BMC geriatrics
-
Previous studies have reported the associations of frailty phenotype or its components with mortality. However, studies that explored the effects of transition in frailty status on mortality were far less in Asian or Chinese. The aim of this study was to evaluate baseline frailty status and one-year change of frailty status in relation to all-cause mortality in Taiwanese community-dwelling older adults who participated in the Taichung Community Health Study for Elders. ⋯ Baseline frailty status and one-year change in frailty status are associated with 6-year all-cause mortality among Taiwanese elderly adults. Frailty may be useful for identifying older adults at high risks for mortality prevention.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Effectiveness of an intervention in multicomponent exercise in primary care to improve frailty parameters in patients over 70 years of age (MEFAP-project), a randomised clinical trial: rationale and study design.
Physical activity may reverse frailty in the elderly, but we encounter barriers to the implementation of exercise programs in this population. Our main aim is to evaluate the effect of a multicomponent physical activity program, versus regular medical practice, on reverting pre-frailty status among the elderly, 12 months post-intervention. ⋯ Within the context of regular clinical practice, our results will provide evidence regarding the effects of exercise interventions on frailty among pre-frail older adults, a key population given their significant potential for functional, physical, and mental health improvement.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Multidisciplinary intervention to improve medication safety in nursing home residents: protocol of a cluster randomised controlled trial (HIOPP-3-iTBX study).
Medication safety is an important health issue for nursing home residents (NHR). They usually experience polypharmacy and often take potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) and antipsychotics. This, coupled with a frail health state, makes NHR particularly vulnerable to adverse drug events (ADE). The value of systematic medication reviews and interprofessional co-operation for improving medication quality in NHR has been recognized. Yet the evidence of a positive effect on NHR' health and wellbeing is inconclusive at this stage. This study investigates the effects of pharmacists' medication reviews linked with measures to strengthen interprofessional co-operation on NHR' medication quality, health status and health care use. ⋯ The trial assesses the effects of a structured interprofessional medication management for NHR in Germany. It follows the participatory action research approach and closely involves the three professional groups (nursing staff, GPs, pharmacists) engaged in the medication management. A handbook based on the experiences of the trial in nursing homes will be produced for a rollout into routine practice in Germany.
-
Clinical Trial
Reliability of mobility measures in older medical patients with cognitive impairment.
Mobility is a key indicator of physical functioning in older people, but there is limited evidence of the reliability of mobility measures in older people with cognitive impairment. This study aimed to examine the test-retest reliability and measurement error of common measurement instruments of mobility and physical functioning in older patients with dementia, delirium or other cognitive impairment. ⋯ The test-retest reliability is sufficient (> 0.7) for group-comparisons in all examined instruments. Most mobility measurements have limited use for individual monitoring of mobility over time in older hospital patients with cognitive impairment because of the large measurement error (> 20% of scale width), even though relative reliability estimations seem sufficient (> 0.9) for this purpose.
-
Elderly living in a Nursing Home (NH) are frequently transferred to an Emergency Department when they need acute medical care. A proportion of these transfers may be considered inappropriate and may be avoidable. ⋯ The definition of appropriateness is not uniform across studies and needs further investigation. To avoid inappropriate transfer to EDs, we recommend to respect the patient's autonomy, to provide sufficient nursing staff and to invest in their education, to increase the role of GPs in the care of NH residents both in standard and in acute situations, and to promote interprofessional communication and collaboration between GPs, NH staff and EDs.