Ageing & dementia publications

Ageing & Dementia Publications

Implementing grip strength assessment in hip fracture patients: a feasibility project.

Doherty W J, Stubbs T A, Chaplin A, Langford S, Sinclair N, Ibrahim K, Reed M R, Sayer A A, Witham M D, Sorial A K. (February 2021)

Objectives
Risk stratification scores are used in hip fracture surgery, but none incorporate objective tests for low muscle strength. Grip strength testing is simple and cheap but not routinely assessed for patients with hip fracture. This project aimed to assess the feasibility of implementing grip strength testing into admission assessment of patients with hip fracture.

External web link - https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/446434/

Ageing & Dementia

The composition of the gut microbiome differs among community dwelling older people with good and poor appetite.

Cox N, Bowyer R, Lochlainn M, Wells P, Roberts H, Steves C. (February 2021)

Background
Anorexia of ageing is common and important in the development of sarcopenia in older individuals. Links have been proposed between the gut microbiota and sarcopenia. Disordered gut function is also recognized in anorexia of ageing, but how this may relate to resident gut microbiota is unexplored. Understanding this relationship may provide a basis for novel interventions for anorexia of ageing and sarcopenia. This study explores compositional differences of the gut microbiota between community dwelling healthy older adults with good or poor appetite, and associated differences in sarcopenia.

External web link - https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12683

Ageing & Dementia

Current evidence on the impact of medication optimization or pharmacological interventions on frailty or aspects of frailty: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Pazan F, Ibrahim K & et al. (January 2021).

Background
Frailty and adverse drug effects are linked in the fact that polypharmacy is correlated with the severity of frailty; however, a causal relation has not been proven in older people with clinically manifest frailty.

External web link - https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/445965/

Ageing & Dementia

Recommendations for the management of COVID-19 pandemic in long-term care facilities.

Gosch M, Heppner H, Lim S. et al. (January 2021)

Abstract
Long-term care facilities (LTCF) and their vulnerable residents are particularly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Estimates from various countries suggest that 3–66% of all COVID-19 deaths were residents of LTCF, of which 80% died in their facilities. Despite these significant numbers, recommendations for LTCF for the prevention and medical care of residents during the COVID-19 pandemic are still lacking. These recommendations are based on the existing literature and the expertise of the authors who are specialists in geriatric medicine. The recommendations are addressed to LTCF management, their operators, physicians working in LTCFs and also politicians, to provide the necessary framework conditions. We are confident that our recommendations will offer important help and guidance for LTCFs as well as their physicians. Adherence to these recommendations is likely to improve the outcomes and care of residents in long-term facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

External web link - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-021-01847-1

Ageing & Dementia

Clinical Nurse Specialist Role in Young Onset Dementia Care.

Spreadbury J, Kipps C. (December 2020)

Abstract
Post-diagnostic care in young-onset dementia (YoD) varies, from something that is occasionally structured, to improvised, to frequently non-existent depending on geographic region. In a few regions in England, a nurse designated to helping families may exist. This study aimed to describe this seldom-observed nursing role and its content. It used an investigative qualitative case study design based on the analysis of two YoD clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) describing the work they did in providing post-diagnostic care to YoD service users.

External web link - https://doi.org/10.12968/bjcn.2020.25.12.604

Ageing & Dementia

Association between Quality of Interactions Schedule ratings and care experiences of people with a dementia in general hospital settings: a validation study.

Lee K, Frankland J, Griffiths P, Hewer, Richards L, Young A, Bridges J. (November 2020)

Introduction
Establishing methods to evaluate interactions between hospital staff and patients with a dementia is vital to inform care delivery. This study aimed to assess the validity of Quality of Interactions Schedule (QuIS) ratings in relation to the care experiences of people with a dementia in a general hospital setting.

External web link - https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5464

Ageing & Dementia

Planning and optimising CHAT&PLAN: a conversation-based intervention to promote person-centred care for older people living with multimorbidity.

Corbett T, Cummings A, Lee K, Calman L, Fenerty V, Farrington N, Lewis L, Young A, Boddington H, Wiseman T, Richardson A, Foster C, Bridges J. (October 2020)

Background
Older people are more likely to be living with cancer and multiple long-term conditions, but their needs, preferences for treatments, health priorities and lifestyle are often not identified or well-understood. There is a need to move towards a more comprehensive person-centred approach to care that focuses on the cumulative impact of a number of conditions on daily activities and quality of life. This paper describes the intervention planning process for CHAT& PLANTM, a structured conversation intervention to promote personalised care and support self-management in older adults with complex conditions.

External web link - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0240516

Ageing & Dementia

Can probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics improve functional outcomes for older people: a systematic review.

Coutts L, Ibrahim K, Tan QY, Lim SER, Cox NJ and Roberts HC (September 2020)

Abstract
Research evaluating the effect of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics (PPS) on laboratory markers of health (such as immunomodulatory and microbiota changes) is growing but it is unclear whether these markers translate to improved functional outcomes in the older population. This systematic review evaluates the effect of PPS on functional outcomes in older people.

External web link - https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-020-00396-x

Ageing & Dementia

Future Impact of dementia within an ageing population; simulation modelling of prevalence, outcomes and costs of dementia within the Wessex region.

Evenden D, Brailsford S, Walsh B, Roderick P. (September 2020)

Objectives
The aim of the study was to model dementia prevalence and outcomes within an ageing population using a novel hybrid simulation model that simultaneously takes population-level and patient-level perspectives to better inform dementia care service planning, taking into account severity progression variability.

External web link - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2020.07.018

Ageing & Dementia

The impact of regional 99mTc-HMPAO singlephoton-emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging on clinician diagnostic confidence in a mixed cognitive impairment sample.

Prosser A, Tossici-Bolt L, Kipps C. (September 2020)

AIM
To assess the clinical impact of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging on diagnosis and clinician diagnostic confidence in a cohort of individuals with cognitive impairment.

External web link - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crad.2020.04.016

Ageing & Dementia

Quality of Life Assessments in Individuals with Young-Onset Dementia and Their Caregivers.

Dixit D, Spreadbury J, Orlando R, Hayward E, Kipps C. (July 2020)

Background
Quality of life (QoL) has seldom been investigated or explicitly measured in young-onset dementia (YoD). The aims of this study were (1) to investigate and compare QoL self- and proxy reports in a sample of YoD patients and caregivers using different conceptual assessments of QoL and (2) to examine the relationship between caregiver QoL and both burden and mental health.

External web link - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0891988720933348

Ageing & Dementia

New horizons in appetite and the anorexia of ageing.

Cox NJ, Morrison L, Ibrahim K, Robinson SM, Sayer AA, & Roberts HC. (July 2020)

Abstract
Appetite drives essential oral nutritional intake. Its regulation is complex, influenced by physiology, hedonism (the reward of eating) and learning from external cues within a person’s society and culture. Appetite loss is common in the older population and not always attributable to medical conditions or treatment. Although the physiological basis of the anorexia of ageing (loss of appetite due to the ageing process) has been established, the effect of ageing on hedonism and external cues, which may be equally important, is less well understood. The anorexia of ageing is associated with reductions in dietary diversity and oral intake, and increased risk of malnutrition, sarcopenia and frailty.

External web link - https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/49/4/526/5733078?login=true

Ageing & Dementia