Health Care and Successful Aging

A special issue of Geriatrics (ISSN 2308-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Healthy Aging".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2019) | Viewed by 81937

Special Issue Editor

Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Interests: acute care geriatrics; geriatric assessment; quality improvement; successful aging

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the world population ages, there is increasing interest on the biological and social determinants of successful aging through the lenses of cognitive function, physical function, and psychosocial function. In particular, the knowledge translation of these determinants has significant implications on health care delivery to older people around the world. This is a rapidly evolving field, especially in view of the emerging technologies and disruptive innovations that occur in the basic and clinical sciences. Health care and successful aging presents huge opportunities for quality improvement of seniors care around the world.

This Special Issue on Geriatrics will focus on the determinants of successful aging in older people, knowledge translation of these determinants and their impact on health care, the contributions of emerging technologies and innovations to successful aging, and the resultant quality improvement opportunities for seniors care. The Special Issue provides an open access opportunity to publish quality manuscripts on this important and rapidly evolving field of aging-related research.

Dr. Roger Y. Wong
Clinical Professor, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine
The University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver, Canada
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Geriatrics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Successful aging
  • Cognitive function
  • Physical function
  • Psychosocial function
  • Health care
  • Quality improvement

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 156 KiB  
Editorial
A New Strategic Approach to Successful Aging and Healthy Aging
by Roger Y. Wong
Geriatrics 2018, 3(4), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics3040086 - 29 Nov 2018
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 7444
Abstract
Successful aging is not a new concept, although its definition remains controversial, because of its multi-dimensional nature. [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Care and Successful Aging)

