Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
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Patients undergoing hip fracture surgery have a 10 times increased risk of stroke compared with the general population. We aimed to evaluate the association between the CHA2 DS2 -VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes, previous stroke/TIA [transient ischemic attack]/systemic embolism (2 points), vascular disease, age 65-74 years, and female sex) score and the risk of stroke, thromboembolism, and all-cause mortality in patients with hip fracture with or without atrial fibrillation (AF). ⋯ Among patients with hip fracture, a higher CHA2 DS2 -VASc score was associated with increased risk of stroke, thromboembolism, and death. This finding applied both to patients with and without AF. Patients with high CHA2 DS2 -VASc scores had almost similar absolute risks for cardiovascular outcomes, irrespective of AF. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1698-1705, 2020.
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Observational Study
Essential Long-Term Care Workers Commonly Hold Second Jobs and Double- or Triple-Duty Caregiving Roles.
Long-term care (LTC) facilities are particularly dangerous places for the spread of COVID-19 given that they house vulnerable high-risk populations. Transmission-based precautions to protect residents, employees, and families alike must account for potential risks posed by LTC workers' second jobs and unpaid care work. This observational study describes the prevalence of their (1) second jobs, and (2) unpaid care work for dependent children and/or adult relatives (double- and triple-duty caregiving) overall and by occupational group (registered nurses [RNs], licensed practical nurses [LPNs], or certified nursing assistants [CNAs]). ⋯ LTC workers commonly hold second jobs along with double- and triple-duty caregiving roles. To slow the spread of COVID-19, both the paid and unpaid activities of these employees warrant consideration in the identification of appropriate clinical, policy, and informal supports. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1657-1660, 2020.
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In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic. High morbidity and mortality rates of COVID-19 have been observed among older adults and widely reported in both mainstream and social media. The objective of this study was to analyze tweets related to COVID-19 and older adults, and to identify ageist content. ⋯ Most tweets related to COVID-19 and older adults contained personal opinions, personal accounts, and jokes. Almost one-quarter of analyzed tweets had ageist or potentially offensive content toward older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1661-1665, 2020.