“I worry about this patient EVERY day”: Geriatrics Clinicians’ Challenges in Caring for Unrepresented Older Adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 073346482110412
Author(s):  
Kara B. Dassel ◽  
Linda S. Edelman ◽  
Jennifer Moye ◽  
Casey Catlin ◽  
Timothy W. Farrell
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Ethical Dilemmas ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Person Centered Care ◽  
Risk Characteristics ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
Outpatient Settings

Unrepresented older adults are at risk for adverse outcomes, and clinicians who care for them may face ethical dilemmas and unique challenges when making person-centered care recommendations. However, little is known about their perspectives on clinical challenges in caring for this population. An online survey was used to assess issues around providing care for unrepresented patients. Ninety-two American Geriatrics Society members working with older adults in inpatient and/or outpatient settings completed the survey. Descriptive qualitative analysis of narrative survey responses identified five broad themes: (a) health risk characteristics of patients, (b) care decisions facing the team, (c) psychosocial considerations by the team, (d) patient outcomes, and (e) burden of the provider and/or health system. These findings demonstrate that geriatrics clinicians face challenges in working with unrepresented adults in both inpatient and outpatient settings. We interpret these results in light of existing literature and propose collaborative approaches that may improve outcomes.

scholarly journals The COVID-19 Pandemic Reignites the Need for Person-Centered Gerontological Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 233372142110418
Author(s):  
Pamela A. Saunders ◽  
Tara McMullen ◽  
Sonya Barsness ◽  
Andrew Carle ◽  
Gay Powell Hanna
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Geriatric Medicine ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
Person Centered Care ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Care Partners ◽  
National Response ◽  
Centered Care

The national response to the COVID-19 pandemic pressed gerontologists to reflect, redesign, and reform services supporting older adults. Efforts to isolate a peer cohort to stabilize and maintain a standard of health had adverse outcomes and added pressure conflicting with autonomy and individual desires. In this, person-centered care emerges as a meaningful archetype to address dignity and independence. This article presents views from academics and practitioners across an interdisciplinary spectrum, arising from a webinar hosted by Georgetown University Program in Aging & Health. A description of personhood as an extension of the humanities is followed by a robust discussion of safety and autonomy for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examine the necessary commute between critical gerontological theory and the practice of humanistic gerontology. Further, this article disentangles humanism and person-centered care to balance autonomy and safety for older adults in congregate living situations and focuses on specific populations: people with dementia and their care partners. Discussion on the importance of person-centered policy development in a public health pandemic is also explored. The article concludes with a call to action for the adoption of a comprehensive person-centered care model across the fields of gerontology and geriatric medicine.

Servicing the Senior Swallow: A Family-Centered Private Practice Model of Service Delivery

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvette M. McCoy
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Medical Model ◽  
Recovery Process ◽  
Swallowing Disorders ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Skilled Nursing ◽  
Person Centered Care ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Traditional Medical Model

Purpose Person-centered care shifts the focus of treatment away from the traditional medical model and moves toward personal choice and autonomy for people receiving health services. Older adults remain a priority for person-centered care because they are more likely to have complex care needs than younger individuals. Even more specifically, the assessment and treatment of swallowing disorders are often thought of in terms of setting-specific (i.e., acute care, skilled nursing, home health, etc.), but the management of dysphagia in older adults should be considered as a continuum of care from the intensive care unit to the outpatient multidisciplinary clinic. In order to establish a framework for the management of swallowing in older adults, clinicians must work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team using current evidence to guide clinical practice. Private practitioners must think critically not only about the interplay between the components of the evidence-based practice treatment triad but also about the broader impact of dysphagia on caregivers and families. The physical health and quality of life of both the caregiver and the person receiving care are interdependent. Conclusion Effective treatment includes consideration of not only the patient but also others, as caregivers play an important role in the recovery process of the patient with swallowing disorders.

scholarly journals Last Place of Care and End-of-Life Quality of Life in the United States: Evidence From a National Representative Data Set

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 17-17
Author(s):  
Yifan Lou ◽  
Nan Jiang ◽  
Katherine Ornstein
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
The United States ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Person Centered Care ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background: Quality of life (QoL) during last stage of life has raised expanded interests as an important aspect of person-centered care. Last place of care (LPC), refer to the last place decedents received their formal end-of-life care (EOLC), has been identified as a key indicator of older adults’ end-of-life QoL, but the relationship was understudied. This study explores the association between LPC and end-of-life QoL among American older adults. Methods: Data used seven waves of Last Month of Life data with a total sample of 3068 Medicare decedents in NHATS. Outcome is end-of-life QoL assessed by eleven measures on four domains: pain and symptoms management (SP), quality of healthcare encounter (HE), person-centered care (PC), and overall quality of care (QC). LPC was categorized into home, hospital, nursing home, and residential hospice. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationship with covariates. Results: LPC varied by most demographic characteristics, except immigration status and education. Older adults whose LPC is hospital, compared to those who had home-care, were less likely to have great experiences on HE, PC, and QC. People dying at nursing homes are more likely to receive care meeting their dyspnea and spiritual needs. Residential hospice is negatively related to respected care, clear coordination, and keeping family informed, but are more likely to provide PS and spiritual care. Discussion: Home-based end-of-life care has certain advantages but still has room to improve on SP and religious concerns. Hospitals should keep reforming their service delivery structure to improve patients’ QoL.

scholarly journals ‘Patient-Centered Care’ for Complex Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus–-Analysis of Two Cases

