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Hajek A, Volkmar A, König HH. Prevalence and correlates of loneliness and social isolation in the oldest old: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2023:10.1007/s00127-023-02602-0. [PMID: 38102477 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-023-02602-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Conducting a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression regarding the prevalence and correlates of loneliness and social isolation amongst the community-dwelling and institutionalised oldest old (80 years and over). METHODS Three electronic databases (PsycINFO, CINAHL and Medline) were searched, including studies from inception to January 5, 2023. An additional hand search was conducted by checking included studies' references, and studies that cited included studies. We included observational studies describing the prevalence and (ideally) the correlates of loneliness, or social isolation, amongst individuals aged 80 years and over. Study design, operationalization of loneliness and social isolation, statistical analysis, characteristics of the sample and key findings were extracted. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS We included 22 studies. The estimated prevalence of severe loneliness was 27.1% (95% CI: 23.7-30.4%). The estimated prevalence of moderate loneliness equalled 32.1% (95% CI: 15.8-48.4%). Moreover, the estimated prevalence of social isolation was 33.6% (95% CI: 28.9-38.2%). There was heterogeneity between the studies. Egger tests suggest the absence of potential publication bias. Meta-regressions showed that the heterogeneity could neither be attributed to the assessment of loneliness nor to the continent where the study was conducted. CONCLUSION Loneliness and social isolation are important problems in the oldest old. In this age group, studies are required, in particular from regions outside Europe. Additionally, longitudinal studies are required to investigate the determinants of loneliness and social isolation amongst individuals aged 80 years and over. Studies using more sophisticated tools to quantify loneliness and social isolation are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Hajek
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Alina Volkmar
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Helmut König
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Hamburg, Germany
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Gledhill K, Bucknall TK, Lannin NA, Hanna L. Defining ready for discharge from sub-acute care: a qualitative exploration from multiple stakeholder perspectives. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:425. [PMID: 37131178 PMCID: PMC10153031 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09285-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Planning discharges from subacute care facilities is becoming increasingly complex due to an ageing population and a high demand on services. The use of non-standardised assessments to determine a patient's readiness for discharge places a heavy reliance on a clinician's judgement which can be influenced by system pressures, past experiences and team dynamics. The current literature focusses heavily on discharge-readiness from clinicians' perspectives and in the acute care setting. This paper aimed to explore the perceptions of discharge-readiness from the perspectives of key stakeholders in subacute care: inpatients, family members, clinicians and managers. METHODS A qualitative descriptive study was conducted, exploring the views of inpatients (n = 16), family members (n = 16), clinicians (n = 17) and managers (n = 12). Participants with cognitive deficits and those who did not speak English were excluded from this study. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted and audio-recorded. Following transcription, inductive thematic analysis was completed. RESULTS Participants identified that there are both patient-related and environmental factors that influence discharge-readiness. Patient-related factors discussed included continence, functional mobility, cognition, pain and medication management skills. Environmental factors centred around the discharge (home) environment, and were suggested to include a safe physical environment alongside a robust social environment which was suggested to assist to fill any gaps in functional capabilities (i.e. patient-related factors). CONCLUSIONS These findings make a unique contribution to the literature by providing a thorough exploration of determining discharge-readiness as a combined narrative from the perspectives from key stakeholders. Findings from this qualitative study identified key personal and environmental factors influencing patients' discharge-readiness, which may allow health services to streamline the determination of discharge-readiness from subacute care. Understanding how these factors might be assessed within a discharge pathway warrants further attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Gledhill
- School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
- School of Primary and Allied Healthcare, Monash University, Frankston, Australia.
- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Primary Health and Allied Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Peninsula Campus, Frankston, VIC, 3199, Australia.
