Application of the Person-Centered Care to Manage Responsive Behaviors in Clients with Major Neurocognitive Disorders: A Qualitative Single Case Study.

OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to describe "how" and "why" the person-centered care (PCC) approach was applied within a long-term care (LTC) community to manage responsive behaviors (RBs) in individuals with major neurocognitive disorders. METHODS: A descriptive holistic single case study design was employed in the context of an LTC community in Quebec, using semi-structured interviews and non-participatory observations of experienced care providers working with clients with RBs, photographing the physical environment, and accessing documents available on the LTC community's public website. A thematic content analysis was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The findings generated insight into the importance of considering multiple components of the LTC community to apply the PCC approach for managing RBs, including a) creating a homelike environment, b) developing a therapeutic relationship with clients, c) engaging clients in meaningful activities, and d) empowering care providers by offering essential resources. CONCLUSIONS: Applying and implementing the PCC approach within an LTC community to manage clients' RBs is a long-term multi-dimensional process that requires a solid foundation. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: These findings highlight the importance of considering multiple factors relevant to persons, environments, and meaningful activities to apply the PCC approach within LTC communities to manage RBs.

The PREvention Program for Alzheimer's RElated Delirium (PREPARED) cluster randomized trial: a study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Delirium is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among older people admitted to both acute and long-term care facilities (LTCFs). Multicomponent interventions have been shown to reduce delirium incidence in the acute care setting (30-73%) by acting on modifiable risk factors. Little work, however, has focused on using this approach to reduce delirium incidence in LTCFs. METHODS: The objective is to assess the effectiveness of the multicomponent PREPARED Trial intervention in reducing the following primary outcomes: incidence, severity, duration, and frequency of delirium episodes in cognitively impaired residents. This 4-year, parallel-design, cluster randomized study will involve nursing staff and residents in 45-50 LTCFs in Montreal, Canada. Participating public and private LTCFs (clusters) that provide 24-h nursing care will be assigned to either the PREPARED Trial intervention or the control (usual care) arm of the study using a covariate constrained randomization procedure. Approximately 400-600 LTC residents aged 65 and older with dementia and/or cognitive impairment will be enrolled in the study and followed for 18 weeks. Residents must be at risk of delirium, delirium-free at baseline and have resided at the facility for at least 2 weeks. Residents who are unable to communicate verbally, have a history of specific psychiatric conditions, or are receiving end-of-life care will be excluded. The PREPARED Trial intervention consists of four main components: a decision tree, an instruction manual, a training package, and a toolkit. Primary study outcomes will be assessed weekly. Functional autonomy and cognitive levels will be assessed at the beginning and end of follow-up, while information pertaining to modifiable delirium risk factors, medical consultations, and facility transfers will be collected retrospectively for the duration of the follow-up period. Primary outcomes will be reported at the level of intervention assignment. All researchers analyzing the data will be blinded to group allocation. DISCUSSION: This large-scale intervention study will contribute significantly to the development of evidence-based clinical guidelines for delirium prevention in this frail elderly population, as it will be the first to evaluate the efficacy of a multicomponent delirium prevention program translated into LTC clinical practice on a large scale. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03718156 , ClinicalTrials.gov .

Influence of Lifestyle Redesign® on Health, Social Participation, Leisure, and Mobility of Older French-Canadians.

