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Background Methods Results Conclusion Naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) are geographic areas (generally high‐rise buildings or neighborhoods) that have a high concentration of individuals 65 years and older. Supportive service programs in NORCs can address resident needs and delay nursing home (NH) admission but understanding what factors are associated with NORC residents requiring NH admission is needed to tailor such programs. Our aim was to examine individual‐ and neighborhood‐level factors associated with NH wait‐list status in NORC residents in Ontario.We conducted a population‐based, cross‐sectional study of Ontario adults 65 years of age or older living in a NORC building as of January 1, 2020, by linking a provincial registry of NORC high‐rise buildings with health administrative data. Older adults were classified as being on the NH wait‐list if they had an open application for a NH on the index date. We conducted a multilevel logistic regression analysis using generalized estimating equations to determine individual‐ and neighborhood‐level factors associated with NH wait‐list status, including sociodemographic, clinical, healthcare use, and building factors. We explored the role of sex and age through stratification by sex (male, female) and age (65–80 and 80+ years).Among 220,864 NORC residents, 4710 individuals (2.1%) were on the NH wait‐list. Female sex, older age, immigrant status, dementia diagnosis, receiving homecare, multimorbidity, and polypharmacy (five or more unique drug names) were associated with an increased odds of wait‐list status. Several neighborhood‐level variables were associated with a significantly increased likelihood of wait‐list status, including low income, high dependency, high ethnic diversity, and living in a building with supports.NORC supportive service programs can be tailored to account for the factors associated with NH wait‐list status, allowing NORC residents who are living in the community to age in their desired place and achieve optimal health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT‐I) is the gold‐standard treatment for insomnia disorder in adults. Compared to young adults, older adults have increased risk for the development of conditions associated with chronic pain, which may impact the efficacy of CBT‐I in improving insomnia symptoms in older adults. This study evaluated the effect of participant‐rated pain on sleep‐related outcomes of a supervised, non‐clinician administered CBT‐I program in older adult patients with chronic insomnia disorder.Secondary analysis was conducted using data from a randomized controlled trial among 106 community‐dwelling older adult veterans (N = 106; mean age 72.1 years, 96% male, 78.3% White, 6.6% Hispanic, 5.7% African American) with chronic (≥3 months) insomnia disorder. Participants engaged in five sessions of manual‐based CBT‐I in individual or group format within one Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system, provided by non‐clinician “sleep coaches” who had weekly telephone supervision by behavioral sleep medicine specialists. Insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index), perceived sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), fatigue (Flinder's Fatigue Scale), daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale), and perceived pain severity (items from the Geriatric Pain Measure) were assessed at 4 time points: baseline, one‐week posttreatment, 6‐month follow‐up, and 12‐month follow‐up. Mixed effects models with time invariant and time varying predictors were employed for analyses.CBT‐I improved insomnia symptoms, perceived sleep quality, fatigue, and daytime sleepiness among older veterans with chronic insomnia. Participant‐reported pain was associated with greater improvements in insomnia symptoms following CBT‐I. Pain did not affect improvements in other sleep‐related outcomes (−0.38 ≤ b ≤ 0.07, p > 0.05). Between‐subjects differences in pain, but not within‐subject changes in pain over time, appeared to play a central role in insomnia symptom improvement at posttreatment, with individuals with higher‐than‐average pain showing greater insomnia symptom improvement (ISI score reduction; −0.32 ≤ b ≤ −0.28, p ≤ 0.005).Pain did not meaningfully hinder the effects of CBT‐I on sleep outcomes. Among older veterans with chronic insomnia disorder, individuals with higher pain exhibited slightly greater improvement in insomnia than those with lower levels of pain. These findings suggest that experiencing pain does not impair treatment response and should not preclude older adults with insomnia from being offered CBT‐I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision medicine presents an opportunity to use novel, data‐driven strategies to improve patient care. The field of precision medicine has undergone many advancements over the past few years. It has moved beyond incorporation of individualized genetic risk into medical decision‐making to include multiple other factors such as unique social, demographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics. Geriatric medicine stands to benefit heavily from the integration of precision medicine into its standard practices. Older adults, compared with other populations, have high clinical and biological heterogeneity that can alter the risks and benefits of different approaches to patient care. These factors have not been routinely considered previously by geriatricians. Yet, geriatricians' ability to address older adults' baseline heterogeneity is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of delivering quality care in a geriatric medical practice. Given the shared focus of individualized decision‐making, precision medicine is a natural fit for geriatric medicine. This manuscript provides, via cases and discussion, examples that illustrate how precision medicine can improve the care of our older patients today. We will share specific and existing tools and evidence, and review the existing multilevel barriers to further incorporate and implement these tools into clinical practice. We propose methods to address these barriers and to help realize the full potential of precision medicine for the care of older adults. We conclude with a brief discussion of potential future directions of research of precision medicine in the care of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusion Persistent inflammation is associated with adverse health outcomes, but its impact on mortality has not been investigated previously among hip fracture patients. This article aims to investigate the influence of changes in levels of cytokines in the 2 months after a hip fracture repair on 5‐year mortality.This is a prospective cohort study from the Baltimore Hip Studies (BHS) with 191 community‐dwelling older men and women (≥65 years) who had recently undergone surgical repair of an acute hip fracture, with recruitment from May 2006 to June 2011. Plasma interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), soluble tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor1 (sTNFα‐R1), and interleukin‐1 receptor agonist (IL‐1RA) were obtained within 22 days of admission and at 2 months. All‐cause mortality over 5 years was determined. Logistic regression analysis tested the associations between the cytokines' trajectories and mortality over 5 years, adjusted for covariates (age, sex, education, body mass index, lower extremity physical activities of daily living, and Charlson comorbidity index).High levels of IL‐6 and sTNFα‐R1 at baseline with small or no decline at 2 months were associated with higher odds of 5‐year mortality compared with those with lower levels at baseline and greater decline at 2 months after adjustment for age, and other potential confounders (OR = 4.71, p = 0.01 for IL‐6; OR = 15.03, p = 0.002 for sTNFα‐R1). Similar results that failed to reach significance were found for IL‐1RA (OR = 2.40, p = 0.18). Those with higher levels of cytokines at baseline with greater decline did not have significantly greater mortality than the reference group, those with lower levels at baseline and greater decline.Persistent elevation of plasma IL‐6 and sTNFα‐R1 levels within the first 2 months after hospital admission in patients with hip fracture is associated with higher 5‐year mortality. These patients may benefit from enhanced care and earlier intensive interventions to reduce the risk of death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Central nervous system (CNS) medications are linked to higher morbidity and mortality in older adults. Hospitalization allows for deprescribing opportunities. This qualitative study investigates clinician and patient perspectives on CNS medication deprescribing during hospitalization using a behavioral change framework, aiming to inform interventions and identify recommendations to enhance hospital deprescribing processes.This qualitative study focused on hospitalists, primary care providers, pharmacists, and patients aged ≥60 years hospitalized on a general medicine service and prescribed ≥1 CNS medications. Using semi‐structured interviews and focus groups, we aimed to evaluate patient medication knowledge, prior deprescribing experiences, and decision‐making preferences, as well as provider processes and tools for medication evaluation and deprescribing. Rapid qualitative analysis applying the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior (COM‐B) framework revealed themes influencing deprescribing behavior in patients and providers.A total of 52 participants (20 patients and 32 providers) identified facilitators and barriers across deprescribing steps and generated recommended strategies to address them. Clinicians and patients highlighted the opportunity for CNS medication deprescribing during hospitalizations, facilitated by multidisciplinary teams enhancing clinicians' capability to make medication changes. Both groups also stressed the importance of intensive patient engagement, education, and monitoring during hospitalizations, acknowledging challenges in timing and extent of deprescribing, with some patients preferring decisions deferred to outpatient clinicians. Hospitalist and pharmacist recommendations centered on early pharmacist involvement for medication reconciliation, expanding pharmacy consultation and clinician education on deprescribing, whereas patients recommended enhancing shared decision‐making through patient education on medication adverse effects, tapering plans, and alternatives. Hospitalists and PCPs also emphasized standardized discharge instructions and transitional care calls to improve medication review and feedback during care transitions.Clinicians and patients highlighted the potential advantages of hospital interventions for CNS medication deprescribing, emphasizing the necessity of addressing communication, education, and coordination challenges between inpatient and outpatient settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Central nervous system (CNS) medication use is common among older adults, yet the impact of hospitalizations on use remains unclear. This study details CNS medication use, discontinuations, and user profiles during hospitalization periods. Methods: Retrospective cohort study using electronic health records on patients ≥65 years, from three hospitals (2018–2020), and prescribed a CNS medication around hospitalization (90 days prior to 90 days after). Latent class transitions analysis (LCTA) examined profiles of CNS medication class users across four time points (90 days prior, admission, discharge, 90 days after hospitalization). Results: Among 4666 patients (mean age 74.3 ± 9.3 years; 63% female; 70% White; mean length of stay 4.6 ± 5.6 days (median 3.0 [2.0, 6.0]), the most commonly prescribed CNS medications were antidepressants (56%) and opioids (49%). Overall, 74% (n = 3446) of patients were persistent users of a CNS medication across all four time points; 7% (n = 388) had discontinuations during hospitalization, but of these, 64% (216/388) had new starts or restarts within 90 days after hospitalization. LCTA identified three profile groups: (1) low CNS medication users, 54%–60% of patients; (2) mental health medication users, 30%–36%; and (3) acute/chronic pain medication users, 9%–10%. Probability of staying in same group across the four time points was high (0.88–1.00). Transitioning to the low CNS medication use group was highest from