scholarly journals Reducing ambulance conveyance for older people with and without dementia: evidence of the role of social care from a regional, year-long service evaluation using retrospective routine data

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 58-69
Author(s):  
Chloe Lofthouse-Jones ◽  
Phil King ◽  
Helen Pocock ◽  
Mary Ramsay ◽  
Patryk Jadzinski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Routine Data ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
Electronic Records ◽  
Out Of Hours ◽  
South Central ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Care Package ◽  
Life Threatening

Introduction: Older people, especially those with dementia, have a high risk of deterioration following admission to hospital. More than 60% of older people attended by South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) clinicians are conveyed to hospital, although many conveyances may not have been due to life-threatening conditions. We aimed to understand patterns of conveyance and alternative referral pathways used following ambulance attendance to an older person.Methods: Service evaluation, using routinely collected, anonymised electronic records.Participants: Electronic records of people aged ≥75 years for whom an ambulance was dispatched between April 2016 and March 2017 within the geographical boundaries of SCAS NHS Foundation Trust, who were alive on arrival of the ambulance. Conveyance rates are described according to patient and emergency-call characteristics. Logistic regression was used to produce adjusted odds ratios for conveyance. Alternative referral pathways used are described.Results: Of 110,781 patients attended, 64% were conveyed to hospital. Factors associated with reduced odds of conveyance included out-of-hours calls (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.82 [0.79‐0.85]), living alone with a care package or with family plus care package (aOR 0.66 [0.62‐0.69]; aOR 0.58 [0.54‐0.62] respectively) and a record of dementia (0.91 [0.87‐0.96]). Living in a nursing home was associated with an increased risk of conveyance (aOR 1.25 [1.15‐1.36]). Patients with dementia with more income were significantly less likely to be conveyed than those with less income. Alternative referral services were used in 22% of non-conveyed patients, most commonly GP, out-of-hours and falls services.Discussion: People aged ≥75 years have high rates of conveyance, which are influenced by factors such as out-of-hours calls, dementia and receipt of social care. Low use of alternative referral services may reflect limited availability or difficulty in access. A better understanding of how these factors influence ambulance clinician decision-making is integral to improvement of outcomes for older people.

PP12 An evaluation of the role of SCAS in the attendance to call-outs and the transport to hospital of older people with dementia

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. e6.2-e6
Author(s):  
Chloe Lofthouse-Jones ◽  
Helen Pocock ◽  
Phil King ◽  
Patryk Jadzinski ◽  
Ed England ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Electronic Records ◽  
Care Provision ◽  
Out Of Hours ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Care Package ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundOur previous work has shown that 35% of ambulance attendances by SCAS are to people aged 75 and over; 17% of these have dementia. The research literature suggests that older people with cognitive impairment/dementia experience longer stays, or die, in hospital. It is unclear whether factors such as call time or availability of social care impact conveyance rates. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of out-of-hours call-outs and social care provision on ambulance conveyance rates for people aged ≥75 years, including patients with dementia.MethodsFor this service evaluation, electronic records for patients aged ≥75 years attended by SCAS were extracted over one year. The proportion of conveyed patients according to a dementia record, out-of-hours call, time of year, triage grade, social care provision and indices of deprivation were calculated. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified factors which may influence conveyance.ResultsA total of 111,548 electronic records were included, 16.5% with dementia. 63.7% of calls resulted in conveyance (59.1% with dementia). Conveyances reduced in out-of-hours periods for all patients. 13.6% more patients living alone and 16.5% more patients living with family were conveyed to hospital if there was no care package in place. Adjusted for other factors, having a care package reduced the risk of conveyance in older people living alone by 36% (Odds ratio 0.64, 95% Confidence interval 0.62–0.67).ConclusionsAvailability of social care and time of call appear to be important determinants of conveyance in older people, both in those with and without dementia. More research is needed to improve needs assessments and local referral services and pathways.

scholarly journals New Horizons in the use of routine data for ageing research

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 716-722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver M Todd ◽  
Jennifer K Burton ◽  
Richard M Dodds ◽  
Joe Hollinghurst ◽  
Ronan A Lyons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Routine Data ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Data Infrastructure ◽  
New Horizons ◽  
Ageing Research ◽  
Processing Power ◽  
Health And Social Care

Abstract The past three decades have seen a steady increase in the availability of routinely collected health and social care data and the processing power to analyse it. These developments represent a major opportunity for ageing research, especially with the integration of different datasets across traditional boundaries of health and social care, for prognostic research and novel evaluations of interventions with representative populations of older people. However, there are considerable challenges in using routine data at the level of coding, data analysis and in the application of findings to everyday care. New Horizons in applying routine data to investigate novel questions in ageing research require a collaborative approach between clinicians, data scientists, biostatisticians, epidemiologists and trial methodologists. This requires building capacity for the next generation of research leaders in this important area. There is a need to develop consensus code lists and standardised, validated algorithms for common conditions and outcomes that are relevant for older people to maximise the potential of routine data research in this group. Lastly, we must help drive the application of routine data to improve the care of older people, through the development of novel methods for evaluation of interventions using routine data infrastructure. We believe that harnessing routine data can help address knowledge gaps for older people living with multiple conditions and frailty, and design interventions and pathways of care to address the complex health issues we face in caring for older people.

