Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Anna Rudzinska, Karolina Piotrowicz, Ian Perera, Barbara Gryglewska, Jerzy Gasowski
Summary: Anorexia of aging is a common problem in older adults, with prevalence ranging from 10% to over 30% depending on the setting. This systematic review found a weighted total prevalence of 11.3% for anorexia of aging among community-dwelling older adults. Frailty or risk of frailty was associated with a higher prevalence of anorexia of aging. More research is needed to understand the direction of this relationship.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Sara R. A. Wijnant, Elizabeth Benz, Annemarie Luik, Fernando Rivadeneira, Trudy Voortman, Guy G. Brusselle, Lies Lahousse
Summary: Frailty transitions are more common in participants with PRISm or COPD, and physical frailty assessment improves risk stratification for predicting increased life years in patients with impaired spirometry.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Beatrice Arosio, Paolo Dionigi Rossi, Evelyn Ferri, Matteo Cesari, Giovanni Vitale
Summary: Vitamin D levels are significantly associated with cognitive decline, with the lowest levels seen in dementia patients and higher levels in mild cognitive impairment patients.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Rafael del-Pino-Casado, Catalina Lopez-Martinez, Antonio Frias Osuna, Vasiliki Orgeta
Summary: This study explored the longitudinal relationship between perceived social support and psychological distress in carers of older relatives. The results indicate that higher social support is associated with lower carer psychological distress over time, suggesting that social support directly affects carer psychological health but not vice versa.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sergio Garcia-Blas, Clara Bonanad, Agustin Fernandez-Cisnal, Clara Sastre-Arbona, Maria-Arantzazu Ruescas-Nicolau, Jessika Gonzalez D'Gregorio, Ernesto Valero, Gema Minana, Patricia Palau, Francisco J. Tarazona-Santabalbina, Vicente Ruiz Ros, Julio Nunez, Juan Sanchis
Summary: This study aimed to compare the prognostic value of Fried's Frailty Scale (FFS) and Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) following myocardial infarction (MI). It found that frailty assessed by either scale was independently associated with shorter number of days alive and out of hospital post-MI, as well as a higher rate of death and reinfarction. However, FFS outperformed CFS in predicting mortality.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Domenico Azzolino, Helio Jose Coelho-Junior, Marco Proietti, Valentina Maria Manzini, Matteo Cesari
Summary: Fatigue is a common symptom that can result from various factors, including inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and poor nutrition. It is important to understand the mechanisms behind fatigue in order to develop targeted interventions and improve the quality of life for individuals experiencing fatigue. In older adults, inadequate dietary intake can contribute to the development of fatigue by depleting energy reserves and causing muscle breakdown. Research on fatigue is critical to addressing this burdening condition and reducing associated costs.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NUTRITION SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Francesco Carli, Gabriele Baldini
Summary: As age increases, physiological and mental reserves decrease, making surgery a burden for frail and sarcopenic patients. Preoperative assessment and preparation, similar to training for a marathon, are crucial in improving outcomes for older patients. Prehabilitation can enhance physiological reserve and benefit high-risk patients with chronic conditions.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jennifer Yee-Man Tang, Hao Luo, Michael Tse, Terry Yat-Sang Lum, Gloria Hoi-Yan Wong, Shirley Xin Li
Summary: The study found that insomnia symptoms are prevalent in frail and prefrail older adults, especially with a higher prevalence of sleep-onset insomnia. Sleep-onset insomnia is associated with poorer physical performance, which further links to a higher risk for frailty in older persons. Conversely, sleep-maintenance insomnia was not associated with frailty.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Edward Chong, Yufang Huang, Mark Chan, Huei Nuo Tan, Wee Shiong Lim
Summary: This study compared the effectiveness of FRAIL-NH and FRAIL in assessing frailty in older adults hospitalized for acute medical illness. The results showed that FRAIL-NH was more accurate in detecting frailty, while FRAIL performed better in predicting certain outcomes.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Hong Lyu, Wenhui Jiang
Summary: This study aimed to develop a predictive model for frailty risk among hospitalized older people and validate its performance. By using comprehensive geriatric assessment data, the model showed good predictive accuracy and feasibility, which can guide healthcare professionals in formulating effective nursing interventions.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Lizhen Ye, Liset E. M. Elstgeest, Xuxi Zhang, Tamara Alhambra-Borras, Siok Swan Tan, Hein Raat
