Project description:BackgroundThe article reports on the cost-effectiveness of the proactive, integrated primary care program Finding and Follow-up of Frail older persons (FFF) compared with usual primary care for community-dwelling frail older persons in the Netherlands.MethodsThis study had a matched quasi-experimental design (pretest and posttest). The economic evaluation was performed from a healthcare perspective with a time horizon of 12 months. The target population consisted of community-dwelling frail older persons aged ≥ 75 years in the FFF intervention group (11 general practitioner (GP) practices) and in the control group receiving usual care (4 GP practices). The effectiveness measures for the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses were subjective well-being (Social Production Function Instrument for the Level of well-being short; SPF-ILs) and QALYs (EuroQol; EQ-5D-3L), respectively. Costs were assessed using resource use questionnaires. Differences in mean effectiveness between groups were assessed using univariate, multilevel and propensity score matched analyses, with and without imputation of missing values. Differences in costs were assessed using Mann-Whitney U-tests and independent samples t-tests. Bootstrapping was performed, and predicted incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and incremental cost-utility ratios (ICURs) were depicted on cost-effectiveness planes.ResultsThe various analyses showed slightly different results with respect to differences in estimated costs and effects. Multilevel analyses showed a small but significant difference between the groups for well-being, in favor of the control group. No significant differences between groups in terms of QALYs were found. Imputed data showed that mean total costs were significantly higher in the intervention group at follow-up.ConclusionProactive, integrated care for community-dwelling frail older persons as provided in the FFF program is most likely not a cost-effective initiative, compared with usual primary care in the Netherlands, in terms of well-being and QALYs over a 12-month period.
Project description:BackgroundTo evaluate the effects of post-acute care (PAC) on frail older adults after acute hospitalization in Taiwan.MethodsThis was a multicenter interventional study. Frail patients aged ≥ 75 were recruited and divided into PAC or control group. The PAC group received comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and multifactorial intervention including exercise, nutrition education, and medicinal adjustments for two to four weeks, while the control group received only CGA. Outcome measures included emergency room (ER) visits, readmissions, and mortality within 90 days after PAC.ResultsAmong 254 participants, 205 (87.6±6.0 years) were in the PAC and 49 (85.2±6.0 years) in the control group. PAC for more than two weeks significantly decreased 90-day ER visits (odds ratio [OR] 0.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.10-0.43; p = 0.024), readmissions (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.16-0.56; p < 0.001), and mortality (OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.04-0.87; p = 0.032). Having problems in self-care was an independent risk factor for 90-day ER visits (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.17-3.78; p = 0.012), and having problems in usual activities was an independent risk factor for 90-day readmissions (OR 2.69, 95% CI 1.53-4.72; p = 0.001) and mortality (OR 3.16, 95% CI 1.16-8.63; p = 0.024).ConclusionPAC program for more than two weeks could have beneficial effects on decreasing ER visits, readmissions, and mortality after an acute illness in frail older patients. Those who perceived severe problems in self-care and usual activities had a higher risk of subsequent adverse outcomes.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT Identifier: NCT05452395.
Project description:This narrative review was conducted to provide an overview of the variety of interventions aimed at disability prevention in community-dwelling frail older persons and to summarize promising elements. The search strategy and selection process found 48 papers that met the inclusion criteria. The 49 interventions described in these 48 papers were categorized into 'comprehensive geriatric assessment', 'physical exercise', 'nutrition', 'technology', and 'other interventions'. There is a large diversity within and between the groups of interventions in terms of content, disciplines involved, duration, intensity, and setting. For 18 of the 49 interventions, significant positive effects for disability were reported for the experimental group. Promising features of interventions seem to be: multidisciplinary and multifactorial, individualized assessment and intervention, case management, long-term follow-up, physical exercise component (for moderate physically frail older persons), and the use of technology. Future intervention studies could combine these elements and consider the addition of new elements.
Project description:BackgroundPeople aged ≥ 65 years comprise around 1 in 5 emergency department (ED) presentations. Many of these presentations occur due to complications associated with chronic diseases and frailty. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of available research regarding models of care for frail older people presenting to the ED.MethodsThe Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review framework will be used to guide this review. Literature searches will be conducted in the following electronic databases (from January 2009 onwards): CINAHL via EBSCOhost, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, SocINDEX. Grey literature will be identified through searching Google Scholar. This review will consider primary research studies (including observational and interventional studies) published in English on models of care for frail older people (aged ≥ 65) presenting to the ED. Two researchers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and abstract data. Potential disagreements will be resolved through discussion with a third researcher. Data extracted from included studies will include the following: author(s), year of publication, country, research design and aim, time frame of the study, study population and sample size, data collection methods, definition of frailty, model of care, and key findings that pertain to the ability to inform this review. The strength of the body of evidence will be assessed using the National Health and Medical Research Council level of evidence hierarchy body of evidence matrix. Data will be presented in a tabular format and accompanied by a narrative that describes the characteristics of the body of literature.DiscussionDespite the increased number of ED presentations for frail older people, there has been no synthesis of the sources of evidence of model of care for frail older people in the setting of emergency care. The results of this scoping review will provide an overview of different models of care and help inform future research in the development of models of care for frail older persons, tailored to the healthcare system in the emergency context.Systematic review registrationThis scoping review has been registered in the Open Science Framework (osf.io/h2t94).