Health of older people

2021 ◽  
pp. 507-522
Author(s):  
Samir K. Sinha ◽  
Brittany Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Population Ageing ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Delivery Of Care ◽  
Socioeconomic Groups ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Wide Range

Declines in mortality and fertility have largely contributed to population ageing and an accompanying epidemiological transition from infectious to chronic diseases. Significant improvements in life expectancy have occurred overall, although these have not been equally distributed between socioeconomic groups or across countries. Ageing is associated with increased health and social care needs due to the increased risk and prevalence of chronic diseases, dementia, multimorbidity, and disability that demand different types of and approaches to care. Older people benefit from a wide range of preventive interventions that reduce morbidity earlier in life, and prevent disability later on, as well as gerontological and geriatric expertise related to the delivery of care, support, and services to meet their unique needs. This chapter considers the phenomenon of population ageing, the unique health needs of older people, and specific approaches to providing health and social care to them.

scholarly journals Ludwig's angina: a multidisciplinary concern

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 547-551
Author(s):  
Emma Parker ◽  
Gerri Mortimore
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Dental Treatment ◽  
Out Of Hours ◽  
Poor Access ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Education And Awareness ◽  
Ludwig’S Angina ◽  
Local Emergency Department ◽  
Ludwig's Angina

Although relatively uncommon, Ludwig's angina is a potentially life-threatening infection of the floor of the mouth and neck. There is a danger of airway obstruction by swelling in the area and displacement of the tongue, and patients are at risk of deterioration. There are many factors thought to place patients at an increased risk of developing the condition. These include recent dental treatment, dental caries or generally poor dentition, chronic disease such as diabetes, alcoholism and malnutrition, and patients with compromised immune systems (eg AIDS, organ transplantation). This article examines the aetiology of Ludwig's angina and considers the presentation, diagnosis and treatment of a patient who presented to an out-of-hours streaming area of a local emergency department, with an emphasis on the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. It also considers the need for ongoing education and awareness of health professionals to ensure the successful diagnosis, management and treatment of this condition, particularly in the context of patients with poor access to dental care presenting first to the emergency department.

scholarly journals FACILITATORS OF DEPENDENCY IN THE VERY OLD: RESULTS FROM THE NEWCASTLE 85+ STUDY

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S242-S242
Author(s):  
A Kingston ◽  
Louise A Robinson ◽  
Rachel Duncan ◽  
Carol Jagger
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Older People ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Daily Care ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Health And Social Care

Abstract In order for governments to plan health and social care strategies to help people maintain independence, evidence is required to show how risk factors are associated with progression in dependency. We use a transparent measure of dependency, based on help needed with activities of daily living, incontinence and cognitive impairment, categorised as: high (24-hour care); medium (daily care); low (less than daily) and independent, then characterise changes over ten years (age 85-95) using the Newcastle 85+ Study while exploring how eight disease groups, multimorbidity and impairments interact to increase care needs. Stroke and diabetes confer an increased risk of low-level dependency. Complex multimorbidity, or three or more falls engendered the greatest risk of transitions to substantial dependency. There should be a focus on prevention of, and appropriate and efficient service provision for those with complex multimorbidity with emphasis on stroke, diabetes and falls, to maintain the independence of older people

Prioritization and management of calls from older people to GP out-of-hours services

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Smith ◽  
Lucia Carragher
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Older Person ◽  
Out Of Hours ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Community Dwelling Older People

Abstract Background Urgent out-of-hours medical care is necessary to ensure people can remain living at home into older age. However, older people experience multiple barriers to using out-of-hours services including poor awareness about the general practitioner (GP) out-of-hours (GPOOH) service and how to access it. In particular, older people are reluctant users of GPOOH services because they expect either their symptoms will not be taken seriously or they will simply be referred to hospital accident and emergency services. The aim of this study was to examine if this expectation was borne out in the manner of GPOOH service provision. Objective The objective was to establish the urgency categorization and management of calls to GPOOH , for community dwelling older people in Ireland. Methods An 8-week sample of 770 calls, for people over 65 years, to a GPOOH service in Ireland, was analysed using Excel and Nvivo software. Results Urgency categorization of older people shows 40% of calls categorized as urgent. Recognition of the severity of symptoms, prompting calls to the GPOOH service, is also reflected in a quarter of callers receiving a home visit by the GP and referral of a third of calls to emergency services. The findings also show widespread reliance on another person to negotiate the GPOOH system, with a third party making 70% of calls on behalf of the older person seeking care. Conclusion Older people are in urgent need of medical services when they contact GPOOH service, which plays an effective and patient-centred gatekeeping role, particularly directing the oldest old to the appropriate level of care outside GP office hours. The promotion of GPOOH services should be enhanced to ensure older people understand their role in supporting community living.

