pak2020

Older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who start using opioids have a more than two-fold higher risk of dying from a respiratory-related complication compared to non-opioid users, St. Michael's Hospital researchers have found. When researchers looked specifically at more potent opioids, they found the risk for respiratory-related death was five times higher for new opioid users compared to non-opioid users. Excerpted from an article on News-Medical.Net. To read the full article, click here.

Delirium—a state of confusion that develops suddenly, often following an acute illness or hospitalization—is estimated to impact more than 2.5 million older adults in the U.S. every year, though it often goes undetected. Post-operative delirium, or delirium that sets in after a surgical procedure, impacts as many as 50% of elders at an estimated cost of $164 billion per year.   Excerpted from an article by Sharon K. Inouye, MD, MPH, Director, Aging Brain Center, Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife in the Huffington Post. To read the full article, click here.

Today, federal and state governments, as well as hospitals and clinics, are struggling with the country’s devastating opioid epidemic. With prescription pain medication abuse a driving factor, the focus has mostly been on younger and middle-aged people and restricting drug access. However, millions of older people experience chronic, even debilitating pain and desperately need relief. We must take a balanced approach so that older adults can continue to make contributions to their communities and families and continue to live well as they age. Excerpted from an article by Terry Fulmer in the Huffington Post. To read full article, click here.

Dr. Cary Reid of TRIPLL was quoted in a New York Times article titled, “New Opioid Limits Challenge the Most Pain-Prone”, commenting on the importance of proper treatment of chronic pain and the reluctance of older adults to use opioid medication. Read Full article here.

The dictionary defines ageism as the "tendency to regard older persons as debilitated, unworthy of attention, or unsuitable for employment." But research indicates that ageism may not just be ill-informed or hurtful. It may also be a matter of life and death. Not that it's literally killing people. Researcher Becca Levy, a professor of epidemiology and psychology at the Yale School of Public Health, says it depends on how much a given individual takes those negative ideas to heart. In one study, Levy looked at people's attitudes about aging when they were in late middle age and then followed them over time. [...]

Cathleen Schine, author of They May Not Mean To, says that living far away from an elderly parent can create feelings of guilt as well as those of relief. Click here to read NPR Fresh Air interview with Catherine Schine, air date July 18, 2016.  

Alzheimer’s disease may affect people’s ability to recognize when they are in pain, a new study shows. Undetected pain may allow underlying health issues to go untreated, leading to serious complications, such as organ damage, researchers from Vanderbilt University in Nashville cautioned. For the three-year study, the researchers tested two groups of adults who were aged 65 or older. One group was made up of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, which affects thinking skills, memory and intellect. Members of the second group did not have the progressive neurological disease. The study used a device to subject participants to different heat sensations [...]

In the Journal of Pain Management Nursing, authors examined the association between pain intensity and health-related quality of life in ethnically diverse older adults. The study sample consisted of older adults with chronic pain from four ethnic groups (African Americans, Afro Caribbeans, Hispanics, and European Americans). The study found that African Americans reported the highest levels of pain intensity and the lowest mental and physical health scores. The authors suggest that understanding ethnic variations in pain intensity may address gaps in knowledge about health-related quality of life disparities. In addition, the authors suggest that healthcare providers should consider ethnic norms [...]

In the Journal of Applied Clinical Informatics, authors examined the impact of a smartphone application on elderlies’ lives. The smartphone application, ‘Confidence’ aims to provide support to elderly people by helping them stay independent and active. The study sample consisted of 41 individuals and their quality of life was assessed by questionnaires before and after the test period. The study found that the use of ‘Confidence’ made the study participants feel “safer” and helped communicate more with others. Authors suggest that ‘Confidence’ has the potential to have a positive effect on elderly users’ lives.

A recent study published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, examined the effect of daily negative and positive mood on the sleep quality of older adults with knee osteoarthritis. The authors derived data from a previous related study that involved older adults with knee osteoarthritis and their partners. The study found that “daily negative and positive mood fluctuations can interact with partner responses to affect sleep quality among older adults with chronic pain.” Click here to read the full article.