IMPORTANCE: Developed in California to enable community-dwelling older adults to maintain healthy and meaningful activities, Lifestyle Redesign® is a well-known cost-effective preventive occupational therapy intervention. The impact of a newly adapted French version on older French-Canadians was, however, unknown. OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of Lifestyle Redesign on older French-Canadians' health, social participation, leisure, and mobility. DESIGN: A mixed-methods design included a preexperimental component (questionnaires administered before and after the intervention and 3 and 6 mo postintervention) and an exploratory descriptive qualitative clinical study. Individual semidirected interviews were digitally audiotaped and transcribed, then underwent thematic content analysis using mix extraction grids. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: Sixteen volunteers (10 women) aged 65-90 yr (mean = 76.4, standard deviation = 7.6), 10 without and 6 with disabilities. Inclusion criteria were age ≥65 yr, normal cognitive functions, residence in a conventional or senior home, and French speaking. INTERVENTION: French-Canadian 6-mo version of Lifestyle Redesign. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Health, social participation, leisure, and mobility were measured using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, Social Participation Scale, Leisure Profile, and Life-Space Assessment, as well as a semistructured interview guide. RESULTS: The French-Canadian Lifestyle Redesign had a beneficial effect on participants' mental health (p = .02) and interest in leisure (p = .02) and, in those with disabilities, social participation (p = .03) and attitudes toward leisure (p = .04). Participants reported positive effects on their mental health, leisure, mobility, and social participation, including frequency and quality of social interactions, and indicated that having an occupational routine fostered better health. None of the participants reported no effect. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: The translated and culturally adapted Lifestyle Redesign is a promising occupational therapy intervention for community-dwelling older French-Canadians. WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS: This study sheds light on the influence of the French-Canadian version of the intervention not only on older adults' health and social participation but also on their leisure activities and life-space mobility, two important outcomes not addressed in previous Lifestyle Redesign studies. Moreover, this study provides an in-depth understanding of the Lifestyle Redesign experience of French-Canadian older adults with and without disabilities, including participants with significant communication and mobility disabilities.

The OptimaMed intervention to reduce inappropriate medications in nursing home residents with severe dementia: results from a quasi-experimental feasibility pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Medication regimens in nursing home (NH) residents with severe dementia should be frequently reviewed to avoid inappropriate medication, overtreatment and adverse drug events, within a comfort care approach. This study aimed at testing the feasibility of an interdisciplinary knowledge exchange (KE) intervention using a medication review guidance tool categorizing medications as either "generally", "sometimes" or "exceptionally" appropriate for NH residents with severe dementia. METHODS: A quasi-experimental feasibility pilot study with 44 participating residents aged 65 years or over with severe dementia was carried out in three NH in Quebec City, Canada. The intervention comprised an information leaflet for residents' families, a 90-min KE session for NH general practitioners (GP), pharmacists and nurses focusing on the medication review guidance tool, a medication review by the pharmacists for participating residents with ensuing team discussion on medication changes, and a post-intervention KE session to obtain feedback from team staff. Medication regimens and levels of pain and of agitation of the participants were evaluated at baseline and at 4 months post-intervention. A questionnaire for team staff explored perceived barriers and facilitators. Statistical differences in measures comparing pre and post-intervention were assessed using paired t-tests and Cochran's-Q tests. RESULTS: The KE sessions reached 34 NH team staff (5 GP, 4 pharmacists, 6 heads of care unit and 19 staff nurses). Forty-four residents participated in the study and were followed for a mean of 104 days. The total number of regular medications was 372 pre and 327 post-intervention. The mean number of regular medications per resident was 7.86 pre and 6.81 post-intervention. The odds ratios estimating the risks of using any regular medication or a "sometimes appropriate" medication post-intervention were 0.81 (95% CI: 0.71-0.92) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.74-0.94), respectively. CONCLUSION: A simple KE intervention using a medication review guidance tool categorizing medications as being either "generally", "sometimes" or "exceptionally" appropriate in severe dementia was well received and accompanied by an overall reduction in medication use by NH residents with severe dementia. Levels of agitation were unaffected and there was no clinically significant changes in levels of pain. Staff feedback provided opportunities to improve the intervention.

Use of medications that antagonize mediators of inflammatory responses may reduce the risk of delirium in older adults: a nested case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to explore whether the use of medications that antagonize mediators of inflammatory responses reduces the risk of delirium in older adults. METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted using data from a prospective study of delirium in older long-term care residents from 7 long-term care facilities in Montreal and Quebec City, Canada. The Confusion Assessment Method was used to diagnose incident delirium. The use of medications that antagonize mediators of inflammatory responses was determined by examining facility pharmacy databases and coding medications received daily by each resident. Risk sets were built using incidence density sampling: each risk set consisted of a case with incident delirium and all controls without incident delirium at the same date and facility. Conditional logistic regression was used to assess the association of exposure to inflammation antagonist medications with the incidence of delirium. RESULTS: Of 254 residents, 95 developed incident delirium during 24 weeks (cases); each case was matched with up to 35 controls. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) of delirium for residents exposed to at least one inflammation antagonist medication were 0.53 (0.34, 0.81) and 0.60 (0.38, 0.92), respectively. Estimates of the risk of incident delirium associated with specific medications and medication classes were mostly protective but not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The use of medications that antagonize mediators of inflammatory responses may reduce the risk of delirium in older adults. Despite study limitations, the findings merit further investigation using larger patient samples, more precise measures of exposure and better control of potential confounding variables. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessment of inattention in the context of delirium screening: one size does not fit all!

