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Background Hospitalized older adults have unique physical, emotional, and psychosocial needs. We sought to understand older patients' and care partners' experiences with multicomponent interventions that support age-friendly care and identify areas for improvement. Methods We conducted a mixed methods study using surveys and interviews to explore older adult patients' (65 years or older) and their care partners' experiences with hospital-delivered multicomponent initiatives. We recruited participants from the Geriatric Rehabilitation (GRU) and Musculoskeletal (MSK) Rehabilitation units in a Canadian academic hospital from October 2021 to April 2022 until we reached data saturation and no new themes emerged. Results We recruited 18 participants, 10 patients (mean age 78 years, 80.0% female) and 8 care partners (mean age 61, 87.5% female). Surveys revealed overall positive experiences with multicomponent interventions. Interviews revealed five themes: 1) various forms of companionship for patients, 2) recreation and entertainment, 3) physical activity, 4) communication, and 5) pleasant physical environment. Having forms of companionship and proper communication with the care team were highlighted as areas of importance. Physical activity was highly valued, but participants expressed hesitation around safety of mobilizing without physiotherapists. Recreational activities helped distract from social isolation during a hospital stay and participants had diverse preferences for activities. Participants had strong memories of the physical environment, including the lack of natural light, institutional-like décor, and smells. Conclusion Companionship, recreation and entertainment, physical activity, communication, and the physical environment were important to hospitalized patients and their care partners. Hospital administrators and policy makers should consider these when targeting areas to improve care for the aging population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic has increased the risk of psychological distress for older adults during a period of reduced access to mental health support. We identified predictors of persistent depressive and anxiety symptoms among older adults throughout the initial 9 months of the pandemic. Methods: This was a longitudinal study using web‐based surveys sent to a convenience sample of Canadians aged ≥55 years. A baseline survey was sent in May 2020, with eight surveys sent monthly between June 2020 and January 2021. Data were separated into three study periods, corresponding to coronavirus case rates. Respondents who met predetermined thresholds for elevated depressive or anxiety symptoms using standardized mental health scales during all three periods were defined as having persistent symptoms. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to compare the risk of persistent symptoms across respondent characteristics selected a priori. Results: There were 835 respondents who answered questions about depressive symptoms and 865 who answered questions about anxiety symptoms across all three study periods. Among those with complete follow‐up data, 19.2% (n = 159/827) reported persistent depressive symptoms and 16.4% (n = 140/856) reported persistent anxiety symptoms. Respondents with persistent depressive symptoms were more likely to be women (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 1.71; 95% CI 1.19–2.46), and report multimorbidity (aRR 1.45; 95% CI 1.07–1.97), pre‐existing depression (aRR 2.00; 95% CI 1.45–2.77) and pre‐existing anxiety (aRR 1.50; 95% CI 1.10–2.06). The same respondent characteristics were correlates of persistently elevated anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: Older women, older adults with pre‐existing depression and anxiety, and those with multimorbidity were more likely to report persistent mental health symptoms during the first 9 months of the COVID‐19 pandemic. These individuals were known to have elevated risk prior to the pandemic, and expanded interventions targeted to these groups are necessary to adequately address their mental health needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examined whether physical restraint, antipsychotic or sedative-hypnotic use differed by language preference in hospitalized medical patients with delirium. Topics discussed include most common non-English preferred languages, relative risk of study outcomes by preferred language, and limitations of the study.

Background Older women's mental health may be disproportionally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to differences in gender roles and living circumstances associating with aging. Methods We administered an online cross-sectional nationwide survey between May 1st and June 30th, 2020 to a convenience sample of older adults aged ≥55 years. Our outcomes were symptoms of depression, anxiety, and loneliness measured by three standardized scales: the eight-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the five-item Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Three-Item Loneliness Scale. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare the odds of depression, anxiety and loneliness between men and women, adjusting for relevant confounders. Results There were 1,541 respondents (67.8% women, mean age 69.3 ± 7.8). 23.3% reported symptoms of depression (29.4% women, 17.0% men), 23.2% reported symptoms of anxiety (26.0% women, 19.0% men), and 28.0% were lonely (31.5% women, 20.9% men). After adjustment for confounders, the odds of reporting depressive symptoms were 2.07 times higher in women compared to men (OR 2.07 [95%CI 1.50-2.87] p < .0001). The odds of reporting anxiety and loneliness were also higher. Conclusions Older women had twice the odds of reporting depressive symptoms compared to men, an important mental health need that should be considered as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Differences in older adults' worry, attitudes, and mental health between high‐income countries with diverging pandemic responses are largely unknown. We compared COVID‐19 worry, attitudes towards governmental responses, and self‐reported mental health symptoms among adults aged ≥55 in the United States and Canada early in the COVID‐19 pandemic. Design: Online cross‐sectional survey administered between April 2nd and May 31st in the United States and between May 1st and June 30th, 2020 in Canada. Setting: Nationally in the United States and Canada. Participants: Convenience sample of older adults aged ≥55. Measurements: Likert‐type scales measured COVID‐19 worry and attitudes towards government support. Three standardized scales assessed mental health symptoms: the eight‐item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the five‐item Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the three‐item UCLA loneliness scale. Results: There were 4453 U.S. respondents (71.7% women; mean age 67.5) and 1549 Canadian (67.6% women; mean age 69.3). More U.S. respondents (71%) were moderately or extremely worried about the pandemic, compared to 52% in Canada. Just 20% of U.S. respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the federal government cared about older adults in their COVID‐19 pandemic response, compared to nearly two‐thirds of Canadians (63%). U.S. respondents were more likely to report elevated depressive and anxiety symptoms compared to Canadians; 34.2% (32.8–35.6) versus 25.6% (23.3–27.8) for depressive and 30.8% (29.5–32.2) versus 23.7% (21.6–25.9) for anxiety symptoms. The proportion of United States and Canadian respondents who reported loneliness was similar. A greater proportion of women compared to men reported symptoms of depression and anxiety across all age groups in both countries. Conclusion: U.S. older adults felt less supported by their federal government and had elevated depressive and anxiety symptoms compared to older adults in Canada during early months of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Public health messaging from governments should be clear, consistent, and incorporate support for mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) is commonly used to detect delirium but its utility in patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) is not well-established. In the current study, internal medicine nurses at an acute care hospital in Canada were surveyed on the use of the CAM in older adults with LER Nurses' perspectives were explored with a focus on barriers to administration. Fifty participants were enrolled (response rate = 47.6%). Twenty-eight (56%) participants stated they could not confidently and accurately assess delirium in patients with LER Twenty-nine (58%) participants believed the CAM is not an effective delirium screening tool in the LEP population. Barriers to screening included: challenges with interpretation services, dependence on family members, and fear that the assessment itself may worsen confusion. Our study is the first to describe specific barriers to administering the CAM in patients with LER Strategies are required to address these barriers optimize delirium screening for patients with LER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]