admission to discharge (probability of 9% for pain medication users, 5% for mental health medication users). Female gender increased (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.3–4.3), while chronic kidney disease lowered (OR 0.5, 0.2–0.9) the odds of transitioning to the low CNS medication use profile between admission and discharge. Conclusions: CNS medication use stays consistent around hospitalization, with discontinuation more likely between admission and discharge, especially among pain medication users. Further research on patient outcomes is needed to understand the benefits and harms of hospital deprescribing, particularly for medications requiring gradual tapering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Health Care for Reentry Veterans (HCRV) program was established to support community reintegration for veterans after incarceration. Yet, it is unclear how those with and without HCRV contact differ. We sought to evaluate differences in medical and psychiatric conditions and healthcare utilization among mid‐to late‐life reentry veterans who did and did not receive HCRV outreach. Methods: Study participants were veterans aged ≥50 years who qualified for Medicare fee‐for‐service, had experienced incarceration for ≥1 year, and were released from incarceration between October 1, 2006, and September 30, 2018 (N = 9733). Using VA and Medicare claims data, we compared prevalence of medical and psychiatric diagnoses, and use of emergency, inpatient, and outpatient medical and mental health services up to 12 months after release between those with and without HCRV contact. Results: Veterans with HCRV contact (35.5%) had significantly higher rates of psychiatric conditions and medical conditions related to substance use (e.g., liver disease) compared to veterans without HCRV contact. Average time between release and first healthcare service use was significantly lower for HCRV veterans (36.5 ± SD 59.5 days) versus non‐HCRV veterans (58.9 ± SD 77.5 days) and HCRV veterans were more likely to utilize the emergency department, inpatient and outpatient mental health services, and inpatient medical services. Conclusion: HCRV reaches older reentry veterans with a large burden of mental health and substance use disorders. However, levels of multimorbidity were high among all older reentry veterans, pointing to a need to develop specialized geriatric models of care for this reentry population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Older adults with multimorbidity are under‐represented in clinical drug trials. Their inclusion will not increase unless they are willing and able to participate. Data on motivators and barriers to participation in trials of new medications of older adults with multimorbidity are needed. Methods: Cross‐sectional internet and telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of adults ≥65 years with ≥3 chronic conditions (NORC University of Chicago Amerispeak Panel) conducted from March–April, 2023 to determine motivators and barriers to drug trial participation, described graphically and using statistics. Results: Surveyed 1318 (1142 Internet, 176 phone) with mean age 72.3 ± 6.3 (SD), 52% women; race: 83% White, 10% Black or African American, 5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% Asian; 4.4 ± 1.9 chronic conditions (of 16 queried), taking 7.5 ± 3.3 medications. Barriers included fear of side effects (48%), taking too many medications (44%), placebo (44%), mobility (33%), bathroom needs (25%), hearing (19%), eyesight (15%), video visits (33%; higher in women, Black or African‐American respondents, and those ≥80 years). Sixty‐five percent would join all in‐person trials, 49% would join all‐video trials. Travel >1 h was difficult for 66%, most difficult for women. Trust was a concern in 25% of Black respondents. Caregiving responsibilities or lack of time were not obstacles. Participants were most likely to consider a drug trial for a problem they have (63%) versus prevention (44%) and if invited by a physician (80%) or University healthcare system (58%). Getting better care was ranked very important (79%) followed by helping others (57%). Conclusions: Major concerns of older patients with multimorbidity about participation in drug trials are potential side effects, taking too many medicines, and video visits. Physicians have the greatest influence on decisions and in‐person visits are preferred. Proposed changes in trial design to increase enrollment of under‐represented older adults may not align with patient‐reported preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusion Multiple factors, such as less complex U.S. adult pneumococcal recommendations that could increase vaccination rates, childhood pneumococcal vaccination indirect effects that decrease adult vaccination impact, and increased vaccine hesitancy (particularly in underserved minorities), could diminish the cost‐effectiveness of programs to increase pneumococcal vaccination in older adults. Prior analyses supported the economic favorability of these programs.A Markov model compared no vaccination and current recommendations (either 20‐valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine [PCV20] alone or 15‐valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine plus the 23‐valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine [PCV15/PPSV23]) without or with programs to increase vaccine uptake in Black and non‐Black 65‐year‐old cohorts. Pre‐pandemic population‐ and serotype‐specific pneumococcal disease risk and illness/vaccine costs came from U.S. databases. Program costs were $2.19 per vaccine‐eligible person and increased absolute vaccination likelihood by 7.5%. Delphi panel estimates and trial data informed vaccine effectiveness values. Analyses took a healthcare perspective, discounting at 3%/year over a lifetime time horizon.Uptake programs decreased pneumococcal disease overall. In Black cohorts, PCV20 without program cost $216,805 per quality‐adjusted life year (QALY) gained compared with no vaccination; incremental cost‐effectiveness was $245,546/QALY for PCV20 with program and $425,264/QALY for PCV15/PPSV23 with program. In non‐Black cohorts, all strategies cost >$200,000/QALY gained. When considering the potential indirect effects from childhood vaccination, all strategies became less economically attractive. Increased vaccination with less complex strategies had negligible effects. In probabilistic sensitivity analyses, current recommendations with or without programs were unlikely to be favored at thresholds <$200,000/QALY gained.Current U.S. pneumococcal vaccination recommendations for older adults were unlikely to be economically reasonable with or without programs to increase vaccine uptake. Alternatives to current pneumococcal vaccines that include pneumococcal serotypes associated with adult disease should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions A higher difference in estimated glomerular filtration rate by cystatin C versus creatinine (eGFRDiff = eGFRCys – eGFRCreat) is associated with decreased frailty risk. Since eGFRCreat is influenced by muscle more than eGFRCys, muscle mass may explain this association. Previous work could not account for this when considering regional muscle measures by imaging. Deuterated creatine (D3Cr) dilution measures whole body muscle mass (kilograms). We aimed to determine whether eGFRDiff is associated with D3Cr muscle mass and whether muscle mass explains the association between eGFRDiff and frailty.Cross‐sectional analysis within the multicenter MrOS Study at Year 14 (visit 4). 490 men of the original cohort of 5994 MrOS participants (aged ≥65 at enrollment) were included. Exposure was eGFRDiff (= eGFRCys – eGFRCreat), calculated using CKD‐EPI equations 2012/2021. Primary outcome was D3Cr muscle mass. Secondary outcome was phenotypic pre‐frailty (one or two criteria) and frailty (≥three criteria) including the following: weight loss, weakness, slow gait, physical activity, poor energy. The association of eGFRDiff with D3Cr muscle mass was examined by linear regression, that with prefrailty / frailty by multinomial logistic regression.Mean ± SD age was 84 ± 4 years, eGFRCreat 68 ± 16, eGFRCys 52 ± 16, eGFRDiff −15 ± 12 mL/min/1.73 m2 and D3Cr muscle mass 24 ± 4 kg. For each SD increment in eGFRDiff, D3Cr muscle mass was 1.4 kg higher on average, p < 0.0001 (fully adjusted). Higher eGFRDiff was associated with lower odds of frailty (OR = 0.63 95% CI [0.45;0.89]), but this was partially attenuated and insignificant after additionally adjusting for D3Cr muscle mass (OR = 0.85 95% CI [0.58; 1.24]).Higher eGFRDiff is associated with lower odds of frailty among late‐life men. D3Cr muscle mass accounts for some of this association. This suggests that non‐GFR determinants of creatinine and cystatin C, such as muscle mass, play a role in explaining the association of eGFRDiff with frailty. Future studies are needed to confirm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusion Telehealth services are proposed to improve access and retention to care for people with HIV (PWH). Yet the rapid uptake of telehealth services during the COVID‐19 pandemic created equity concerns, especially for already vulnerable populations. Older PWH may face a combination of barriers to telehealth but also stand to benefit given social isolation and the need for multimorbidity management. Few studies have focused on this population, and we aimed to assess the telehealth capability and experiences of older PWH at an urban HIV clinic.We did this in two ways: (1) we contacted PWH aged ≥65 via telephone about telehealth capabilities and (2) we conducted focus groups with older PWH who transitioned from in‐person to virtual classes affiliated with the clinic.Among 179 PWH aged ≥65, 80 answered the telehealth questions. Among those who answered, 91% were male with a mean age of 69 (SD 3.0), and 55% were White. One‐third did not have internet access or an email address. A total of 65% had at least one telehealth‐capable device but 12.5% of respondents with a device did not know how to use it. Thirteen older PWH participated in focus groups with a mean age of 64 (SD 6.9) and 44% female. Themes were grouped into benefits (social/emotional connection and convenience) and challenges (technological barriers and missed in‐person experience).Participants preferred in‐person classes but felt telehealth was a good alternative for mitigating isolation. Telehealth gave those with mobility and transportation issues improved access to supportive services. As the COVID‐19 public health emergency ends, hybrid options should be considered to improve access for older PWH and address social isolation. Ensuring equitable access to devices and digital literacy training will be critical to ensure services can be utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Cognitive impairment is strongly associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). Rate and rhythm control are the two treatment strategies for AF and the effect of treatment strategy on risk of cognitive decline and frailty is not well established. We sought to determine how treatment strategy affects geriatric‐centered outcomes.The Systematic Assessment of Geriatric Elements‐AF (SAGE‐AF) was a prospective, observational, cohort study. Older adults with AF were prospectively enrolled between 2016 and 2018 and followed longitudinally for 2 years. In a non‐randomized fashion, participants were grouped by rate or rhythm control treatment strategy based on clinical treatment at enrollment. Baseline characteristics were compared. Longitudinal binary mixed models were used to compare treatment strategy with respect to change in cognitive function and frailty status. Cognitive function and frailty status were assessed with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Battery and Fried frailty phenotype tools.972 participants (mean age = 75, SD = 6.8; 49% female, 87% non‐Hispanic white) completed baseline examination and 2‐year follow‐up. 408 (42%) were treated with rate control and 564 (58%) with rhythm control. The patient characteristics of the two groups were different at baseline. Participants in the rate control group were older, more likely to have persistent AF, prior stroke, be treated with warfarin and have baseline cognitive impairment. After adjusting for baseline differences, participants treated with rate control were 1.5 times more likely to be cognitively impaired over 2 years (adjusted