Perceived benefits of geriatric specialty telemedicine among rural patients and caregivers.

OBJECTIVE: Explore the perceived benefits of a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) geriatric specialty telemedicine service (GRECC Connect) among rural, older patients and caregivers to contribute to an assessment of its quality and value. DATA SOURCES: In Spring 2021, we interviewed a geographically diverse sample of rural, older patients and their caregivers who participated in GRECC Connect telemedicine visits. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional qualitative study focused on patient and caregiver experiences with telemedicine, including perceived benefits and challenges. DATA COLLECTION: We conducted 30 semi-structured qualitative interviews with rural, older (≥65) patients enrolled in the VHA and their caregivers via videoconference or phone. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a rapid qualitative analysis approach. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Participants described geriatric specialty telemedicine visits focused on cognitive assessments, tailored physical therapy, medication management, education on disease progression, support for managing multiple comorbidities, and suggestions to improve physical functioning. Participants reported that, in addition to prescribing medications and ordering tests, clinicians expedited referrals, coordinated care, and listened to and validated both patient and caregiver concerns. Perceived benefits included improved patient health; increased patient and caregiver understanding and confidence around symptom management; and greater feelings of empowerment, hopefulness, and support. Challenges included difficulty accessing some recommended programs and services, uncertainty related to instructions or follow-up, and not receiving as much information or treatment as desired. The content of visits was well aligned with the domains of the Age-Friendly Health Systems and Geriatric 5Ms frameworks (Medication, Mentation, Mobility, what Matters most, and Multi-complexity). CONCLUSIONS: Alignment of patient and caregiver experiences with widely-used models of comprehensive geriatric care indicates that high-quality geriatric care can be provided through virtual modalities. Additional work is needed to develop strategies to address challenges and optimize and expand access to geriatric specialty telemedicine.

Development and Validation of a Clinical Frailty Index for the World Trade Center General Responder Cohort.

Objectives: To develop and validate a clinical frailty index to characterize aging among responders to the 9/11 World Trade Center (WTC) attacks. Methods: This study was conducted on health monitoring data on a sample of 6197 responders. A clinical frailty index, WTC FI-Clinical, was developed according to the cumulative deficit model of frailty. The validity of the resulting index was assessed using all-cause mortality as an endpoint. Its association with various cohort characteristics was evaluated. Results: The sample's median age was 51 years. Thirty items were selected for inclusion in the index. It showed a strong correlation with age, as well as significant adjusted associations with mortality, 9/11 exposure severity, sex, race, pre-9/11 occupation, education, and smoking status. Discussion: The WTC FI-Clinical highlights effects of certain risk factors on aging within the 9/11 responder cohort. It will serve as a useful instrument for monitoring and tracking frailty within this cohort.

Association of chronic diseases and impairments with disability in older adults: a decade of change?

BACKGROUND: Little is known about how the relationship between chronic disease, impairment, and disability has changed over time among older adults. OBJECTIVE: To examine how the associations of chronic disease and impairment with specific disability have changed over time. RESEARCH DESIGN: Repeated cross-sectional analysis, followed by examining the collated sample using time interaction variables, of 3 recent waves of the Health and Retirement Study. SUBJECTS: The subjects included 10,390, 10,621 and 10,557 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and above in 1998, 2004, and 2008. MEASUREMENTS: : Survey-based history of chronic diseases including hypertension, heart disease, heart failure, stroke, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, and arthritis; impairments, including cognition, vision, and hearing; and disability, including mobility, complex activities of daily living (ADL), and self-care ADL. RESULTS: Over time, the relationship of chronic diseases and impairments with disability was largely unchanged; however, the association between hypertension and complex ADL disability weakened from 1998 to 2004 and 2008 [odds ratio (OR) = 1.24; 99% confidence interval (CI), 1.06-1.46; OR = 1.07; 99% CI, 0.90-1.27; OR = 1.00; 99% CI, 0.83-1.19, respectively], as it did for hypertension and self-care disability (OR = 1.32; 99% CI, 1.13-1.54; OR=0.97; 99% CI, 0.82-1.14; OR = 0.99; 99% CI, 0.83-1.17). The association between diabetes and self-care disability strengthened from 1998 to 2004 and 2008 (OR = 1.21; 99% CI, 1.01-1.46; OR = 1.37; 99% CI, 1.15-1.64; OR = 1.52; 99% CI, 1.29-1.79), as it also did for lung disease and self-care disability (OR = 1.64; 99% CI, 1.33-2.03; OR = 1.63; 99% CI, 1.32-2.01; OR = 2.11; 99% CI, 1.73-2.57). CONCLUSIONS: Although relationships between diseases, impairments, and disability were largely unchanged, disability became less associated with hypertension and more with diabetes and lung disease.

Hip fracture management: tailoring care for the older patient.

