Current and Emerging Trends in the Management of Fall Risk in People with Lower Limb Amputation
AbstractPurpose of ReviewPeople living with lower limb amputation are at an increased risk of falling compared with the healthy geriatric population. Factors of increased age and increased number of comorbidities could compound the already increased risk. The purpose of this article is to highlight recent research associated with fall risk in amputees and provide the reader with evidence to help guide clinical interventions.Recent FindingsThough research on the topic of falls in people with amputation is becoming more common, there is still a dearth of evidence regarding what contributes to increased fall risk and how to a...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - July 28, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Gait and Balance Assessment of Older Adults
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis review will outline seminal and contemporary balance and gait measures most commonly used with geriatric clients, along with the administration procedures, clinical utility, and psychometric qualities that support their use.Recent FindingsTen balance and five gait performance tests were reviewed. Balance instruments range from the simple to the complex. These tools quantify older adults ’ ability to maintain postural stability during tasks that manipulate sensory conditions and functional activities, and challenge their base of support. Gait assessment is common in geriatric rehabilitation. ...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - July 22, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Blood Flow Restriction as an Exercise Alternative to Ameliorate the Effects of Aging
AbstractPurpose of ReviewBlood flow restriction (BFR) exercise is a recent and novel intervention showing promising results in counteracting several physiological effects related to aging, leading to disability in older adults. The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature within the last 5 years on the effectiveness of BFR training in older adults.Recent FindingsBFR performed during light load (20 –30% of one-repetition maximum) resistance exercise have showed to enhance musculoskeletal and cardiometabolic health in healthy and frail older adults without any adverse events. Other novel findings are improvem...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - July 20, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Diagnosing Pulmonary Tuberculosis in the Elderly
AbstractPurpose of ReviewPulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains a diagnostic challenge, particularly in low endemic settings with ageing populations. The impact has both individual and infection control implications.Recent FindingsOver the past 20 years, progress has been made in trying to improve TB diagnostics. International recommendations for investigation however still rely heavily on the index of suspicion, imaging and ultimately culturingMycobacterium tuberculosis which remains the gold standard for diagnosing TB disease. Recent advances include molecular diagnostics with the ability to rapidly identify TB disease an...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - April 13, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Recent Developments in Technological Support for Wanderers
AbstractPurpose of ReviewWandering occurs among more than half the population living with dementia. The purpose of this paper is to review recent publications on the topic of wander management through technology.Recent FindingsVarious technological devices exist for monitoring wandering. The hardware is utilized in home settings and institutions. Decisions about suitable technology consider disease stage, environment, satellite reception, and cost.SummaryWander management through technology is developing rapidly. Home and institutional care settings utilize basic technology for wander management, including motion detectors...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - March 31, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Pelvic Floor Muscle Training for Older Women with Urinary Incontinence
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo review and discuss the efficacy of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) for urinary incontinence (UI) in older women.Recent FindingsAs opposed to UI in young and middle-aged women, UI in older women is often multifactorial. One randomized control trial (RCT) and secondary analyses from four RCTs suggest that healthy older women with UI benefit from PFMT as much as younger women. In older women with UI, 12 RCTs support PFMT as an effective treatment. Of interest, recent RCTs propose a more holistic approach to PFMT to address concurrent cognitive, gait, and balance deficits in older incontinent wo...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - March 25, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Behavioral Interventions for Alzheimer ’s Management Using Technology: Home-Based Monitoring
AbstractPurpose of ReviewDementia is a progressive brain disease that affects 5.8 million people in the USA. In 2018, more than 16 million Americans provided unpaid care for persons with dementia (PWD). Most of this care is provided by family members and friends yielding 18.5 billion hours of unpaid care worth $233.9 billion.Novel technological approaches to assist caregivers and improve health and function of PWD are being explored. Models to assess and predict behaviors may provide greater quality of life (QOL) for both PWD and their caregivers. The purpose of this paper is to review current available technologies for be...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - March 20, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Telemedicine: a Valuable Tool in Neurodegenerative Diseases
