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ImportanceThe potential role of living alone in either facilitating or hampering access to and use of services for older adults with cognitive impairment is largely unknown. Specifically, it is critical to understand directly from health care and social services professionals how living alone creates barriers to the access and use of supportive health care and social services for racially and ethnically diverse patients with cognitive impairment.ObjectiveTo identify the potential role of living alone in the access and use of health care and social services for diverse patients with cognitive impairment by investigating professionals' perceptions of caring for such patients who live alone in comparison with counterparts living with others.Design, setting, and participantsThis qualitative study of 76 clinicians, social workers, and other professionals used semistructured interviews conducted between February 8, 2021, and June 8, 2022, with purposively sampled professionals providing services to diverse patients with cognitive impairment in Michigan, California, and Texas.Main outcomes and measuresClinicians, social workers, and other professionals compared serving patients with cognitive impairment and living alone vs counterparts living with others. An inductive content analysis was used to analyze the interview transcripts.ResultsA total of 76 professionals were interviewed (mean [SD] age, 49.3 [12.7] years); 59 were female (77.6%), 8 were Black or African American (11%), and 35 were White (46%). Participants included physicians, nurses, social workers, and home-care aides, for a total of 20 professions. Participants elucidated specific factors that made serving older adults living alone with cognitive impairment more challenging than serving counterparts living with others (eg, lacking an advocate, incomplete medical history, requiring difficult interventions), as well as factors associated with increased concerns when caring for older adults living alone with cognitive impairment, such as isolation and a crisis-dominated health care system. Participants also identified reasons for systematic unmet needs of older adults living alone with cognitive impairment for essential health care and social services, including policies limiting access and use to public home-care aides.Conclusions and relevanceIn this qualitative study of professionals' perspectives, findings suggest that living alone is a social determinant of health among patients with cognitive impairment owing to substantial barriers in access to services. Results raised considerable concerns about safety because the US health care system is not well equipped to address the unique needs of older adults living alone with cognitive impairment.

BackgroundRecent long-term care facility (LTCF) policy has focused on transitioning nursing home (NH) residents back to community settings, yet we lack recent descriptions of this phenomenon and how it compares in assisted living (AL).MethodsUsing the National Health and Aging Trends Study, we studied adults over age 65 who had moved from community living into an LTCF between 2011 and 2018. Persons or their proxies reported residence in annual interviews. NH was defined by facility staff. ALs were multi-unit buildings helping with activities of daily living. We excluded temporary short-stay NH patients and independent AL residents. Our primary outcome was cumulative incidence of return to community living, with death as co-primary outcome and modeled as a competing risk, stratified by NH versus AL entry. We identified covariates (age, gender, race/ethnicity, dementia, activity limitations, and prior living arrangement) associated with return to community living through bivariate and multivariable logistic regression.ResultsAmong 739 participants, weighted mean age was 84 years (SD 7.5), 66% were women, 13% were non-White, 57% had dementia, and 41% entered NH. At 1, 2, and 4 years, the cumulative incidence of return to community living was 2.9% (95% CIs: 1.9%-4.3%), 6.4% (4.7%-8.4%), and 7.4% (5.5%-9.8%); the cumulative incidence of death was 28% (95% CIs: 24%-31%), 44% (40%-48%) and 66% (61%-70%). Outcomes were similar in persons entering NH versus AL. Older persons (aOR 0.88, 95% CI 0.83-0.94), those with dementia (aOR 0.33, 95% CI 0.12-0.88), and those previously living alone (aOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.17-0.89) were less likely to return.ConclusionsFew returned to community living after entering either NH or AL. Mortality was similar. Results highlight limits in transitioning persons out of LTCFs and the need to observe AL use to ensure policies do not merely displace persons between institutional care sectors.

IntroductionDementia caregiving is complex and disproportionally burdens caregivers living in rural areas due to fewer resources and formal support systems. There is an immediate need to identify effective, scalable, and accessible online programs to support rural caregivers' well-being. Building Better Caregivers (BBC), a possible solution, is an asynchronous online 6-week, interactive, and skills-building workshop developed for caregivers of persons with dementia. This research aims to assess the effectiveness and implementation of the BBC workshop when delivered among rural dementia caregivers in the United States.MethodsA hybrid effectiveness and implementation trial applying mixed methods will be conducted in collaboration with local, state, and national partnering organizations. Eligible participants live in a rural area of the United States, give care at least 10 h a week for a family member or friend with dementia, and have internet access. Evaluation is based on the RE-AIM framework. Effectiveness outcomes are assessed using a randomized control trial. Caregivers are randomly assigned to the BBC workshop (intervention) or attention control group. Implementation outcomes are assessed using surveys and debriefing interviews from partnering organizations and participants. The study protocol including the study design, methods of recruitment and assessment, and outcomes are described.ConclusionThis is the first known study to evaluate both the effectiveness and implementation of a caregiver support intervention under real-world conditions in rural areas. If successful, this online workshop will be a practical and acceptable approach for promoting the health and well-being of geographically isolated rural dementia caregivers.

