Association between cognitive trajectories and subsequent health status, depressive symptoms, and mortality among older adults in the United States: Findings from a nationally-representative study.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive decline may be an early indicator of major health issues in older adults, though research using population-based data is lacking. Our objective was to assess the relationships between distinct cognitive trajectories and subsequent health outcomes, including health status, depressive symptoms, and mortality, using a nationally representative cohort. METHODS: Data were drawn from the National Health and Aging Trends Study. Global cognition was assessed annually between 2011 and 2018. The health status of 4,413 people, depressive symptoms in 4,342 individuals, and deaths among 5,955 living respondents were measured in 2019. Distinct cognitive trajectory groups were identified using an innovative Bayesian group-based trajectory model. Ordinal logistic, Poisson, and logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between cognitive trajectories and subsequent health outcomes. RESULTS: We identified five cognitive trajectory groups with distinct baseline values and subsequent changes in cognitive function. Compared to the group with stably high cognitive function, worse cognitive trajectories (i.e., lower baseline values and sharper declines) were associated with higher risks of poor health status, depressive symptoms and mortality, even after adjusting for relevant covariates. CONCLUSION: Among older adults, worse cognitive trajectories are strongly associated with subsequent poor health status, high depressive symptoms, and high mortality risks. Regular screening of cognitive function may help to facilitate early identification and interventions for older adults susceptible to adverse health outcomes.

Variation in Specialist Palliative Care Reach and Associated Factors Among People With Advanced Heart Failure in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

CONTEXT: Clinical practice guidelines recommend palliative care for people with advanced heart failure (aHF), yet it remains underutilized. OBJECTIVES: We examined medical center variation in specialist palliative care (SPC) and identified factors associated with variation among people with aHF. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 21,654 people with aHF who received healthcare in 83 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs) from 2018-2020. We defined aHF with ICD-9/10 codes and hospitalizations. We used random intercept multilevel logistic regression to derive SPC reach (i.e., predicted probability) for each VAMC adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics. We then examined VAMC-level SPC delivery characteristics associated with predicted SPC reach including the availability of outpatient SPC (proportion of outpatient consultations), cardiology involvement (number of outpatient cardiology-initiated referrals), and earlier SPC (days from aHF identification to consultation). RESULTS: Of the sample the mean age = 72.9+/-10.9 years, 97.9% were male, 61.6% were White, and 32.2% were Black. The predicted SPC reach varied substantially across VAMCs from 9% to 57% (mean: 28% [95% Confidence Interval: 25%-30%]). Only the availability of outpatient SPC was independently associated with higher SPC reach. VAMCs, in which outpatient delivery made up the greatest share of SPC consultations (9% or higher) had 11% higher rates of SPC reach relative to VAMCs with a lower proportion of outpatient SPC. CONCLUSION: SPC reach varies widely across VAMCs for people with aHF. Outpatient palliative is common among high-reach VAMCs but its role in reach warrants further investigation. Strategies used by high-reach VAMCs may be potential targets to test for implementation and dissemination.

High-Intensity Care for Nursing Home Residents with Severe Dementia Hospitalized at the End of Life: A Mixed Methods Study.

OBJECTIVE: For nursing home residents with severe dementia, high-intensity medical treatment offers little possibility of benefit but has the potential to cause significant distress. Nevertheless, mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit (ICU) transfers have increased in this population. We sought to understand how and why such care is occurring. DESIGN: Mixed methods study, with retrospective collection of qualitative and quantitative data. SETTING: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. METHODS: Using the Minimum Data Set, we identified veterans aged ≥65 years who had severe dementia, lived in nursing homes, and died in 2013. We selected those who underwent mechanical ventilation or ICU transfer in the last 30 days of life. We restricted our sample to patients receiving care at VA hospitals because these hospitals share an electronic medical record, from which we collected structured information and constructed detailed narratives of how medical decisions were made. We used qualitative content analysis to identify distinct paths to high-intensity treatment in these narratives. RESULTS: Among 163 veterans, 41 (25.2%) underwent mechanical ventilation or ICU transfer. Their median age was 85 (IQR, 80-94), 97.6% were male, and 67.5% were non-Hispanic white. More than a quarter had living wills declining some or all treatment. There were 5 paths to high-intensity care. The most common (18 of 41 patients) involved families who struggled with decisions. Other patients (15 of 41) received high-intensity care reflexively, before discussion with a surrogate. Four patients had families who advocated repeatedly for aggressive treatment, against clinical recommendations. In 2 cases, information about the patient's preferences was erroneous or unavailable. In 2 cases, there was difficulty identifying a surrogate. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Our findings highlight the role of surrogates' difficulty with decision making and of health system-level factors in end-of-life ICU transfers and mechanical ventilation among nursing home residents with severe dementia.