BACKGROUND: Despite its high prevalence and deleterious consequences, delirium often goes undetected in older hospitalized patients and long-term care (LTC) residents. Inattention is a core symptom of this syndrome. The aim of this study was to explore the usefulness of ten simple and objective attention tests that would enable efficient delirium screening among this population. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis (n = 191) of a validation study conducted in one acute care hospital (ACH) and one LTC facility among older adults with, or without, cognitive impairment. The attention test tasks (n = 10) were drawn from the Concentration subscale the Hierarchic Dementia Scale (HDS). Delirium was defined as meeting the criteria for DSM-5 delirium. The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) was used to determine the presence of delirium symptoms. RESULTS: The Months of the Year Backward (MOTYB) test, which 57% of participants completed successfully, showed the best balance between sensitivity and specificity (82.6%; 95% CI [61.2-95.0], and 62.5%; 95% CI [54.7-69.8] respectively) for the entire group. Subgroup analyses revealed that no test had both sensitivity and specificity over 50% in participants with cognitive impairment indicated in their medical chart. CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed that these tests varied greatly in performance and none can be earmarked to become a single-item screening tool for delirium among older patients and residents with, or without, cognitive impairment. The presence of premorbid cognitive impairment may necessitate more extensive assessments of delirium, especially when a change in general status or mental state is observed.

Six-month trajectories of self-reported depressive symptoms in long-term care.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a common problem in long-term care (LTC) settings. We sought to characterize depression symptom trajectories over six months among older residents, and to identify resident characteristics at baseline that predict symptom trajectory. METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis of data from a six-month prospective, observational, and multi-site study. Severity of depressive symptoms was assessed with the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) at baseline and with up to six monthly follow-up assessments. Participants were 130 residents with a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 15 or more at baseline and of at least two of the six monthly follow-up assessments. Individual resident GDS trajectories were grouped using hierarchical clustering. The baseline predictors of a more severe trajectory were identified using the Proportional Odds Model. RESULTS: Three clusters of depression symptom trajectory were found that described "lower," "intermediate," and "higher" levels of depressive symptoms over time (mean GDS scores for three clusters at baseline were 2.2, 4.9, and 9.0 respectively). The GDS scores in all groups were generally stable over time. Baseline predictors of a more severe trajectory were as follows: Initial GDS score of 7 or more, female sex, LTC residence for less than 12 months, and corrected visual impairment. CONCLUSIONS: The six-month course of depressive symptoms in LTC is generally stable. Most residents who experience a more severe symptom trajectory can be identified at baseline.

Participation needs of older adults having disabilities and receiving home care: met needs mainly concern daily activities, while unmet needs mostly involve social activities.

BACKGROUND: Participation is a key determinant of successful aging and enables older adults to stay in their homes and be integrated into the community. Assessing participation needs involves identifying restrictions in the accomplishment of daily and social activities. Although meeting participation needs involves older adults, their caregivers and healthcare providers, little is known about their respective viewpoints. This study thus explored the participation needs of older adults having disabilities as perceived by the older adults themselves, their caregivers and healthcare providers. METHODS: A qualitative multiple case study consisted of conducting 33 semi-structured interviews in eleven triads, each composed of an older adult, his/her caregiver and a healthcare provider recruited in a Health and Social Services Centre (HSSC) in Québec, Canada. Interview transcripts and reviews of clinical records were analyzed using content analysis and descriptive statistics based on thematic saliency analysis methods. RESULTS: Aged 66 to 88 years, five older adults had physical disabilities, five had mild cognitive impairment and one had psychological problems, leading to moderate to severe functional decline. Caregivers and healthcare providers were mainly women, respectively retired spouses and various professionals with four to 32 years of clinical experience. Participation needs reported by each triad included all domains of participation. Needs related to daily activities, such as personal care, nutrition, and housing, were generally met. Regarding social activities, few needs were met by various resources in the community and were generally limited to personal responsibilities, including making decisions and managing budgets, and some community life activities, such as going shopping. Unmet needs were mainly related to social activities, involving leisure, other community life activities and interpersonal relationships, and some daily activities, including fitness and mobility. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the complexity of older adults' participation needs, involving daily as well as social activities. Properly assessing and addressing these needs is thus necessary to improve older adults' health and well-being. Discrepancies in the various actors' perceptions of participation needs must be further explored. Additional research would help better understand how to optimize the contribution of community organizations and caregivers.