ObjectivesTo examine how people living with dementia at home engage in meaningful activities, a critical component of quality of life.DesignEthnographic study design using semistructured interviews, participant-observation, and ethnographic analysis.Setting and participantsHome setting. People living with dementia were recruited through 3 geriatrics programs in the San Francisco Bay Area, along with 1 primary live-in care partner for each. Participants were purposively sampled to maximize heterogeneity of dementia severity and life experience.MeasurementsWe asked participants to self-identify and report meaningful activity engagement prior to dementia onset and during the study period using a structured questionnaire, semistructured dyadic interviews, and observed engagement in activities. Home visits were audio-recorded, transcribed, and inductively analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsTwenty-one people living with dementia (mean age 84 years, 38% women) and 20 care partners (59 years, 85% women), including 40% professionals, 35% spouse/partners, and 15% adult children. Overarching theme: specific activities changed over time but underlying sources of meaning and identity remained stable. As dementia progressed, meaningful activity engagement took 3 pathways. Pathway 1: Activities continued with minimal adaptation when engagement demanded little functional or cognitive ability (eg, watching football on TV). Pathway 2: care partners adapted or replaced activities when engagement required greater functional or cognitive abilities (eg, traveling overseas). This pathway was associated with caregiving experience, nursing training, and strong social support structures. Pathway 3: care partners discontinued meaningful activity engagement. Discontinuation was associated with severe caregiver burden, coupled with illness, injury, or competing caregiving demands severe enough to impact their ability to facilitate activities.Conclusions and implicationsFor people living with dementia at home, underlying sources of meaning and identity remains stable despite changes in meaningful activity engagement. Many of the factors associated with adaptation vs discontinuation over time are modifiable and can serve as targets for intervention.

BackgroundPersons with cognitive impairment without dementia are at high risk of adverse health outcomes. Tailored intervention targeting moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may reduce these risks.AimsTo identify the prevalence and predictors of physical inactivity among older adults with cognitive impairment, no dementia (CIND); and estimate the proportion of inactive people with CIND who are capable of greater MVPA.MethodsWe studied 1875 community dwelling participants (over age 65) with CIND in the Health and Retirement Study. Physical inactivity was defined as MVPA ≤ 1x/week. Associations of physical inactivity with sociodemographic, health, and physical function were examined using chi-square and modified Poisson regression. We considered physically inactive participants capable of greater MVPA if they reported MVPA at least 1-3x/month, no difficulty walking several blocks, or no difficulty climbing several flights of stairs.ResultsFifty-six percent of participants with CIND were physically inactive. Variables with the highest age, sex, and race/ethnicity adjusted risk ratio (ARR) for physical inactivity were self-rated health (poor [76.9%]vs. excellent [34.2%]; ARR [95% CI] 2.27 [1.56-3.30]), difficulty walking (across the room [86.5%] vs. none [40.5%]; ARR [95% CI] 2.09 [1.87-2.35]), total assets (lowest quartile [62.6%] vs. highest quartile [43.1%]; ARR [95% CI] 1.54 [1.29-1.83]), and lower education attainment (less than high school [59.6%] vs college graduate [42.8%]; ARR [95% CI] 1.46 [1.17-1.83]). Among physically inactive older adults with CIND, 61% were estimated to be capable of greater MVPA.ConclusionsAlthough physical inactivity is prevalent among older adults with CIND, many are capable of greater MVPA. Developing tailored physical activity interventions for this vulnerable population may improve cognitive, health, and quality of life outcomes.

BackgroundThe effects of extracranial hemorrhage (ECH), or bleeding outside the brain, are often considered transient. Yet, there are few data on the long-term and functional consequences of ECH.ObjectiveDefine the association of ECH hospitalization with functional independence and survival in a nationally representative cohort of older adults.DesignLongitudinal cohort study.Settings and participantsData from the Health and Retirement Study from 1995 to 2016, a nationally representative, biennial survey of older adults. Adults aged 66 and above with Medicare linkage and at least 12 months of continuous Medicare Part A and B enrollment.InterventionHospitalization for ECH.Main outcomes and measuresAdjusted odds ratios and predicted likelihood of independence in all activities of daily living (ADLs), independence in all instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and extended nursing home stay. Adjusted hazard ratio and predicted likelihood for survival.ResultsIn a cohort of 6719 subjects (mean age 77, 59% women) with average follow-up time of 8.3 years (55,767 person-years), 736 (11%) were hospitalized for ECH. ECH was associated with a 15% increase in ADL disability, 15% increase in IADL disability, 8% increase in nursing home stays, and 4% increase in mortality. After ECH, subjects became disabled and died at the same annual rate as pre-ECH but never recovered to pre-ECH levels of function. In conclusion, hospitalization for ECH was associated with significant and durable declines in independence and survival. Clinical and research efforts should incorporate the long-term harms of ECH into decision-making and strategies to mitigate these effects.

