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OBJECTIVES: To develop a prognostic model for hospital admissions over a 1‐year period among community‐dwelling older adults with self‐reported hearing and/or vision impairments based on readily obtainable clinical predictors. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey from 1999 to 2006. PARTICIPANTS: Community‐dwelling Medicare beneficiaries, aged 65 years and older, with self‐reported hearing and/or vision impairment (N = 15,999). MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was any hospital admission over a predefined 1‐year study period. Candidate predictors included demographic factors, prior healthcare utilization, comorbidities, functional impairment, and patient‐level factors. We analyzed the association of all candidate predictors with any hospital admission over the 1‐year study period using multivariable logistic regression. The final model was created using a penalized regression method known as the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. Model performance was assessed by discrimination (concordance statistic (c‐statistic)) and calibration (evaluated graphically). Internal validation was performed via bootstrapping, and results were adjusted for overoptimism. RESULTS: Of the 15,999 participants, the mean age was 78 years and 55% were female. A total of 2,567 participants (16.0%) had at least one hospital admission in the 1‐year study period. The final model included seven variables independently associated with hospitalization: number of inpatient admissions in the previous year, number of emergency department visits in the previous year, activities of daily living difficulty score, poor self‐rated health, and self‐reported history of myocardial infarction, stroke, and nonskin cancer. The c‐statistic of the final model was 0.717. The optimism‐corrected c‐statistic after bootstrap internal validation was 0.716. A calibration plot suggested that the model tended to overestimate risk among patients at the highest risk for hospitalization. CONCLUSION: This prognostic model can help identify which community‐dwelling older adults with sensory impairments are at highest risk for hospitalization and may inform allocation of healthcare resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is limited research examining the impact of visual impairment (VI) on older adults while considering the complexities of aging, leaving gaps in our understanding of how health consequences of VI might be averted. We created a framework integrating concepts from disability, geriatrics, and ophthalmology that conceptualizes how VI challenges successful aging. Here, VI influences multiple functional domains, and increases the risk of negative health outcomes. This model acknowledges that common causes, such as risk factors that affect eyes and other systems simultaneously, may also drive the relationship between VI and health outcomes. Finally, the model highlights how the impact of VI on aging outcomes can be addressed at multiple intervention points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) often have comorbidities. Our objective was to examine how outcomes differ by cognitive and vision status in older AMI patients. We use data from a prospective cohort study conducted at 94 hospitals in the United States between January 2013 and October 2016 that enrolled men and women aged ≥75 years with AMI. Cognitive impairment (CI) was defined as telephone interview for cognitive status (TICS) score <27; vision impairment (VI) and activities of daily living (ADLs) were assessed by questionnaire. Of 2988 senior AMI patients, 260 (8.7%) had CI but no VI, 858 (28.7%) had VI but no CI, and 251 (8.4%) had both CI/VI. Patients in the VI/CI group were most likely to exhibit geriatric syndromes. More severe VI was associated with lower (worse) scores on the TICS (β −1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) −1.87 to −1.18). In adjusted models, compared to participants with neither impairment, participants with VI/CI were more likely to die (hazard ratio 1.61, 95% CI 1.10–2.37) and experience ADL decline (odds ratio 2.11, 95% CI 1.39–3.21) at 180 days. Comorbid CIs and VIs were associated with high rates of death and worsening disability after discharge among seniors hospitalized for AMI. Future research should evaluate protocols to accommodate these impairments during AMI presentations and optimize decision-making and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Defining common patterns of recovery after an acute health stressor (resiliency groups) has both clinical and research implications. We sought to identify groups of patients with similar recovery patterns across 10 outcomes following hip fracture (stressor) and to determine the most important predictors of resiliency group membership. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of three prospective cohort studies. SETTING: Participants were recruited from various hospitals in the Baltimore Hip Studies network and followed for up to 1 year in their residence (home or facility). PARTICIPANTS: Community‐dwelling adults aged 65 years or older with recent surgical repair of a hip fracture (n = 541). MEASUREMENTS: Self‐reported physical function and activity measures using validated scales were collected at baseline (within 15‐22 d of fracture), 2, 6, and 12 months. Physical performance tests were administered at all follow‐up visits. Stressor characteristics, comorbidities, and psychosocial and environmental factors were collected at baseline via participant report and chart abstraction. Latent class profile analysis was used to identify resiliency groups based on recovery trajectories across 10 outcome measures and logistic regression models to identify factors associated with those groups. RESULTS: Latent profile analysis identified three resiliency groups that had similar patterns across the 10 outcome measures and were defined as "high resilience" (n = 163 [30.1%]), "medium resilience" (n = 242 [44.7%]), and "low resilience" (n = 136 [25.2%]). Recovery trajectories for the outcome measures are presented for each resiliency group. Comparing highest with the medium‐ and low‐resilience groups, self‐reported pre‐fracture function was by far the strongest predictor of high‐resilience group membership with area under the curve (AUC) of.84. Demographic factors, comorbidities, stressor characteristics, environmental factors, and psychosocial characteristics were less predictive, but several factors remained significant in a multivariable model (AUC =.88). CONCLUSION: These three resiliency groups following hip fracture may be useful for understanding mediators of physical resilience. They may provide a more detailed description of recovery patterns in multiple outcomes for use in clinical decision making. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2519–2527, 2019 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between self‐reported vision impairment (VI), hearing impairment (HI), and dual‐sensory impairment (DSI), stratified by dementia status, on hospital admissions, hospice use, and healthcare costs. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. SETTING: Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey from 1999 to 2006. PARTICIPANTS: Rotating panel of community‐dwelling Medicare beneficiaries, aged 65 years and older (N = 24 009). MEASUREMENTS: VI and HI were ascertained by self‐report. Dementia status was determined by self‐report or diagnosis codes in claims data. Primary outcomes included any inpatient admission over a 2‐year period, hospice use over a 2‐year period, annual Medicare fee‐for‐service costs, and total healthcare costs (which included information from Medicare claims data and other self‐reported payments). RESULTS: Self‐reported DSI was present in 30.2% (n = 263/871) of participants with dementia and 17.8% (n = 4112/23 138) of participants without dementia. In multivariable logistic regression models, HI, VI, or DSI was generally associated with increased odds of hospitalization and hospice use regardless of dementia status. In a generalized linear model adjusted for demographics, annual total healthcare costs were greater for those with DSI and dementia compared to those with DSI without dementia ($28 875 vs $3340, respectively). Presence of any sensory impairment was generally associated with higher healthcare costs. In a model adjusted for demographics, Medicaid status, and chronic medical conditions, DSI compared with no sensory impairment was associated with a small, but statistically significant, difference in total healthcare spending in those without dementia ($1151 vs $1056; P < .001) but not in those with dementia ($11 303 vs $10 466; P = .395). CONCLUSION: Older adults with sensory and cognitive impairments constitute a particularly prevalent and vulnerable population who are at increased risk of hospitalization and contribute to higher healthcare spending. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1617–1624, 2019 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite increased rates of disease, disability, and social losses with aging, seniors consistently report higher levels of subjective well-being (SWB), a construct closely related to happiness, than younger adults. In this exploratory study, we utilized an available dataset to investigate how aspects of health commonly deteriorating with age, including sensory (i.e., vision and hearing) and cognitive status, relate to variability in self-described contributors to happiness. Community-dwelling seniors (n = 114) responded to a single-item prompt: "name things that make people happy." 1731 responses were categorized into 13 domains of SWB via structured content analysis. Sensory health and cognition were assessed by Snellen visual acuity, pure-tone audiometry, and in-person administration of the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT) battery. A subset of eligible participants (n = 57) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess resting state functional connectivity (FC) within a previously described dopaminergic network associated with reward processing. SWB response patterns were relatively stable across gender, sensory status, and cognitive performance with few exceptions. For example, hearing-impaired participants listed fewer determinants of SWB (13.59 vs. 17.16; p<0.001) and were less likely to name things in the "special events" category. Participants with a higher proportion of responses in the "accomplishments" domain (e.g., winning, getting good grades) demonstrated increased FC between the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens, regions implicated in reward and motivated behavior. While the framework for determinants of happiness among seniors was largely stable across the