OR: 1.47, 95% CI:1.12, 1.98) and had a greater decline in cognitive function (adjusted estimate: −0.59 (0.23), p < 0.01) in comparison to rhythm control. Frailty did not vary between the treatment strategies.Among those who had 2‐year follow‐up in non‐randomized observational cohort, the decision to rate control AF in older adults was associated with increased odds of decline in cognitive function but not frailty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) are associated with worse health outcomes among older adults. Our objective was to examine the association between PIM prescription and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) among older adults in the United States using nationally representative data.This was a retrospective study utilizing 2011–2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Community dwelling US adults aged 65 years or older were included. A qualified definition operationalized from the 2019 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria® was used to define exposure to PIMs during the study period. The Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) of the Medical Outcomes Study 12‐Item Short Form Health Survey (SF‐12) were used to measure HRQoL. Survey‐weighted linear regression models were constructed to investigate the association between PIM exposure and participants' PCS and MCS scores. Analyses were stratified across three age cohorts (65–74, 75–85, and ≥85 years).Unadjusted analysis showed poorer scores in the PIM exposed group for both PCS and MCS (all p < 0.001). PIM exposure was associated with poorer PCS scores across all age groups with those aged 65–74 years (adjusted regression coefficient = −1.60 [95% CI = −2.27, −0.93; p < 0.001]), those 75–84 years (adjusted regression coefficient: −1.49 [95% CI = −2.45, −0.53; p = 0.003]), and those 85 years and older (adjusted regression coefficient = −1.65 [95% CI = −3.03, −0.27; p = 0.02]). PIM exposure was also associated with poorer MCS scores in participants aged 65–74 years (adjusted regression coefficient = −0.69 [95% CI = −1.16, −0.22; p = 0.004]) and 85 years and older (adjusted regression coefficient = −2.01 [95% CI = −3.25, −0.78; p = 0.002]).Our results suggest that patients' exposure to PIMs is associated with poorer HRQoL. Further work is needed to assess whether interventions to deprescribe PIMs may help to improve patients' HRQoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The risk of incident dementia after surgery in older adults is unclear. The study objective was to examine the rate of incident dementia among older adults after elective surgery compared with a matched nonsurgical control group. Methods: We conducted a population‐based, propensity‐matched retrospective cohort study using data from linked administrative databases in Ontario, Canada. All community‐dwelling individuals aged 66 years and older who underwent one of five major elective surgeries between April 1, 2007 and March 31, 2011 were included. Each surgical patient was matched 1:1 on surgical specialty of the surgeon at consultation, age, sex, fiscal year of entry, and propensity score with a patient who attended an outpatient visit with a surgeon of the same surgical specialty but did not undergo surgery. Patients were followed for up to 5 years after cohort entry for the occurrence of a new dementia diagnosis, defined from administrative data. Cause‐specific hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between surgery and the hazard of incident dementia. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: A total of 27,878 individuals (13,939 matched pairs) were included in the analysis. A total of 640 (4.6%) individuals in the surgical group and 965 (6.9%) individuals in the control group developed dementia over the 5‐year follow‐up period. Individuals who underwent surgery had a reduced rate of incident dementia compared with their matched nonsurgical controls (HR 0.88; 95% CI 0.80–0.97; p = 0.01). This association was persistent in most subgroups and after sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: Elective surgery did not increase the rate of incident dementia when compared with matched nonsurgical controls. This could be an important consideration for patients and surgeons when elective surgery is considered. See related editorial by Tammy Hshieh and article by Tang et al. in this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusion The COVID‐19 pandemic transformed healthcare delivery with the rapid adoption of telehealth and digital technologies to access healthcare. Interventions are needed to ensure that older people in underserved communities do not face new technology‐driven healthcare disparities. This article describes pioneering electronic medical record (EMR) embedded tools to assess and support each diverse patient's digital health literacy.We designed and validated a rapid EMR‐embedded Digital Health Engagement Tool (DHET) to assess each patient's digital literacy in English and Spanish. We built a separate, EMR‐generated auto‐scoring function to assess patient use of telehealth and healthcare navigation as recorded within the EMR. Combined, the tools created a complete digital literacy assessment for each patient. We then deployed the tools to conduct a pilot study to elucidate disparities.A total of 112 ethnic/racial diverse older patients were enrolled (mean age was 78, ranging from 57 to 96) years (SD = 8.04). The female participants were 72.3%. Among the participants, non‐Hispanic Whites were 47.3%; Hispanic 25.0%; non‐Hispanic Asian 19.6%; non‐Hispanic others (including multi‐race and non‐Hispanic Black/African Americans) 8.0%. Digital literacy disparities were revealed for older adults, particularly those over 70 years old, female gender, and those reporting relying on a helper.New EMR‐embedded tools enable healthcare systems to assess the ability of patients to navigate and utilize EMR capabilities, such as video telehealth appointments, messaging providers, reviewing labs/radiology reports, and requesting prescriptions. The study identified significant challenges for older patients in navigating EMRs and calls for healthcare systems to better support patient learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Skilled home healthcare (HH) provided in‐person care to older adults during the COVID‐19 pandemic, yet little is known about the pandemic's impact on HH care transition patterns. We investigated pandemic impact on (1) HH service volume; (2) population characteristics; and (3) care transition patterns for older adults receiving HH services after hospital or skilled nursing facility (SNF) discharge. Methods: Retrospective, cohort, comparative study of recently hospitalized older adults (≥ 65 years) receiving HH services after hospital or SNF discharge at two large HH agencies in Baltimore and New York City (NYC) 1‐year pre‐ and 1‐year post‐pandemic onset. We used the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) and service use records to examine HH utilization, patient characteristics, visit timeliness, medication issues, and 30‐day emergency department (ED) visit and rehospitalization. Results: Across sites, admissions to HH declined by 23% in the pandemic's first year. Compared to the year prior, older adults receiving HH services during the first year of the pandemic were more likely to be younger, have worse mental, respiratory, and functional status in some areas, and be assessed by HH providers as having higher risk of rehospitalization. Thirty‐day rehospitalization rates were lower during the first year of the pandemic. COVID‐positive HH patients had lower odds of 30‐day ED visit or rehospitalization. At the NYC site, extended duration between discharge and first HH visit was associated with reduced 30‐day ED visit or rehospitalization. Conclusions: HH patient characteristics and utilization were distinct in Baltimore versus NYC in the initial year of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Study findings suggest some older adults who needed HH may not have received it, since the decrease in HH services occurred as SNF use decreased nationally. Findings demonstrate the importance of understanding HH agency responsiveness during public health emergencies to ensure older adults' access to care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is growing interest in understanding the care needs of lonely people but studies are limited and examine healthcare settings separately. We estimated and compared healthcare trajectories in lonely and not lonely older female and male respondents to a national health survey. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of community‐dwelling, Ontario respondents (65+ years) to the 2008/2009 Canadian Community Health Survey—Healthy Aging. Respondents were classified at baseline as not lonely, moderately lonely, or severely lonely using the Three‐Item Loneliness Scale and then linked with health administrative data to assess healthcare transitions over a 12 ‐year observation period. Annual risks of moving from the community to inpatient, long‐stay home care, long‐term care settings—and death—were estimated across loneliness levels using sex‐stratified multistate models. Results: Of 2684 respondents (58.8% female sex; mean age 77 years [standard deviation: 8]), 635 (23.7%) experienced moderate loneliness and 420 (15.6%) severe loneliness. Fewer lonely respondents remained in the community with no transitions (not lonely, 20.3%; moderately lonely, 17.5%; and severely lonely, 12.6%). Annual transition risks from the community to home care and long‐term care were higher in female respondents and increased with loneliness severity for both sexes (e.g., 2‐year home care risk: 6.1% [95% CI 5.5–6.6], 8.4% [95% CI 7.4–9.5] and 9.4% [95% CI 8.2–10.9] in female respondents, and 3.5% [95% CI 3.1–3.9], 5.0% [95% CI 4.0–6.0], and 5.4% [95% CI 4.0–6.8] in male respondents; 5‐year long‐term care risk: 9.2% [95% CI 8.0–10.8], 11.1% [95% CI 9.3–13.6] and 12.2% [95% CI 9.9–15.3] [female], and 5.3% [95% CI 4.2–6.7], 9.1% [95% CI 6.8–12.5], and 10.9% [95% CI 7.9–16.3] [male]). Conclusions: Lonely older female and male respondents were more likely to need home care and long‐term care, with severely lonely female respondents having the highest probability of moving to these settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sexual function is an important yet understudied aspect of overall health and well‐being in older adults. We aimed to examine sexual function and its correlates among people 50 years and older in China. Methods: We enrolled people aged 50 years and older recruited from four regions in China between September 2021 and July 2022 in a multicenter cross‐sectional study. Data were collected through an investigator‐administered questionnaire about demographic characteristics, health characteristics, and sexual function status. Logistic regression was used to assess correlates of lower sexual function (the highest quintile of the sex‐specific population distribution of Natsal‐SF scores [i.e., lower functioning compared with the remaining]). Results: A total of 465 women and 832 men who were sexually active in the past year were included in the analysis (mean age: 60.4 ± 7.2) [Correction added after first online publication on 12 Feb 2024. The word "years" has been changed to "year" in this sentence.]