BackgroundGuidelines recommend that clinicians use clinical prediction models to estimate future risk to guide decisions. For example, predicted fracture risk is a major factor in the decision to initiate bisphosphonate medications. However, current methods for developing prediction models often lead to models that are accurate but difficult to use in clinical settings.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to develop and test whether a new metric that explicitly balances model accuracy with clinical usability leads to accurate, easier-to-use prediction models.MethodsWe propose a new metric called the Time-cost Information Criterion (TCIC) that will penalize potential predictor variables that take a long time to obtain in clinical settings. To demonstrate how the TCIC can be used to develop models that are easier-to-use in clinical settings, we use data from the 2000 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (n=6311) to develop and compare time to mortality prediction models using a traditional metric (Bayesian Information Criterion or BIC) and the TCIC.ResultsWe found that the TCIC models utilized predictors that could be obtained more quickly than BIC models while achieving similar discrimination. For example, the TCIC identified a 7-predictor model with a total time-cost of 44 seconds, while the BIC identified a 7-predictor model with a time-cost of 119 seconds. The Harrell C-statistic of the TCIC and BIC 7-predictor models did not differ (0.7065 vs. 0.7088, P=0.11).ConclusionAccounting for the time-costs of potential predictor variables through the use of the TCIC led to the development of an easier-to-use mortality prediction model with similar discrimination.

Some hospitals have faced a surge of patients with COVID-19, while others have not. We assessed whether COVID-19 burden (number of patients with COVID-19 admitted during April 2020 divided by hospital certified bed count) was associated with mortality in a large sample of US hospitals. Our study population included 14,226 patients with COVID-19 (median age 66 years, 45.2% women) at 117 hospitals, of whom 20.9% had died at 5 weeks of follow-up. At the hospital level, the observed mortality ranged from 0% to 44.4%. After adjustment for age, sex, and comorbidities, the adjusted odds ratio for in-hospital death in the highest quintile of burden was 1.46 (95% CI, 1.07-2.00) compared to all other quintiles. Still, there was large variability in outcomes, even among hospitals with a similar level of COVID-19 burden and after adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities.

Background and objectivesEven before the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults with cognitive impairment living alone (an estimated 4.3 million individuals in the United States) were at high risk for negative health outcomes. There is an urgent need to learn how this population is managing during the pandemic.Research design and methodsThis is a qualitative study of 24 adults aged 55 and older living alone with cognitive impairment from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. Participants' lived experiences during the pandemic were elicited via 59 ethnographic interviews conducted over the phone either in English, Spanish, or Cantonese. Using a qualitative content analysis approach, interview transcripts were analyzed to identify codes and themes.ResultsQualitative analysis of transcripts revealed 5 themes: (a) fear generated by the pandemic, (b) distress stemming from feeling extremely isolated, (c) belief in misinformation, (d) strategies for coping during the pandemic, and (e) the importance of access to essential services.Discussion and implicationsThis pandemic put a spotlight on the precarity and unmet needs of older adults living alone with cognitive impairment. Findings underscore the need to expand access to home care aides and mental health services for this population.

Fellows and junior faculty conducting aging research have encountered substantial new challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. They report that they have been uncertain how and whether to modify existing research studies, have faced difficulties with job searches, and have struggled to balance competing pressures including greater clinical obligations and increased responsibilities at home. Many have also wondered if they should shift gears and make COVID-19 the focus of their research. We asked a group of accomplished scientists and mentors to grapple with these concerns and to share their thoughts with readers of this journal.

We sought to understand the expectations and concerns of older adults with cognitive impairment with regard to their relationship with medical providers. In particular, we observed whether study participants were involved in therapeutic alliances. Medical providers and patients create therapeutic alliances when they agree on the goals of the treatment and share a personal bond. Whereas such alliances have been studied in cancer research, little is known about therapeutic alliances in dementia research. Data were gathered in a qualitative study of 27 older adults with cognitive impairment and analyzed with narrative analysis. We introduce four case studies that illustrate the effects of having or missing a therapeutic alliance. Whereas the participant in the first case benefited from a therapeutic alliance, the other cases are marked by different experiences of abandonment. Findings suggest that interventions should concentrate on ways to enhance the relationship between medical providers and patients with cognitive impairment.

BackgroundAlthough hip fractures in older adults are associated with a high degree of mortality and disability, the use of advance care planning (ACP) in this population is unknown.ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of ACP and need for surrogate decision-making prior to death in older adults with hip fracture and to identify factors associated with ACP.DesignRetrospective cohort study using Health and Retirement Study (HRS) interviews linked to Medicare fee-for-service claims data.ParticipantsSix hundred six decedent participants aged 65 or older who sustained a hip fracture during HRS enrollment and had a proxy participate in the exit HRS survey.Main measuresSurvey responses by proxies were used to determine ACP, defined by either advance directive completion or surrogate designation, and to assess decision-making at the end of life. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze correlates of ACP.Key resultsPrior to death, 54.9% of all participants had an advance directive and 68.9% had designated a surrogate decision-maker; however, 24.5% had no ACP. Of the total cohort, 32.5% required decisions to be made about treatment at the end of life and lacked capacity to make these decisions themselves. In this subset, 19.9% had no ACP. In all participants, ACP was less likely in non-white individuals (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.14, 95% CI 0.06-0.31), those with less than a high school education (aOR 0.58, 95% CI 0.35-0.97), and those with a net worth below the median of the cohort (aOR 0.49, 95% CI 0.26-0.72). No clinical factors were found to be associated with ACP completion prior to death.ConclusionsA considerable number of older adults with hip fracture required surrogate decision-making at the end of life, of whom one fifth had no ACP prior to death. Clinicians providing care for these patients are uniquely poised to address ACP.