factors assessed here, our findings suggest that subtle changes in this construct may be linked to sensory loss. The possibility that perceptions about determinants of happiness might relate to differences in intrinsic connectivity within reward-related brain networks also warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To prioritize research topics relevant to the care of the growing population of older adults with multiple chronic conditions ( MCCs). Design Survey of experts in MCC practice, research, and policy. Topics were derived from white papers, funding announcements, or funded research projects relating to older adults with MCCs. Setting Survey conducted through the Health Care Systems Research Network ( HCSRN) and Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers ( OAICs) Advancing Geriatrics Infrastructure and Network Growth Initiative, a joint endeavor of the HCSRN and OAICs. Participants Individuals affiliated with the HCSRN or OAICs and national MCC experts, including individuals affiliated with funding agencies having MCC-related grant portfolios. Measurements A 'top box' methodology was used, counting the number of respondents selecting the top response on a 5-point Likert scale and dividing by the total number of responses to calculate a top box percentage for each of 37 topics. Results The highest-ranked research topics relevant to the health and healthcare of older adults with MCCs were health-related quality of life in older adults with MCCs; development of assessment tools (to assess, e.g., symptom burden, quality of life, function); interactions between medications, disease processes, and health outcomes; disability; implementation of novel (and scalable) models of care; association between clusters of chronic conditions and clinical, financial, and social outcomes; role of caregivers; symptom burden; shared decision-making to enhance care planning; and tools to improve clinical decision-making. Conclusion Study findings serve to inform the development of a comprehensive research agenda to address the challenges relating to the care of this 'high-need, high-cost' population and the healthcare delivery systems responsible for serving it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Frailty, a clinical syndrome of decreased physiologic reserve and dysregulation in multiple physiologic systems, is associated with increased risk for adverse outcomes. Purpose: The aim of this retrospective, cross-sectional, correlational study was to characterize frailty in older adults admitted to a tertiary-care hospital using a biopsychosocial frailty assessment and to determine associations between frailty and time to in-hospital mortality and 30-day rehospitalization. Methods: The sample included 278 patients ≥55 years old admitted to medicine units. Frailty was determined using clinical data from the electronic health record (EHR) for symptoms, syndromes, and conditions and laboratory data for four serum biomarkers. A frailty risk score (FRS) was created from 16 risk factors, and relationships between the FRS and outcomes were examined. Results: The mean age of the sample was 70.2 years and mean FRS was 9.4 (SD, 2.2). Increased FRS was significantly associated with increased risk of death (hazard ratio = 1.77−2.27 for 3 days ≤ length of stay (LOS) ≤7 days), but depended upon LOS (p < .001). Frailty was marginally associated with rehospitalization for those who did not die in hospital (adjusted odds ratio = 1.18, p = .086, area under the curve [AUC] = 0.66, 95% confidence interval for AUC = [0.57, 0.76]). Discussion: Clinical data in the EHR can be used for frailty assessment. Informatics may facilitate data aggregation and decision support. Because frailty is potentially preventable and treatable, early detection is crucial to delivery of tailored interventions and optimal patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To define multimorbidity 'classes' empirically based on patterns of disease co-occurrence in older Americans and to examine how class membership predicts healthcare use. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries in file years 1999-2007. Participants Individuals aged 65 and older in the Medicare Beneficiary Survey who had data available for at least 1 year after index interview (N = 14,052). Measurements Surveys (self-report) were used to assess chronic conditions, and latent class analysis ( LCA) was used to define multimorbidity classes based on the presence or absence of 13 conditions. All participants were assigned to a best-fit class. Primary outcomes were hospitalizations and emergency department visits over 1 year. Results The primary LCA identified six classes. The largest portion of participants (32.7%) was assigned to the minimal disease class, in which most persons had fewer than two of the conditions. The other five classes represented various degrees and patterns of multimorbidity. Usage rates were higher in classes with greater morbidity, but many individuals could not be assigned to a particular class with confidence (sample misclassification error estimate = 0.36). Number of conditions predicted outcomes at least as well as class membership. Conclusion Although recognition of general patterns of disease co-occurrence is useful for policy planning, the heterogeneity of persons with significant multimorbidity (≥3 conditions) defies neat classification. A simple count of conditions may be preferable for predicting usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To classify older adults in the emergency department ( ED) according to healthcare use and to examine associations between group membership and future ED visits and hospital admissions. Design Secondary analysis. Setting Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. Participants Adults aged 65 and older with at least one treat-and-release ED visit between January 1, 2000, and September 30, 2007 (N = 4,964). Measurements Measures of health service use included primary care visits, treat-and-release ED visits, and hospital days in the 12 months preceding the index ED visit. Results Five groups of individuals in the ED with distinct patterns of health service use were identified. 