Recognizing acute delirium as part of your routine [RADAR]: a validation study.

BACKGROUND: Although detection of delirium using the current tools is excellent in research settings, in routine clinical practice, this is not the case. Together with nursing staff, we developed a screening tool (RADAR) to address certain limitations of existing tools, notably administration time, ease-of-use and generalizability. The purpose of this study was not only to evaluate the validity and reliability of RADAR but also to gauge its acceptability among the nursing staff in two different clinical settings. METHODS: This was a validation study conducted on three units of an acute care hospital (medical, cardiology and coronary care) and five units of a long-term care facility. A total of 142 patients and 51 residents aged 65 and over, with or without dementia, participated in the study and 139 nurses were recruited and trained to use the RADAR tool. Data on each patient/resident was collected over a 12-hour period. The nursing staff and researchers administered RADAR during the scheduled distribution of medication. Researchers used the Confusion Assessment Method to determine the presence of delirium symptoms. Delirium itself was defined as meeting the criteria for DMS-IV-TR delirium. Inter-rater reliability, convergent, and concurrent validity of RADAR were assessed. At study end, 103 (74%) members of the nursing staff completed the RADAR feasibility and acceptability questionnaire. RESULTS: Percentages of agreement between RADAR items that bedside nurses administered and those research assistants administered varied from 82% to 98%. When compared with DSM-IV-TR criterion-defined delirium, RADAR had a sensitivity of 73% and a specificity of 67%. Participating nursing staff took about seven seconds on average, to complete the tool and it was very well received (≥98%) overall. CONCLUSIONS: The RADAR tool proved to be efficient, reliable, sensitive and very well accepted by nursing staff. Consequently, it becomes an appropriate new option for delirium screening among older adults, with or without cognitive impairment, in both hospitals and nursing homes. Further projects are currently underway to validate the RADAR among middle-aged adults, as well as in newer clinical settings; home care, emergency department, medical intensive care unit, and palliative care.

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: how long does every behavior last, and are particular behaviors associated with PRN antipsychotic agent use?

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) affect approximately all residents in nursing homes at some point; however, the course of BPSD among this group is not well known. The goal of the current study was to describe the course of each measured BPSD over a period of 6 months. A secondary explorative objective was to identify which BPSD are associated with as-needed (PRN) antipsychotic drug use. This secondary analysis study of 146 nursing home residents was drawn from a prospective, observational, multisite (N = 7) cohort study. Results showed that BPSD lasted for an average of 2.3 months, and the BPSD saying things that do not make sense had the longest duration, with 3.6 months. PRN antipsychotic drug administration was associated with nocturnal BPSD and requesting help unnecessarily. Within 3 months, most BPSD were resolved by usual care; use of PRN antipsychotic medication was not associated with behaviors that put the residents or their caregivers at risk.

Core symptoms not meeting criteria for delirium are associated with cognitive and functional impairment and mood and behavior problems in older long-term care residents.

BACKGROUND: The immediate clinical significance of Confusion Assessment Method (CAM)-defined core symptoms of delirium not meeting criteria for delirium is unclear. This study proposed to determine if such symptoms are associated with cognitive and functional impairment, mood and behavior problems and increased Burden of Care (BOC) in older long-term care (LTC) residents. METHODS: The study was a secondary analysis of data collected for a prospective cohort study of delirium. Two hundred and fifty-eight LTC residents aged 65 years and older in seven LTC facilities had monthly assessments (for up to six months) of CAM - defined core symptoms of delirium (fluctuation, inattention, disorganized thinking, and altered level of consciousness) and five outcome measures: Mini-Mental State Exam, Barthel Index, Cornell Scale for Depression, Nursing Home Behavioral Problems Scale, and Burden of Care. Associations between core symptoms and the five outcome measures were analyzed using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Core symptoms of delirium not meeting criteria for delirium among residents with and without dementia were associated with cognitive and functional impairment and mood and behavior problems but not increased BOC. The associations appear to be intermediate between those of full delirium and no core symptoms and were greater for residents with than without dementia. CONCLUSION: CAM-defined core symptoms of delirium not meeting criteria for delirium appear to be associated with cognitive and functional impairment and mood and behavior problems in LTC residents with or without dementia. These findings may have implications for the prevention and management of such impairments and problems in LTC settings.