| | - Tracey K Bucknall
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
- Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Natasha A Lannin
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Lisa Hanna
- School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
- Institute of Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
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3
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Glass AP, Norris H. Finding Community in Elder Cohousing: Before and During COVID-19. JOURNAL OF AGING AND ENVIRONMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/26892618.2022.2103869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anne P. Glass
- Applied Gerontology Program, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
| | - Haley Norris
- Applied Gerontology Program, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
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Grenawalt TA, Lu J, Hamner K, Gill C, Umucu E. Social isolation and well-being in veterans with mental illness. J Ment Health 2022; 32:407-411. [PMID: 35001791 DOI: 10.1080/09638237.2021.2022625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Veterans with mental illness are a growing population in the United States (US). For some veterans, their military service has a negative effect on well-being. Social isolation is problematic for veterans' mental health by increasing incidence of depression, suicidal ideation or attempts, and readmittance to psychiatric hospitals. Social support is a protective factor for individuals with mental illness and is key to a successful military-to-civilian transition. AIM Thus, we examine the relationship of social isolation on well-being among veterans with any mental illness. METHODS This cross-sectional correlational study consisted of a sample of 146 US veterans with any mental illness. A three-step hierarchical regression analysis was used to determine if social isolation is a predictor of well-being after controlling for demographics, functional limitations and depression. RESULTS Findings revealed social isolation was positively correlated with functional limitations (r = 0.48, p < 0.001), depression (r = 0.66, p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with well-being (r = -.64, p < 0.001). Hierarchical regression analysis revealed social isolation was negatively correlated (β = -.44, p < 0.001) with well-being. Overall, our three-step model accounted a total of 50% of variance in well-being, a large effect size. CONCLUSION The findings underscore the importance of assessing the relationship of social isolation on well-being in veterans with mental illness. The findings also highlight promising targets to improve prevention and psychosocial interventions to improve well-being among veterans with mental illness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Junfei Lu
- The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Karl Hamner
- The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | | | - Emre Umucu
- Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology & Special Education, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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The onset of falls and its effects on perceived social exclusion and loneliness. Evidence from a nationally representative longitudinal study. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2022; 100:104622. [DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2022.104622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Mackey RM, Yeow ME, Christensen AR, Ingram C, Carey EC, Lapid MI. Reconnecting: Strategies for Supporting Isolated Older Adults during COVID-19 through Tele-palliative Care. Clin Gerontol 2022; 45:204-211. [PMID: 33074777 DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2020.1830905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented levels of social isolation which has negatively impacted older patients in particular on multiple levels. We present a case of an older patient with several complex psychosocial issues who was hospitalized and died from COVID-19. The social isolation required during the pandemic compounded patient and family stressors and diminished the patient's access to clinicians and to his usual support network and coping strategies. We describe how technology and tele-palliative care were utilized to reconnect the patient with clinicians and family and to provide clinical care that enhanced coping skills and support. Using telemedicine to restructure the approach to care was crucial in improving multiple domains of care and can be considered a resource for caring for older adults, especially during the challenging times brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina M Mackey
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.,Department of Medicine, Center for Palliative Medicine
| | - Mei E Yeow
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.,Department of Medicine, Center for Palliative Medicine
| | - April R Christensen
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.,Department of Medicine, Center for Palliative Medicine
| | - Cory Ingram
- Department of Medicine, Center for Palliative Medicine
| | - Elise C Carey
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.,Department of Medicine, Center for Palliative Medicine
| | - Maria I Lapid
- Department of Medicine, Center for Palliative Medicine.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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Jung S, Kim JS, Jang I, Kim H. Factors related to dysphagia-specific quality of life in aged patients with neurologic disorders: A cross-sectional study. Geriatr Nurs 2021; 43:159-166. [PMID: 34902750 DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2021.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze dysphagia-specific quality of life and its influencing factors in aged patients with neurologic disorders, and is reported according to the STROBE checklist for observational research. The study included 120 outpatients, aged ≥65 years, diagnosed with neurologic diseases at a general hospital Neurology Department in Seoul, Korea. Data collected during a one-month (March and April 2021) questionnaire survey were statistically analyzed using SPSS. Factors related to dysphagia-specific quality of life were gender, education level, neurological diagnosis, type of diet, subjective swallowing disturbance, and affectionate support-a subscale of social support. The combined explanatory power of these factors was 42.1%. It is essential to note that the factors related to the emotional, functional, and physical domains-the subscales of dysphagia-specific quality of life-are different. Therefore, each factor should be considered when planning nursing interventions to improve dysphagia-specific quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujin Jung
- Department of Nursing, Seoul National University BORAMAE Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Su Kim
- Department of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea.
| | - Insil Jang
- Department of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyejin Kim
- Department of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
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Associations of Social Network Characteristics With Gait Speed in Older Women From Physical Activity Community Groups. J Aging Phys Act 2021; 29:976-983. [PMID: 34157677 DOI: 10.1123/japa.2020-0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The identification of social network factors associated with gait speed may offer different perspectives for improving community and clinical interventions for older adults. The objective of this study was to explore the associations of the social network of friends with gait speed. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a sample of 128 older adult women recruited in community groups of physical activity. Clinical screening, social network questions, body composition evaluation, and gait speed test were applied to the participants. Logistic regression models were used to analyze associations between characteristics of the social network of friends and high gait speed. Findings indicated that social isolation was not associated with high gait speed and that popularity and proportion of friends with high gait speed were significantly associated with high gait speed. Findings suggested that there was a relationship between social network factors and the ability to perform high gait speed.