Patient Priorities Care Increases Long-Term Service and Support Use: Propensity Match Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: Patient priorities care (PPC) is an evidence-based approach designed to help patients achieve what matters most to them by identifying their health priorities and working with clinicians to align the care they provide to the patient's priorities. This study examined the impact of the PPC approach on long-term service and support (LTSS) use among veterans. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental study examining differences in LTSS use between veterans exposed to PPC and propensity-matched controls not exposed to PPC adjusting for covariates. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-six social workers in 5 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) sites trained in PPC in 2018, 143 veterans who used the PPC approach, and 286 matched veterans who did not use the PPC approach. METHODS: Veterans with health priorities identified through the PPC approach were the intervention group (n = 143). The usual care group included propensity-matched veterans evaluated by the same social workers in the same period who did not participate in PPC (n = 286). The visit with the social worker was the index date. We examined LTSS use, emergency department (ED), and urgent care visits, 12 months before and after this date for both groups. Electronic medical record notes were extracted with a validated natural language processing algorithm (84% sensitivity, 95% specificity, and 92% accuracy). RESULTS: Most participants were white men, mean age was 76, and 30% were frail. LTSS use was 48% higher in the PPC group compared with the usual care group [odds ratio (OR), 1.48; 95% CI, 1.00-2.18; P = .05]. Among those who lived >2 years after the index date, new LTSS use was higher (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.04-2.76; P = .036). Among nonfrail individuals, LTSS use was also higher in the PPC group (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.06-2.74; P = .028). PPC was not associated with higher ED or urgent care use. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: PPC results in higher LTSS use but not ED or urgent care in these veterans. LTSS use was higher for nonfrail veterans and those living longer. The PPC approach helps identify health priorities, including unmet needs for safe and independent living that LTSS can support.

Diagnostic uncertainty and decision-making in home-based primary care: A qualitative study of antibiotic prescribing.

BACKGROUND: Evaluating infection in home-based primary care is challenging, and these challenges may impact antibiotic prescribing. A refined understanding of antibiotic decision-making in this setting can inform strategies to promote antibiotic stewardship. This study investigated antibiotic decision-making by exploring the perspectives of clinicians in home-based primary care. METHODS: Clinicians from the Department of Veterans Affairs Home-Based Primary Care Program were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from June 2022 through September 2022 using a discussion guide. Transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory. The constant comparative method was used to develop a coding structure and to identify themes. RESULTS: Theoretical saturation was reached after 22 clinicians (physicians, n = 7; physician assistants, n = 2, advanced practice registered nurses, n = 13) from 19 programs were interviewed. Mean age was 48.5 ± 9.3 years, 91% were female, and 59% had ≥6 years of experience in home-based primary care. Participants reported uncertainty about the diagnosis of infection due to the characteristics of homebound patients (atypical presentations of disease, presence of multiple chronic conditions, presence of cognitive impairment) and the challenges of delivering medical care in the home (limited access to diagnostic testing, suboptimal quality of microbiological specimens, barriers to establishing remote access to the electronic health record). When faced with diagnostic uncertainty about infection, participants described many factors that influenced the decision to prescribe antibiotics, including those that promoted prescribing (desire to avoid hospitalization, pressure from caregivers, unreliable plans for follow-up) and those that inhibited prescribing (perceptions of antibiotic-associated harms, willingness to trial non-pharmacological interventions first, presence of caregivers who were trusted by clinicians to monitor symptoms). CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians face the difficult task of balancing diagnostic uncertainty with many competing considerations during the treatment of infection in home-based primary care. Recognizing these issues provides insight into strategies to promote antibiotic stewardship in home care settings.

