Clinical Research on Older Adults in Canada: Summary of Recent Progress

2001 ◽  
Vol 20 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Rockwood ◽  
Chris MacKnight ◽  
Colin Powell
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Geriatric Medicine ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Canadian Study ◽  
Advanced Directives ◽  
History Of ◽  
Areas Of Interest ◽  
Canadian Research ◽  
Clinical Problems

AbstractGeriatric Medicine is a young specialty in Canada, having been formally recognized in 1981. The early years of research chiefly involved designing and describing programs of care. As the specialty matured, so too did the nature of research into the clinical problems of older adults. This article discusses research published by Canadian geriatricians since 1998, the date of a previous review. Two prominent areas of research are frailty and dementia. Several groups have studied the natural history of frailty, and designed techniques to better measure outcomes. Interventional trials are also gaining prominence, with the Systeme de services intégrés pour personnes agees en perte d'automonie (SIPA) and Mobile Geriatric Assessment Team (MGAT) being good examples. The Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA) is one of the largest studies of dementia epidemiology ever conducted, and the upcoming third wave will provide new data on the outcomes of cognitive impairment not meeting criteria for dementia. Other areas of interest include pharmacoepidemiology, difficult clinical problems, advanced directives and bioethics. Canadian research in geriatrics will continue to develop, with the establishment of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research providing exciting new opportunities.

Factors Associated with Nonattendance to a Geriatric Clinic among Mexican Older Adults

Gerontology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Juan Pablo Negrete-Najar ◽  
Yoselin Juárez-Carrillo ◽  
Jimena Gómez-Camacho ◽  
Nancy R. Mejía-Domínguez ◽  
Enrique Soto-Perez-de-Celis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Geriatric Medicine ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Multinomial Regression ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Outpatient appointment nonattendance (NA) represents a public health problem, increasing the risk of unfavorable health-related outcomes. Although NA is significant among older adults, little is known regarding its correlates. This study aimed to identify the correlates (including several domains from the geriatric assessment) of single and repeated NA episodes in a geriatric medicine outpatient clinic, in general and in the context of specific comorbidities. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This is a cross-sectional study including data from 3,034 older adults aged ≥60 years with ≥1 scheduled appointments between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2016. Appointment characteristics as well as sociodemographic, geographical, and environmental information were obtained. Univariate and multivariate multinomial regression analyses were carried out. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The mean age was 81.8 years (SD 7.19). Over a third (37.4%) of participants missed one scheduled appointment, and 14.4% missed ≥2. Participants with a history of stroke (OR 1.336, <i>p</i> = 0.041) and those with a greater number of scheduled appointments during the study time frame (OR 1.182, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) were more likely to miss one appointment, while those with Parkinson’s disease (OR 0.346, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), other pulmonary diseases (OR 0.686, <i>p</i> = 0.008), and better functioning for activities of daily living (ADL) (OR 0.883, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) were less likely to do so. High socioeconomic level (OR 2.235, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), not having a partner (OR 1.410, <i>p</i> = 0.006), a history of fractures (OR 1.492, <i>p</i> = 0.031), and a greater number of scheduled appointments (OR 1.668, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) increased the risk of repeated NA, while osteoarthritis (OR 0.599, <i>p</i> = 0.001) and hypertension (OR 0.680, <i>p</i> = 0.002) decreased it. In specific comorbidity populations (hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cancer), better ADL functioning protected from a single NA, while better mobility functioning protected from repeated NA in older patients with hypertension and cancer. <b><i>Discussion/Conclusion:</i></b> Identifying geriatric factors linked to an increased probability of NA may allow one to anticipate its likelihood and lead to the design and implementation of preventive strategies and to an optimization of the use of available health resources. The impact of these factors on adherence to clinical visits requires further investigation.

The Relationship Between Fear of Falling and Functional Fitness among Older Adults Living in Rest Home

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
H Tuna ◽  
Ö Bozan ◽  
B Gürpınar ◽  
N İlçin
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Fall Risk ◽  
Fear Of Falling ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Functional Fitness ◽  
Fall Risk Factors ◽  
Rest Home ◽  
History Of

Objective: This study aimed to report the fear of falling and assess its associations with several fall-related characteristics and functional fitness parameters among older adults living in the rest home. Methods: Seventy-eight older adults aged between 65-94 years were included in the study. History of falling and the number of risk factors for falling were recorded. Fear of falling was evaluated with The Falls Efficacy ScaleInternational. Functional fitness was assessed with Senior Fitness Test, including tests for the functional measurement of strength, flexibility, aerobic endurance and dynamic balance. Result: The mean age of participants was 78.46±7.16 years. There were correlations exist between fear of falling and number of fall risk factors, dynamic balance, upper body flexibility and aerobic endurance (p<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the parameters with the highest determinants of fear of falling were the dynamic balance and history of falling (p<0.05). Conclusions: In our study, history of falling, number of fall risk factors, flexibility for the upper body, aerobic endurance and dynamic balance were parameters related to fear of falling among older adults, but the most influential factors in fear of falling were dynamic balance and history of falling.