Research

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10 pages, 2245 KiB  
Article
A Comprehensive Overview of Polypharmacy in Elderly Patients in Saudi Arabia
by Aseel Alsuwaidan, Norah Almedlej, Sawsan Alsabti, Omamah Daftardar, Fawzi Al Deaji, Ali Al Amri and Salem Alsuwaidan
Geriatrics 2019, 4(2), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics4020036 - 15 May 2019
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 9143
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Saudi Arabia has a great percentage of geriatric patients associated with multiple chronic diseases who require close attention and monitoring for their medications. The purpose of this study is to develop a full-framed picture about the utilization of medications for geriatric patients [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Saudi Arabia has a great percentage of geriatric patients associated with multiple chronic diseases who require close attention and monitoring for their medications. The purpose of this study is to develop a full-framed picture about the utilization of medications for geriatric patients and how to provide better health-care management. Methodology: A retrospective cross-sectional study targeting patients 65 years of age and older, who are taking multiple chronic medications for different indications. Descriptive analysis and frequency of the main variables were used as appropriate. Only qualified and professional candidates were chosen for data entry to present the quality and accuracy of data. Results: A total of 3009 patient profiles were analyzed, with the patients’ average age in years being 73.26 ± 6.6 (SD). It was found that 55% of the patients have polypharmacy. An average of 6.4 medications were prescribed for patients aged between 65 and 70 years compared with a significant difference for patients aged 71 years and above, while a linear correlation between age and comorbidity diseases associated with all elderly patients. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus are the most common comorbidity diseases for elderly patients aged 65 years and older. Conclusion: Polypharmacy in geriatrics is defined as a patient aged 65 years and older receiving five or more appropriate medications. It is the responsibility of health-care professionals to reduce the number of medications in elderly patients. Awareness of geriatric medications and diagnosed diseases will improve managing adverse drug reaction and other risk factors. Awareness of geriatric medications should elaborate on how to avoid adverse drug reaction and other risk factors. It is the responsibility of physicians and pharmacists to reduce the number of medications in elderly patients. We also prove that the number of medications will not necessarily increase with age. The main impact of this study is to follow the main recommendations to improve health care management in geriatrics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Care and Successful Aging)
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13 pages, 1448 KiB  
Article
An IoT System for Remote Health Monitoring in Elderly Adults through a Wearable Device and Mobile Application
by Luis A. Durán-Vega, Pedro C. Santana-Mancilla, Raymundo Buenrostro-Mariscal, Juan Contreras-Castillo, Luis E. Anido-Rifón, Miguel A. García-Ruiz, Osval A. Montesinos-López and Fermín Estrada-González
Geriatrics 2019, 4(2), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics4020034 - 07 May 2019
Cited by 77 | Viewed by 11191
Abstract
With the increase in global life expectancy and the advance of technology, the creation of age-friendly environments is a priority in the design of new products for elderly people healthcare. This paper presents a proposal for a real-time health monitoring system of older [...] Read more.
With the increase in global life expectancy and the advance of technology, the creation of age-friendly environments is a priority in the design of new products for elderly people healthcare. This paper presents a proposal for a real-time health monitoring system of older adults living in geriatric residences. This system was developed to help caregivers to have a better control in monitoring the health of their patients and have closer communication with their patients’ family members. To validate the feasibility and effectiveness of this proposal, a prototype was built, using a biometric bracelet connected to a mobile application, which allows real-time visualization of all the information generated by the sensors (heart rate, body temperature, and blood oxygenation) in the bracelet. Using these data, caregivers can make decisions about the health status of their patients. The evaluation found that the users perceived the system to be easy to learn and use, providing initial evidence that our proposal could improve the quality of the adult’s healthcare. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Care and Successful Aging)
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9 pages, 868 KiB  
Article
Continence Promotion and Successful Aging: The Role of the Multidisciplinary Continence Clinic
by Rhena Yoo and Martha Spencer
Geriatrics 2018, 3(4), 91; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics3040091 - 16 Dec 2018
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5667
Abstract
Incontinence is a common yet under-recognized issue that impacts quality of life, especially for older adults in whom there is often a multifactorial etiology. A retrospective chart review was performed on a representative sample of patients seen at our multidisciplinary continence clinic in [...] Read more.
Incontinence is a common yet under-recognized issue that impacts quality of life, especially for older adults in whom there is often a multifactorial etiology. A retrospective chart review was performed on a representative sample of patients seen at our multidisciplinary continence clinic in Vancouver, Canada from January to December 2017 inclusive. Initial assessment was performed by the nurse continence advisor (NCA) or geriatrician depending on the source of referral. The pelvic floor physiotherapist (PFP) could then be consulted based on perceived need. The average age at assessment was 76 years old (range 29–102), with 82% of patients ≥65 years and 27% ≥85 years old. The majority of patients were referred for bladder incontinence (72%), with the remaining patients referred for bowel incontinence (28%) or pessary care (7%). Referrals came from a variety of sources including physicians (62%), nurses (22%), allied health care providers (12%) and self-referral (5%). Multimorbidity was common, with 40% of patients having a Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥6. The same proportion of patients (40%) were on ≥5 prescription medications. Many patients were functionally dependent for either instrumental activities of daily living (52%) or activities of daily living (25%). Non-pharmacologic treatments were commonly recommended, with the majority of patients counselled on lifestyle changes (88%) and taught Kegel exercises (70%). For patients seen by the geriatrician, modifications were made to non-continence medications in 50% of cases and medical comorbidities were optimized in 39% of cases. In terms of pharmacologic therapy, over-the-counter (OTC) medications were initiated in 45% of patients whereas continence-specific prescription medications were started in 17% of patients. A multidisciplinary continence clinic can play an important role in promoting successful aging by assessing and treating medical causes of incontinence in medically complex older adults. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Care and Successful Aging)
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9 pages, 364 KiB  
Communication
An Analysis of Geriatric Medicine in Malaysia-Riding the Wave of Political Change
by Maw Pin Tan, Shahrul B. Kamaruzzaman and Philip Jun Hua Poi
Geriatrics 2018, 3(4), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics3040080 - 15 Nov 2018
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6933
Abstract
Malaysia became the centre of international attention when it democratically removed a semi-authoritarian government of 62 years during its 14th general election this year. This electoral success has provided geriatric medicine in Malaysia with a high-impact ageing icon by installing the oldest prime [...] Read more.
Malaysia became the centre of international attention when it democratically removed a semi-authoritarian government of 62 years during its 14th general election this year. This electoral success has provided geriatric medicine in Malaysia with a high-impact ageing icon by installing the oldest prime minister in the world. A wave of optimism for the expansion of geriatric services in Malaysia, which met with numerous challenges in the last two decades, has emerged as a result of this political change. The number of geriatrics specialists and services had begun to see slow expansions under the previous government. However, existing geriatricians will need to reassess the landscape of delivery and access to care in our rapidly growing ageing population and develop new strategies to truly expand their services. In addition to unrelenting efforts in the recruitment and training of future geriatricians, the steady expansion of the geriatric workforce should take into account the inclusion of geriatric medicine in the undergraduate training curricula of all healthcare professionals. Expansion of geriatric services will also be a cost-effective strategy to reduce the growing national healthcare budget incurred by the growing needs of an ageing population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Care and Successful Aging)
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Review