Due to the high costs of providing long-term care to older adults with cognitive impairment, artificial companions are increasingly considered as a cost-efficient way to provide support. Artificial companions can comfort, entertain, and inform, and even induce a sense of being in a close relationship. Sensors and algorithms are increasingly leading to applications that exude a life-like feel. We focus on a case study of an artificial companion for people with cognitive impairment. This companion is an avatar on an electronic tablet that is displayed as a dog or a cat. Whereas artificial intelligence guides most artificial companions, this application also relies on technicians "behind" the on-screen avatar, who via surveillance, interact with users. This case is notable because it particularly illustrates the tension between the endless opportunities offered by technology and the ethical issues stemming from limited regulations. Reviewing the case through the lens of biomedical ethics, concerns of deception, monitoring and tracking, as well as informed consent and social isolation are raised by the introduction of this technology to users with cognitive impairment. We provide a detailed description of the case, review the main ethical issues and present two theoretical frameworks, the "human-driven technology" platform and the emancipatory gerontology framework, to inform the design of future applications.

Frailty results from the chronic effects of malnutrition and muscle wasting in patients with cirrhosis. It is well-established that frailty is strongly associated with mortality in this population. However, little is known of its relationship with physical disability, a critical patient-centered outcome. Adults with cirrhosis underwent outpatient testing of frailty using the Liver Frailty Index (LFI) and disability using activities of daily living (ADL; range 0-6) and Instrumental ADL (IADL; range 0-8) scales at one center between 2012 and 2016. We used adjusted multilevel logistic mixed-effects regression to test the association between frailty and current disability (impairment with ≥1 ADL or IADL) and incident disability at 6 months among those without baseline disability. Of the 983 participants, 20% were robust, 32% were less robust, 33% were prefrail, and 15% were frail; 587 (60%) had at least 1 assessment. The percentage of participants with at least 1 baseline ADL or IADL impairment was 28% and 37%, respectively. In adjusted regression models, each point LFI increase was associated with a 3.3 and 4.6 higher odds of current difficulty with at least 1 ADL and IADL (P

This article addresses ethical issues in the conduct of ethnographic research with vulnerable study participants, such as individuals with cognitive impairment. Seven ethical issues emerged from this case study, in which a participant diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease wished to pursue euthanasia in Switzerland: (a) How to protect the participant's autonomy while ensuring his decision had not resulted from untreated depression or modifiable social factors; (b) How to interpret self-harm; (c) How to protect the research team members' "mandated reporter" status; (d) How to counteract the attractive qualities of pro-euthanasia videos depicting an easy end to personal suffering; (e) How to find a better alternative to the common practice of reporting self-harm cases to Adult Protective Services and then removing these cases from studies; (f) How to leverage a participant's trust to address these issues; and (g) Whether researchers should do anything further to help address unmet needs in similar situations.

ObjectivesLittle population-level evidence exists to guide the development of interventions for people with dementia in non-nursing home settings. We hypothesized people living at home with moderately severe dementia would differ in social, functional, and medical characteristics from those in either residential care or nursing home settings.DesignRetrospective cohort study using pooled data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, an annual survey of a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries.SettingUS national sample.ParticipantsRespondents newly meeting criteria for incident moderately severe dementia, defined as probable dementia with functional impairment: 728 older adults met our definition between 2012 and 2016.MeasurementsSocial characteristics examined included age, sex, race/ethnicity, country of origin, income, educational attainment, partnership status, and household size. Functional characteristics included help with daily activities, falls, mobility device use, and limitation to home or bed. Medical characteristics included comorbid conditions, self-rated health, hospital stay, symptoms, and dementia behaviors.ResultsExtrapolated to the population, an estimated 3.3 million older adults developed incident moderately severe dementia between 2012 and 2016. Within this cohort, 64% received care at home, 19% in residential care, and 17% in a nursing facility. social, functional, and medical characteristics differed across care settings. Older adults living at home were 2 to 5 times more likely to be members of disadvantaged populations and had more medical needs: 71% reported bothersome pain compared with 60% in residential care or 59% in nursing homes.ConclusionOver a 5-year period, 2.1 million people lived at home with incident moderately severe dementia. People living at home had a higher prevalence of demographic characteristics associated with systematic patterns of disadvantage, more social support, less functional impairment, worse health, and more symptoms compared with people living in residential care or nursing facilities. This novel study provides insight into setting-specific differences among people with dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1907-1912, 2019.