Hip fracture is a potentially devastating condition for older adults. Hip fracture leads to pain and immobilization with complications ranging from delirium to functional loss and death. Although a mainstay of treatment is orthopedic repair, a multidisciplinary comanagement approach, including medical specialists and rehabilitation, may maximize patient recovery. Using the case of Mr W, an older man who sustained a fall and hip fracture, we present evidence-based components of care both in the hospital and outpatient settings. Preoperatively, clinicians should correct medical abnormalities and consider the appropriateness, timing, and type of surgical repair in the context of the patient's life expectancy and goals of care. Perioperative care should include prophylaxis with antibiotics, chemoprophylaxis for venous thromboembolism, and correction of major clinical abnormalities prior to surgery. Pain control, delirium, and pressure ulcer prevention are important inpatient care elements. Multidisciplinary models incorporating these care elements can decrease complications during inpatient stay. Rehabilitation strategies should be tailored to patient needs; early mobilization followed by rehabilitation exercises in institutional, home, and group settings should be considered to maximize restoration of locomotive abilities. Attention to care transitions is necessary and treatment for osteoporosis should be considered. The road to recovery for hip fracture patients is long and most patients may not regain their prefracture functional status. Understanding and anticipating issues that may arise in the older patient with hip fracture, while delivering evidence-based care components, is necessary to maximize patient recovery.

Recent trends in chronic disease, impairment and disability among older adults in the United States.

BACKGROUND: To examine concurrent prevalence trends of chronic disease, impairment and disability among older adults. METHODS: We analyzed the 1998, 2004 and 2008 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative survey of older adults in the United States, and included 31,568 community dwelling adults aged 65 and over. Measurements include: prevalence of chronic diseases including hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease and arthritis; prevalence of impairments, including impairments of cognition, vision, hearing, mobility, and urinary incontinence; prevalence of disability, including activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). RESULTS: The proportion of older adults reporting no chronic disease decreased from 13.1% (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 12.4%-13.8%) in 1998 to 7.8% (95% CI, 7.2%-8.4%) in 2008, whereas the proportion reporting 1 or more chronic diseases increased from 86.9% (95% CI, 86.2%-89.6%) in 1998 to 92.2% (95% CI, 91.6%-92.8%) in 2008. In addition, the proportion reporting 4 or more diseases increased from 11.7% (95% CI, 11.0%-12.4%) in 1998 to 17.4% (95% CI, 16.6%-18.2%) in 2008. The proportion of older adults reporting no impairments was 47.3% (95% CI, 46.3%-48.4%) in 1998 and 44.4% (95% CI, 43.3%-45.5%) in 2008, whereas the proportion of respondents reporting 3 or more was 7.2% (95% CI, 6.7%-7.7%) in 1998 and 7.3% (95% CI, 6.8%-7.9%) in 2008. The proportion of older adults reporting any ADL or IADL disability was 26.3% (95% CI, 25.4%-27.2%) in 1998 and 25.4% (95% CI, 24.5%-26.3%) in 2008. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple chronic disease is increasingly prevalent among older U.S. adults, whereas the prevalence of impairment and disability, while substantial, remain stable.

A prospective study of symptoms, function, and medication use during acute illness in nursing home residents: design, rationale and cohort description.

BACKGROUND: Nursing home residents are at high risk for developing acute illnesses. Compared with community dwelling adults, nursing home residents are often more frail, prone to multiple medical problems and symptoms, and are at higher risk for adverse outcomes from acute illnesses. In addition, because of polypharmacy and the high burden of chronic disease, nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to disruptions in transitions of care such as medication interruptions in the setting of acute illness. In order to better estimate the effect of acute illness on nursing home residents, we have initiated a prospective cohort which will allow us to observe patterns of acute illnesses and the consequence of acute illnesses, including symptoms and function, among nursing home residents. We also aim to examine the patterns of medication interruption, and identify patient, provider and environmental factors that influence continuity of medication prescribing at different points of care transition. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort of nursing home residents residing in two nursing homes in a metropolitan area. Baseline characteristics including age, gender, race, and comorbid conditions are recorded. Participants are followed longitudinally for a planned period of 3 years. We record acute illness incidence and characteristics, and measure symptoms including depression, pain, withdrawal symptoms, and function using standardized scales. RESULTS: 76 nursing home residents have been followed for a median of 666 days to date. At baseline, mean age of residents was 74.4 (+/- 11.9); 32% were female; 59% were white. The most common chronic conditions were dementia (41%), depression (38%), congestive heart failure (25%) and chronic obstructive lung disease (27%). Mean pain score was 4.7 (+/- 3.6) on a scale of 0 to 10; Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) score was 5.2 (+/- 4.4). During follow up, 138 acute illness episodes were identified, for an incidence of 1.5 (SD 2.0) episodes per resident per year; 74% were managed in the nursing home and 26% managed in the acute care setting. CONCLUSION: In this report, we describe the conceptual model and methods of designing a longitudinal cohort to measure acute illness patterns and symptoms among nursing home residents, and describe the characteristics of our cohort at baseline. In our planned analysis, we will further estimate the effect of the use and interruption of medications on withdrawal and relapse symptoms and illness outcomes.