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Pickert L, Meyer AM, Becker I, Heeß A, Noetzel N, Brinkkötter P, Pilotto A, Benzing T, Polidori MC. Role of a multidimensional prognosis in-hospital monitoring for older patients with prolonged stay. Int J Clin Pract 2021; 75:e13989. [PMID: 33406298 DOI: 10.1111/ijcp.13989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI) is a prognostic tool-amongst others-validated for mortality, length of hospital stay (LHS) and rehospitalisation risk assessment. Like the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), the MPI is usually obtained at hospital admission and discharge, not during the hospital stay. The aim of the present study was to address the role of an additional CGA-based MPI measurement during hospitalisation as an indicator of "real-time" in-hospital changes. STUDY DESIGN AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Two-hundred consecutive multimorbid patients (128 M, 72 F, median age 75 (78-82)) admitted to an internal medicine ward of a German metropolitan university hospital prospectively underwent a CGA and a prognosis calculation using the MPI on admission and discharge. Seven to 10 days later, an intermediate assessment (IA) was performed for patients needing a longer stay. RESULTS The median LHS was 10 (6-19) days. As expected, patients who received an IA had poorer prognosis as measured by higher MPI values (P = .037) and a worse functional status at admission than patients who had a shorter stay (P = .025). In case of prolonged hospitalisation, significant changes in the MPI were detected between admission and IA, both in terms of improvement and deterioration (P < .001). Different overtime courses were observed during prolonged hospitalisation according to the severity of prognosis (P < .001). CONCLUSION A CGA-based MPI evaluation during hospitalisation can be used as an objective instrument to detect changes in multidimensional health course. Prompt identification of the latter may enable quick tailored interventions to ensure overall better outcomes at and after discharge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Pickert
- Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anna M Meyer
- Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ingrid Becker
- Institute of Medical Statistics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Annika Heeß
- Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Nicolas Noetzel
- Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Paul Brinkkötter
- Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Alberto Pilotto
- Department of Geriatric Care, Orthogeriatrics and Rehabilitation, Frailty Area, E.O. Galliera Hospital, Genova, Italy
- Department of Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Thomas Benzing
- Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress-Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Maria C Polidori
- Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress-Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Vallecillo G, Anguera M, Martin N, Robles MJ. Effectiveness of an Acute Care for Elders unit at a long-term care facility for frail older patients with COVID-19. Geriatr Nurs 2020; 42:544-547. [PMID: 33139081 PMCID: PMC7556821 DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2020.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The Acute Care for Elders (ACE) is a model of care addressed to reduce the incidence of loss of self-care abilities of older adults occurring during hospitalization for acute illness. This observational study aimed to describe the effectiveness of an ACE unit at a long-term care facility to prevent functional decline (decrease in the Barthel Index score of >5 points from admission to discharge) in older adults with frailty (Clinical Frailty Scale score ≥5) and symptomatic COVID-19. Fifty-one patients (mean age: 80.2 + 9.1 years) were included. Twenty-eight (54.9%) were women, with a median Barthel index of 50 (IQR:30–60) and Charlson of 6(IQR: 5–7), and 33 (64.7%) had cognitive impairment. At discharge, 36(70.6%) patients had no functional decline, 6 (11.7%) were transferred to hospital and 4(7.8%) died. An ACE unit at a long-term care facility constitutes an alternative to hospital care to prevent hospital-associated disability for frail older patients with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Vallecillo
- Geriatric Unit, Emili Mira Healthcare Center, Parc de Salut Mar Consortium, Barcelona, Spain; Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Marta Anguera
- Geriatric Unit, Emili Mira Healthcare Center, Parc de Salut Mar Consortium, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Noemi Martin
- Geriatric Unit, Emili Mira Healthcare Center, Parc de Salut Mar Consortium, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Jose Robles
- Orthogeriatric Unit, Hospital del Mar, Parc de Salut Mar Consortium, Barcelona, Spain
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Moye J. Clinical Applications of Technology in Aging. Clin Gerontol 2019; 42:1-2. [PMID: 30698101 DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2019.1540683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Moye
- a New England Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center , VA Boston and Bedford Medical Centers Harvard Medical School
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