Former dementia caregivers' high and low point narratives: what is remembered, and how is it shared?

OBJECTIVES: To characterize core themes conveyed by caregivers when sharing narratives of high and low caregiving points and to describe how caregivers structured these narratives. METHODS: Using consensual qualitative research and thematic analysis, high and low point narratives from 32 former caregivers of persons living with dementia were examined. RESULTS: High point narrative themes involved strengthening relationships with care partners, fulfillment derived from care, lighthearted moments, and fostering the care partners' joy and dignity. Low point narratives involved family conflict and lack of support, personal deficiencies, loss of the caregivers' 'pre-caregiving' life, health system failures, and alienation from their care partner. Across high and low points, caregivers' narratives were structured by three types of narrative elaborations; details unnecessary for factual recall but which enriched narrative sharing. CONCLUSION: Themes across high and low point narratives encompassed relational issues, how caregiving shaped the caregiver's self-efficacy, and factors that made navigating caregiving easier or more difficult. Both high point and low point narration often involved describing positive aspects of caregiving (PAC). Narrative elaborations may be used by former caregivers to engage in deeper evaluation of their caregiving experiences. We consider how psychotherapeutic techniques can help former caregivers reframe maladaptive narratives, supporting their mental health.

Rewriting the Story of Mid- and Late-Life Family Caregiving: Applying a Narrative Identity Framework.

Family caregivers of older people with health needs often provide long-term, intensive support. Caregivers are, in turn, shaped by these caregiving experiences. According to the narrative identity framework, self-narratives from lived experiences influence self-beliefs and behaviors. We assert that family caregiving experiences, filtered through individuals' memory systems as self-narratives, provide substantial scaffolding for navigating novel challenges in late life. Self-narratives from caregiving can guide positive self-beliefs and behaviors, leading to constructive health-focused outcomes, but they also have the potential to guide negative self-beliefs or behaviors, causing adverse consequences for navigating late-life health. We advocate for incorporating the narrative identity framework into existing caregiving stress models and for new programs of research that examine central mechanisms by which caregiving self-narratives guide self-beliefs and behavioral outcomes. To provide a foundation for this research, we outline 3 domains in which caregiving self-narratives may substantially influence health-related outcomes. This article concludes with recommendations for supporting family caregivers moving forward, highlighting narrative therapy interventions as innovative options for reducing the negative consequences of maladaptive caregiving self-narratives.

Personal Health Planning in Adult-Child Former Caregivers of Parents Living With Dementia.

PURPOSE: To examine how former caregivers for parents living with dementia engage in personal health planning. DESIGN: An inductive, qualitative study. SETTING: Virtual, audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two midlife former primary caregivers for parents who died following advanced dementia 3 months to 3 years prior. METHOD: Participants responded to a series of open-ended interview prompts. Interview recordings were transcribed and evaluated by a trained, diverse team to generate Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) domains and categories. RESULTS: Caregivers developed health planning outlooks (ie, mindsets regarding willingness and ability to engage in personal health planning) that guided health planning activities (ie, engaging in a healthy lifestyle, initiating cognitive/genetic testing, maintaining independence and aging in place, ensuring financial and legal security). An agentic outlook involved feeling capable of engaging in health planning activities and arose when caregivers witnessed the impact and feasibility of their parents' health planning. Anxiety-inducing and present-focused outlooks arose when caregivers faced barriers (eg, low self-efficacy, lack of social support, perception that parent's health planning did not enhance quality of life) and concluded that personal health planning would not be valuable or feasible. CONCLUSION: Caregiving for a parent living with dementia (PLWD) shapes former caregivers' personal health planning. Interventions should support former caregivers who have developed low self-efficacy or pessimistic views on healthy aging to support them in addressing health planning activities.