The course of subsyndromal delirium in older long-term care residents.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the course of incident subsyndromal delirium (SSD) in older long-term care (LTC) residents. A secondary objective was to explore the use of a more restrictive definition of SSD on the findings of the study. DESIGN: Cohort study with repeated weekly assessments for up to 6 months. SETTING: Seven LTC facilities in Montreal and Quebec City, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: LTC residents aged 65 and more and free of delirium core symptoms at baseline. MEASURES: The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), Delirium Index (DI), Hierarchic Dementia Scale, and Barthel Index were completed at baseline. The MMSE, CAM, and DI were repeated weekly for 6 months. SSD1 required one or more CAM core symptoms; SSD2, a more restrictive definition, required two or more CAM core symptoms. RESULTS: Sixty-eight residents had 129 incident episodes of SSD1: 32 had one episode and 36 had two or more episodes. Episodes lasted 7 - 133 days, mean 13.7 (SD: 14.8) days; mean number of symptoms per episode was 1.1 (SD: 0.4). Rates of recovery at 1, 2, and 4 weeks and 6 months were 45.7%, 61.2%, 64.6%, and 78.3%, respectively. Thirty-three residents had 49 episodes of SSD2: 21 had 1 episode and 12 had 2 or more episodes. Use of the more restrictive definition significantly increased time to recovery and reduced rate of recovery. CONCLUSION: Episodes of SSD in older LTC residents appeared to last 7-133 days (mean: 13.7) and were often recurrent. Use of a more restrictive definition resulted in a more protracted course.

Symptoms of delirium predict incident delirium in older long-term care residents.

BACKGROUND: Detection of long-term care (LTC) residents at risk of delirium may lead to prevention of this disorder. The primary objective of this study was to determine if the presence of one or more Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) core symptoms of delirium at baseline assessment predicts incident delirium. Secondary objectives were to determine if the number or the type of symptoms predict incident delirium. METHODS: The study was a secondary analysis of data collected for a prospective study of delirium among older residents of seven LTC facilities in Montreal and Quebec City, Canada. The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), CAM, Delirium Index (DI), Hierarchic Dementia Scale, Barthel Index, and Cornell Scale for Depression were completed at baseline. The MMSE, CAM, and DI were repeated weekly for six months. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to determine if baseline symptoms predict incident delirium. RESULTS: Of 273 residents, 40 (14.7%) developed incident delirium. Mean (SD) time to onset of delirium was 10.8 (7.4) weeks. When one or more CAM core symptoms were present at baseline, the Hazard Ratio (HR) for incident delirium was 3.5 (95% CI = 1.4, 8.9). The HRs for number of symptoms present ranged from 2.9 (95% CI = 1.0, 8.3) for one symptom to 3.8 (95% CI = 1.3, 11.0) for three symptoms. The HR for one type of symptom, fluctuation, was 2.2 (95% CI = 1.2, 4.2). CONCLUSION: The presence of CAM core symptoms at baseline assessment predicts incident delirium in older LTC residents. These findings have potentially important implications for clinical practice and research in LTC settings.

Development of a delirium risk screening tool for long-term care facilities.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to develop a delirium risk screening tool for use in long-term care (LTC) facilities. METHODS: The sample comprised residents aged 65 years and over of seven LTC facilities in Montreal and Quebec City, Canada, admitted for LTC. Primary analyses were conducted among residents without delirium at baseline. Incident delirium was diagnosed using multiple data sources during the 6-month follow-up. Risk factors, all measured at or prior to baseline, included the following six groups: sociodemographic, medical, cognitive status, physical function, agitated behavior, and symptoms of depression. Variables were analyzed individually and by group using Cox regression models. Clinical judgment was used to select the most feasible among similarly performing factors. RESULTS: The cohort comprised 206 residents without delirium at baseline; 69 cases of incident delirium were observed (rate 7.6 per 100 person weeks). The best-performing screening tool comprised five items, with an overall area under the curve of 0.82 (95% CI 0.76, 0.88). These items included brief measures of cognitive status, physical function, behavioral, and emotional problems. Using cut-points of 2 (or 3) over 5, the scale has a sensitivity of 90% (63%), specificity of 59% (85%), and positive predictive value of 52% (66%). CONCLUSIONS: This brief screening tool allows nurses to identify LTC residents at increased risk for delirium. These residents can be targeted for closer monitoring and preventive interventions.