'Primary Carederly' (39%) had low rates of ED and hospital use and a high mean number of primary care visits. 'Wellderly' (34%) had fewer visits of all types than other groups. 'Chronically Illderly' (14%) had the highest mean number of primary care visits and hospital days. 'Acute Carederly' (9.8%) had lowest mean number of primary care visits but higher ED visits and hospital days than all other groups except the 'Sickest Elderly.' Sickest Elderly (3.2%) had the highest number of ED visits; mean number of hospital days was more than four times that of any other group. Primary Carederly and Wellderly had a lower risk of hospital admission within 30 days of the index ED visit than the other groups. Conclusion In older adults released from an ED, group membership was associated with future health services use. Classification of individuals using readily available previous visit data may improve targeting of interventions to improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To determine whether readily collected perioperative information might identify older surgical patients at higher risk of complications. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Medical chart review at a single academic institution. Participants One hundred two individuals aged 65 and older who underwent abdominal surgery between January 2007 and December 2009. Measurements Primary predictor variables were first postoperative Braden Scale score (within 24 hours of surgery) and a Deficit Accumulation Index ( DAI) constructed based on 39 available preoperative variables. The primary outcome was presence or absence of complication within 30 days of surgery. Results Of 102 patients, 64 experienced at least one complication, with wound infection being the most common. In models adjusted for age, race, sex, and open versus laparoscopic surgery, lower Braden Scale scores were predictive of 30-day postoperative complication (odds ratio ( OR) = 1.30, 95% confidence interval ( CI) = 1.06-1.60), longer length of stay (β = 1.44 (0.25) days; P ≤ .001), and discharge to an institution rather than home ( OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.02-1.48). The cut-off value for the Braden score with the highest predictive value for complication was ≤ 18 ( OR = 3.63, 95% CI = 1.43-9.19; c statistic 0.744). The DAI and several traditional surgical risk factors were not significantly associated with 30-day postoperative complications. Conclusion This is the first study to identify the perioperative Braden Scale score, a widely used risk-stratifier for pressure ulcers, as an independent predictor of other adverse outcomes in geriatric surgical patients. Further studies are needed to confirm this finding and to investigate other uses for this tool, which correlates well to phenotypic models of frailty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To characterize longitudinal patterns of musculoskeletal pain in a community sample of older adults over a 6-year period and to identify factors associated with persistence of pain. Design Secondary analysis of the Cardiovascular Health Study. Setting Community-based cohort drawn from four U.S. counties. Participants Five thousand ninety-three men and women aged 65 and older. Measurements Over a 6-year period, pain was assessed each year using a single question about the presence of pain in any bones or joints during the last year. If affirmative, participants were queried about pain in seven locations (hands, shoulders, neck, back, hips, knees, feet). Participants were categorized according to the percentage of time that pain was present and according to the intermittent or chronic pattern of pain. Factors associated with persistent pain during five remaining years of the study were identified. Results Over 6 years, 32% of participants reported pain for three or more consecutive years, and 32% reported pain intermittently. Of those who reported pain the first year, 54% were pain free at least once during the follow-up period. Most of the pain at specific body locations was intermittent. Factors associated with remission of pain over 5 years included older age, male sex, better self-rated health, not being obese, taking fewer medications, and having fewer depressive symptoms. Approximately half of those with pain reported fewer pain locations the following year. Conclusion Musculoskeletal pain in older adults, despite high prevalence, is often intermittent. The findings refute the notion that pain is an inevitable, unremitting, or progressive consequence of aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To describe the association between an