Action Observation of Motor Skills Followed by Immediate Sleep Enhances the Motor Rehabilitation of Older Adults With Stroke.

Background And Purpose: Motor rehabilitation following stroke is a demanding challenge in search for new strategies to improve outcome. Rehabilitation through action observation has been reported beneficial for older adults recovering from stroke. Early sleep session following motor learning enhanced the performance of the acquired motor skills.

Low Borderline Levels of Serum Vitamin B12 May Predict Cognitive Decline in Elderly Hip Fracture Patients.

Background: The progression from cognitive impairment to dementia is a multifactorial process that involves genetic and environmental factors. Vitamin B12 deficiency can be an important factor in the progress from cognitive decline to dementia.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between borderline low level of vitamin B12 (≤ 350 pg/ml) and cognitive decline among a group of elderly hip fracture patients.

Impact of the Holocaust on the Rehabilitation Outcome of Older Patients Sustaining a Hip Fracture.

Background: Holocaust survivors report a much higher prevalence of osteoporosis and fracture in the hip joint compared to those who were not Holocaust survivors.

Objectives: To evaluate whether being a Holocaust survivor could affect the functional outcome of hip fracture in patients 64 years of age and older undergoing rehabilitation.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study compromising 140 consecutive hip fracture patients was conducted in a geriatric and rehabilitation department of a university-affiliated hospital.

Clostridium difficile-associated disease: A primary clinical evaluation of elderly patients in a geriatric hospital.

The purpose of this study was to screen all cases of Clostridium difficile-associated disease during a 2-year period in a geriatric hospital to determine the incidence and clinical characteristics related to this risk. Twenty percent of suspected cases were diagnosed as positive and analyzed. The C difficile disease-associated clinical factors were ischemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Ageism among physicians, nurses, and social workers: findings from a qualitative study.

This study investigated ageism among healthcare professionals in various therapeutic settings in Israel. Using a qualitative approach, the current study aimed to examine similarities and differences across healthcare disciplines. Three focus groups were conducted with physicians, nurses, and social workers.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Association between Helicobacterpylori Infection and Dementia.

Background: A positive association between Helicobacter pylori infection and dementia has been reported, yet findings are inconsistent.

Objective: To examine the association between H. pylori infection and dementia.

QT Interval Length in Elderly Prostatic Cancer Patients on Anti-Testosterone Treatment.

Unlabelled: Background: QT segment prolongation is a high risk factor for fatal arrhythmias. Several studies have indicated a possible relation between low testosterone levels and QT interval prolongation.

Objectives: To compare the QT interval length in elderly patients with prostate carcinoma who were on anti-testosterone treatment and those who were not.

Roxithromycin Pharmacokinetics in Hospitalized Geriatric Patients: Oral Administration of Whole Versus Crushed Tablets.

Background: Drug administration as tablets to debilitated elderly patients in crushed form can modify the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the active components. Only scarce information is available on the pharmacokinetics when administered in such form. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of roxithromycin administered in crushed form and to compare it with the pharmacokinetics of a group of geriatric patients receiving it in the conventional tablet form.

On-spot rheumatology consultations in a multilevel geriatric hospital.

Background: Musculoskeletal and joint disorders are extremely common in the elderly. They directly affect mobility, gait stability, quality of life, and independence.

Objectives: To assess the nature of joint problems encountered in a geriatric inpatient population and evaluate the contribution of a rheumatologist.

Pharmacokinetics of ciprofloxacin in hospitalized geriatric patients: comparison between nasogastric tube and oral administration.

Objectives: Drug administration to debilitated elderly patients on enteral feeding through a nasogastric tube (NGT) can modify the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the drug and influence its therapeutic blood concentration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of ciprofloxacin administered through an NGT and to compare it with those of a group of patients receiving the drug orally.

Methods: Twenty patients in stable clinical and hemodynamic condition from the long-term care ward of a geriatric multilevel hospital were studied.

Evaluation of an intra-institutional diabetes disease management program for the glycemic control of elderly long-term care diabetic patients.

Aim: Increasing numbers of nursing home elderly patients suffer from diabetes requiring individually optimized glycemic control. This is a complicated challenge because of their high comorbidity level, and heterogeneous and changing eating status varying from independent to dysphagia and enteral feeding. In order to cope with these complex needs, we developed and implemented a diabetes disease management program.

[Imparting basic knowledge in geriatric medicine to primary care physicians of the elderly--a challenge for the health system].

