Non-pharmacological interventions for managing pain in community-dwelling older adults

Pain is a complex and common issue within older adults. This complexity can be a direct result of comorbidities and the subsequent polypharmacy. The effective control of pain in older adults needs more than just pharmacological management. Non-pharmacological interventions have been demonstrated to be beneficial when combined with pain medications. This commentary critically appraises a systematic review that examines the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for the management of pain in community dwelling older adults.

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Association between sarcopenia and hospitalization in community-dwelling older adults, using the SARC-F and SARC-CalF methods: a systematic review protocol

Physical Therapy Reviews ◽

10.1080/10833196.2021.1917843 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Aline de Bastos Ferreira ◽

Romulo Roosevelt da Silva Filho ◽

Luciana Pereira Rodrigues ◽

Guilherme Vinicius de Souza ◽

Matias Noll ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Systematic Review Protocol ◽

Review Protocol ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

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The Effects of Technological Interventions on Social Participation of Community-Dwelling Older Adults with and without Dementia: A Systematic Review

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10112308 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 2308

Author(s):

Pascale Heins ◽

Lizzy M. M. Boots ◽

Wei Qi Koh ◽

An Neven ◽

Frans R. J. Verhey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Social Participation ◽

Methodological Quality ◽

Well Being ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Technological Interventions ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Social isolation in community-dwelling older adults with dementia is a growing health issue that can negatively affect health and well-being. To date, little attention has been paid to the role of technology in improving their social participation. This systematic review aims to provide a systematic overview of the effects of technological interventions that target social participation in community-dwelling older adults with and without dementia. The scientific databases Medline (PubMed), PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched and independently screened by two reviewers. Results were synthesized narratively. The methodological quality of included studies was independently assessed by two reviewers. In total, 36 studies of varying methodological quality were identified. Most studies evaluated social networking technology and ICT training programs. Three studies focused on people with dementia. Quantitative findings showed limited effects on loneliness, social isolation, and social support. Nevertheless, several benefits related to social participation were reported qualitatively. Social interaction, face-to-face contact, and intergenerational engagement were suggested to be successful elements of technological interventions in improving the social participation of community-dwelling older adults. Rigorous studies with larger sample sizes are highly needed to evaluate the long-term effects of technology on the multidimensional concept of social participation.

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How wearable sensors have been utilised to evaluate frailty in older adults: a systematic review

Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation ◽

10.1186/s12984-021-00909-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Grainne Vavasour ◽

Oonagh M. Giggins ◽

Julie Doyle ◽

Daniel Kelly

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Gait Speed ◽

Outcome Measurement ◽

Wearable Sensors ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Ageing Population ◽

Application Development ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Background Globally the population of older adults is increasing. It is estimated that by 2050 the number of adults over the age of 60 will represent over 21% of the world’s population. Frailty is a clinical condition associated with ageing resulting in an increase in adverse outcomes. It is considered the greatest challenge facing an ageing population affecting an estimated 16% of community-dwelling populations worldwide. Aim The aim of this systematic review is to explore how wearable sensors have been used to assess frailty in older adults. Method Electronic databases Medline, Science Direct, Scopus, and CINAHL were systematically searched March 2020 and November 2020. A search constraint of articles published in English, between January 2010 and November 2020 was applied. Papers included were primary observational studies involving; older adults aged > 60 years, used a wearable sensor to provide quantitative measurements of physical activity (PA) or mobility and a measure of frailty. Studies were excluded if they used non-wearable sensors for outcome measurement or outlined an algorithm or application development exclusively. The methodological quality of the selected studies was assessed using the Appraisal Tool for Cross-sectional Studies (AXIS). Results Twenty-nine studies examining the use of wearable sensors to assess and discriminate between stages of frailty in older adults were included. Thirteen different body-worn sensors were used in eight different body-locations. Participants were community-dwelling older adults. Studies were performed in home, laboratory or hospital settings. Postural transitions, number of steps, percentage of time in PA and intensity of PA together were the most frequently measured parameters followed closely by gait speed. All but one study demonstrated an association between PA and level of frailty. All reports of gait speed indicate correlation with frailty. Conclusions Wearable sensors have been successfully used to evaluate frailty in older adults. Further research is needed to identify a feasible, user-friendly device and body-location that can be used to identify signs of pre-frailty in community-dwelling older adults. This would facilitate early identification and targeted intervention to reduce the burden of frailty in an ageing population.

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