by Zena Aldridge  and Karen Harrison Dening

Received: 15 February 2021;  Published: 21 April 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2102167

The United Kingdom’s (UK) older population is higher than the global average. Over the next 20 years, England will see an increase in the number of older people who have higher levels of dependency, dementia, and comorbidity many of whom may require 24-hour care. Currently It is estimated that 70% of residents in nursing and residential care homes either have dementia on admission or develop it whilst residing in the care home. The provision of high-quality care for this population is a challenge with a lack of con [...]

by Danielle Brates  , Michelle S. Troche  and Sonja M. Molfenter

Received: 29 October 2020;  Published: 15 April 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2102166

Fatigue is a term commonly used to describe patient performance and/or subjective experience in the evaluation and management of swallowing disorders (known as dysphagia). There is an association between fatigue and aging, as well as fatigue and many dysphagia-causing diseases/disorders. Therefore, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are justifiably aware of and concerned about the potential impact of fatigue on swallowing performance and mealtime behavior. However, there is minimal agreement on and understanding o [...]

by Sophia Demeneopoulou  , Marianna Mantzorou  , Petra Mandysova  , Nikoletta Margari  , Eleni Dokoutsidou  , Aggeliki Tsiligianni  , Chrysoula Tsiou  and Theodoula Adamakidou

Received: 09 October 2020;  Published: 02 April 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2102165

Background. Dysphagia may be a threatening condition if not diagnosed and treated early. Healthcare professionals need simple, quick and reliable tools for their daily clinical practice to be able to evaluate it immediately. The purpose of the present study was the translation and validation of the tool Brief Bedside Dysphagia Screening Test-Revised (BBDST-R) in Greek language in a sample of patients with neurological disorders. Methods. A crosssectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 80 pati [...]

by Samuel Brennan  , Matthew Keon  , Zheng Su  , Bing Liu  , Xiao Min Song  , Thiri Zaw  , Matthew McKay  , Donna Pascovici  and Nitin K. Saksena

Received: 21 August 2020;  Published: 29 March 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2101164

There are no curative strategies for ALS, and as a result the alternative therapies are gaining ground, in particular the stem cell-based therapies which hold a promising future. Here we describe an ALS patient, who by choice, received allogeneic human cord-blood derived multipotent stem cells (MSC) intravenously and intrathecally. This is the first snapshot of pre-and post-stem cell transplantation in an ALS patient through transcriptomic, epigenomic, and proteomic follow-up elucidating the effect of stem cells in [...]

by Martine S. Bosma  , Monique A.A. Caljouw  , Jacqueline K. Benfield  , Laura Edwards  , Tanja C.W. Nijboer  and Wilco P. Achterberg

Received: 07 December 2020;  Published: 19 March 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2101163

Visuospatial neglect (VSN) adversely impacts both the length of rehabilitation and activities of daily living (ADL) of patients after stroke and can reduce their participation in community activities. Therefore, it is important to assess VSN after stroke in neurorehabilitation facilities. The process of assessing VSN comprehensively in current geriatric rehabilitation remains unclear. This study examined the process of VSN in post-stroke assessment emphasizing the details of the (systematic) routines and structure [...]

by Joan Weiss  , Nina Tumosa  , Robert Espinoza  , Elizabeth Bragg  , Jennifer Craft Morgan  , Jason Flatt  , Eleanor S. McConnell  and Grace Whiting

Received: 12 November 2020;  Published: 16 March 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2101162

This policy paper presents workforce development recommendations for research, clinical care and public stakeholders as they plan future research activities to strengthen the workforce to support the healthcare and social needs of persons living with dementia and their families and caregivers. To create these recommendations, the 2020 National Research Summit on Care, Services and Supports for Persons with Dementia and Their Caregivers (2020 Summit) convened a Workforce Development Stakeholder Workgroup. The Stakeh [...]

by Melissa Sandler  , Gretchen M. Brophy  and Sulaiman Almohaish

Received: 11 February 2021;  Published: 16 March 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2101161

Pharmacological management of intracerebral hemorrhage in adult patients over 65 years of age requires special considerations due to differing clinical presentations, underlying organ dysfunction, and more complex medical histories and medication profiles. A literature review of articles focusing on the age-specific pharmacological management of intracerebral hemorrhage was conducted. Treatment approaches and clinical outcomes specific to older adults were evaluated and therapeutic considerations for this populatio [...]

by Alexander Manevich  , Simon Shimshon Rubin  , Rachel Ben-Hayun  , Judith Aharon-Peretz  and Michael Katz

Received: 07 September 2020;  Published: 12 March 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2101160

Caregiving for a loved one suffering from cognitive decline involves coping with many challenges and losses. This experience increases the risk of worsening the physical and mental health of the caregiver and has been the subject of a substantial number of studies focusing on the stress and burden of the primary caretaker. Theory and research on the grief reactions experienced by the family members, however, continues to lag in terms of the attention given to the behavioral and psychological burden of caregivers. T [...]

by Meira Erel  , Esther-Lee Marcus  and Freda DeKeyser-Ganz

Received: 11 November 2020;  Published: 01 March 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2101159

Decision-making by medical and health care staff forms the core of professional practice. Thought processes, including non-clinical considerations, significantly impact how clinical decisions are made. Such considerations become more relevant when addressing end-of-life care decisions for patients with advanced dementia (PAD). Though palliative care is recommended for this population, its implementation tends to vary. Given the medical staff’s significant influence in guiding clinical decisions, we examined thought [...]

by Aarthi Madhavan  , Isaac Sia  , Giselle Carnaby  and Michael Crary

Received: 29 October 2020;  Published: 22 February 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2101158

Individuals with acute stroke on nonoral feeding regimens frequently develop pneumonia, questioning the long-held belief that pneumonia in stroke patients is a caused by food and liquid aspiration alone. Refluxate and colonized oral secretions are thought to contribute to an acidic oropharyngeal environment. If aspirated, these colonized oral secretions with increased acidity, can result in increased risk to the respiratory system. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between pharyngeal acidity, dysphag [...]