Purpose of the studyTo examine the lived experience of older adults living alone with cognitive impairment to better understand their needs and concerns. Based on our previous work suggesting that older adults living alone often experience a sense of precarity, we were interested in exploring this construct in older adults living alone with a diagnosis of cognitive impairment. The notion of precarity points to the uncertainty deriving from coping with cumulative pressures while trying to preserve a sense of independence.Design and methodsThis is a qualitative study of 12 adults aged 65 and older living alone with cognitive impairment. Six participants had a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease; 6 had a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment. Participants' lived experiences were elicited through 40 ethnographic interviews and participant observation in their homes. Using a qualitative content analysis approach, interview transcripts and fieldnotes were analyzed to identify codes and themes.ResultsQualitative analysis of transcripts revealed three themes. Theme 1 described the distress stemming from the uncertainty of having cognitive impairment that has an unpredictable course. Theme 2 drew attention to the tendency of participants to feel responsible for managing their cognitive impairment. Theme 3 described the pressures stemming from the lack of appropriate services to support independent living for persons with cognitive impairment.ImplicationsThese 3 themes all pointed to facets of precarity. Findings also suggest the dearth of programs to support older adults living alone with cognitive impairment and the need to develop novel programs and interventions.

BackgroundPhysical frailty is a powerful tool for identifying nondisabled individuals at high risk of adverse outcomes. The extent to which cognitive impairment in those without dementia adds value to physical frailty in detecting high-risk individuals remains unclear.ObjectivesTo estimate the effects of combining physical frailty and cognitive impairment without dementia (CIND) on the risk of basic activities of daily living (ADL) dependence and death over 8 years.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingThe Health and Retirement Study (HRS).ParticipantsA total of 7338 community-dwelling people, 65 years or older, without dementia and ADL dependence at baseline (2006-2008). Follow-up assessments occurred every 2 years until 2014.MeasurementsThe five components of the Cardiovascular Health Study defined physical frailty. A well-validated HRS method, including verbal recall, series of subtractions, and backward count task, assessed cognition. Primary outcomes were time to ADL dependence and death. Hazard models, considering death as a competing risk, associated physical frailty and CIND with outcomes after adjusting for sociodemographics, comorbidities, depression, and smoking status.ResultsThe prevalence of physical frailty was 15%; CIND, 19%; and both deficits, 5%. In unadjusted and adjusted analyses, combining these factors identified older adults at an escalating risk for ADL dependence (no deficit = 14% [reference group]; only CIND = 26%, sub-hazard ratio [sHR] = 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-1.8; only frail = 33%, sHR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.4-2.0; both deficits = 46%, sHR = 2.0, 95%CI = 1.6-2.6) and death (no deficit = 21%; only CIND = 41%, HR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.4-1.9; only frail = 56%, HR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.7-2.7; both deficits = 66%, HR = 2.6, 95% CI = 2.0-3.3) over 8-year follow-up. Adding the cognitive measure to models that already included physical frailty alone increased accuracy in identifying those at higher risk of ADL dependence (Harrell's concordance [C], 0.74 vs 0.71; P < .001) and death (Harrell's C, 0.70 vs 0.67; P < .001).ConclusionPhysical frailty and CIND are independent predictors of incident disability and death. Because together physical frailty and CIND identify vulnerable older adults better, optimal risk assessment should supplement measures of physical frailty with measures of cognitive function. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:477-483, 2019.

BackgroundWe describe the recruitment of participants for Strategies to Reduce Injuries and Develop Confidence in Elders (STRIDE), a large pragmatic cluster randomized trial that is testing the effectiveness of a multifactorial intervention to prevent serious fall injuries. Eligible persons were 70 years or older, community-living, and at increased risk for serious fall injuries. The modified goal was to recruit 5,322 participants over 20 months from 86 primary care practices within 10 diverse health care systems across the United States.MethodsThe at-risk population was identified using two distinct but complementary screening strategies that included three questions administered centrally via the mail (nine sites) or in the clinic (one site), while recruitment was completed centrally by staff at Yale.ResultsFor central screening, 226,603 letters mailed to 135,118 patients yielded 28,719 positive screens (12.7% of those mailed and 46.5% of the 61,729 returned). In the clinic, 22,537 screens were completed, leading to 5,732 positive screens (25.4%). Of the 34,451 patients who screened positive for high risk of serious fall injuries, 31,872 were sent a recruitment packet and, of these, 5,451 (17.1%) were enrolled over 20 months (mean age: 80 years; 62% female). The participation rate was 34.0% among eligible patients. The enrollment yields were 3.6% (vs 5% projected) for each patient screened centrally, despite multiple screens, and 10.5% (vs 33.9% projected) for each positive clinic screen.ConclusionsDespite lower-than-expected yields, the STRIDE Study exceeded its modified recruitment goal. If the STRIDE intervention is found to be effective, the two distinct strategies for identifying a high-risk population of older persons could be implemented by most health care systems.

ObjectivesTo determine the association between cumulative burden of depressive symptoms and risk of nursing home (NH) placement over 2 decades.DesignProspective cohort study with data linked to Medicare claims files.SettingClinic sites in Baltimore, Maryland; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and the Monongahela Valley near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.ParticipantsInitially community-dwelling women aged 65 and older (N=3,646).MeasurementsDepressive symptom burden was determined using the Geriatric Depression Scale measured over 18 years to calculate accumulation of burden. NH placement was determined using Medicare claims data.ResultsIn Fine-Gray proportional hazards analyses including demographic characteristics, medical comorbidities, functional impairment, and recent depression exposure and accounting for competing risk of death, women with low depressive symptom burden were twice as likely to experience NH placement as those with minimal burden (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16-3.20), women with moderate burden were more than twice as likely (HR = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.59-4.31), and women with high burden (HR = 3.08, 95% CI = 1.87-5.08) were three times as likely. The addition of antidepressant use to this model attenuated the risk only slightly.ConclusionIn older women, cumulative burden of depressive symptoms over nearly 2 decades is associated with greater risk of transitioning from community-living to a NH irrespective of recent depression exposure, medical comorbidities, functional impairment, and the competing risk of death. This work supports the need for improving recognition, monitoring, and treatment of depressive symptoms early, which may reduce or delay NH placement.

