Preventive Care and Outcomes of Interprofessional Medicare Annual Wellness Visits for Older Adults.

As we anticipate a growing population of older adults, we will see an increase in chronic conditions such as dementia and falls. To meet these public health needs, we must systematically provide screening, education, preventive care, and supportive care for older patients and their caregivers in a primary care setting. This will require a workforce trained in providing for the complex medical and psychosocial needs of an older adult population in an interprofessional and collaborative fashion.

Increasing Geriatric Care Capability in Hawai'i's Healthcare Systems through the Pacific Islands Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) at the University of Hawai'i.

There is an increasing shortage of skilled healthcare workers to provide care to the aging US population. In response, the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) was developed in 2015 by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This article describes the objectives, accomplishments, and lessons learned by the Pacific Islands GWEP at the University of Hawai'i (UH) over the past 5 years.

Evaluation of distance facilitation and technology in an interprofessional simulation exercise.

Introduction: This paper explores two objectives: (1) effectiveness of interprofessional education facilitators utilizing distance technology to facilitate and debrief an interprofessional exercise with students located on the islands Oahu and Hawai'i Island (Hilo), and (2) impact of technology on the simulation experience for facilitators and students.

Methods: Four disciplines participated in an interprofessional hospital discharge exercise for the same geriatric patient case. Two questions administered to facilitators and students after each session focused on: (1) satisfaction with the students' ability to work through the simulation, and (2) satisfaction with the use of distance technology.

An interprofessional team simulation exercise about a complex geriatric patient.

Interprofessional collaboration is an essential skill to optimize the care of older adults with complex problems. We successfully developed and evaluated an interprofessional teamwork simulation exercise for medical, nursing, pharmacy, and social work students. Pharmacy students participated via video conferencing.

Association of sarcopenic obesity predicted by anthropometric measurements and 24-y all-cause mortality in elderly men: The Kuakini Honolulu Heart Program.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between anthropometric measurements of sarcopenic obesity and all-cause mortality.

Methods: The study included 2309 Japanese-American men ages 71 to 93 y. Mortality data were available for up to 24 y of follow-up.

Standardized patient and standardized interdisciplinary team meeting: validation of a new performance-based assessment tool.

The interdisciplinary team (IDT) approach is critical in the care of elderly adults. Performance-based tools to assess IDT skills have not been well validated. A novel assessment tool, the standardized patient (SP) and standardized interdisciplinary team meeting (SIDTM), consisting of two stations, was developed.

Evaluation of a nursing home medical director's curriculum for geriatric medicine fellows.

Objectives: To describe the evaluation of a nursing home medical directorship curriculum for geriatric medicine fellows.

Design: Six first-year geriatric medicine fellows from the University of Hawaii program participated in this educational intervention.

Intervention: A medical directorship curriculum based on the American Medical Directors Association's description of the roles and responsibilities of the medical director.

Aging and caregiving in the Republic of Palau.

Aging has been an important population trend of the twentieth century, with most elderly people living in developing countries. Little has been published on the healthcare needs of elderly in the Pacific Islands. The Pacific Islands Geriatric Education Center, at the University of Hawaii, has a mission to promote training in geriatric education in the Pacific Islands to improve healthcare to the elderly.

Developing future nursing home medical directors: a curriculum for geriatric medicine fellows.

Long term care facilities are important sites of care for elderly adults. Despite a growing need and interest in medical direction in nursing homes, there have been limited educational opportunities in this area for geriatric medicine fellows. This article describes a novel medical director's curriculum for first-year geriatric medicine fellows to prepare them for the role of nursing home medical director.

A palliative care educational intervention for frontline nursing home staff: the IMPRESS project.

The purpose of this study was to examine nursing home staff perceptions of end-of-life (EOL) care skills after an educational intervention. IMPRESS (IMproving PRofessional Education and Sustaining Support) was a quality improvement EOL care educational intervention (six lectures on core palliative care concepts) for frontline nursing home staff at five community nursing homes. Questionnaires were completed to evaluate frequency of application of palliative care skills before and after the educational series.

Towards cultural competency in end-of-life communication training.

To meet the needs of a more diverse population, a culturally sensitive approach to end-of-life communication is critical. This paper describes a unique communication workshop that introduces future physicians to the delivery of culturally responsive care for patients in palliative and end-of-life treatment. The workshop is embedded within the required fourth year medical student rotation in Geriatrics and Palliative Care.

Assessment of pain in older Asian Americans with cancer.

This cross-sectional study focused on pain assessment in a group of older Asian Americans with cancer. Thirty-six participants and their primary nurses were interviewed, and pain intensity was measured using 3 different scales: the Numeric pain intensity 0-10 scale, the Faces expression scale, and Visual analog scale (VAS). Overall, 56% of participants reported pain.