The Early Years of Republic

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.V. Vaidyanatha Ayyar
Keyword(s):  
Educational Development ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Modern Education ◽  
British Raj ◽  
University Development ◽  
Regulatory Policies ◽  
Education In India ◽  
History Of ◽  
Post War ◽  
The University

The chapter is a prologue to the main narrative of the book. It offers an evaluation of Macaulay’s minute which paved the way for introduction of modern education in India, the idea of National System Of Education which dominated Indian thinking on education for over sixty years from the Partition of Bengal (1905) to the Kothari Commission (1964), and the division of responsibility between the Central and Provincial Governments for educational development during British Raj. It offers a succinct account of the key recommendations of the landmark Sarjent Committee on Post-War Educational Development, the Radhakrishnan Commission on University Development, and the Mudaliar Commission on Secondary Education, of the drafting history of the provisions relating to education in the Constitution, the spectacular expansion of access after Independence, the evolution of regulatory policies and institutions like the University Grants Commission (UGC), and of the delicate compromise over language policy.

scholarly journals 180-day readmission risk model for older adults with acute myocardial infarction: the SILVER-AMI study

Open Heart ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e001442
Author(s):  
John A Dodson ◽  
Alexandra M Hajduk ◽  
Terrence E Murphy ◽  
Mary Geda ◽  
Harlan M Krumholz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Acute Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Risk Model ◽  
Functional Mobility ◽  
Derivation Cohort ◽  
History Of ◽  
Reported Health ◽  
Self Reported Health Status ◽  
Readmission Risk

ObjectiveTo develop a 180-day readmission risk model for older adults with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) that considered a broad range of clinical, demographic and age-related functional domains.MethodsWe used data from ComprehenSIVe Evaluation of Risk in Older Adults with AMI (SILVER-AMI), a prospective cohort study that enrolled participants aged ≥75 years with AMI from 94 US hospitals. Participants underwent an in-hospital assessment of functional impairments, including cognition, vision, hearing and mobility. Clinical variables previously shown to be associated with readmission risk were also evaluated. The outcome was 180-day readmission. From an initial list of 72 variables, we used backward selection and Bayesian model averaging to derive a risk model (N=2004) that was subsequently internally validated (N=1002).ResultsOf the 3006 SILVER-AMI participants discharged alive, mean age was 81.5 years, 44.4% were women and 10.5% were non-white. Within 180 days, 1222 participants (40.7%) were readmitted. The final risk model included 10 variables: history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, history of heart failure, initial heart rate, first diastolic blood pressure, ischaemic ECG changes, initial haemoglobin, ejection fraction, length of stay, self-reported health status and functional mobility. Model discrimination was moderate (0.68 derivation cohort, 0.65 validation cohort), with good calibration. The predicted readmission rate (derivation cohort) was 23.0% in the lowest quintile and 65.4% in the highest quintile.ConclusionsOver 40% of participants in our sample experienced hospital readmission within 180 days of AMI. Our final readmission risk model included a broad range of characteristics, including functional mobility and self-reported health status, neither of which have been previously considered in 180-day risk models.

scholarly journals The Health and Well-Being of African-American Older Adults With a History of Incarceration

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 506-506
Author(s):  
Rodlescia Sneed
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
African American ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Formerly Incarcerated ◽  
Older Prisoners ◽  
Health Related ◽  
History Of ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
African American Older Adults

Abstract African-Americans are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. Longer prison stays and release programs for older prisoners may result in an increased number of community-dwelling older adults with a history of incarceration. In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in research on health-related outcomes for currently incarcerated older adults; however, there has been little inquiry into outcomes for formerly incarcerated African-American older adults following community re-entry. In this study, we used secondary data from the Health and Retirement Study to describe employment, economic, and health-related outcomes in this population. Twelve percent of the 2238 African-Americans in our sample had been previously incarcerated. Those who had been previously incarcerated had higher rates of lung disease, arthritis, back problems, mobility problems, and mental health issues than their counterparts. They also had higher rates of hospitalization and lower use of dental health services. Further, while they did not experience lower employment rates than those with no criminal history, those who had been incarcerated had more physically demanding jobs and reported greater economic strain. Given the disproportionate incarceration rates among African-Americans, the aging of the prison population, and the increase in community re-entry for older prisoners, research that explores factors that impact the health and well-being of formerly incarcerated individuals has broad impact. Future work should focus on addressing the needs of this vulnerable population of African-American older adults.