Background and Objectives Emerging evidence suggests music-based interventions can improve the well-being of people living with dementia, but little is known about the ways in which music might support dementia caregiving relationships as part of everyday life at home. This study examined music engagement in the context of daily life to identify patterns of music engagement and potential targets for the design of music-based interventions to support well-being. Research Design and Methods This ethnographic, in-home study of people living with dementia and their family and professional care partners used methods from ethnomusicology, including semistructured interviews and in-home participant observation with a focus on music engagement. Results A total of 21 dyads were purposively recruited for diversity in terms of gender, ethnicity/race/heritage, caregiving relationship, and music experiences. Despite participants' diverse music preferences, 3 distinct music engagement patterns emerged. (a) Professional care partners intentionally integrated music listening and singing into daily life as part of providing direct care. (b) Family care partners, who had prior dementia care nursing experience or family music traditions, integrated music into daily life in ways that supported their personal relationships. (c) In contrast, family care partners, who lacked dementia care experience and had high levels of caregiver burden, disengaged from prior music-making. Discussion and Implications The distinct music engagement patterns reflect different needs on the part of dyads. It is important to continue to support dyads who engage in music daily and to consider developing music-based interventions to support well-being among dyads who have become disengaged from music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frailty is prevalent in liver transplant candidates, but little is known of what happens to frailty after liver transplantation. We analyzed data for 214 adult liver transplant recipients who had ≥1 frailty assessment using the Liver Frailty Index (LFI) at 3- (n = 178), 6- (n = 139), or 12- (n = 107) months posttransplant (higher values=more frail). "Frail" and "robust" were defined as LFI ≥4.5 and

ObjectivesFrailty, a critical determinant of health outcomes, is most commonly assessed in patients with cirrhosis by general clinician assessment that is limited by its subjectivity. We aimed to compare the objective Liver Frailty Index (LFI), consisting of three performance-based tests (grip, chair stands, balance), with a subjective hepatologist assessment.MethodsOutpatients with cirrhosis awaiting liver transplantation (LT) underwent: (1) objective measurement using the LFI and (2) subjective clinician assessment. Spearman's correlation assessed associations between the LFI and clinician assessment; Cox regression with waitlist mortality (death/delisting for sickness); discriminative ability with Concordance(C) statistics. The net reclassification index evaluated the percentage of patients correctly reclassified by adding the LFI to the clinician assessment.ResultsOf the 529 patients with cirrhosis, median LFI was 3.8 (range 1.0-7.0) and clinician assessment was 3 (range 0-5). Correlation between LFI and the clinician assessment was modest (ρ=0.38) with high variability by hepatologist (ρ=0.26-0.70). At a median of 11 months, 102 (19%) died/were delisted. Both the LFI (hazard ratio (HR) 2.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7-2.9) and clinician assessment (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-1.9) were associated with adjusted waitlist mortality risk (P

BackgroundOne third of older adults with cognitive impairment live alone and are at high risk for poor health outcomes. Little is known about how older adults who live alone experience the process of receiving a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer's disease (AD).ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to understand the effects and meanings of receiving a diagnosis of MCI or AD on the lived experience of older adults living alone.MethodsThis is a qualitative study of adults age 65 and over living alone with cognitive impairment. Participants' lived experiences were elicited through ethnographic interviews and participant observation in their homes. Using a qualitative content analysis approach, interview transcripts and fieldnotes were analyzed to identify codes and themes.ResultsTwenty-nine older adults and 6 members of their social circles completed 114 ethnographic interviews. Core themes included: relief, distress, ambiguous recollections, and not knowing what to do. Participants sometimes felt uplifted and relieved by the diagnostic process. Some participants did not mention having received a diagnosis or had only partial recollections about it. Participants reported that, as time passed, they did not know what to do with regard to the treatment of their condition. Sometimes they also did not know how to prepare for a likely worsening of their condition, which they would experience while living alone.ConclusionFindings suggest the need for more tailored care and follow-up as soon as MCI or AD is diagnosed in persons living alone.