increasing number of coexisting conditions and locus of control ( LOC), a psychological construct reflecting the degree to which one perceives circumstances to be controlled by personal actions (internal LOC) versus outside factors (external LOC) in older adults. Design Cross-sectional study using survey data from the North Carolina Established Population for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly ( NC EPESE) data set. Setting Community. Participants Three thousand two hundred twelve community-dwelling adults aged 68 and older. Measurements Nine common medical conditions were assessed according to self-report. LOC was measured using a standard questionnaire. Analyses were adjusted for demographics, functional status (self-reported activities of daily living), cognition (Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire), and depression score (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale). Results A higher number of chronic conditions was associated with external LOC (β = 0.37, P < .001). This relationship persisted after adjustment for age, race, sex, functional status, cognition, and depression (β = 0.17, P < .001). Most individual conditions were not associated with LOC, although vision impairment ( P < .001) and arthritis ( P = .02) were associated with more-internal LOC. Conclusion These results suggest that medically complex patients tend to exhibit a more-external LOC, meaning that they perceive little personal control over circumstances and environment. Clinicians should be aware of this tendency, because external LOC may impede an older adult's willingness to engage in the considerable task of managing multiple chronic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To identify generalizable ways that comorbidity affects older adults' experiences in a health service program directed toward an index condition and to develop a framework to assist clinicians in approaching comorbidity in the design, delivery, and evaluation of such interventions. Design A qualitative data content analysis of interview transcripts to identify themes related to comorbidity. Setting An outpatient low-vision rehabilitation program for macular disease. Participants In 2007/08, 98 individuals undergoing low-vision rehabilitation and their companions provided 624 semistructured interviews that elicited perceptions about barriers and facilitators of successful program participation. Results The interviews revealed five broad themes about comorbidity: (i) 'good days, bad days,' reflecting participants' fluctuating health status during the program because of concurrent medical problems; (ii) 'communication barriers.' which were sometimes due to participant impairments and sometimes situational; (iii) 'overwhelmed,' which encompassed pragmatic and emotional concerns of participants and caregivers; (iv) 'delays,' which referred to the tendency of comorbidities to delay progress in the program and to confer added inconvenience during lengthy appointments; and (v) value of companion involvement in overcoming some barriers imposed by comorbid conditions. Conclusion This study provides a taxonomy and conceptual framework for understanding consequences of comorbidity in the experience of individuals receiving a health service. If confirmed in individuals receiving interventions for other index diseases, the framework suggests actionable items to improve care and facilitate research involving older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focus on decline in performance of activities of daily living (ADL) has not been matched by studies of recovery of function. Advised by a broad conceptual model of physical resilience, we ascertain characteristics that identify (1) maintenance, (2) decline, and (3) recovery of personal self-maintenance activities over six years in an older, community representative, African American and white sample. Longitudinal study, analyses included descriptive statistics and repeated measures proportional hazards. Community-representative participants of the Duke Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE), unimpaired at baseline (n = 3187; 46% white, 54% African American; 64% female, 36% male), followed annually for up to 6 years. Data included information on basic activities of daily living (BADL), demographic characteristics, health status, social services provided and received, household size, neighborhood safety, and survival status. Over 6 years, ∼75% remained unimpaired, of whom 30% were unimpaired when they dropped out or died. Of ∼25% who became impaired, just under half recovered. Controlled analyses indicated that those who became impaired were in poorer health, younger, and more likely to be African American. Characteristics of recovery included younger age, not hospitalized in the previous year, and larger household size. Maintenance of health status facilitated continued unimpaired BADL. While decline was associated with poorer health, younger age, and being African American, recovery was also associated with younger age, together with larger household size, and no further deterioration in health as measured here. Maintenance of good health is preferred, but following decline in functioning, increased effort to improve health and avoid further decline, which takes into account not only physical but also personal social conditions, is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]