Development of REDCap-based architecture for a clinical decision support tool linked to the electronic health record for assessment of medication appropriateness.

Objective: To develop the architecture for a clinical decision support system (CDSS) linked to the electronic health record (EHR) using the tools provided by Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) to assess medication appropriateness in older adults with polypharmacy. Materials and Methods: The tools available in REDCap were used to create the architecture for replicating a previously developed stand-alone system while overcoming its limitations. Results: The architecture consists of data input forms, drug- and disease-mapper, rules engine, and report generator. The input forms integrate medication and health condition data from the EHR with patient assessment data. The rules engine evaluates medication appropriateness through rules built through a series of drop-down menus. The rules generate output, which are a set of recommendations to the clinician. Discussion and conclusion: This architecture successfully replicates the stand-alone CDSS while addressing its limitations. It is compatible with several EHRs, easily shared among the large community using REDCap, and readily modifiable.

Validation of Electronic Health Record-Based Algorithms to Identify Specialist Palliative Care Within the Department of Veterans Affairs.

BACKGROUND: The measurement of specialist palliative care (SPC) across Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities relies on algorithms applied to administrative databases. However, the validity of these algorithms has not been systematically assessed. MEASURES: In a cohort of people with heart failure identified by ICD 9/10 codes, we validated the performance of algorithms to identify SPC consultation in administrative data and differentiate outpatient from inpatient encounters. INTERVENTION: We derived separate samples of people by receipt of SPC using combinations of stop codes signifying specific clinics, current procedural terminology (CPT), a variable representing encounter location, and ICD-9/ICD-10 codes for SPC. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) for each algorithm using chart review as the reference standard. OUTCOMES: Among 200 people who did and did not receive SPC (mean age = 73.9 years (standard deviation [SD] = 11.5), 98% male, 73% White), the validity of the stop code plus CPT algorithm to identify any SPC consultation was: Sensitivity = 0.89 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.82-0.94), Specificity = 1.0 [0.96-1.0], PPV = 1.0 [0.96-1.0], NPV = 0.93 [0.86-0.97]. The addition of ICD codes increased sensitivity but decreased specificity. Among 200 people who received SPC (mean age = 74.2 years [SD = 11.8], 99% male, 71% White), algorithm performance in differentiating outpatient from inpatient encounters was: Sensitivity = 0.95 (0.88-0.99), Specificity = 0.81 (0.72-0.87), PPV = 0.38 (0.29-0.49), and NPV = 0.99 (0.95-1.0). Adding encounter location improved the sensitivity and specificity of this algorithm. CONCLUSIONS: VA algorithms are highly sensitive and specific in identifying SPC and in differentiating outpatient from inpatient encounters. These algorithms can be used with confidence to measure SPC in quality improvement and research across the VA.

Antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae urine isolates from a national sample of home-based primary care patients with dementia.

Annual prevalences of antimicrobial resistance among urine isolates (3,913 Escherichia coli isolates and 1,736 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates) from home-based primary care patients with dementia were high between 2014 and 2018 (ciprofloxacin, 18%-23% and 5%-7%, respectively; multidrug resistance, 9%-11% and 5%-6%, respectively). Multidrug resistance varied by region. Additional studies of antimicrobial resistance in home-care settings are needed.

"Been there, done that:" A grounded theory of future caregiver preparedness in former caregivers of parents living with dementia.