Summary: This study focused on identifying factors associated with frailty and its domains among community-dwelling older people from five European countries. Age, gender, education level, lifestyle factors were found to be associated with overall frailty, while there was an interaction effect between gender and household composition regarding social frailty. Nurses, physicians, public health professionals, and policymakers should take into account these risk factors to better prevent and manage frailty.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Melinda S. Kavanaugh, Kayla T. Johnson, Matthew J. Zawadzki
Summary: The study found that young carers had shorter sleep duration, lower efficiency, poorer quality, and higher rates of using sleep medications. Case study data showed that carers had lower total sleep time and sleep efficiency than non-caregivers.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Encarnacion Blanco-Reina, Ricardo Ocana-Riola, Gabriel Ariza-Zafra, Maria Rosa Garcia-Merino, Lorena Aguilar-Cano, Jenifer Valdellos, Claudia Torres-Blanco, Inmaculada Bellido-Estevez
Summary: Sarcopaenia affects a significant proportion of community-dwelling older individuals, with around 20.4% of the sample in this study experiencing the condition. The severity of sarcopaenia was severe in 6% of the participants. The study found weak-moderate association between sarcopaenia and frailty. The presence of psychopathology and lower body mass index were positively associated with sarcopaenia.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Mauro Di Bari, Francesco Tonarelli, Daniela Balzi, Antonella Giordano, Andrea Ungar, Samuele Baldasseroni, Graziano Onder, M. Teresa Mechi, Giulia Carreras
Summary: Vulnerability increases mortality in hospitalized older patients, regardless of COVID-19 status. In nonhospitalized patients, vulnerability-associated excess mortality is milder in individuals with COVID-19. The disease reduces survival even when background risk is low.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Tomohiro F. Nishijima, Taito Esaki, Masaru Morita, Yasushi Toh
Summary: In older adults with cancer, the Robinson Frailty Score (RFS) was found to be significantly predictive of postoperative adverse events, while the Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS) and the G8 tool showed no significant associations.
Review
Nursing
Allison Wallis, Christina Aggar, Deb Massey
Summary: Multifactorial falls interventions are effective in the acute hospital setting, particularly those that include a whole team approach and are supported by strong nurse leadership at executive and ward level.
Article
Nursing
Sharene E. Pascoe, Christina Aggar, Olivia Penman
Summary: Regionally and remote emergency departments have a higher rate of mental health presentations compared to metropolitan areas. Mental health patients in regional emergency departments experience longer wait times and length of stay, which highlights the need for further research and funding models to address this issue.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
(2022)
Article
Nursing
Christina Aggar, Christina Samios, Olivia Penman, Nicola Whiteing, Deb Massey, Rae Rafferty, Karen Bowen, Alexandre Stephens
Summary: Research has shown that during the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses in the Australian acute care sector experienced pandemic-related stress and psychological adjustment issues, including higher levels of depression, anxiety, and lower subjective well-being. Self-compassion and posttraumatic growth were found to play crucial roles in reducing depression and improving psychological adjustment outcomes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Golam Sorwar, Christina Aggar, Olivia Penman, Carolyn Seton, Anastasia Ward
Summary: Smart Home Technology presents an exciting opportunity to support seniors living independently in their homes. However, seniors' readiness to adopt this technology is low. This study validates the importance of trust and perceived usefulness as critical factors for seniors' acceptance and use of Smart Home Technology, providing practical implications for aged care providers and policymakers in designing and implementing Smart Home solutions.
INFORMATICS FOR HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE
(2023)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Deb Newman, Fran Hofstee, Karen Bowen, Deb Massey, Olivia Penman, Christina Aggar
Summary: This study explored clinicians' attitudes towards the escalation and management of deteriorating patients. An online survey revealed that nurses and medical officers had more confidence in escalating care and responding to deteriorating patients compared to other healthcare clinicians and students. However, participants with less experience lacked confidence in these aspects. The majority of participants had positive perceptions towards the rapid response system.
AUSTRALIAN CRITICAL CARE
(2023)
Article
Nursing
Nicola Whiteing, Deb Massey, Rae Rafferty, Olivia Penman, Christina Samios, Karen Bowen, Alexandre Stephens, Christina Aggar
Summary: This study aimed to explore the workplace experiences of nurses and midwives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through an online survey with nurses and midwives working in New South Wales Health hospitals in Australia, five themes were identified: "organisational communication," "workplace support," "availability of personal protective equipment," "flexible working," and "new ways of working." The study emphasizes the importance of organizational leadership and timely dissemination of transparent pandemic plans for nurses' adaptive workplace experiences.