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. CMED.S12231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Hackel
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Diabetes Management ◽  
Tight Control ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Treatment Approaches ◽  
Person Centered Care ◽  
Complex Patients ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
New Guidelines ◽  
Primary Care Practitioners

Purpose This paper serves to apply and compare aspects of person centered care and recent consensus guidelines to two cases of older adults with poorly controlled diabetes in the context of relatively similar multimorbidity. Methods After review of the literature regarding the shift from guidelines promoting tight control in diabetes management to individualized person centered care, as well as newer treatment approaches emerging in diabetes care, the newer guidelines and potential treatment approaches are applied to the cases. Results By delving into the clinical, behavioral, social, cultural and economic aspects of the two cases in applying the new guidelines, divergent care goals are reached for the cases. Conclusions Primary care practitioners must be vigilant in providing individualized diabetes treatment where multiple chronic illnesses increase the complexity of care. While two older adults with multimorbidity may appear at first to have similar care goals, their unique preferences and support systems, as well as their risks and benefits from tight control, must be carefully weighed in formulating the best approach. Newer pharmaceutical agents hold promise for improving the possibilities for better glycemic control with less self-care burden and risk of hypoglycemia.

scholarly journals Integrated and Person-Centered Care for Community-Living Older Adults: A Cost-Effectiveness Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 3471-3494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald J. Uittenbroek ◽  
Antoinette D. I. van Asselt ◽  
Sophie L. W. Spoorenberg ◽  
Hubertus P. H. Kremer ◽  
Klaske Wynia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Community Living ◽  
Effectiveness Study ◽  
Person Centered Care ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Cost Effectiveness Study

scholarly journals 414 - Supporting staff delivering person-centered care to people with dementia in Dutch nursing homes

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 37-38
Author(s):  
Henriëtte van der Roest ◽  
Milan van der Kuil ◽  
Anouk Overbeek ◽  
Egbert Hartstra
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Person Centered Care ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Modifiable Factors ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Organizational Features

BackgroundPositive evidence has been found for person-centered care provisioning (PCC), the level of person- centeredness of care is positively associated with residents’ quality of life, quality of care an wellbeing.When providing PCC, care and support are provided in line with the needs, preferences and capacities of people with dementia. PCC is seen as the golden standard for dementia care. However, in nursing homes, needs and preferences of people with dementia are not always obvious, due to the relatively high levels of cognitive impairment. This, and amongst others time constraints might hinder high PCC by care professionals. Limited evidence show that certain organizational and environmental conditions, such as satisfactory leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and continuing education, lead to higher PCC. In order to facilitate care professionals as much as possible in providing PCC, more insight is desirable.ObjectiveThis study aims to provide more insight into the modifiable factors that contribute to PCC for people with dementia in Dutch nursing homes.MethodsA cross-sectional design was applied. Data were collected during the fifth assessment of the Living Arrangements for people with Dementia (LAD)-study from April 2019 until February 2020. Care professionals working in psychogeriatric units in nursing homes filled in an online survey. Organizational characteristics of participating nursing homes were inventoried.The level of PCC was assessed with the Dutch version of the ‘Person-centred care questionnaire’ (PCCq). Modifiable factors potentially impacting the level of provided PCC with regard to staff characteristics (e.g. autonomy, education), organizational features (e.g. size, involvement of family in care), and culture (e.g. learning climate) were included in multiple linear modelling.Preliminary resultsIn total 58 nursing home facilities were included in the study, and 814 care professionals completed the survey. Average PCCq score was 3.2 (SD = 0.4; range 0 to 4, higher scores indicating higher PCC).ConclusionFactors related to staff, and organizational features and culture, that contribute to PPC will be presented. The outcomes of the study will provide input for the optimal organization of dementia care, in order to support care professionals working in nursing homes to provide PCC.

scholarly journals AGE-FRIENDLY CARE AND MOBILITY IN HOSPITALIZED OLDER ADULTS WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S446-S446
Author(s):  
Jasmine K Vickers ◽  
Richard E Kennedy ◽  
Shari Biswal ◽  
David James ◽  
Katrina Booth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Post Discharge ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Hospitalized Older Adults

Abstract Hospitalization of older adults with cognitive impairment (CI) has been associated with higher risk for adverse outcomes. Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Units were developed to meet the unique hospital care needs of older adults and have been associated with reductions in functional decline and readmissions. The Virtual ACE intervention was developed to disseminate ACE principles across hospital units. Virtual ACE included training interprofessional providers to utilize screens and care protocols to optimize care for older adults on eight units at a large academic medical center. We conducted a preliminary analysis of mobility and patient outcomes before and after Virtual ACE among 192 older adults with CI on hospital admission. Chi-Square tests were used to examine the associations between Virtual ACE and patient outcomes. There were statistically significant pre vs. post improvements in patients’ mobility from bed to chair (30% vs. 51%, p=0.011) and on the unit hallway (12% vs. 27%, p=0.046). Although not statistically significant, there were also improvements in hospital room mobility (39% vs. 50%, p=0.214) and documentation of activities of daily living (ADL) screens (70% vs. 80%, p=0.196). There were non-significant reductions in pressure ulcer prevalence (26% vs. 22%) and restraint use (5% vs. 0%) during the hospital stay. Pain was similar before and after Virtual ACE. Virtual ACE was associated with increased mobility and slight reductions in adverse outcomes. As increased hospital mobility improves patient functioning post-discharge, Virtual ACE has the potential to maintain function and enhance outcomes in hospitalized older adults with CI.

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