scholarly journals Frailty Status and All-Cause Mortality in the Community-Dwelling Older People: An Umbrella Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 488-489
Author(s):  
A R M Saifuddin Ekram ◽  
Joanne Ryan ◽  
Carlene Britt ◽  
Sara Espinoza ◽  
Robyn Woods
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Umbrella Review ◽  
Frailty Phenotype ◽  
Frailty Status ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Community Dwelling Older People ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract Frailty is increasingly recognised for its association with adverse health outcomes including mortality. However, various measures are used to assess frailty, and the strength of association could vary depending on the specific definition used. This umbrella review aimed to map which frailty scale could best predict the relationship between frailty and all-cause mortality among community-dwelling older people. According to the PRISMA guidelines, Medline, Embase, EBSCOhost and Web of Science databases were searched to identify eligible systematic reviews and meta-analyses which examined the association between frailty and all-cause mortality in the community-dwelling older people. Relevant data were extracted and summarised qualitatively. Methodological quality was assessed by AMSTAR-2 checklist. Five moderate-quality systematic reviews with a total of 374,529 participants were identified. Of these, two examined the frailty phenotype and its derivatives, two examined the cumulative deficit models and the other predominantly included studies assessing frailty with the FRAIL scale. All of the reviews found a significant association between frailty status and all-cause mortality. The magnitude of association varied between individual studies, with no consistent pattern related to the frailty measures that were used. In conclusion, regardless of the measure used to assess frailty status, it is associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality.

Safety and Efficacy of Argatroban in the Management of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. CMBD.S5118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernd Saugel ◽  
Roland M. Schmid ◽  
Wolfgang Huber
Keyword(s):  
Arterial Thrombosis ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Profile ◽  
The United States ◽  
Heparin Therapy ◽  
Direct Thrombin Inhibitor ◽  
Thrombin Inhibitor ◽  
Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia ◽  
Safety And Efficacy ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Life Threatening

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a life-threatening adverse reaction to heparin therapy that is characterized by thrombocytopenia and an increased risk of venous and arterial thrombosis. According to guidelines, in patients with strongly suspected or confirmed HIT all sources of heparin have to be discontinued and an alternative, nonheparin anticoagulant for HIT treatment must immediately be started. For both the prophylaxis of thrombembolic events in HIT and the treatment of HIT with thrombosis the direct thrombin inhibitor argatroban is approved in the United States. The objective of this review is to describe the mechanism of action and the pharmacokinetic profile of argatroban, to characterize argatroban regarding its safety and therapeutic efficacy and to discuss its place in therapy in HIT.

scholarly journals Transitions between levels of dependency among older people receiving social care – a retrospective longitudinal cohort study in a Swedish municipality

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Magnus Zingmark ◽  
Fredrik Norström
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards Model ◽  
Longitudinal Cohort Study ◽  
Longitudinal Cohort ◽  
Home Help ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background Knowledge is scarce on how needs for home help and special housing evolve among older people who begin to receive support from municipal social care. The purpose of this study was to describe baseline distributions and transitions over time between levels of dependency among older persons after being granted social care in a Swedish municipality. Methods Based on a longitudinal cohort study in a Swedish municipality, data was collected retrospectively from municipal records. All persons 65 years or older who received their first decision on social care during 2010 (n = 415) were categorized as being in mild, moderate, severe, or total dependency, and were observed until the end of 2013. Baseline distributions and transitions over time were described descriptively and analysed with survival analysis, with the Kaplan-Meier estimator, over the entire follow-up period. To test potential differences in relation to gender, we used the Cox-Proportional hazards model. Results Baseline distributions between mild, moderate, severe, and total dependency were 53, 16, 24, and 7.7%. During the first year, between 40 and 63% remained at their initial level of dependency. Among those with mild and moderate levels of dependency at baseline, a large proportion declined towards increasing levels of dependency over time; around 40% had increased their dependency level 1 year from baseline and at the end of the follow-up, 75% had increased their dependency level or died. Conclusions Older people in Sweden being allocated home help are at high risk for decline towards higher levels of dependency, especially those at mild or moderate dependency levels at baseline. Taken together, it is important that municipalities make use of existing knowledge so that they implement cost-effective preventative interventions for older people at an early stage before a decline toward increasing levels of dependency.

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