Infirmary Health partners with Ochsner Accountable Care Network to improve health outcomes for seniors across the Gulf Coast

Ochsner Health and Infirmary Health announce a landmark partnership with Ochsner Accountable Care Network, a top-performing accountable care organization (ACO) in both clinical performance and healthcare savings for the Medicare population.

Virtual rehabilitation program for seniors with frailty shows promise, according to McMaster-led research

Researchers ran the pilot project from August 2020 to November 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak and seniors were encouraged to stay home. Investigators recruited 72 participants from a wait list of more than 200 for the study and split participants into either a virtual care group or control group. Those receiving virtual care received twice-weekly live-streamed exercise sessions, one phone call a week from student volunteers, medication review consultations and nutrition counselling via videoconference and protein supplementation, over a 12-week period. The control group only received once-weekly calls from volunteers.

The results showed that strong adherence to the virtual program made it a feasible option for delivering care to older adults, with 81 per cent of participants in the virtual care group attending the exercise classes, above a predicted 75 per cent adherence rate.

Effects of Laughter Therapy on Life Satisfaction and Loneliness in Older Adults Living in Nursing Homes in Turkey: A Parallel Group Randomized Controlled Trial

Researchers sought to determine if laughter therapy could make a difference in the life satisfaction and loneliness of older adults in a nursing home in Turkey. Each laughter therapy session consisted of four parts: warm-up exercises, deep breathing exercises and…

American College of Surgeons verifies first hospital that meets its standardized quality criteria for geriatric surgery

The American College of Surgeons Geriatric Surgery Verification Program (ACS GSV) has announced that Unity Hospital, Rochester, N.Y., has achieved Level 1—Comprehensive Excellence verification status, which recognizes its commitment to providing optimal care for its older adult surgical patients by meeting the GSV’s program standards.

NSU’s LifeLong Learning Institute Provides Seniors with Meaningful Virtual Socialization During COVID-19

hen the COVID-19 pandemic brought the U.S. to a standstill, active seniors were suddenly shut in and lost the ability to socialize as they normally would. The impact to Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) LifeLong Learning Institute (LLI) was immediate, with in-person classes and social gatherings suspended indefinitely.

LLI students virtually connected through Zoom participate in chair yoga this past spring.

Thus began Linda Maurice’s herculean effort to transition to Zoom classes to encourage the older adults who attend the LLI’s seminars to continue to have meaningful interactions, albeit at a virtual distance.

Nurse Scientists to Study Preventive Care of Low-Income Seniors

People age 80 and older account for 19% of patients at Cedars-Sinai, a figure that is expected to increase in the coming years as the general U.S. population ages. The proportion of these patients who are low-income also is growing. Nurse scientists from the Nursing Research Department at Cedars-Sinai are now studying how best to address preventive health services among older patients like these while reducing the potential strain on long-term care, hospitals and the healthcare system.

Partnership Brings More Than 20,000 Onsite COVID-19 Tests to Senior Facilities, Other Vulnerable Populations in Detroit

A partnership among Altimetrik, a Southfield-based fast-growing global business transformation company, the 501(c)(3) Vattikuti Foundation, Henry Ford Health System and the City of Detroit has provided more than 20,000 onsite COVID-19 tests to residents in 163 of Detroit’s senior and congregate living facilities, as well as the city’s first responders and essential workers.

Older Americans may find it difficult to adapt to a cashless society brought on by COVID-19

A cashless society could be what consumer life after the COVID-19 pandemic looks like, but older Americans may find it hard to adjust to this new reality, according to Plamen Nikolov, assistant professor of economics at Binghamton University, State University…

COVID-19 Collaboration Reducing Infections in Long-Term Care Facilities

A collaborative program developed at UVA Health to work with local long-term care facilities to control COVID-19 is saving lives and offers a model for communities across the country, a new scientific paper reports.

Robotic Cats Are ‘Purr-fect’ Companions for Seniors Isolated Due to COVID-19

Researchers provide the “purr-fect” solution to comfort and engage older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias (ADRD) during the pandemic – interactive robotic cats. Designed to respond to motion, touch and sound, these robotic pets offer an alternative to traditional pet therapy. Robotic pets are usually given to people with ADRD, but data has shown that using them to decrease social isolation for older adults is highly successful.

Rutgers Expert Available to Comment on COVID-19 Neurological Effects in Seniors

Dr. XinQi Dong, MD, MPH, director of the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, is available to comment on the importance of further research into neurological effects of COVID-19 that may be related…

WashU Expert: Older Americans are not expendable

Many countries reacted slowly and inadequately to the spread of COVID-19. Some critics have said this is due to initial reports of the disease, which indicated that it mainly affected older populations. Some, including the Texas lieutenant governor on Fox News, have even suggested that older Americans should be willing to sacrifice their health or lives for the good of the economy and the good of others.

Bea Weiser, 98, Volunteers to Help People with Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias

For more than 14 years, Bea Weiser, 98, has volunteered at the front desk of FAU’s Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center to help attendees who are struggling with Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias. Nothing slows down this vibrant and energetic senior who continues to maintain her independence (she still drives) and who has worked since she was 14 years old. Even a recent setback with a broken shoulder and a cancer diagnosis has not deterred her from returning to the center three afternoons a week to continue her passion to help others.

New Diagnostic Criteria May Enable Earlier Detection of Cognitive Impairment in Women

Study finds when verbal memory test cut-offs were tailored to patient sex, more female patients and fewer male patients were considered to have amnesic mild cognitive impairment. This could change the way aMCI diagnoses are determined and make it easier to catch the condition in its early stages.

Protein Intake, Physical Function in Older Adults Differs Dramatically by Ethnicity/Race

A cross-sectional study examined differences in protein intake, nutritional status, and physical health (muscle strength and function) among older African Americans, European Americans and Hispanic Americans. The study is the first to evaluate these physical health indicators in association with protein intake among different racial/ethnic groups. A contributing factor to the age-related changes in muscle is insufficient protein intake by older adults. Findings highlight the need for further education and evidence-based interventions to support this vulnerable population.

How seniors perceive oral health may make all the difference whether they will seek treatment, according to study

New research at the School of Dental Medicine at Case Western Reserve University looks to change the strategy in identifying seniors’ perception of oral health issues. The idea is to find a correlation between seniors who value dental care and those who seek it out, despite the cost, transportation to appointments and other common barriers.

More Older Americans Will Suffer From Low Vision, Here’s How to Make Life Easier and Safer

The number of older Americans with low vision is expected to double in the coming years, as more people live longer. The American Academy of Ophthalmology is taking the opportunity of September’s Healthy Aging Month to let people know they can retain their independence and stay safe, despite declining vision.