BACKGROUND: Family caregivers offer essential support to persons living with dementia (PLWD). Providing care for more than one family member or close other across adulthood is becoming increasingly common, yet little is known about the ways that caregiving experiences shape caregiver preparedness. The current study presents a grounded theory of future caregiver preparedness in former caregivers of PLWD. METHOD: A coding team (five coders and two auditors) used Consensual Qualitative Research and grounded theory techniques to analyze transcripts from 32 semi-structured interviews with midlife former caregivers of parents who died following advanced Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. RESULTS: Qualitative analysis revealed two dimensions of future caregiver preparedness: caregiving confidence and caregiving insights. Narratives from caregiving experiences informed participants' descriptions of their future caregiver preparedness. Though some former caregivers described a positive (i.e., boosted or sustained) sense of caregiving confidence following care for their parents, others described a diminished (i.e., restricted or impeded) sense of confidence. Regardless of their confidence, all caregivers described specific caregiving insights related to one or more categories (i.e., caregiving self-conduct, care systems and resources, and relating with a care partner). CONCLUSIONS: Preparedness for future caregiving following recent care for a PLWD varies: For some, past experiences appear to offer cumulative advantages in anticipating future care roles, whereas for others, past experiences may contribute to apprehension towards, or rejection of, future care roles. Entering new caregiving roles with diminished confidence may have negative consequences for caregivers' and care partners' wellbeing. Multidimensional assessment of future caregiver preparedness in former caregivers of PLWD may support development of resources for former caregivers entering new caregiving roles.

Effect of Computer-Tailored Print Feedback, Motivational Interviewing, and Motivational Enhancement Therapy on Engagement in Advance Care Planning: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: There is a tension between clinician-led approaches to engagement in advance care planning (ACP), which are effective but resource-intensive, and self-administered tools, which are more easily disseminated but rely on ability and willingness to complete. Objective: To examine the efficacy of computer-tailored print feedback (CTPF), motivational interviewing (MI), and motivational enhancement therapy (MET) on completion of a set of ACP activities, each as compared with usual care. Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized clinical trial was conducted from October 2017 to December 2020 via telephone contact with primary care patients at a single VA facility; 483 veterans aged 55 years or older were randomly selected from a list of patients with a primary care visit in the prior 12 months, with oversampling of women and people from minoritized racial and ethnic groups. Statistical analysis was performed from January to June 2022. Interventions: Mailed CTPF generated in response to a brief telephone assessment of readiness to engage in and attitudes toward ACP; MI, an interview exploring ambivalence to change and developing a change plan; and MET, MI plus print feedback, delivered by telephone at baseline, 2, and 4 months. Main Outcome and Measures: Self-reported completion of 4 ACP activities: communicating about views on quality vs quantity of life, assignment of a health care agent, completion of a living will, and submitting documents for inclusion in the electronic health record at 6 months. Results: The study included 483 persons, mean (SD) age 68.3 (8.0) years, 18.2% women and 31.1% who were people from minoritized racial and ethnic groups. Adjusting for age, education, race, gender, and baseline stage of change for each ACP, predicted probabilities for completing the ACP activities were: usual care 5.7% (95% CI, 2.8%-11.1%) for usual care, 17.7% (95% CI, 11.8%-25.9%; P = .003) for MET, 15.8% (95% CI, 10.2%-23.6%; P = .01) for MI, P = .01, and 10.0% (95% CI, 5.9%-16.7%; P = .18) for CTPF. Conclusions and Relevance: This randomized clinical trial found that a series of 3 MI and MET counseling sessions significantly increased the proportion of middle-aged and older veterans completing a set of ACP activities, while print feedback did not. These findings suggest the importance of clinical interaction for ACP engagement. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03103828.

Emergency department care transition barriers: A qualitative study of care partners of older adults with cognitive impairment.

