
In the geriatric patient population, this proportion is believed to be higher as individuals with hearing loss experience more chronic health conditions than their age-matched peers,(2) and are more frequently hospitalized. (5,6) Moreover, patients frequently lose their hearing aids during hospital admissions.® As a result, 75% of patients with hearing loss report sometimes or often misunderstanding their health-care providers.® Personal voice amplifiers, such as the Pocketalker® (Williams AV, LLC., Eden Prairie, MD), are well recognized tools for improving communication. The Fat Man took off his stethoscope, plugged the earpiece into Anna O.'s ears, and then, using the bell like a megaphone, shouted into it: 'Cochlea come in, cochlea come in, do you read me.. ,'(13) While House of God was a satire, at times physicians use a version of this 'reverse stethoscope' strategy by speaking into the chest piece of an acoustic stethoscope with the earpieces placed in the patient's ears. Stethoscopes' lack of mid- and high-frequency output is particularly problematic for patients with age-related hearing loss, who experience a greater degree of loss in the high frequencies.
Source: Clinics in Geriatric Medicine (CIAP)
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted our habits and lives. The updated numbers of infections and deaths in the world's population are staggering. To date, pandemic figures reached more than 500 million cases and more than 6,000,000 deaths. The risk factors for developing more severe forms of the disease are advanced age, obesity, multi-morbidity, immunodeficiency, and pre-existing disorders affecting lung, heart, liver, and the kidneys. In particular, advanced age (85+ years) is the most significant independent risk factor associated with intensive care unit admission and in-hospital mortality.
Source: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (CIAP)
The prevalence of symptoms such as pain, fatigue, depression, and insomnia is high at older ages and these symptoms commonly co-occur. Traditional approaches to symptom management rely heavily on pharmacologic therapies. Decades of research have demonstrated that analgesics such as opioids, anti-inflammatory agents, and antidepressants have limited benefit and increase the risk of falls, delirium, and other harms stemming from polypharmacy and multi-morbidity. Even over the counter therapies like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often contraindicated due to risks of gastrointestinal bleeds or renal impairment. Moreover, medical approaches often address each symptom individually without considering their interdependent nature. It is no surprise then that reducing the burden of symptom distress among older adults is a source of frustration among patients, families, and clinicians alike.