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10 pages, 352 KiB  
Review
Effect of Cognitive Training on Daily Function in Older People without Major Neurocognitive Disorder: A Systematic Review
by Brian J.Y. Fan and Roger Y.M. Wong
Geriatrics 2019, 4(3), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics4030044 - 18 Jul 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5739
Abstract
There is increasing interest in the effect of non-pharmacological treatments on preserving cognition and function in older adults without major neurocognitive disorder (dementia). However, its effect on everyday function in terms of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) is unclear. We conducted a [...] Read more.
There is increasing interest in the effect of non-pharmacological treatments on preserving cognition and function in older adults without major neurocognitive disorder (dementia). However, its effect on everyday function in terms of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) is unclear. We conducted a systematic review to examine whether cognitive training, independent of other interventions, can improve IADL function in older adults without major neurocognitive disorder. We searched multiple databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PSYCINFO and found thirteen studies that met our inclusion criteria with 7130 participants in total. Six out of thirteen studies reported a significant change on validated IADL assessment. On subgroup analysis, five studies included older adults with normal cognition and one included mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Eleven out of twelve studies showed improvement in measures of cognition. None of the studies described changes in the ability to live independently. While variation in study protocol, outcome measurement, and effect size reporting precluded further inferential statistical analysis, our review found a sizable number of studies showing improvement in IADL. Cognitive training may have some benefit in improving IADL function in older adults without major neurocognitive disorder. Future long-term studies focusing on maintained IADL function and preserved independence are needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Care and Successful Aging)
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8 pages, 205 KiB  
Review
Successful Ageing in Singapore
by Andrew Rogerson and Simon Stacey
Geriatrics 2018, 3(4), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics3040081 - 19 Nov 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 12367
Abstract
Singapore has experienced rapid development in the past 50 years. This has presented unique challenges with regard to land space and a rapidly ageing population. The role of extrinsic factors in successful ageing is well documented, and places a degree of responsibility on [...] Read more.
Singapore has experienced rapid development in the past 50 years. This has presented unique challenges with regard to land space and a rapidly ageing population. The role of extrinsic factors in successful ageing is well documented, and places a degree of responsibility on the state and healthcare systems. Singapore has taken many proactive measures to meet this responsibility by implementing policy changes across multiple domains including housing, transport, education and research. One hospital in the north east of Singapore has undertaken a frailty screening program that aims to identify, prevent and reverse frailty at an early stage. This paper provides a review of these national and regional measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Care and Successful Aging)
12 pages, 221 KiB  
Review
Successful Aging and Frailty: A Systematic Review
by Darryl Rolfson
Geriatrics 2018, 3(4), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics3040079 - 15 Nov 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6962
Abstract
The terms successful aging (SA) and frailty appear to have much in common, both in terms of overlapping constructs and common challenges with consensus and operationalization. The aim of this review is to summarize existing literature that defines that relationship. Primary and secondary [...] Read more.
The terms successful aging (SA) and frailty appear to have much in common, both in terms of overlapping constructs and common challenges with consensus and operationalization. The aim of this review is to summarize existing literature that defines that relationship. Primary and secondary source articles that used either term in the title or abstract were systematically reviewed for relevance to the study objective. Of 61 articles that met these criteria, 30 were secondary source, and of these four were highly relevant. Four of the remaining 31 original research articles were selected, and the prevalence of frailty and SA in populations with different characteristics were described and compared. The same model of frailty was used in all primary studies, but definitions for successful aging were heterogeneous. The prevalence of frailty ranged from 11.8% to 44.0% and that of SA ranged from 10.4% to 47.2%. The definitions used for each, especially the extent of multidimensionality, appeared to reflect the degree of overlap between SA and frailty. Whether frailty and SA are part of the same or different constructs, there is a pressing need for an ordered taxonomy to advance research that translates into clinical practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Care and Successful Aging)
16 pages, 817 KiB  
Review
A Scoping Review: Social Participation as a Cornerstone of Successful Aging in Place among Rural Older Adults
by Lisa F. Carver, Rob Beamish, Susan P. Phillips and Michelle Villeneuve
Geriatrics 2018, 3(4), 75; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics3040075 - 29 Oct 2018
Cited by 60 | Viewed by 15736
Abstract
Despite obstacles, many rural-dwelling older adults report that positive aspects of rural residence, such as attachment to community, social participation, and familiarity, create a sense of belonging that far outweighs the negative. By being part of a community where they are known and [...] Read more.
Despite obstacles, many rural-dwelling older adults report that positive aspects of rural residence, such as attachment to community, social participation, and familiarity, create a sense of belonging that far outweighs the negative. By being part of a community where they are known and they know people, rural elders continue to find meaning, the key to achieving successful aging in this last stage of life. This scoping review explored factors influencing social participation and, through it, successful aging among rural-dwelling older adults. We sought to answer the question: what factors enhance or detract from the ability of rural-dwelling older adults to engage in social participation in rural communities? The scoping review resulted in 19 articles that highlight the importance of supports to enable older people to spend time with others, including their pets, engage in volunteer and community activities, and help maintain their home and care for their pets. Overall, the lack of services, including local health care facilities, was less important than the attachment to place and social capital associated with aging in place. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Care and Successful Aging)
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