BackgroundTraumatic brain injury (TBI) has been identified as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD). Motor dysfunction among TBI-exposed elders without PD has not been well characterized. We sought to determine whether remote TBI is a risk factor for motor dysfunction on exam and functionally relevant motor dysfunction in day-to-day life among independently living elders without PD.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional cohort study of independently living retired military veterans aged 50 or older with (n = 78) and without (n = 85) prior TBI-all without diagnosed PD. To characterize multidimensional aspects of motor function on exam, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Motor Examination was performed by a board-certified neurologist and used to calculate a modified UPDRS (mUPDRS) global motor score and four domain scores (tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and posture/gait). Functionally relevant motor dysfunction was assessed via self-report of falls within the past year.ResultsIn analyses adjusted for demographics and comorbidities that differed between groups, compared with veterans without TBI, those with moderate-to-severe TBI were more likely to have fallen in past year (33% vs. 14%, risk ratio 2.5 [95% confidence interval 1.1-5.4]), had higher (worse) mUPDRS global motor (p = .03) and posture/gait scores (p = .02), but not higher tremor (p = .70), rigidity (p = .21), or bradykinesia scores (p = .22). Mild TBI was not associated with worse motor function.ConclusionsRemote moderate-to-severe TBI is a risk factor for motor dysfunction-defined as recent falls and impaired posture/gait-among older veterans. TBI-exposed older adults may be ideal candidates for aggressive fall-screening and prevention strategies.

Cirrhosis is characterized by muscle wasting, malnutrition, and functional decline that confer excess mortality not well quantified by the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) Sodium (MELDNa) score. We aimed to develop a frailty index to capture these extrahepatic complications of cirrhosis and enhance mortality prediction in patients with cirrhosis. Consecutive outpatients listed for liver transplantation at a single transplant center without MELD exceptions were assessed with candidate frailty measures. Best subset selection analyses with Cox regression identified subsets of frailty measures that predicted waitlist mortality (=death or delisting because of sickness). We selected the frailty index by balancing statistical accuracy with clinical utility. The net reclassification index (NRI) evaluated the %patients correctly reclassified by adding the frailty index to MELDNa. Included were 536 patients with cirrhosis with median MELDNa of 18. One hundred seven (20%) died/were delisted. The final frailty index consisted of: grip strength, chair stands, and balance. The ability of MELDNa and the frailty index to correctly rank patients according to their 3-month waitlist mortality risk (i.e., concordance-statistic) was 0.80 and 0.76, respectively, but 0.82 for MELDNa+frailty index together. Compared with MELDNa alone, MELDNa+frailty index correctly reclassified 16% of deaths/delistings (P = 0.005) and 3% of nondeaths/delistings (P = 0.17) with a total NRI of 19% (P < 0.001). Compared to those with robust frailty index scores (80th percentile) were more impaired by gait speed, difficulty with Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, exhaustion, and low physical activity (P < 0.001 for each).ConclusionOur frailty index for patients with cirrhosis, comprised of three performance-based metrics, has construct validity for the concept of frailty and improves risk prediction of waitlist mortality over MELDNa alone. (Hepatology 2017;66:564-574).

Reduced physical function and health-related quality of life are common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and further studies are needed that examine novel determinates of reduced physical function in RA. This study examines whether frailty, a state of increased vulnerability to stressors, is associated with differences in self-reported physical function among adults with RA. Adults from a longitudinal RA cohort (n = 124) participated in the study. Using an established definition of frailty, individuals with three or more of the following physical deficits were classified as frail: (1) body mass index ≤18.5, (2) low grip strength (adjusted for sex and body mass index (BMI), measured by handheld dynamometer), (3) severe fatigue (measured by the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue), (4) slow 4-m walking speed (adjusted for sex and height), and (5) low physical activity (measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire). Individuals with one or two deficits were classified as "pre-frail" and those with no deficits as "robust." Self-reported physical function was assessed by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and the Valued Life Activities Difficulty scale. Regression analyses modeled associations of frailty category with HAQ and Valued Life Activities (VLA) Difficulty scores with and without controlling for age, sex, disease duration, C-reactive protein, use of oral steroids, and pain. Among adults with RA, being frail compared to being robust was associated with a 0.44 worse VLA score (p

Cirrhosis leads to sarcopenia and functional decline that can severely impact one's ability to function at home and in society. Self-reported disability scales to quantify disability-Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL)-are validated to predict mortality in older adults. To evaluate disability in liver transplantation (LT) candidates and quantify its impact on outcomes, consecutive outpatients ≥18 years listed for LT with laboratory Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores of ≥12 at a single high-volume US LT center were assessed for ADLs and IADLs during clinic visits. Multivariate competing risk models explored the effect of disabilities on wait-list mortality (death or delisting for illness). Of 458 patients, 36% were women, median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 60 years (IQR, 54-64 years), and initial Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium (MELD-Na) was 17 (IQR 14-20). At first visit, 31% had lost ≥ 1 ADL, and 40% had lost ≥ 1 IADL. The most prevalent ADL deficits lost were continence (22%), dressing (12%), and transferring (11%); the most prevalent IADLs lost were shopping (28%), food preparation (23%), and medication management (22%). After adjustment for age, MELD-Na, and encephalopathy, dressing (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR], 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-2.8; P = 0.04), toileting (SHR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.5; P = 0.03), transferring (SHR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.0; P = 0.009), housekeeping (SHR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-3.0; P = 0.009), and laundry (SHR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.5; P = 0.002) remained independent predictors of wait-list mortality. In conclusion, ADL/IADL deficits are common in LT candidates. LT candidates would benefit from chronic disease management programs developed to address the impact of cirrhosis on their daily lives. Liver Transplantation 23 292-298 2017 AASLD.