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer ’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD), is rising as the global population ages. Access to specialist care, which improves outcomes, is insufficient and disease-related disability makes in-person physician visits burdensome. Telehealth is one potential means for improving access to care. T he purpose of this manuscript is to review recent publications on telemedicine in AD and PD.Recent FindingsTelemedicine is feasible in AD and PD and acceptable to patients and their caregivers. Compared with in-person visits, telemedicine r...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - March 13, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Bronchiectasis in the Elderly —a Disease That Has Not Gone Away
AbstractPurpose of ReviewIn the early twentieth century, bronchiectasis (BE) was not a disease seen in the elderly population as life expectancy was usually< 40 years. A century on, however, and this is now a disease much more prevalent in the elderly and as patients live longer, this trend will almost certainly continue. Why is this so? (1) BE is irreversible and often worsens with advancing years and (2) aetiologies associated with new-onset BE in the elderly are strongly related to the ageing process itself—namely gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), immunosenescence, cancer and inflammatory diseases, oral...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - March 13, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
The Unique Role of Lung Cancer Nurse Navigators in Elderly Lung Cancer Patients
AbstractPurpose of ReviewLung cancer care in the elderly is complex for both providers and patients, but a lung nurse navigator can help bridge the gap between providers and patients. The purpose of this paper is to review recent publications on the role of the lung nurse navigator and identify their importance in patient care with an emphasis on their impact on the elderly.Recent FindingsNurse navigation programs vary greatly from institution to institution but are increasingly used in a variety of diseases and roles. Multiple recent studies have shown that nurse navigators lead to a significant improvement in screening r...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - March 10, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
The Role of Healthcare Robotics in Providing Support to Older Adults: a Socio-ecological Perspective
AbstractPurpose of ReviewIn this review, we provide an overview of how healthcare robotics can facilitate healthy aging, with an emphasis on physical, cognitive, and social supports. We next provide a synthesis of future challenges and considerations in the development and application of healthcare robots. We organize these considerations using a socio-ecological perspective and discuss considerations at the individual, care partner, community healthcare, and healthcare policy levels.Recent FindingsOlder adults are the fastest growing segment of the US population. Age-related changes and challenges can present difficulties...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - March 9, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Continence: Bowel and Bladder and Physical Function Decline in Women
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe purpose of this article is to review the various forms of incontinence, highlight their impact on older women, and explore current literature regarding the link between physical activity, physical function, and incontinence.Recent FindingsBoth urinary and fecal incontinence become more prevalent with age, and are associated with significant morbidity. In parallel, there is a well-established decline in physical function that occurs with age. Furthermore, incontinence has a bidirectional relationship with physical function decline. Given the known link between increasing physical activity and pr...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - March 8, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Pleural Infection —a Growing Problem in the Elderly
AbstractPurpose of ReviewPleural infection is a common cause of hospitalisation and associated with high morbidity and mortality. This review summarises our current knowledge and practice in cases of pleural infection, with a particular focus on the evidence relevant to the management of this condition in older adults.Recent FindingsThe incidence of pleural infection is rising in older adults, who often present with less specific symptoms and commonly suffer from one or more comorbidities that can both confound diagnosis and impact on longer-term outcomes. Aspiration of oropharyngeal contents plays an important role in the...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - March 8, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Seizures and Epilepsy in the Elderly: Diagnostic and Treatment Considerations
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe purpose of this review is to highlight important clinical aspects in diagnosis and management of epilepsy in the elderly and to highlight recent literature and its relevance to current practice.Recent FindingsRecent studies have shown that elderly patients are under referred for evaluation to epilepsy monitoring units and for epilepsy surgery, which has been demonstrated to be safe and effective in this population.SummaryThe elderly are at increased risk for acute symptomatic seizures and epilepsy. Accurate diagnosis can be challenging in older patients due to limitations in history, atypical s...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - January 26, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
The Role of Cardiovascular Disease in Cognitive Impairment
AbstractPurpose of the ReviewWith no disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer ’s disease (AD) currently established, a priority for public health is prevention of cognitive decline and dementia. Treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) may provide such an opportunity.Recent FindingsWhile the pathology of athero- and arteriolosclerotic cerebrovascular disease was once thought of as distinct from AD pathobiology, accumulating evidence suggests that there is more overlap in vascular and AD-related pathologies than previously recognized. CVD and its risk factors are associated with cognitive decline and dem...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - January 19, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
