Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Self-Administered Acupressure for Caregivers of Older Family Members: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
To test whether self-administered acupressure reduces stress and stress-related symptoms in caregivers of older family members. ⋯ Self-administered acupressure intervention significantly relieves self-reported caregiver stress and co-occurring symptoms in those caring for older family members. Further studies are needed to measure the symptoms objectively and to examine the clinical importance of the observed improvement in caregiver stress. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1193-1201, 2020.
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To examine the ability of the family-rated Family Confusion Assessment Method (FAM-CAM) to identify delirium in the emergency department (ED) among patients with and without dementia, as compared to the reference-standard Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). ⋯ Among patients with and without dementia, the FAM-CAM shows qualities that are important in the ED setting for identification of delirium. Using the FAM-CAM as part of a systematic screening strategy for the ED, in which families' assessments could supplement healthcare professionals' assessments, is promising. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:983-990, 2020.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Clinical Predictors of Intracranial Bleeding in Older Adults Who Have Fallen: A Cohort Study.
Emergency department (ED) visits among older adults are frequently instigated by a fall at home. Some of these patients develop intracranial bleeding. The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of intracranial bleeding and the associated clinical features in older adults who present to the ED after falling. ⋯ The incidence of intracranial bleeding in our study was 5.0%. We found significant associations between intracranial bleeding and four simple clinical variables. We did not find significant associations between intracranial bleeding and antiplatelet or anticoagulant use. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:970-976, 2020.
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The majority of end-of-life (EOL) caregiving is provided by unpaid family members. An increasing number of older adults are kinless (without close family/partnerships) and may have insufficient caregiver support to remain at home at the EOL. We therefore determined what proportion of older adults are kinless at the EOL and assessed the association of kinlessness with EOL care. ⋯ Kinless individuals are more likely to die in nursing homes, even if they are living in the community in their last year of life. Expanded long-term care services and policies are needed to enable all older adults regardless of their family support systems to receive high-quality EOL care.
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Persons living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) may be at increased risk for prescribing cascades due to greater multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and the need for more complex care. Our objective was to assess the proportion of the antidopaminergic-antiparkinsonian medication prescribing cascades among persons living with Alzheimer's disease. ⋯ We determined that the proportion of antidopaminergic-antiparkinsonian medication prescribing cascades, widely considered as high-priority, was low. Our approach can be used to assess the proportion of prescribing cascades in populations considered to be at high risk and to prioritize system-level interventional efforts to improve medication safety in these patients.