Review
Nursing
Russ Diane, Nicola Whiteing, Christina Aggar
Summary: The study aimed to describe and explore nursing students' longitudinal clinical placement experience during their nursing degree. The research found that support during clinical placements was crucial to the students' experience, with the type and level of support changing over time. Building supportive relationships is essential for nursing students' sense of belonging and connectedness. Rating: 8/10
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Christina Aggar, Golam Sorwar, Carolyn Seton, Olivia Penman, Anastasia Ward
Summary: This pilot study aimed to explore the impact of Smart Home technology on the quality of life of older people, particularly those who live alone. The results showed that participants' quality of life significantly improved after using Smart Home technology, especially in terms of achieving in life and future security.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OLDER PEOPLE NURSING
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Deb Newman, Fran Hofstee, Karen Bowen, Deb Massey, Olivia Penman, Christina Aggar
Summary: This study explored the experiences of interprofessional clinicians and students in responding to and escalating care for deteriorating patients. The findings identified key factors such as standardized approaches, workplace culture and teamwork, confidence and experience, and communication that influenced clinician's actions.
JOURNAL OF INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE
(2023)
Article
Nursing
Christina Aggar, Alison Craswell, Kasia Bail, Roslyn Compton, Mark Hughes, Golam Sorwar, Khoka Hamiduzzaman, Jennene Greenhill, Lucy Shinners, James Baker
Summary: This study validated a co-designed web-based Delirium Toolkit to engage and support carers of hospitalised older adults at risk of delirium. Consensus was achieved on the layout and content of the Toolkit through two rounds of expert group consensus. The findings support the readiness for testing the Toolkit in clinical environments.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Kate Curtis, Margaret Fry, Sarah Kourouche, Belinda Kennedy, Julie Considine, Hatem Alkhouri, Mary Lam, Steven M. McPhail, Christina Aggar, James Hughes, M. Murphy, Michael Dinh, Ramon Shaban
Summary: This paper presents the protocol for a multicentre clinical trial of the HIRAID framework, which aims to reduce clinical variation and improve the safety and quality of initial emergency nursing care. The trial will be conducted in 31 emergency departments in Australia, and the primary outcomes include inpatient deterioration related to emergency care, time to analgesia, patient satisfaction, and medical satisfaction with nursing clinical handover. The findings will be used to develop a national toolkit.
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Christina Aggar, Alison Craswell, Kasia Bail, Roslyn Compton, Mark Hughes, Golam Sorwar, James Baker, Lucy Shinners, Jennene Greenhill
Summary: The aim of this integrative review was to synthesize findings from published research regarding partnering with carers in the management of delirium in general acute care settings. Results showed that partnering with carers was a viable strategy to maximize outcomes for people at risk of or experiencing delirium, and increasing carers' knowledge was essential. The synthesis identified two themes: increasing knowledge and effective partnerships.
AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL ON AGEING
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lucy Shinners, Christina Aggar, Alexandre Stephens, Sandra Grace
Summary: This study aimed to understand healthcare professionals' perceptions of AI and their education needs and barriers to its implementation in Australian healthcare. The findings showed that only 27% of participants currently use AI in healthcare delivery. Factors such as age, discipline, use of AI, and desire for education significantly influenced perceptions of AI. Healthcare professionals believe that AI will impact their role but do not feel prepared for its use. The study also highlighted the varied understanding of AI and the need for education about AI, its applications, and ethical implications.
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Nursing
Erin Rachel Davis, Christina Aggar, Michelle Bissett
Summary: This review examines the current research on nonpharmacological tactile activity interventions for reducing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in acute hospital settings. Tactile activity interventions may offer a low-cost bedside option to support patients with dementia in acute health settings. Individualized approaches and staffing expertise appear to be central to implementation.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING
(2023)
Correction
Nursing
Mark Liu, Susan Whittam, Anna Thornton, Liza Goncharov, Diana Slade, Benjamin McElduff, Patrick Kelly, Chi Kin Law, Sarah Walsh, Vivien Pollnow, Jayde Cuffe, Jake McMahon, Christina Aggar, Jacqueline Bilo, Karen Bowen, Josephine S. F. Chow, Katharine Duffy, Bronwyn Everett, Caleb Ferguson, Steven A. Frost, Narelle Gleeson, Kate Hackett, Ivanka Komusanac, Sonia Marshall, Sharon May, Gemma Mcerlean, Gregory Melbourne, Jade Murphy, Joanne Newbury, Deb Newman, John Rihari-Thomas, Hayley Sciuriaga, Lauren Sturgess, Joanne Taylor, Karen Tuqiri, Elizabeth McInnes, Sandy Middleton