INTRODUCTION: After emergency department (ED) discharge, persons living with cognitive impairment (PLWCI) and their care partners are particularly at risk for adverse outcomes. We sought to identify the barriers experienced by care partners of PLWCI during ED discharge care transitions. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study of 25 care partners of PLWCI discharged from four EDs. We used the validated 4AT and care partner-completed AD8 screening tools, respectively, to exclude care partners of older adults with concern for delirium and include care partners of older adults with cognitive impairment. We conducted recorded, semi-structured interviews using a standardized guide, and two team members coded and analyzed all professional transcriptions to identify emerging themes and representative quotations. RESULTS: Care partners' mean age was 56.7 years, 80% were female, and 24% identified as African American. We identified four major barriers regarding ED discharge care transitions among care partners of PLWCI: (1) unique care considerations while in the ED setting impact the perceived success of the care transition, (2) poor communication and lack of care partner engagement was a commonplace during the ED discharge process, (3) care partners experienced challenges and additional responsibilities when aiding during acute illness and recovery phases, and (4) navigating the health care system after an ED encounter was perceived as difficult by care partners. DISCUSSION: Our findings demonstrate critical barriers faced during ED discharge care transitions among care partners of PLWCI. Findings from this work may inform the development of novel care partner-reported outcome measures as well as ED discharge care transition interventions targeting care partners.

National Cohort Study of Homebound Persons Living With Dementia: Antibiotic Prescribing Trends and Opportunities for Antibiotic Stewardship.

Background: Over 7 million older Americans are homebound. Managing infections in homebound persons presents unique challenges that are magnified among persons living with dementia (PLWD). This work sought to characterize antibiotic use in a national cohort of PLWD who received home-based primary care (HBPC) through the Veterans Health Administration. Methods: Administrative data identified veterans aged ≥65 years with ≥2 physician home visits in a year between 2014 and 2018 and a dementia diagnosis 3 years before through 1 year after their initial HBPC visit. Antibiotics prescribed orally, intravenously, intramuscularly, or by enema within 3 days of an HBPC visit were assessed from the initial HBPC visit to death or December 31, 2018. Prescription fills and days of therapy (DOT) per 1000 days of home care (DOHC) were calculated. Results: Among 39 861 PLWD, the median age (interquartile range [IQR]) was 85 (78-90) years, and 15.0% were Black. Overall, 16 956 (42.5%) PLWD received 45 122 prescription fills. The antibiotic use rate was 20.7 DOT per 1000 DOHC. Telephone visits and advanced practice provider visits were associated with 30.9% and 42.0% of fills, respectively. Sixty-seven percent of fills were associated with diagnoses for conditions where antibiotics are not indicated. Quinolones were the most prescribed class (24.3% of fills). The overall median length of therapy (IQR) was 7 (7-10) days. Antibiotic use rates varied across regions. Within regions, the median annual antibiotic use rate decreased from 2014 to 2018. Conclusions: Antibiotic prescriptions were prevalent in HBPC. The scope, appropriateness, and harms of antibiotic use in homebound PLWD need further investigation.

Prediction of physical functioning and general health status trajectories on mortality among persons with cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: The concern posed by the confluence of aging and cognitive impairment is growing in importance as the U.S. population rapidly ages. As such, we sought to examine the predictive power of physical functioning (PF) and general health status (GHS) trajectories on mortality outcomes among persons with cognitive impairment (PCIs). METHODS: We used group-based trajectory models to identify latent group memberships for PF trajectories in 1,641 PCIs and GHS trajectories in 2,021 PCIs from the National Health and Aging Trends Survey (2011-2018) and applied logistic regressions to predict mortality using these memberships controlling for individual characteristics. RESULTS: We identified six trajectory groups for PF and four groups for GHS. Trajectory group memberships for both outcomes significantly predicted mortality. For PF, group memberships largely captured the average levels over time, and worse trajectories (i.e., lower baselines and faster declines) were associated with higher odds of death. The highest mortality risk was associated with the group experiencing a sharp decline early in its PF trajectory, although its average level across time was not the lowest. For GHS, we observed two groups with comparable average levels across time, but the one with a convex-shape trajectory had much higher mortality risks compared to the one with a concave-shape trajectory. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlighted that health trajectories predicted mortality among PCIs, not only because of general levels but also because of the shapes of declines. Close monitoring health deterioration of PCIs is crucial to understand the health burden of this population and to make subsequent actions.

Giving up on the objective of providing goal-concordant care: Advance care planning for improving caregiver outcomes.

