Geriatric Medicine and the Challenges of Transitions of Care in the Rural Health Sector
Although geriatric medicine and primary care are essentially similar forms of care for older adults, physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) who are trained specifically in geriatrics know what not to do. When I first started my practice two years ago in my rural town in northern California, the older adult patients who came in for their primary care visit were genuinely shocked when I told them I was trained in geriatric medicine. Most were not even aware that geriatric medicine is a separate field of study. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Arvindselvan Mohanaselvan Tags: We are PALTC Source Type: news
Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of LTC Residents: Lessons Learned From the Pandemic
Ms. Johnson was a resident in a rural long-term care (LTC) setting in January 2020. She had a history of mood fluctuations during prior years and had most recently been experiencing depressive symptoms. She was thankful that she had been receiving individual psychotherapy from a mental health provider who came to her facility on a weekly basis. However, in early March 2020 most of the residents on her hallway began to exhibit signs of illness; it was soon discovered that many were testing positive for COVID-19. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Lisa Lind Tags: Behavioral Health Source Type: news
Peer Inspiration, Team Collaboration Elevate 2023 Medical Director of the Year
Being recognized by the individuals you most respect is perhaps the greatest honor for any professional. For years, Rani Rao, MD, FACP, CMD, viewed many of her AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine colleagues with admiration “for their tremendous contributions to advocacy, policy, innovation, education, and more.” Today, she is the 2023 Medical Director of the Year, a practitioner who is widely admired and respected by her Society peers and many others. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Joanne Kaldy Source Type: news
The Future of Independent Living: Health and Wellness Take Center Stage
Anyone following the evolution of the post-acute and long-term care industry has noticed the trend toward “acuity creep,” where today’s assisted living facility residents resemble the nursing home residents of 10 to 20 years ago. For instance, 77% of assisted living residents need help bathing, 69% need help walking, and 34% have Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia (National Center f or Assisted Living: http://bit.ly/3LDMcd1). Now this trend is starting to hit independent living communities as well. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Joanne Kaldy Source Type: news
From Isolated to Invigorated: Reunions Rule
Senior contributing writer Joanne Kaldy talks to certified nursing assistants about the importance of finding time to meet colleagues in person. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Tags: Nursing Assistants ’ Corner Source Type: news
Discussing Cannabis With Your Patients
Irecently traveled to a major city for a professional development event, and while I was exploring the area for local cuisine I stumbled across a cannabis vending machine. It was neither inside nor outside a business establishment; it was simply a freestanding machine on the sidewalk, enclosed in a wooden frame with metal bars in front. I would have missed it if not for its colorful mural. It had no supervision other than a sign reminding its patrons they were under video surveillance and must be over 21 years old to purchase. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Alexandria Hill Source Type: news
Is Dementia a Disease?
At the end of clinic day today I had been invited to speak to a church group via Zoom about the topic of dementia. I thought it might be fun to talk with people about dementia, as I do with my patients, without the need for a slideshow or references. The format was set up so that I would talk a little about dementia first, and then I would answer any questions. With so much to cover, I decided to focus on what aspects of dementia I wish we all understood better. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Melvin Hector Tags: Editorial Source Type: news
Energizing Networks and Ideas: How the Futures Program Impacted My Career
My first experience in a post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) setting was during my geriatrics rotation in residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. It was here where I solidified my decision to pursue a career in geriatrics, specifically in PALTC. The first time I heard about the Futures Program was from a long-time member of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine while I was interviewing for a geriatric medicine fellowship. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Courtney Uhlar Tags: Foundation Futures Source Type: news
Journal Highlights From the April Issue of JAMDA
Fully immersive virtual reality using 360 ° views, or VR 360°, represents a promising tool to improve well-being and manage psychosocial disorders, especially as individuals experience isolation resulting from COVID-19 precautions, researchers in France found. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Jeffrey S. Eisenberg Tags: Journal Highlights Source Type: news
Poor Oral Health May Indicate Risk of Frailty
By observing markers of poor oral health, particularly dry mouth, clinicians may be able to determine which adults are at risk of becoming frail, according to a new study. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Jeffrey S. Eisenberg Tags: Journal Highlights Source Type: news
Antipsychotic Prescribing Varies Widely Among States
The number of antipsychotic agents prescribed for older adults living with dementia varies widely among U.S. states, a one-year observational study found. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Jeffrey S. Eisenberg Tags: Journal Highlights Source Type: news
Could Senior Home Sharing Be an Alternative to Long-Term Care?
The likelihood of living alone increases with age. Nearly 60% of households with adults over 80 are single-adult homes, and it is estimated that over the course of the next 20 years this number will grow from nearly 5 million to an estimated 10.1 million in 2038. This is according to a report by Jennifer Molinsky, the project director of the Housing an Aging Society Program of the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University ( “The Number of People Living Alone in Their 80s and 90s Is Set to Soar,” Housing Perspectives, Mar. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Ian Cordes Source Type: news
What Do We Know About the Treatment of Pain for Individuals Living With Dementia?
I commonly assess and treat symptoms of pain in individuals living with dementia in my clinical practice. The treatment plans that I develop are typically guided by the following three elements: 1) An assessment process to identify the type, intensity, and behavioral and functional manifestations of pain. 2) A review of the effectiveness and adverse consequences of past treatment for pain. 3) A discussion of the potential benefits and risks of the proposed treatment with the patient (when appropriate) and family/medical decision maker. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Elizabeth Galik Tags: Caring Collaborative Source Type: news
Mark your calendar
April 18-19, 2023 (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Source Type: news
Rehabilitation and Physician Perspectives on a Patient-Centered Discharge: A Short Interview from the Transitions of Care Subcommittee
Discharge planning should start at admission and take a patient-centered, multidisciplinary approach. Interviewer Christian Bergman, MD, CMD, sits down with geriatrician Sing Palat, MD, CMD, and occupational therapy clinician-researcher Benjamin Canter, BA, OT/s, to discuss the fictional case of Ms. Lavery to demonstrate how medical and rehabilitation professionals can merge their perspectives during a skilled nursing facility discharge to optimize the patient ’s outcomes. Ms. Lavery, a 71-year-old woman, was admitted to a SNF after a hospitalization for pulmonary embolism (PE). (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - April 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Benjamin Canter, Sing Palat, Christian Bergman Tags: Transitions of Care Source Type: news