The course of delirium in older long-term care residents.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the course of delirium in older long-term care (LTC) residents. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 279 residents in seven LTC facilities in Montreal and Quebec City, Canada, was conducted. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), Delirium Index (DI), Hierarchic Dementia Scale, Barthel Index, and Cornell Scale for Depression were completed at baseline. The MMSE, CAM, and DI were repeated weekly for 6 months. Information on medical problems and medication was abstracted from resident charts. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Cox proportional hazard regression, and logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 279 residents, 41 (14.7%) had 61 CAM-defined incident episodes of delirium: 28 (10%) had one episode and 13 (4.7%) had two or more episodes. Episode duration was 7-63 days, mean, 11.3 (SD, 10.1) days. The mean episode DI score was 11.5 (SD, 3.5). Rates of recovery at 1, 2, 4, and 24 weeks were 57.4%, 67.2% 77.1%, and 80.3%, respectively. Most episodes were preceded or followed by one or more CAM core symptoms of delirium, sometimes lasting many weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Confusion Assessment Method-defined incident episodes of delirium in older LTC residents appear to last longer than episodes in acute care hospital patients, but rates of recovery at 4 and 24 weeks are similar. Notably, most episodes were preceded or followed by one or more CAM core symptoms of delirium. These findings have implications for clinical practice and research in LTC settings.

Prodrome of delirium among long-term care residents: what clinical changes can be observed in the two weeks preceding a full-blown episode of delirium?

BACKGROUND: Delirium among long-term care (LTC) residents is frequent and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Identification of clinical changes during the prodromal phase of delirium could lead to prevention of a full-blown episode and perhaps limit the deleterious consequences of this syndrome. The aim of the present study was to identify clinical changes observable in the 2-week period prior to the onset of full-blown delirium. METHODS: Long-term care (LTC) residents aged 65 years and over, with or without dementia were eligible for this nested case-control study. Delirium was assessed weekly over a 6-month period using the Confusion Assessment Method. Cases with incident delirium were matched by time since enrollment to one or more controls without delirium. RESULTS: When compared to the controls, LTC residents who developed delirium (cases = 85) were more likely to have new-onset perceptual disturbances (OR = 4.75; 95% CI 1.65-13.66) and disorganized thinking (OR = 3.09; 95% CI 1.33-7.19) and a worsening of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) item measuring registration (OR = 2.59; 95% CI 1.24-5.41) during the preceding 2 weeks. However, the frequency of these changes was low. Residents with at least 3 clinical changes were more likely to develop delirium than those without any clinical change (OR = 2.52; 95% CI 1.08-5.87). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence of clinical changes during the prodromal phase of delirium among LTC residents. More studies are needed to further explore the role and relevance of these clinical changes as warning signs of imminent delirium.

Prevalence and incidence of delirium in long-term care.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To describe the prevalence and 6-month incidence of delirium in long-term care facility (LTCF) residents age 65 and over; (2) To describe differences in these measures by resident baseline characteristics. METHODS: A multisite, prospective observational study was conducted in seven LTCFs in the province of Quebec, Canada. Residents of age 65 and over were recruited into two cohorts: Cohort A with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 10 or more and Cohort B with an MMSE score of less than 10. Baseline resident measurements were obtained from research resident assessments, nurse interviews, and chart review. Weekly resident assessments for up to 24 weeks included the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). RESULTS: Two hundred seventy-nine residents were recruited and completed baseline delirium assessments: 204 in Cohort A and 75 in Cohort B. The prevalence of delirium at baseline was 3.4% in Cohort A and 33.3% in Cohort B. The incidence of delirium among those without delirium at baseline (per 100 person-weeks of follow-up) was 1.6 in Cohort A and 6.9 in Cohort B. In multivariate analyses, a diagnosis of dementia, moderate to severe cognitive impairment, and depressive symptoms at baseline were associated with a greater prevalence and incidence of delirium. CONCLUSION: Delirium is an important clinical problem in LTCF residents, particularly among those with moderate to severe cognitive impairment at baseline.

