The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
-
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Nov 2008
Comparative StudyImproving activities of daily living in danish centenarians--but only in women: a comparative study of two birth cohorts born in 1895 and 1905.
The number of centenarians has increased rapidly since the 1950s. In Denmark, 42% more of the 1905 birth cohort made it to 100 years of age compared to the 1895 cohort. We tested whether this increased survival proportion has resulted in an increased disability level in the more recent cohort of centenarians. ⋯ The increasing number of female centenarians does not entail increasing proportions of disabled individuals. In contrast, there is a lack of improvement in ADLs among male centenarians even though the number of male centenarians is stagnating.
-
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Sep 2008
Advance care planning and health care preferences of community-dwelling elders: the Framingham Heart Study.
The study objective was to describe self-reported advance care planning, health care preferences, use of advance directives, and health perceptions in a very elderly community-dwelling sample. ⋯ Although the vast majority of very elderly community-dwellers in this sample appear to prefer comfort measures at the end of life, many said they were willing to endure specific life-prolonging interventions and distressing health states to avoid death. Our results highlight the need for physicians to better understand patients' preferences and goals of care to help them make informed decisions at the end of life.
-
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Sep 2008
Palliative care intervention for choice and use of opioids in the last hours of life.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a multicomponent palliative care intervention on choice and use of opioid pain medications for symptom control for patients dying in an acute care inpatient setting. ⋯ The results indicate that the availability of morphine as a preferred opioid and the number of patients who received opioid medication during the last 3 days of life increased after introduction of the inpatient palliative care program.
-
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Aug 2008
Race/ethnicity and outcomes following inpatient rehabilitation for hip fracture.
Hip fracture results in severe and often permanent reductions in overall health and quality of life for many older adults. As the U.S. population grows older and more diverse, there is an increasing need to assess and improve outcomes across racial/ethnic cohorts of older hip fracture patients. ⋯ Race/ethnicity differences in outcomes were present in a national sample of hip fracture patients following inpatient rehabilitation. Recognizing these differences is the first step toward identifying and understanding potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between race/ethnicity and outcomes. These mechanisms may then be addressed to improve hip fracture care for all patients.
-
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Aug 2008
A population-based study of hemoglobin, race, and mortality in elderly persons.
Anemia is associated with increased mortality risk. The impact of mildly low hemoglobin concentration (Hb) on risk for mortality remains unclear, especially among blacks. We examined the racial differences between Hb and mortality. ⋯ Both anemia by WHO criteria and mild reductions in Hb were related to increased risk of mortality in older blacks and whites.