scholarly journals Bedside Ultrasound Measures of Muscle Mass and Frailty Measures in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 269-269
Author(s):  
Kenneth Madden ◽  
Boris Feldman ◽  
Shane Arishenkoff ◽  
Graydon Meneilly
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Frailty Index ◽  
Geriatric Medicine ◽  
Muscle Thickness ◽  
Vancouver General Hospital ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Clinical Frailty Scale ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract The age-associated loss of muscle mass and strength in older adults is called sarcopenia, and it is associated with increased rates of falls, fractures, hospitalizations and death. Sarcopenia is one of the most common physical etiologies for increased frailty in older adults, and some recent work has suggested the use of Point-of care ultrasound (PoCUS) measures as a potential measure of muscle mass. The objective of this study was to examine the association of PoCUS measures of muscle thickness (MT) with measures of frailty in community-dwelling older adults. We recruited 150 older adults (age &gt;= 65; mean age 80.0±0.5 years, 66 women, 84 men) sequentially from 5 geriatric medicine clinics (Vancouver General Hospital). We measured lean muscle mass (LMM, by bioimpedance assay) and an ultrasonic measure of muscle quantity (MT, vastus medialis muscle thickness) in all subjects, as well as two outcome measures of frailty (FFI, Fried Frailty Index; RCFS, Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale). In our models, MT showed an inverse correlation with the FFI (Standardized β=-0.2320±0.107, p=0.032) but no significant correlation with the RCFS (Standardized β = -0.025±0.086, p=0.776). LMM showed no significant association with either FFI (Standardized β=-0.232±0.120, p=0.055) or RCFS (Standardized β = -0.043±0.119, p=0.719). Our findings indicate that PoCUS measures show potential as a way to screen for physical manifestations of frailty and might be superior to other bedside methods such as bioimpedance assay. However, PoCUS measures of muscle thickness will likely miss patients showing frailty in the much broader context captured by the RCFS.

Emanzipation von der jüdischen Orthodoxie. Die Jugend- und Lehrjahre 1862-1890 des Leo Wertheimer alias Constantin Brunner

Aschkenas ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-349
Author(s):  
Matthias Springborn
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Development ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Informal Networks ◽  
Major Focus ◽  
German Empire ◽  
Self Image ◽  
Childhood And Youth ◽  
History Of ◽  
German Jewish ◽  
Jewish Intellectuals

Abstract This biographical essay is designed to give a survey of Constantin Brunnerʼs early years, from his childhood and youth until the end of his student days, based on the available letters, manuscripts and published writings. A major focus is on Brunnerʼs intellectual development from protected child, spiritually shaped by Jewish orthodoxy, to aspiring religious scholar and finally to the secular philosopher known today. The article is therefore a contribution to a range of research topics: to the field of German-Jewish biography during the period of the German Empire; but also to the history of ideas, particularly in relation to the secularization of religious minorities. It also touches upon developments inside the Jewish community: the way different intellectual and religious currents are related to each other, the informal networks between Jewish intellectuals and how national (German or Jewish) identity is related to the Jewish self-image.

scholarly journals Patterns of Weight Change in Aging and Dying

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 491-491
Author(s):  
Stephen Thielke
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Weight Change ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Average Weight ◽  
Remaining Life ◽  
Entire Cohort ◽  
History Of

Abstract Little research has characterized the natural history of weight change in older adults. Different changes may occur during aging and dying. We analyzed 18 years of weight measures from a cohort of 736,361 Veterans, all of whom had died at age 70 or older. We produced summary measures that accounted for both chronological age and number of years before death. Several clear population-level trends appeared. (1) The average weight of the sample declined across all ages at a rate of about 0.18 BMI points per year. (2) Starting about seven years before death, the amount of loss began to accelerate, reaching a decline of 0.75 BMI points in the year before death. (3) Changes in weight relative to years of remaining life were independent of chronologic age. People who died at age 70 experienced, on average, the same type and duration of terminal decline as did those who died at age 95. (4) The dying process involved a cumulative loss of about 1.3 BMI points. (5) The distribution of weights during advancing age both declined and narrowed. (6) Disproportionate deaths occurred at the lower BMI ranges (below a BMI of 24), and especially below 18, regardless of age. (7) The finding in #5 is explained by the entire cohort losing weight, with death of the thinnest members. These findings argue for examining survival time in studies of weight change. They indicate that weight loss may be a natural part of dying, rather than a risk factor for it.

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