Use of nurse-observed symptoms of delirium in long-term care: effects on prevalence and outcomes of delirium.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported that nurse detection of delirium has low sensitivity compared to a research diagnosis. As yet, no study has examined the use of nurse-observed delirium symptoms combined with research-observed delirium symptoms to diagnose delirium. Our specific aims were: (1) to describe the effect of using nurse-observed symptoms on the prevalence of delirium symptoms and diagnoses in long-term care (LTC) facilities, and (2) to compare the predictive validity of delirium diagnoses based on the use of research-observed symptoms alone with those based on research-observed and nurse-observed symptoms. METHODS: Residents aged 65 years and over of seven LTC facilities were recruited into a prospective study. Using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), research assistants (RAs) interviewed residents and nurses to assess delirium symptoms. Delirium symptoms were also abstracted independently from nursing notes. Outcomes measured at five month follow-up were: death, the Hierarchic Dementia Scale (HDS), the Barthel ADL scale, and a composite outcome measure (death, or a 10-point decline in either the HDS or the ADL score). RESULTS: The prevalence of delirium among 235 LTC residents increased from 14.0% (using research-observed symptoms only) to 24.7% (using research- and nurse-observed symptoms). The relative risks (and 95% confidence intervals) for prediction of the composite outcome, after adjustment for covariates, were: 1.43 (0.88, 1.96) for delirium using research-observed symptoms only; 1.77 (1.13, 2.28) for delirium using research- and nurse-observed symptoms, in comparison with no delirium. CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of delirium symptoms observed by nurses not only increases the detection of delirium in LTC facilities but improves the prediction of outcomes.

[Management of osteoporosis in short-term geriatric units]. / Prise en charge de l'ostéoporose dans les unitéés de courte durée gériatriques.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the recommendations in Canadian and American clinical practice guidelines for the management of osteoporosis that are applicable to vulnerable, older patients in short-term geriatric units (STGU). DESIGN: Modified Delphi approach according to the RAND/UCLA method. SETTING: A panel of experts from various regions of Quebec. PARTICIPANTS: The panel consisted of 6 physicians, 5 pharmacists, and 3 nutritionists recognized by their peers for their expertise in STGU. METHODS: Eleven recommendations from the North American guidelines were submitted to a panel of experts who were asked to identify those most appropriate for the management of osteoporosis in STGU. Each expert's level of agreement with the recommendations and the experts' general level of agreement were used to determine the relevance of the recommendations. FINDINGS: The experts reached a consensus on each of the 11 recommendations. Seven recommendations were deemed appropriate for the management of osteoporosis in vulnerable, older patients in STGU. Bone mineral density measurement as a parameter for follow-up was the only recommendation deemed inappropriate in this context. The experts remained uncertain about 3 recommendations: systematic screening for osteoporosis by bone mineral density measurement; systematic screening or evaluation of the risk factors for fractures; and pharmacologic prevention in vulnerable, older patients with an increased risk of fracture. CONCLUSION: Some of the recommendations issued in the North American recommendations appear to be less appropriate for managing osteoporosis in vulnerable, older patients in STGU. The recommendations retained in this study could be used to standardize interventions for these patients and to determine the extent to which current practice follows the recommendations.

RADAR: A Measure of the Sixth Vital Sign?

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of RADAR (Recognizing Active Delirium As part of your Routine) as a measure of the sixth vital sign. This study was a secondary analysis of a study (N = 193) that took place in one acute care hospital and one long-term care facility. The primary outcome was a positive sixth vital sign, defined as the presence of both an altered level of consciousness and inattention. These indicators were assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method. RADAR identified 30 of the 43 participants as having a positive sixth vital sign and 58 of the 70 cases as not, yielding a sensitivity and specificity of 70% and 83%, respectively. Positive predictive value was 71%. RADAR's characteristics, including its brevity and acceptability by nursing staff, make this tool a good candidate as a measure of the sixth vital sign. Future studies should address the generalizability of RADAR among various populations and clinical settings.