. Over a quarter of all participants were dissatisfied with their sex life. Notably, 92 women and 167 men were categorized as having a lower sexual function. Age (in men only), living in urban areas, general health status, being underweight or overweight (in men only), and having depressive symptoms were associated with lower sexual function. Among all participants, 43.1% of men and 54.0% of women experienced sexual response problems lasting 3 months or more. Less than one‐third of all participants had sought help or advice for sex life in the past year. Conclusions: Sexual dysfunction and sexual dissatisfaction are prevalent among older adults in China and are associated with self‐assessed poor health. More efforts are needed to better understand sexual health needs and tailor service provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Older adults have historically been excluded from clinical trials, limiting evidence‐based data. An updated picture of the situation with newly marketed medications is needed. We aimed to describe (1) the recommendations specific to older adults in monographs of newly marketed medications; (2) the representation of older adults in clinical trials of those medications. Methods: In November 2020, we listed all medications that received a notice of compliance from Health Canada between January 2006 and September 2020, excluding those with indications irrelevant to community‐dwelling older adults and locally acting medications. We assessed the availability and clarity of recommendations in monographs regarding older adults. Using Clinicaltrials.gov, we identified randomized controlled double‐blind Phase III–IV trials led in Canada/United States of a sample of 30 commonly used medications among those previously listed. We extracted information on study design, participants, and efficacy/safety analysis specific to older patients. We used simple linear regression and Chi‐square/Fisher's exact tests to analyze time trends in the representation of older adults over different periods. Results: A total of 195 monographs were included. Of the 130 monographs reporting a dosing recommendation in older adults, 53 (41%) also reported limited/insufficient data in this population or its subgroups. Of the 373 trials included, 217 (58%) did not integrate a maximum age as an inclusion criterion. However, only 113 (30%) reported including a proportion of older adults representative (or over‐representative) of the Canadian older population. Most trials (n = 289; 78%) did not provide efficacy or safety data specific to older adults. In our sample, the number/proportion of older adults in trials seemed to be increasingly reported over time, either explicitly or implicitly (e.g., inclusion criterion specifies <65 years old). Conclusions: Newly marketed medications still appear to under‐represent older adults. The resulting lack of clear recommendations in monographs compromises evidence‐based practice, thereby perpetuating the risk to older adults' health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined the associations of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), as well as their short‐ and long‐term changes over time, with incident dementia in older individuals. Methods: Data came from 18,837 community‐dwelling individuals aged 65+ years from Australia and the United States, who were relatively healthy without major cognitive impairment at enrolment. Anthropometric measures were prospectively assessed at baseline, as well as change and variability from baseline to year two (three time‐points). In a subgroup (n = 11,176), self‐reported weight at age 18 and 70+ years was investigated. Dementia cases satisfied DSM‐IV criteria. Cox regression was used to examine the associations between anthropometric measures and incident risk of dementia. Results: Compared to normal weight, an overweight (HR: 0.67, 95%CI: 0.57–0.79, p < 0.001) or obese BMI (HR: 0.73, 95%CI: 0.60–0.89, p = 0.002), or a larger WC (elevated, HR: 0.71, 95%CI: 0.58–0.86, p < 0.001; highly elevated, HR: 0.65, 95%CI: 0.55–0.78, p < 0.001; relative to low) at baseline was associated with lower dementia risk. In contrast, substantial increases in BMI (>5%) over 2 years after baseline were associated with higher dementia risk (HR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.17–1.91, p = 0.001). Increased dementia risk was also seen with an underweight BMI at baseline and a 2‐year BMI decrease (>5%), but these associations appeared only in the first 4 years of follow‐up. Compared to normal weight at both age 18 and 70+ years, being obese at both times was associated with increased dementia risk (HR: 2.27, 95%CI: 1.22–4.24, p = 0.01), while obesity only at age 70+ years was associated with decreased risk (HR: 0.70, 95%CI: 0.51–0.95, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that long‐term obesity and weight gain in later life may be risk factors for dementia. Being underweight or having substantial weight loss in old age may be early markers of pre‐clinical dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is growing recognition of the importance of sex and gender differences within falls literature, but the characterization of such literature is uncertain. The aim of this scoping review was to (1) map the nature and extent of falls literature examining sex or gender differences among older adults, and (2) identify gaps and opportunities for further research and practice. Methods: We used a scoping review methodology. Eligible studies included participants with a mean age of ≥60 years and study aims specifying falls and either sex or gender concepts. MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Ageline, and Psychinfo databases were searched from inception to March 2, 2022. Records were screened and charted by six independent reviewers. Descriptive and narrative reports were generated. Results: A total of 15,266 records were screened and 74 studies were included. Most studies reported on sex and gender differences in fall risk factors (n = 52, 70%), incidence/prevalence (n = 26, 35%), fall consequences (n = 22, 30%), and fall characteristics (n = 15, 20%). The majority of studies (n = 70, 95%) found significant sex or gender differences in relation to falls, with 39 (53%) identifying significant sex differences and 31 (42%) identifying significant gender differences. However, only three (4%) studies defined sex or gender concepts and only nine (12%) studies used sex or gender terms appropriately. Fifty‐six (76%) studies had more female participants than males. Four (5%) were intervention studies. Studies did not report falls in line with guidelines nor use common fall definitions. Conclusion: Sex and gender differences are commonly reported in falls literature. It is critical for future research to use sex and gender terms appropriately and include similar sample sizes across all genders and sexes. In addition, there is a need to examine more gender‐diverse populations and to develop interventions to prevent falls that address sex and gender differences among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Falls are the leading cause of injury, disability, premature institutionalization, and injury‐related mortality among older adults. Home hazard removal can effectively reduce falls in this population but is not implemented as standard practice. This study translated an evidence‐based home hazard removal program (HARP) for delivery in low‐income senior apartments to test whether the intervention would work in the "real world." Methods: From May 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020, a stepped‐wedge cluster‐randomized trial was used to implement the evidence‐based HARP among residents with high fall risk in 11 low‐income senior apartment buildings. Five clusters of buildings were randomly assigned an intervention allocation sequence. Three‐level negative‐binomial models (repeated measures nested within individuals, individuals nested within buildings) were used to compare fall rates between treatment and control conditions (excluding a crossover period), controlling for demographic characteristics, fall risk, and time period. Results: Among 656 residents, 548 agreed to screening, 435 were eligible (high fall risk), and 291 agreed to participate and received HARP. Participants were, on average, 72 years, 67% female, and 76% Black. Approximately 95.4% of fall prevention strategies and modifications implemented were still used 3 months later. The fall rate (per 1000 participant‐days) was 4.87 during the control period and 4.31 during the posttreatment period. After adjusting for covariates and secular trend, there was no significant difference in fall rate (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.97, 95% CI 0.66–1.42). After excluding data collected during a hiatus in the intervention due to COVID‐19, the reduction in fall rate was not significant (IRR 0.93, 95% CI 0.62–1.40). Conclusions: Although HARP did not significantly reduce the rate of falls, this pragmatic study showed that the program was feasible to deliver in low‐income senior housing and was acceptable among residents. There was effective collaboration between researchers and community agency staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The broad concept of health as "the ability to adapt and self‐manage in the face of social, physical and emotional challenges" has been operationalized by "Positive Health," a framework increasingly used in the Netherlands. We explored to what degree the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic and preventive measures on Positive Health differed between community‐dwelling older adults without, with mild and with complex health problems, as well as differences flowing from their use of preventive measures. Methods: During the second wave in the Netherlands (November 2020–February 2021), a convenience sample of adults aged ≥65 years completed an online questionnaire. Positive Health impact was measured based on self‐reported change of current health status, across six dimensions, compared to before the pandemic (decreased/unchanged/increased). The complexity of health problems (past month) was assessed using the validated ISCOPE tool, comparing subgroups without, with mild or with complex health problems. High use of preventive measures was defined as ≥9 of 13 measures and compared to low use (<9 measures). Results: Of the 2397 participants (median age 71 years, 60% female, and 4% previous COVID‐19 infection), 31% experienced no health problems, 55% mild health problems, and 15% complex health problems. Overall, participants reported a median decrease in one Positive Health dimension (IQR 1–3), most commonly in social participation (68%). With an increasing complexity of health problems, subjective Positive Health declined more often across all six dimensions, ranging from 3.3% to 57% in those without, from 22% to 72% in those with mild, and from 47% to 75% in those with complex health problems (p‐values for trend <0.001; independent of age and sex). High users of preventive measures more often experienced declined social participation (72% vs. 62%, p < 0.001) and a declined quality of life (36% vs. 30%, p = 0.007) than low users, especially those with complex health problems. Conclusion: As the complexity of health problems increased, the adverse impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic and related preventive measures was experienced more frequently across all dimensions of Positive Health. Acknowledging this heterogeneity is pivotal to the effective targeting of prevention and healthcare to those most in need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: By 2030, the UN expects 1.4 billion older adults and 2.1 billion by 2050. By 2050, 80 percent of older persons will live in developing nations. This demographic shift will present new challenges and opportunities in several areas, including health, migration, employment, and social safety nets. This study's aims were to: (1) present novel evidence on the trends and determinants of well‐being and well‐being inequality among older people around the world; and (2) highlight variation across World Bank development groups. Methods: The study utilizes individual‐level survey data from nine waves of the Gallup World Poll (2009–2017), which is representative of about 99.5% of the global population. First, we report country‐level panel evidence on well‐being and well‐being inequality for adults over 60 years of age. Second, we estimate regressions to identify the individual‐level determinants of well‐being and well‐being inequality. Results: Our results indicate that average levels of happiness vary little over time. This holds for all World Bank development groups. In contrast, we show that inequality in well‐being increases for all categories except in high‐income countries. Examining the factors that influence well‐being and well‐being inequality reveals the particular importance of income, social ties, and health. We also reveal gender differences in global well‐being; women tend to be happier than men. Lastly, whereas variations in inequity‐causing factors are minimal when comparing older to younger individuals, they vary substantially when comparing across development groups. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that rather than focusing on the average level of well‐being among older people, governments should consider the full distribution of well‐being. This requires a special emphasis on health, social networks, and education, as well as the assessment of distributional impacts in policy proposals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical frailty accelerates the timing of both subsequent disability and death; however, evidence regarding the impact of frailty on the period from disability onset to death and sex differences of this impact is lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship among physical frailty, disability, death, and sex differences. Methods: This Japanese cohort study included 10,524 community‐dwelling people aged ≥65 years. Physical frailty was operationalized by key phenotypes as per Fried's criteria (slowness, weakness, exhaustion, weight loss, and low activity) at baseline. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for disability onset and post‐disability survival according to the frailty status. Results: During a 5‐year follow‐up, the risk of disability onset for pre‐frailty (HR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.51–2.00) and frailty (HR: 3.27, 95% CI: 2.77–3.87) were significantly higher than that for robust people. Furthermore, among participants who developed disabilities within 5 years (n = 1481), the risk of post‐disability death for pre‐frailty was not different from that for robust (HR: 1.49, 95% CI: 0.99–2.24), but frailty showed a higher risk of post‐disability death than did robust people. (HR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.13–2.72). In the sex‐stratified analysis, although the female group showed no association between frailty status and post‐disability death (HR: 1.21, 95% CI: 0.63–2.33 in pre‐frailty; HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 0.60–2.57 in frailty), the male group showed higher risk of post‐disability death in both pre‐frailty (HR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.03–2.96) and frailty (HR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.32–4.09). Conclusions: Physical frailty shortens the period from disability onset to death. Additionally, the impact of frailty on post‐disability death is greater for males than for females. Our findings suggest that physical frailty is an important clinical indicator distinct from disability and that interventions to prevent and address frailty in men need further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prescribing cascades occur when a drug adverse event is misinterpreted as a new medical condition and a second, potentially unnecessary drug, is prescribed to treat the adverse event. The population‐level consequences of prescribing cascades remain unknown. Methods: This population‐based cohort study used linked health administrative databases in Ontario, Canada. The study included community‐dwelling adults, 66 years of age or older with hypertension and no history of heart failure (HF) or diuretic use in the prior year, newly dispensed a calcium channel blocker (CCB). Individuals subsequently dispensed a diuretic within 90 days of incident CCB dispensing were classified as the prescribing cascade group, and compared to those not dispensed a diuretic, classified as the non‐prescribing cascade group. Those with and without a prescribing cascade were matched one‐to‐one on the propensity score and sex. The primary outcome was a serious adverse event (SAE), which was the composite of emergency room visits and hospitalizations in the 90‐day follow‐up period. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for SAE using an Andersen–Gill recurrent events regression model. Results: Among 39,347 older adults with hypertension and no history of HF who were newly dispensed a CCB, 1881 (4.8%) had a new diuretic dispensed within 90 days after CCB initiation. Compared to the non‐prescribing cascade group, those in the prescribing cascade group had higher rates of SAEs (HR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.02–1.43). Conclusions: The CCB‐diuretic prescribing cascade was associated with an increased rate of SAEs, suggesting harm beyond prescribing a second drug therapy. Our study raises awareness of the downstream impact of the CCB‐diuretic prescribing cascade at a population level and provides an opportunity for clinicians who identify this prescribing cascade to review their patients' medications to determine if they can be optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Blindness and vision loss (BVL) is a major global health issue affecting older adults, but its burden in transition countries has received limited attention. Therefore, we aimed to assess the trends in the burden of BVL among older adults between 1990 and 2019 across Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS), and predict the burden by 2040. Methods: Data on BVL and its related causes were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study. We investigated the temporal trends by calculating the average annual percentage change using joinpoint regression analysis. Subsequently, we performed Bayesian age‐period‐cohort modeling to estimate the burden of BVL and its related causes by 2040. Results: Most BRICS countries experienced a significant decline (p < 0.05) in age‐standardized prevalence rates, and the decreasing trends tend to continue. However, by 2040, the number of BVL cases is expected to increase by approximately 50% across BRICS, with an estimated approximately 192, 170, 25, 17, and 7 million cases in China, India, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa, respectively. The related ranks of BVL causes are also estimated to change in the future, particularly in India. Conclusions: The different burdens and trends of BVL across BRICS reflected the different stages of population health transition. Effective eye disease prevention requires appropriate public health interventions. Developing effective health policies and services for older adults is urgently needed in BRICS countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Falls are the most common medication‐related safety event in older adults. Deprescribing fall risk‐increasing drugs (FRIDs) may mitigate fall risk. This study assesses the effects of an innovative deprescribing program in reducing FRID burden and falls‐related acute visits over 1 year. Methods: The Falls Assessment of Medications in the Elderly (FAME) Program is a pilot deprescribing program designed to improve medication safety in Veterans aged ≥65, screening positive for high fall risk at the Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Central case finding and electronic case reviews with deprescribing recommendations were completed by an interdisciplinary team, forwarded to prescribers for approval, then implemented during follow‐up telephone visits by FAME team. Primary outcome was change in FRID burden calculated by modified Drug Burden Index (DBI) at 1 year and an exploratory outcome was 1‐year fall‐related acute visits. Results: Overall, 472 patients (236 intervention cases, 236 matched controls) were included in the study. Of the 236 patients receiving a FAME deprescribing plan, 147 had recommendations approved by prescriber and patient. In the intention‐to‐treat analysis, the 1‐year change in modified DBI was −0.15 (95% CI −0.23, −0.08) in the intervention cohort and −0.11 (−0.21, −0.00) in the matched control cohort (p = 0.47). The odds of increasing DBI by a clinically important threshold of 0.5 was significantly lower in the FAME cohort (OR 0.37, 0.21, 0.66). Fall‐related acute events occurred in 6.3% of patients in the intervention group versus 11.0% in control patients over a one‐year period (p = 0.10). Conclusions: The program was associated with a significantly lower odds of further increasing FRID burden at 1 year compared to matched controls. An electronic case review and telephone counseling program has the potential to reduce drug‐related falls in high‐risk older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medications are one of the most easily modifiable risk factors for motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) among older adults, yet limited information exists on how the use of potentially driver‐impairing (PDI) medications changes following an MVC. Therefore, we examined the number and types of PDI medication classes dispensed before and after an MVC. Methods: This observational study included Medicare fee‐for‐service beneficiaries aged ≥67 years who were involved in a police‐reported MVC in New Jersey as a driver between 2008 and 2017. Analyses were conducted at the "person‐crash" level because participants could be involved in more than one MVC. We examined the use of 36 PDI medication classes in the 120 days before and 120 days after MVC. We described the number and prevalence of PDI medication classes in the pre‐MVC and post‐MVC periods as well as the most common PDI medication classes started and stopped following the MVC. Results: Among 124,954 person‐crashes, the mean (SD) age was 76.0 (6.5) years, 51.3% were female, and 83.9% were non‐Hispanic White. The median (Q1, Q3) number of PDI medication classes was 2 (1, 4) in both the pre‐MVC and post‐MVC periods. Overall, 20.3% had a net increase, 15.9% had a net decrease, and 63.8% had no net change in the number of PDI medication classes after MVC. Opioids, antihistamines, and thiazide diuretics were the top PDI medication classes stopped following MVC, at incidences of 6.2%, 2.1%, and 1.7%, respectively. The top medication classes started were opioids (8.3%), skeletal muscle relaxants (2.2%), and benzodiazepines (2.1%). Conclusions: A majority of crash‐involved older adults were exposed to multiple PDI medications before and after MVC. A greater proportion of person‐crashes were associated with an increased rather than decreased number of PDI medications. The reasons why clinicians refrain from stopping PDI medications following an MVC remain to be elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospital admission and discharge are at high risk of drug‐related problems (DRPs) in older patients with cancer. This study aimed to assess the clinical and economic impact of a comprehensive pharmaceutical care intervention (RECAP) to optimize drug therapy in patients with cancer ≥75 years admitted to oncology or geriatric wards. Method: RECAP intervention was defined as follows: at admission and discharge, hospital pharmacists conducted comprehensive medication reconciliation and review, identified relevant DRPs and provided optimization recommendations to prescribers; at discharge, pharmacists also provided patient education and shared information with primary care providers. The impact of the intervention was assessed by the rate of implementation of recommendations by the prescribers and the evolution of polypharmacy rate; a peer review of the clinical significance of DRPs was performed by an expert panel of geriatric oncologists and pharmacists. A cost saving analysis compared cost avoided through resolution of DRPs to cost of pharmacist's time. Results: From January 2019 and August 2020, 201 patients were included (median age 80 [75–97] years), 68.7% with solid tumors. DRPs requiring optimization were identified in 70.9% of patients at admission (mean 1.7 DRP/patient) and 47.7% at discharge (0.9 DRP/patient). Most pharmacist recommendations (70.8%) were followed by prescribers, allowing the correction of 1.2 DRP/patient at admission and 0.7 DRP/patient at discharge. Half of resolved DRPs were rated as clinically significant. However, polypharmacy rate was not reduced at discharge. Cost comparison showed $7.2 avoided for $1 invested, with an estimated total net benefit of $354,822 (mean $1766 per patient). Conclusions: The RECAP model significantly reduces DRPs in hospitalized older patients with cancer. The model was cost saving, confirming the value of implementing it in routine practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is inconsistent evidence on the optimal time after standing to assess for orthostatic hypotension. We determined the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension at different time points after standing in a population of older adults, as well as fall risk and symptoms associated with orthostatic hypotension. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the Study to Understand Fall Reduction and Vitamin D in You (STURDY), a randomized clinical trial funded by the National Institute on Aging, testing the effect of differing vitamin D3 doses on fall risk in older adults. STURDY occurred between July 2015 and May 2019. Secondary analysis occurred in 2022. Participants were community‐dwelling adults, 70 years or older. In the orthostatic hypotension assessment, participants stood upright from supine position and underwent six standing blood pressure measurements (M1–M6) in two clusters of three measurements (immediately and 3 min after standing). Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the relationship between orthostatic hypotension at each measurement and subsequent falls. Participants were followed until the earlier of their 24‐month visit or study completion. Results: Orthostatic hypotension occurred in 32% of assessments at M1, and only 16% at M5 and M6. Orthostatic hypotension from average immediate (M1‐3) and average delayed (M4‐6) measurements, respectively, predicted higher fall risk (M1‐3 = 1.65 [1.08, 2.52]; M4‐6 = 1.73 [1.03, 2.91]) (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]). However, among individual measurements, only orthostatic hypotension at M5 (1.84 [1.16, 2.93]) and M6 (1.85 [1.17, 2.91]) predicted higher fall risk. Participants with orthostatic hypotension at M1 (3.07 [1.48, 6.38]) and M2 (3.72 [1.72, 8.03]) were more likely to have reported orthostatic symptoms. Conclusions: Orthostatic hypotension was most prevalent and symptomatic immediately within 1–2 min after standing, but more informative for fall risk after 4.5 min. Clinicians may consider both intervals when assessing for orthostatic hypotension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic increased the use of telehealth, which posed unique challenges for the provision of care to older adults who face numerous barriers to accessing and using technology. To improve older adults' online health‐related abilities, the UCSF Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (UCSF‐GWEP) partnered with Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly‐San Francisco (LBFE‐SF) to develop a model telehealth training intervention. Methods: LBFE‐SF recruited older adults from their members with wi‐fi and paired each one with a new device and volunteer trainer to cover seven lessons and four key tasks (emailing providers, video visits, accessing health information, and using patient portals). Older adults completed surveys to self‐assess their skill level after training, and their confidence before, immediately after, and 3 months post training. A subset of trainees were also interviewed about their program goals and experiences. UCSF‐GWEP conducted statistical analyses of survey data, and coded interview transcripts to identify aspects of the model supportive to learning and success. Results: Of 43 participants, 31 completed training. Their median age was 75; 48% were non‐white; 45% had no more than a high school education; and 63% reported yearly income below U.S. $20,000. Three months after completing the program, more than 50% of trainees reported that they needed little or no help performing all four key tasks, and confidence with video visits, online searches, and patient portals showed significant improvement. Additionally, in interviews participants reported improved health, social benefits, and explained that learning was facilitated by self‐pacing, repetition, and longitudinal support from volunteer trainers. Conclusions: Older adults with various barriers to learning technology showed online independence and increased confidence with some telehealth tasks after a novel training intervention. Key characteristics of the model included a tablet device, one‐on‐one longitudinal support from volunteers, comprehensive learning materials, and community–academic partnership. See related editorial by Christmas in this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Virtual reality technology holds great promise in improving the health and well‐being of older adults; however, this technology is associated with potential risks that may outweigh the benefits. The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesize and critique the existing literature on fully‐immersive virtual reality interventions for older adults and the associated risk of cybersickness. Methods: We searched eight databases for studies that utilized fully‐immersive virtual reality, stated the population as older adults, provided outcomes related to cybersickness, and were written or translated into the English language. Our search generated 332 articles, 39 of which were selected for inclusion in this systematic synthesis and appraisal. Results: We found that the majority of studies utilized a one‐time session. The studies generally had weak sample generalizability and methodological design, but strong data collection and participant retention. The studies nearly all used the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire to measure cybersickness, but the scoring for the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire varied or was not mentioned. Most included studies reported only minor cybersickness among older adult participants. Conclusion: Researchers might conclude that the benefits of virtual reality interventions outweigh the risk of cybersickness in this population. Going forward, researchers should concentrate on the efficacy of virtual reality interventions among older adults, using larger samples and randomized controlled study design, along with measuring dosage effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Examine the relationship between balance test performance and the energetic cost of walking (ECW) and gait speed. Methods: Cross‐sectional and longitudinal analyses of data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Men (48%) and women aged 60–96 years enrolled in the BLSA between 2007 and 2020 (n = 1132). Balance was assessed using narrow walk (NW) and progressive standing balance tests (SB). ECW measured during 2.5‐min usual paced walk while participants wore a portable indirect calorimeter. Gait speed assessed over 6‐m. Each test parameterized using validated methods. Statistical analysis to compare balance measures to ECW, and gait speed used generalized logistic regression models and adjustments for age, sex, race, height, weight, and comorbidities. Results: Cross‐sectionally, mean ECW was higher and gait speed slower in persons who failed the NW than those who passed (0.189 vs. 0.164 mL/kg/m, p < 0.0001 and 0.96 vs. 1.15 m/s, p < 0.0001, respectively). Mean ECW was increasingly higher and gait speed slower over three progressively challenging SB tests (0.207 vs. 0.171 vs. 0.164 mL/kg/m, p < 0.0001 and 0.95 vs. 1.05 vs. 1.15 m/s, p < 0.0001). Over an average 2.4 years, those who declined in SB and NW had a higher ECW and slower gait speed than persons who maintained performance (SB: 0.18 vs. 0.160 mL/kg/m, p = 0.0003, and 1.00 vs. 1.13 m/s, p = <0.001; NW: 0.175 vs. 0.160 mL/kg/m, p = 0.002, and 1.04 vs. 1.14 m/s, p = 0.001). Persons who improved had lower ECW and faster gait speed than those who failed at both visits (SB: 0.169 vs. 0.240 mL/kg/m, p = 0.0002, and 0.99 vs. 0.94 m/s, p = 0.67, NW: 0.163 vs. 0.195 mL/kg/m, p = 0.0005, and 1.10 vs. 0.92 m/s, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Instability contributes to higher ECW and slower gait speed which suggests that rehabilitation efforts to improve balance may help maintain function further into older adulthood and delay mobility limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies identified physical function limitations in older cancer survivors, but few have included objective measures and most focused on breast and prostate cancer survivors. The current study compared patient‐reported and objective physical function measures between older adults with and without a cancer history. Methods: Our cross‐sectional study used a nationally representative sample of community‐dwelling, Medicare beneficiaries from the 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study (n = 7495). Data collected included patient‐reported physical function, including a composite physical capacity score and limitations in strength, mobility, and balance, and objectively measured physical performance metrics, including gait speed, five time sit‐to‐stand, tandem stand, and grip strength. All analyses were weighted to account for the complex sampling design. Results: Thirteen percent of participants (n = 829) reported a history of cancer, of which more than half (51%) reported a diagnosis other than breast or prostate cancer. In models adjusted for demographics and health history, older cancer survivors had lower Short Physical Performance Battery scores (unstandardized beta [B] = −0.36; 95% CI: −0.64, −0.08), slower gait speed (B = −0.03; 95% CI: −0.05, −0.01), reduced grip strength (B = −0.86; 95% CI: −1.44, −0.27), worse patient‐reported composite physical capacity (B = −0.43; 95% CI: −0.67, −0.18) and patient‐reported upper extremity strength (B = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.50) compared to older adults without cancer. Additionally, the burden of physical function limitations was greater in women than in men, which may be explained by cancer type. Conclusions: Our results extend studies in breast and prostate cancer to show worse objective and patient‐reported physical function outcomes in older adults with a range of cancer types compared to those without a cancer history. Moreover, these burdens seem to disproportionately affect older adult women, underscoring the need for interventions to address functional limitations and prevent further health consequences of cancer and its treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emerging evidence shows loneliness is associated with polypharmacy and high‐risk medications in older adults. Despite notable sex‐based differences in the prevalence in each of loneliness and polypharmacy, the role of sex in the relationship between loneliness and polypharmacy is unclear. We explored the relationship between loneliness and polypharmacy in older female and male respondents and described sex‐related variations in prescribed medication subclasses. Methods: We performed a cross‐sectional analysis of representative data from the Canadian Community Health Survey—Healthy Aging cycle (2008/2009) linked to health administrative databases in Ontario respondents aged 66 years and older. Loneliness was measured using the Three‐Item Loneliness Scale, with respondents classified as not lonely, moderately lonely, or severely lonely. Polypharmacy was defined as five or more concurrently‐prescribed medications. Sex‐stratified multivariable logistic regression models with survey weights were used to assess the relationship between loneliness and polypharmacy. Among those with polypharmacy, we examined the distribution of prescribed medication subclasses and potentially inappropriate medications. Results: Of the 2348 individuals included in this study, 54.6% were female respondents. The prevalence of polypharmacy was highest in those with severe loneliness both in female (no loneliness, 32.4%; moderate loneliness, 36.5%; severe loneliness, 44.1%) and male respondents (32.5%, 32.2%, and 42.5%). Severe loneliness was significantly associated with greater adjusted odds of polypharmacy in female respondents (OR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.01–2.50) but this association was attenuated after adjustment in male respondents (OR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.56–1.80). Among those with polypharmacy, antidepressants were more commonly prescribed in female respondents with severe loneliness (38.7% [95% CI: 27.3–50.0]) compared to those who were moderately lonely (17.7% [95% CI: 9.3–26.2]). Conclusions: Severe loneliness was independently associated with polypharmacy in older female but not male respondents. Clinicians should consider loneliness as an important risk factor in medication reviews and deprescribing efforts to minimize medication‐related harms, particularly in older women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Falls and their sequelae cost more than $50 billion every year. Older adults with hearing loss are at 2.4 times greater risk of falls than their normal hearing peers. Current research is inconclusive about whether hearing aids can offset this increased fall risk, and no previous studies considered if outcomes differed based on the consistency of hearing aid use. Methods: Individuals 60 years and older with bilateral hearing loss completed a survey consisting of the Fall Risk Questionnaire (FRQ) and questions about hearing loss history, hearing aid use, and other common fall risk factors. In this cross‐sectional study, fall prevalence, as well as fall risk (based on FRQ score), was compared between hearing aid users and non‐users. A separate group of consistent hearing‐aid users (at least 4 h daily use for more than 1 year) was also compared with inconsistent/non‐users. Results: Responses from 299 surveys were analyzed. Bivariate analysis found 50% reduced odds of experiencing a fall for hearing aid users compared with non‐users (OR = 0.50 [95% CI: 0.29–0.85], p = 0.01). After adjusting for age, sex, hearing loss severity, and medication usage, those who reported any hearing aid use still had lower odds of falls (OR = 0.48 [95% CI: 0.26–0.90], p = 0.02) and lower odds of being at risk for falls (OR = 0.36 [95% CI: 0.19–0.66] p < 0.001) than non‐users. Results for consistent hearing aid users demonstrate an even stronger association of lowered odds of falling (OR = 0.35 [95% CI: 0.19–0.67], p < 0.001) and lower odds of being at risk for falls (OR = 0.32 [95% CI: 0.12–0.59], p < 0.001), suggesting a potential dose–response relationship. Conclusions: These findings suggest that use of hearing aids—especially consistent hearing aid use—is associated with lower odds of experiencing a fall or being classified as at risk for falls in older individuals with hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Virtual collaborative models are a practical way to implement a supportive environment for multi‐team learning. In this project, we aimed to describe the processes and outcomes of a virtual deprescribing collaborative that facilitated implementation of deprescribing interventions around the country. Methods: Two successive cohorts comprised of multidisciplinary teams from geographically diverse veterans affairs (VA) sites were selected via an application process to participate in a virtual deprescribing collaborative. Each site developed its own deprescribing protocol and took part in regular meetings, mentoring groups, monthly data reporting, and other learning activities over an approximate 9 month period, per cohort. Standard measures were number of veterans served and medications deprescribed. Descriptive and qualitative analyses were utilized. Results: Twenty‐one total VA sites were selected to participate in the deprescribing collaborative in two cohorts (Cohort 1, n = 12 sites; Cohort 2, n = 9 sites). The majority of sites' practice areas directly served the older adult population, and the majority of site leads were pharmacists. The most utilized tool used by the collaborative sites was the VA VIONE decision support tool (n = 14) and the most common strategy was individualized medication review. Combining outcomes from both Cohorts 1 and 2, a total of n = 4770 veterans were served, with 8332 medications deprescribed. Eighty‐two percent of Cohort 1 sites surveyed reported their deprescribing program was still being utilized after 1 year follow up. Conclusions: This virtual deprescribing collaborative aided in the successful implementation of both established and novel deprescribing practices across a variety of VA practice sites that care for older adults. The shared learning experience enhanced problem solving and allowed for interdisciplinary teamwork. Overall the collaborative was successful in improving polypharmacy for several thousand older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Older adult Veterans are at high risk for adverse health outcomes following hospitalization. Since physical function is one of the largest potentially modifiable risk factors for adverse health outcomes, our purpose was to determine if progressive, high‐intensity resistance training in home health physical therapy (PT) improves physical function in Veterans more than standardized home health PT and to determine if the high‐intensity program was comparably safe, defined as having a similar number of adverse events. Methods: We enrolled Veterans and their spouses during an acute hospitalization who were recommended to receive home health care on discharge because of physical deconditioning. We excluded individuals who had contraindications to high‐intensity resistance training. A total of 150 participants were randomized 1:1 to either (1) a progressive, high‐intensity (PHIT) PT intervention or (2) a standardized PT intervention (comparison group). All participants in both groups were assigned to receive 12 visits (3 visits/week over 30 days) in their home. The primary outcome was gait speed at 60 days. Secondary outcomes included adverse events (rehospitalizations, emergency department visits, falls and deaths after 30 and 60‐days), gait speed, Modified Physical Performance Test, Timed Up‐and‐Go, Short Physical Performance Battery, muscle strength, Life‐Space Mobility assessment, Veterans RAND 12‐item Health Survey, Saint Louis University Mental Status exam, and step counts at 30, 60, 90, 180 days post‐randomization. Results: There were no differences between groups in gait speed at 60 days, and no significant differences in adverse events between groups at either time point. Similarly, physical performance measures and patient reported outcomes were not different at any time point. Notably, participants in both groups experienced increases in gait speed that met or exceeded established clinically important thresholds. Conclusions: Among older adult Veterans with hospital‐associated deconditioning and multimorbidity, high‐intensity home health PT was safe and effective in improving physical function, but not found to be more effective than a standardized PT program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many older adults are screened for breast and colorectal cancers beyond guideline recommended thresholds. Electronic medical record (EMR) reminders are commonly used to prompt cancer screening. Behavioral economics theory suggests that changing the default settings for these reminders can be effective to reduce over‐screening. We examined physician perspectives about acceptable thresholds for stopping EMR cancer screening reminders. Methods: In a national survey of 1200 primary care physicians (PCP) and 600 gynecologists randomly selected from the AMA Masterfile, we asked physicians to choose whether EMR reminders for cancer screening should stop based on a list of criteria that included age, life expectancy, specific serious illnesses, and functional limitations. Physicians could choose multiple responses. PCPs were randomized to questions about breast or colorectal cancer screening. Results: A total of 592 physicians participated (adjusted response rate 54.1%). 54.6% chose age and 71.8% chose life expectancy as criteria for stopping EMR reminders; only 30.6% chose functional limitations. Regarding age thresholds, 52.4% chose ages ≤75, 42.0% chose a threshold between 75 and 85, 5.6% would not stop reminders even at age 85. Regarding life expectancy thresholds, 32.0% chose ≥10 years, 53.1% chose a threshold between 5 and 9 years, 14.9% would not stop reminders even when life expectancy is <5 years. Conclusions: We found that many physicians would continue EMR reminders for cancer screening even in light of older age, limited life expectancy, and functional limitations. This may reflect reluctance to stop cancer screening and/or reluctance to stop EMR reminders so that physicians can retain control to decide for individual patients, for example, to assess patient preference and ability to tolerate treatment. There was consensus for stopping EMR reminders at ages 85+ and <5‐year life expectancy. Interventions that seek to reduce over‐screening by suppressing EMR reminders may be important for these groups but may have limited physician buy‐in outside these thresholds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor functional status is a key marker of morbidity, yet is not routinely captured in clinical encounters. We developed and evaluated the accuracy of a machine learning algorithm that leveraged electronic health record (EHR) data to provide a scalable process for identification of functional impairment. Methods: We identified a cohort of patients with an electronically captured screening measure of functional status (Older Americans Resources and Services ADL/IADL) between 2018 and 2020 (N = 6484). Patients were classified using unsupervised learning K means and t‐distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding into normal function (NF), mild to moderate functional impairment (MFI), and severe functional impairment (SFI) states. Using 11 EHR clinical variable domains (832 variable input features), we trained an Extreme Gradient Boosting supervised machine learning algorithm to distinguish functional status states, and measured prediction accuracies. Data were randomly split into training (80%) and test (20%) sets. The SHapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) feature importance analysis was used to list the EHR features in rank order of their contribution to the outcome. Results: Median age was 75.3 years, 62% female, 60% White. Patients were classified as 53% NF (n = 3453), 30% MFI (n = 1947), and 17% SFI (n = 1084). Summary of model performance for identifying functional status state (NF, MFI, SFI) was AUROC (area under the receiving operating characteristic curve) 0.92, 0.89, and 0.87, respectively. Age, falls, hospitalization, home health use, labs (e.g., albumin), comorbidities (e.g., dementia, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, chronic pain), and social determinants of health (e.g., alcohol use) were highly ranked features in predicting functional status states. Conclusion: A machine learning algorithm run on EHR clinical data has potential utility for differentiating functional status in the clinical setting. Through further validation and refinement, such algorithms can complement traditional screening methods and result in a population‐based strategy for identifying patients with poor functional status who need additional health resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 awarded $500 million toward scaling "strike teams" to mitigate the impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19) within nursing homes. The Massachusetts Nursing Facility Accountability and Support Package (NFASP) piloted one such model during the first weeks of the pandemic, providing nursing homes financial, administrative, and educational support. For a subset of nursing homes deemed high‐risk, the state offered supplemental, in‐person technical infection control support. Methods: Using state death certificate data and federal nursing home occupancy data, we examined longitudinal all‐cause mortality per 100,000 residents and changes in occupancy across NFASP participants and subgroups that varied in their receipt of the supplemental intervention. Results: Nursing home mortality peaked in the weeks preceding the NFASP, with a steeper increase among those receiving the supplemental intervention. There were contemporaneous declines in weekly occupancy. The potential for temporal confounding and differential selection across NFASP subgroups precluded estimation of causal effects of the intervention on mortality. Conclusions: We offer policy and design suggestions for future strike team iterations that could inform the allocation of state and federal funding. We recommend expanded data collection infrastructure and, ideally, randomized assignment to intervention subgroups to support causal inference as strike team models are scaled under the direction of state and federal agencies. See related Commentary by Berry et al. in this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mobility assessments are commonly used among older adults as risk stratification for falls, preoperative function, frailty, and mortality. We determined if gait speed and self‐reported difficulty walking are similarly associated with social isolation and loneliness, which are key markers of social well‐being and linked to health outcomes. Methods: We used 2015–2016 data from the National Social life Health and Aging Project (NSHAP), an in‐person nationally‐representative survey of 2640 community‐dwelling adults ≥65 years old. We measured gait speed (timed 3‐m walk: unable to walk, ≥5.7 s, and <5.7 s), and self‐reported difficulty walking one block or across the room (unable, "much," "some," or "no" difficulty). Social measures included loneliness (3‐item UCLA scale), social isolation (12‐item scale), and individual social activities (frequency socializing, religious participation, community participation, and volunteering). We used logistic regression to determine the adjusted probability of each social measure by gait speed and difficulty walking, adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics, and tested for interaction terms with age. Results: Participants were on average 75 years old (SD = 7.1), 54% female, 9% Black/African American, and 6% Hispanic. Difficulty walking one block was associated with (p < 0.05): social isolation (much difficulty: 26% vs no difficulty: 18%), low socializing (33% vs 19%), low volunteering (67% vs 53%), low community participation (54% vs 43%), low religious participation (51% vs 46%), and loneliness (25% vs 14%). Difficulty walking across the room was similarly strongly associated with social isolation and individual activities. The association between self‐reported difficulty walking and social isolation was stronger at older ages (p‐value of interaction <0.001). Conclusions: Self‐reported mobility difficulty is a widely used clinical assessment that is strongly associated with loneliness and social isolation, particularly at older ages. Among persons with limited mobility, clinicians should consider a careful social history to identify social needs and interventions addressing mobility to enhance social connections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies revealed unidirectional associations between frailty and medication‐related problems (MRPs) among older adults. Less is known about the association between frailty and the risk of MRPs. We aimed to assess the bi‐directional association between frailty and the risk of MRPs in community‐dwelling older adults in five European countries. Methods: Participants were 1785 older adults in the population‐based Urban Health Centres Europe project. Repeated assessments were collected at baseline and one‐year follow‐up, including frailty, the risk of MRPs, and covariates. Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the unidirectional associations. A cross‐lagged panel modeling was used to assess bi‐directional associations. Results: The unidirectional association between frailty at baseline and the risk of MRPs at follow‐up remained statistically significant after adjusting for covariates (β = 0.10, 95%CI:0.08, 0.13). The association between the risk of MRPs at baseline and frailty at follow‐up shows similar trends. The bi‐directional association was comparable with reported unidirectional associations, with a stronger effect from frailty at baseline to the risk of MRPs at follow‐up than reversed path (Wald test for comparing lagged effects: p < 0.05). Conclusion: This longitudinal study suggests that a cycle may exist where older adults with higher frailty levels are more likely to have a higher risk of MRPs, which in turn contributes to developing a higher level of frailty. Further research is needed to validate our findings and explore underlying pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Older adults experiencing chronic homelessness (i.e., prolonged homelessness and a disabling condition) have low rates of advance care planning (ACP) despite high rates of morbidity and mortality. Rehousing of homeless‐experienced individuals into permanent supportive housing (PSH) may present an opportunity to introduce ACP; but this is unknown. Therefore, we explored staff and resident perceptions of conducting ACP in PSH. Methods: We conducted semi‐structured interviews with PSH staff (n = 13) and tenants (PSH residents) (n = 26) in San Francisco. We used the capability (C), opportunity (O), motivation (M), behavior (COM‐B) framework within the Behavior Change Wheel model and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to inform interviews, categorize themes, and guide qualitative thematic analysis. Results: The mean age of PSH residents was 67 (SD = 6.1) years and 52% were women. Of staff, 69% were women. Important COM‐B barriers included ACP complexity (C), complicated relationship dynamics (O), resource limitations (O), pessimism (M), variable staff confidence (M), and competing priorities (M). Facilitators included easy‐to‐use documents/videos, including the PREPARE for Your Care program (C), stability with housing (O), exposure to health crises (O), potential for strong relationships (O), and belief that ACP is impactful (M). Recommendations included adapting materials to the PSH setting, providing staff trainings/scripts, and using optional one‐on‐one or group sessions. Conclusions: We identified behavioral determinants related to ACP for formerly chronically homeless older adults in PSH. Future interventions should include using easy‐to‐use ACP materials and developing resources to educate PSH residents, train staff, and model ACP in groups or one‐on‐one sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Beers Criteria® (AGS Beers Criteria®) for Potentially Inappropriate Medication (PIM) Use in Older Adults is widely used by clinicians, educators, researchers, healthcare administrators, and regulators. Since 2011, the AGS has been the steward of the criteria and has produced updates on a regular cycle. The AGS Beers Criteria® is an explicit list of PIMs that are typically best avoided by older adults in most circumstances or under specific situations, such as in certain diseases or conditions. For the 2023 update, an interprofessional expert panel reviewed the evidence published since the last update (2019) and based on a structured assessment process approved a number of important changes including the addition of new criteria, modification of existing criteria, and formatting changes to enhance usability. The criteria are intended to be applied to adults 65 years old and older in all ambulatory, acute, and institutionalized settings of care, except hospice and end‐of‐life care settings. Although the AGS Beers Criteria® may be used internationally, it is specifically designed for use in the United States and there may be additional considerations for certain drugs in specific countries. Whenever and wherever used, the AGS Beers Criteria® should be applied thoughtfully and in a manner that supports, rather than replaces, shared clinical decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression affected 5.7% of people aged 60 years and over prior to the pandemic and has increased by approximately 28%. The aim of this study is to identify and describe factors associated with depressive symptoms, the diagnostic assessment instruments and interventions used to evaluate and treat depression in adults aged 60 years and older since the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods: Four electronic databases were systematically searched to identify eligible studies published since the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic. A total of 832 articles were screened, of which 53 met the inclusion criteria. Results: Factors contributing to depressive symptoms in older adults prior to the pandemic were grouped into the following categories: sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., being female); loneliness and weak social support; limitations in daily functioning, physical activity and neurocognitive impairment; and clinical factors. The following groups of factors directly related to the pandemic were found: stress‐related factors and feelings or worries related to the pandemic; information access (e.g., receiving news about COVID‐19 through the media); factors directly related to COVID‐19 (e.g., having infected acquaintances); and factors related to the measures that were taken to reduce the spread of COVID‐19 (e.g., confinement measures). The most frequently used instrument to assess depressive symptoms was the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form (GDS‐SF). Four studies implemented interventions during the pandemic that led to significant reductions in depressive symptoms and feelings of loneliness. Conclusions: Improved understanding of pandemic‐associated risk factors for depression can inform person‐cantered care. It is important continued mental healthcare for depression for older adults throughout crises, such as the COVID‐19 pandemic. Remote delivery of mental healthcare represents an important alternative during such times. It is crucial to address depression in older adults (which often causes disability), since the pandemic situation has increased depressive symptoms in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breathlessness is common among older adults, but it is often hidden as "normal aging "or considered narrowly as a symptom of cardio‐respiratory diseases. Studies on breathlessness in older adults are mostly focused on specific diseases, whereas older adults are characterized by multimorbidity and multi‐system age‐related impairments. This article aims to provide an overview of what is known so far on breathlessness in the general population of older adults and identify areas for further research. Research shows that breathlessness in older adults is a multifactorial geriatric condition, crossing the borders of system‐based impairments and diseases, and a valuable independent prognostic indicator for adverse outcomes. Further research needs to investigate (1) the multi‐factorial mechanisms of breathlessness in community‐dwelling older adults including the role of respiratory sarcopenia; (2) the influence of affective and cognitive changes of older age on the perception and report of breathlessness; (3) the best way to assess and use breathlessness for risk prediction of adverse outcomes in general geriatric assessments; and (4) the most appropriate multi‐modal rehabilitation interventions and their outcomes. Clinicians need to shift their approach to dyspnea from a disease symptom to a multifactorial geriatric condition that should be proactively searched for, as it identifies higher risk for adverse outcomes, and can be addressed with evidence‐based interventions that can improve the quality of life and may reduce the risk of adverse outcomes in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In persons with diabetes, annual screening for peripheral neuropathy (PN) using monofilament testing is the standard of care. However, PN detected by monofilament testing is common in older adults, even in the absence of diabetes. We aimed to assess the association of PN with risk of falls and fractures in older adults. Methods: We included participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study who underwent monofilament testing at visit 6 (2016–2017). Incident falls and fractures were identified based on ICD‐9 and ICD‐10 codes from active surveillance of all hospitalizations and linkage to Medicare claims. We used Cox models to assess the association of PN with falls and fractures (combined and as separate outcomes) after adjusting for demographics and risk factors for falls. Results: There were 3617 ARIC participants (mean age 79.4 [SD 4.7] years, 40.8% male, and 21.4% Black adults), of whom 1242 (34.3%) had PN based on monofilament testing. During a median follow‐up of 2.5 years, 371 participants had a documented fall, and 475 participants had a documented fracture. The incidence rate (per 1000 person‐years) for falls or fractures for participants with PN versus those without PN was 111.1 versus 74.3 (p < 0.001). The age‐, sex‐, and race‐adjusted 3‐year cumulative incidence of incident fall or fracture was significantly higher for participants with PN versus those without PN (26.5% vs. 18.4%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for demographics, PN remained independently associated with falls and fractures (HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.26, 1.74). Results were similar for models including traditional risk factors for falls, when falls and fractures were analyzed as separate outcomes, and after adjustment for competing risk of death. Conclusions: PN, as measured by monofilament testing, is common in older adults and associated with risk of falls and fracture. Screening with monofilament testing may be warranted to identify older adults at high risk for falls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research which assessed interprofessional learner perceptions of a brief educational intervention tailored for opioid prescribing in older adults. The study evaluated pre- and post-intervention knowledge and confidence in medication safety and non-opioid treatment strategies. Findings revealed potential improvement of communication between providers and patients or their caregivers, as well as opportunity to educate caregivers and other providers.