The merits and effectiveness of advance care planning (ACP) continue to be debated a full 30 years after the passage of the Patient Self-Determination Act. This act gave patients the right to create advance directives, with the objective of ensuring that the care they received at the end of life was consistent with their preferences and goals. ACP has definitively moved beyond the completion of advance directives to encompass the identification of a healthcare agent and the facilitation of communication among patients, surrogates, and clinicians. Nonetheless, the provision of goal-concordant care remains a primary objective for ACP. This article argues that this cannot and should not be the objective for ACP. Patients' goals change, and the provision of goal-concordant care is sometimes incompatible with other critical determinants of appropriate care. Instead, ACP should focus on the objective of improving caregiver outcomes. Surrogate decision-making by caregivers is associated with an elevated risk of post-traumatic stress disorder and other adverse outcomes, and these outcomes can be improved with ACP. ACP focused on caregivers involves helping caregivers to understand how they can help to shape the final chapter in a patient's life story, preventing caregivers from making promises they cannot keep, and preparing them to use all relevant information at the time decisions need to be made.

Incidence and Trends in the Use of Palliative Care among Patients with Reduced, Middle-Range, and Preserved Ejection Fraction Heart Failure.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines recommend integrating palliative care (PC) into the care of patients with heart failure (HF) to address their many palliative needs. However, the incidence rates of PC use among HF subtypes are unknown. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with the following HF subtypes in the Department of Veterans Affairs: reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), mid-range ejection fraction (HFmEF), and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Patients were included at the time of HF diagnosis from 2011 to 2015 and followed until a minimum of five years or death. Incidence rates of receipt of PC (primary outcome) were calculated using generalized estimating equations. We evaluated the time to incident PC by HF subtype with Kaplan-Meier analyses and with adjusted restricted mean survival time. Results: Of the 113,555 patients, 69% were ≥65 years, 98% were male, 73% White, and 18% Black; 58% had HFrEF, 7% HFmEF, and 34% HFpEF. Twenty percent received PC during follow-up, and 66% died. Adjusted PC incidence rates were higher among patients with HFrEF (47 per 1000 person-years, confidence interval [95% CI] 43-52) than for HFmEF and HFpEF (42 per 1000 person-years, CI 38-47 for both). Restricting follow-up to five years, patients with HFrEF received PC six weeks earlier than patients with HFpEF. There was no significant difference in time to PC between patients with HFmEF versus HFpEF. Conclusion: About 1 in 20 patients with HFrEF and 1 in 25 patients with HFmEF and HFpEF receive PC annually. Patients with HFrEF receive PC sooner than patients with HFmEF and HFpEF.

Trajectories of physical functioning among US adults with cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: physical functioning impairment is common among persons with cognitive impairment, but little is known about physical functioning trajectories across the US population or how trajectories may differ among persons with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). OBJECTIVE: to examine trajectories of physical functioning among persons with MCI and dementia in the USA. DESIGN: we used data from the National Health and Aging Trends study (NHATS) 2011-18. Physical functioning was assessed using the NHATS Expanded Short Physical Performance Battery. PARTICIPANTS: the 661 individuals with MCI and 980 individuals with dementia were included in this study. METHODS: we applied group-based trajectory models to identify latent groups and estimate their trajectories. Multinomial logistic regressions were applied to examine relationships between sociodemographic and health characteristics and trajectory group memberships. RESULTS: both MCI- and dementia-specific trajectories differed at baseline levels and declined at varying rates across groups. Approximately, 78.43% of persons with MCI were in trajectories with a moderate rate of decline, with only 9.75% in a trajectory with good physical function and 11.82% with poor physical function without as much change over time. Among persons with dementia, approximately 81.4% experienced moderate or fast declines, and 18.52% with virtually no functional ability remained at this same low level. Worse physical functioning trajectories were found among persons who were females, Blacks, with at least four comorbidities, and among persons who had a low socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS: persons with both dementia and MCI experienced steady declines in physical functioning. Socioeconomically disadvantaged groups have worse physical functioning trajectories.