Project description:Frailty management focuses on optimizing the physical and psychological functioning of older people with frail health through early risk identification and intervention in primary care. Such care programs demand a joint effort by primary care professionals and older persons, one in which professionals are expected to promote or facilitate self-management practices and older persons are expected to adhere to the professional advice. It is known that patients and professionals hold different perspectives on frailty, but we know little about how this may affect their cooperation in frailty management. In this article, we therefore study how different perspectives of older persons and their primary care professionals play a role frailty management in practice. Nine cases of frailty management were reconstructed through semi-structured interviews with older persons, their family doctor and practice nurse. Drawing from literature on managing complex problems, we analyzed how "factual" and "normative" orientations played a role in their perspectives. We observe that the perspectives of care professionals and older persons on frailty management were substantially different. Both actors "manage" frailty, but they focus on different aspects of frailty and interestingly, care professionals' rationale is future-oriented whereas older person's rationale past-oriented. Primary care professionals employed practices to manage the medical and social factors of frailty in order to prevent future loss. Older persons employed practices to deal with the psychological, emotional and social aspects of the different types of loss they already experienced, in order to reconcile with loss from the past in the present. These findings raise fundamental questions regarding the different perceptions of and priorities around not only care for frail older people in general, but also implied professional-patient relations and the value of a risk-management approach to care for older people with frail health. The distinction between these perspectives could help care professionals to better respond to older patients' preferences and it could empower older persons to voice preferences and priorities that might not fit within the proposed care program.
Project description:AimTo evaluate person-centeredness in nursing homes from the perspective of frail older persons, before and after implementing an educational intervention about palliative care.DesignA crossover design.MethodsForty-four older persons living in nursing homes were interviewed. A convergent mixed-method was used to analyse data.ResultsThe older persons expressed feelings of unsafety related to shortcomings in staff. These shortcomings implied that the responsibilities of everyday activities and making the residents' existence more bearable were transferred to the next of kin. The dropout rate related to death and not enough energy was considerably high (51%) even though one of the inclusion criteria was to have enough energy to manage a 1-hr interview. This result supports previous research describing the difficulties in retaining older persons in research and indicated that the dose of the intervention was not sufficient to improve person-centred care.
Project description:BACKGROUND::The frail older population is growing, and many frail older people have episodes of acute illness. Patient preferences are increasingly considered important in the delivery of person-centred care and may change following acute illness. AIM::To explore influences on the care preferences of frail older people with recent acute illness. DESIGN::Qualitative in-depth individual interviews, with thematic analysis. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS::Maximum variation sample of 18 patients and 7 nominated family carers from a prospective cohort study of people aged over 65, scoring ⩾5 on the Clinical Frailty Scale, and with recent acute illness, who were not receiving specialist palliative care. Median patient age was 84 (inter-quartile range 81-87), 53% female. Median frailty score 6 (inter-quartile range 5-7). RESULTS::Key influences on preferences were illness and care context, particularly hospital care; adaptation to changing health; achieving normality and social context. Participants focused on the outcomes of their care; hence, whether care was likely to help them 'get back to normal', or alternatively 'find a new normal' influenced preferences. For some, acute illness inhibited preference formation. Participants' social context and the people available to provide support influenced place of care preferences. We combined these findings to model influences on preferences. CONCLUSION::'Getting back to normal' or 'finding a new normal' are key focuses for frail older people when considering their preferences. Following acute illness, clinicians should discuss preferences and care planning in terms of an achievable normal, and carefully consider the social context. Longitudinal research is needed to explore the influences on preferences over time.
Project description:AimsTo describe and compare perceptions of collaboration between care providers on the part of three groups of Registered Nurses working in municipal care and having particular responsibility concerning the care of frail older people with intellectual disability (ID); and, furthermore, to investigate the presence of and compliance with guidelines for the coordination of care.DesignNational survey study with cross-sectional design.MethodsNurses (N = 110) with key positions concerning people with ID answered a national questionnaire about collaboration, guidelines and coordinated individual plans. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were applied.ResultsThe meetings on cooperation and coordination of interventions were attended most frequently by nurses, and least frequently by social workers. The nurses were overall satisfied with the collaboration but perceived shortcomings in the case of inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care. Only in about half of the meetings for making care plans participated the people with intellectual disability and next of kin.
Project description:Respiratory tract infections are the commonest nosocomial infections, and occur predominantly in frailer, older patients with multiple comorbidities. The oropharyngeal microbiota is the major reservoir of infection. This study explored the relative contributions of time in hospital and patient demographics to the community structure of the oropharyngeal microbiota in older patients with lower limb fracture. We collected 167 throat swabs from 53 patients (mean age 83) over 14 days after hospitalization, and analyzed these using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We calculated frailty/comorbidity indices, undertook dental examinations and collected data on respiratory tract infections. We analyzed microbial community composition using correspondence (CA) and canonical correspondence analysis. Ten patients were treated for respiratory tract infection. Microbial community structure was related to frailty, number of teeth and comorbidity on admission, with comorbidity exerting the largest effect. Time in hospital neither significantly changed alpha (t = -0.910, p = 0.365) nor beta diversity (CA1 t = 0.022, p = 0.982; CA2 t = -0.513, p = 0.609) of microbial communities in patient samples. Incidence of respiratory pathogens were not associated with time in hospital (t = -0.207, p = 0.837), nor with alpha diversity of the oral microbiota (t = -1.599, p = 0.113). Patient characteristics at admission, rather than time in hospital, influenced the community structure of the oral microbiota.