[Implementation of an EMG IPA in the emergency department]. / Implantation d'une IPA de l'EMG au service d'accueil des urgences.

An advanced practice nurse from the Bretonneau-Bichat (AP-HP) hospitals' mobile geriatric outpatient team works in the emergency department (SAU). Its mission is to facilitate the identification, evaluation and referral of frail elderly patients discharged home after a visit to the emergency department. Description of the implementation of this project, its progress, and one-year assessment.

Predictive factors of the risk of rehospitalization and loss of autonomy in elderly people admitted to the emergency department: a pilot study / Facteurs prédictifs du risque de réhospitalisation et de perte d'autonomie chez des personnes âgées admises aux urgences : une étude pilote.

Introduction: The number of elderly patients admitted to emergency departments (EDs) continues to rise each year. However, due to time and structural constraints, these facilities do not allow for optimal identification of patients at risk of rehospitalization and loss of independence. Objective: To identify the characteristics of patients over the age of 75 discharged from the ED without indications for hospitalization, and to illustrate the importance of advanced practice nurses (APN) in identifying predictive factors of loss of independence. Method: A prospective, single-center, observational pilot study of a cohort of 67 patients in an emergency department. Results: The study allowed the researchers to characterize a female, aging, and vulnerable patient population. Re-evaluation at the six-month mark revealed a functional decline in 23% of patients. Relevant predictive autonomy loss factors including recent cognitive decline, hearing impairment, and weight loss are put forward for future research. Discussion: These results, in line with the findings of previous studies, highlight the potential added value of APNs in indentifying the functional decline within this patient population. Conclusion: Given the diverse, complex, and fragile health condition of elderly patients when discharged from the emergency department, APNs play a key role in improving care and preventing loss of independence within this patient population.

Introduction: Un nombre croissant de personnes âgées sont admises aux urgences chaque année, mais les contraintes temporelles et structurelles de ces services ne permettent pas de repérer de façon optimale les personnes à risque de réhospitalisation et de perte d'autonomie. Objectif: Décrire la population des personnes de plus de 75 ans sortant des urgences sans indication d'hospitalisation, montrer la contribution d'une infirmière en pratique avancée (IPA) en regard des facteurs prédictifs de perte d'autonomie identifiés. Méthode: Étude pilote, prospective, monocentrique, descriptive d'une cohorte de 67 patients, menée aux urgences. Résultats: L'étude a permis de décrire une population féminine, vieillissante et fragile. La réévaluation à six mois a permis d'observer un déclin fonctionnel pour 23 % des patients. Des facteurs prédictifs de perte d'autonomie, pour cette population d'étude, sont proposés. Discussion: Ces résultats, cohérents avec ceux de la littérature, montrent la plus-value que pourrait avoir l'IPA en regard du déclin fonctionnel de cette population. Conclusion: La population âgée des urgences rentrant au domicile étant hétérogène, complexe et fragile, l'intervention d'une IPA a été mise en place pour améliorer la prise en soins des personnes et prévenir leur perte d'autonomie.

Older medical outliers on surgical wards: impact on 6-month outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Medical patients are on occasion admitted transiently to surgical wards when more appropriate wards are at capacity, potentially leading to suboptimal care. The aim of this study was to compare 6-month outcomes in older adults diagnosed with medical conditions in the ED then admitted inappropriately to surgical wards (defined as outliers), with outcomes in comparable patients admitted to medical wards (controls). METHODS: In a matched cohort study, 100 consecutive medical outliers from the ED aged 75 years and over were matched according to age, sex and diagnosis to 200 controls. Collected data included number of diagnoses reported in acute care, level of patient illness severity, length of stay, mortality and destination of patients discharged from acute care units (home, rehabilitation facility, nursing home or palliative care facility). An assessment was made of patient vital status and living environment (home, nursing home or hospital) at 6 months post-ED admission. RESULTS: Mean age was 85.6 years. The most common ED diagnoses were gait disorders/falls (18%), neurological disorders (17%) and exhaustion (16%). Outliers displayed lower illness severity levels (0.001) and shorter lengths of stay from ED admission to acute care discharge (p=0.040). Subsequent to acute care, outliers were less commonly discharged home (45% vs 59%) and more commonly discharged to rehabilitation facilities (42% vs 28%). At 6 months post-ED admission, multivariable regression analysis showed that outlier status (OR=0.44 (0.25-0.83); p=0.011) and numbers of diagnoses reported in acute care (OR=0.87 (0.76-0.98); p=0.028) were independently associated with lower probability of living at home. CONCLUSION: Outlying of older patients to surgical wards negatively affects their prospects of living at home at 6 months after hospital admission. Older patients hospitalised via the ED are entitled to appropriate medical care.

[Supporting people with Diogenes syndrome]. / Accompagnement des personnes atteintes du syndrome de Diogène.

Diogenes syndrome is a chronic condition often affecting elderly people, especially those living in isolation. It is characterised by self-neglect and compulsive hoarding. Medico-social professionals working with people in their home, have reflected on levers to help improve the complex support of these patients.

A mini geriatric assessment helps treatment decision in elderly patients with digestive cancer. A pilot study.

UNLABELLED: Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is advocate to improved care of elderly with cancer but is not available in every hospital within a short delay. Therefore, a tool allowing gastroenterologist to detect rapidly specific abnormalities in elderly is needed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: the aim of our pilot study was to evaluate feasibility of a mini geriatric assessment (MGA) to adapt the anticancer treatments. MGA was done by a gastroenterologist and was taken into account during the cancer multidisciplinary team meeting for making decision. Then, CGA was realised and suggested adaptation of care. RESULTS: 21 patients over 75 years treated for different digestive cancers were enrolled. The treatments recommended by the cancer multidisciplinary team meeting after the GMA were: standard treatments in 9 (41%); modified in 10 (47%) and best supportive care in 2 (12%) patients. CGA led to an adaptation of the non-oncological treatment in 15 (72%) and of the social care in 8 (38%) patients, but never modified the oncological strategy. CONCLUSIONS: MGA could help gastroenterologists for adaptation of anticancer treatment. The characteristics of the patients that should subsequently have a geriatric follow-up remain to be defined.