Unlabelled: The increasing number of elderly and their needs challenge the health care system by addressing community physicians with their complex medical problems. Therefore, these physicians should be trained in basic geriatric knowledge in order to ensure the quality of care and improve the cost/ benefit rate.

Conclusions: A multidisciplinary community-based Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is effective in the evaluation of the frail elderly.

Eating management and functional outcome of elderly patients with symptomatic ischemic stroke undergoing inpatient rehabilitation.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether, and to what extent, post-stroke eating management (EM) at admission to a rehabilitation ward is associated with functional outcome.

Methods: This was a retrospective study comprising 716 consecutive elderly patients with first ever symptomatic ischemic stroke. Level of eating management was determined by Functional Independence Measurement (FIM) subscale scores relevant to eating management, where scores ≤ 5 points define low-eating management (Low-EM) ability and scores >5 indicate independent eating management.

The effect of a pain management program on the rehabilitation of elderly patients following hip fracture surgery.

Background: Pain following hip fracture and internal fixation is a major factor during the treatment of elderly patients on rehabilitation programs. A proactive pain management program was instituted in our geriatric rehabilitation ward in 2005.

Objectives: To compare retrospectively two groups of patients, one before and one after implementation of the proactive pain management program.

QT interval disturbances in elderly residents of long-term care facilities.

Background: The QT interval reflects the total duration of ventricular myocardial repolarization. Disturbed QT--either prolonged or shortened--is associated with arrhythmia and is life-threatening.

Objectives: To investigate an elderly population for disturbed QT interval.

Bacteremia in a multilevel geriatric hospital.

Background: Bloodstream infection (BSI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitals. Bacteremia in the elderly remains a diagnostic as well as a therapeutic challenge to the clinician.

Methods: We investigate the clinical features, microbiological characteristics, and outcome of bacteremic episodes in a mixed LTC elderly population in a multilevel geriatric hospital.

Community physicians' knowledge on basic health care for elderly persons in Israel: comparing findings from 2006 to 1996.

Community physicians should be knowledgeable of basic geriatrics to cope with the challenges posed by the growing number of older patients and their complex needs. A survey of knowledge in basic health care for elderly persons, carried out by our team in 1996, revealed that it was insufficient. The authors repeated this survey in 2006, by using the same methodology, namely, a mailed questionnaire sent to 500 randomly sampled community physicians.

Phenytoin blood concentrations in hospitalized geriatric patients: oral versus nasogastric feeding tube administration.

Many medications administered to frail geriatric patients are not in a liquid form, but are crushed and dissolved in water before their administration through a nasogastric tube (NGT). Some medications are enteric coated and others are extended release. Only sparse information is available on their pharmacokinetics when administered through NGT.

Serum trace elements in elderly frail patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia.

Microelements have an important role in many vital enzymatic functions. Their optimal intake and serum concentration are not properly defined. For nursing home residents, this issue is further complicated by the high prevalence of oropharyngeal dysphagia.

[The screen for caregiver burden of demented patients].

Most elderly individuals with dementia live in the community with the assistance of their caregivers, usually their family members. Their strength is essential for continuing home care and avoiding or postponing institutionalization. The screen for caregiver burden (SCB) is a 25 item scale, in use for the evaluation of caregivers of demented persons in the USA.

QT interval disturbances in hospitalized elderly patients.

Background: The QT interval reflects the total duration of ventricular myocardial repolarization. Its prolongation is associated with increased risk of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, or torsade de pointes, which can be fatal.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of both prolonged and short QT interval in patients admitted to an acute geriatric ward.

Mortality after nasogastric tube feeding initiation in long-term care elderly with oropharyngeal dysphagia--the contribution of refeeding syndrome.

Background: The refeeding syndrome (RS) is an underappreciated but clinically important entity characterized by acute electrolyte abnormalities, mainly hypophosphatemia, fluid retention and dysfunction of various organs and systems, which can result in significant morbidity and occasionally death.

Objective: To examine the incidence of death cases and death causes following nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding initiation in frail elderly with particular reference to RS.

Methods: Forty patients with feeding problems for at least 72 h before restarting of alimentation by NGT were included.

Metabolic alkalosis in skilled nursing patients.

Renal failure is common among the long-term care (LTC) elderly. Little is known about the acid/base status of these patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the acid base status and renal function in a representative group of skilled nursing patients and relate it to their feeding status.