ContextMost hip fracture care models are grounded in curative models where the goal is to return the patient to independent function. In many instances, however, hip fractures contribute to continued functional decline and mortality. Although the negative impact of hip fractures is appreciated once they have occurred, what is less understood is what proportion of older adults have high illness burden before experiencing hip fracture and might benefit from geriatric palliative care.ObjectivesUsing data from the Health and Retirement Study linked to Medicare claims (January 1992 through December 2010), we sought to understand the extent of premorbid illness burden before hip fracture.MethodsCharacteristics were based on the interview before hip fracture. Features used to indicate need for geriatric palliative care included evidence of functional and medical vulnerability, pain, and depression.ResultsEight hundred fifty-six older adults who experienced a hip fracture were compared to 851 age-, gender-, and race-matched controls. Older adults with hip fractures had significantly more premorbid functional vulnerability (activities of daily living dependent 25.7% vs. 16.1% [P

ObjectivesTo develop a prediction index for 1-year mortality after hip fracture in older adults that includes predictors from a wide range of domains.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingsHealth and Retirement Study (HRS).ParticipantsHRS participants who experienced hip fracture between 1992 and 2010 as identified according to Medicare claims data (N = 857).MeasurementsOutcome measure was death within 1 year of hip fracture. Predictor measures were participant demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, social support, health, geriatric symptoms, and function. Variables independently associated with 1-year mortality were identified, and best-subsets regression was used to identify the final model. The selected variables were weighted to create a risk index. The index was internally validated using bootstrapping to estimate model optimism.ResultsMean age at time of hip fracture was 84, and 76% of the participants were women. There were 235 deaths (27%) during the 1-year follow up. Five predictors of mortality were included in the final model: aged 90 and older (2 points), male sex (2 points), congestive heart failure (2 points), difficulty preparing meals (2 points), and not being able to drive (1 point). The point scores of the index were associated with 1-year mortality, with 0 points predicting 10% risk and 7 to 9 points predicting 66% risk. The c-statistic for the final model was 0.73, with an estimated optimism penalty of 0.01, indicating very little evidence of overfitting.ConclusionThe prognostic index combines demographic, comorbidity, and function variables and can be used to differentiate between individuals at low and high risk of 1-year mortality after hip fracture.

BackgroundSarcopenia and functional impairment are common and lethal extrahepatic manifestations of cirrhosis. We aimed to determine the association between computed tomography (CT)-based measures of muscle mass and quality (sarcopenia) and performance-based measures of muscle function.MethodsAdults listed for liver transplant underwent testing of muscle function (grip strength, Short Physical Performance Battery [SPPB]) within 3 months of abdominal CT. Muscle mass (cm/m) = total cross-sectional area of psoas, paraspinal, and abdominal wall muscles at L3 on CT, normalized for height. Muscle quality = mean Hounsfield units for total skeletal muscle area at L3.ResultsAmong 292 candidates, median grip strength was 31 kg, SPPB score was 11, muscle mass was 49 cm/m, and muscle quality was 35 Hounsfield units. Grip strength weakly correlated with muscle mass (ρ = 0.26, P < 0.001) and quality (ρ = 0.27, P < 0.001) in men, and muscle quality (ρ = 0.23, P = 0.02), but not muscle mass, in women. Short Physical Performance Battery correlated weakly with muscle quality in men (ρ = 0.38, P < 0.001) and women (ρ = 0.25, P = 0.02), however, did not correlate with muscle mass in men or women. After adjustment for sex, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD)-Na, hepatocellular carcinoma, and body mass index, grip strength (hazard ratio [HR], 0.74; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.59-0.92; P = 0.008), SPPB (HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.82-0.97; P = 0.01), and muscle quality (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.95; P = 0.02) were associated with waitlist mortality, but muscle mass was not (HR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.75-1.11; P = 0.35).ConclusionsPerformance-based tests of muscle function are only modestly associated with CT-based muscle measures. Given that they predict waitlist mortality and can be conducted quickly and economically, tests of muscle function may have greater clinical utility than CT-based measures of sarcopenia.

ObjectivesTo establish the prevalence and correlates of disability during the 2 years before hip fracture.DesignData from participants who experienced hip fracture in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) with hip fracture identified using linked Medicare claims. Each participant was interviewed at varying time points in the 2 years before hip fracture. Disability was defined as self-report of the need for assistance in any activity of daily living (walking across the room, eating, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, transferring). Based on the timing between interview and hip fracture, prevalence of disability was calculated in the cohort as a whole over the 2 years before hip fracture and in subgroups defined according to demographic and clinical characteristics.SettingThe HRS is a nationally representative longitudinal study (1992-2010).ParticipantsHRS participants aged ≥65 with hip fracture (mean age at fracture 84, 77% female).ResultsThe adjusted prevalence of disability was 20% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 14-25%) 2 years before hip fracture, with little change until approximately 10 months before fracture, when it started to rise, reaching 44% (95% CI = 33-55%) in the month before hip fracture. The prevalence of disability was highest in the last month before fracture for persons aged 85 and older (53%) and for those with dementia (60%).ConclusionCare models for hip fracture need to consider not only the acute medical and surgical needs, but also the high level of need for supportive care and caregiver assistance that chronically disabled individuals require.