Factors Associated with Transfer from an Acute Geriatric Unit to a Post-Acute Care Facility among Community-Dwelling Patients: Results from the DAMAGE Cohort.

Background: Acute geriatric units (AGUs) require efficient discharge planning tools. Risk factors for discharge from an AGU to post-acute care (PAC) have not previously been investigated in detail.

Methods: The objective is to identify risk factors for PAC transfer.

Efficacy of benzodiazepines and related drugs in patients over 75 years of age and impact on cognition.

Background: In France, despite the known risks, the use of benzodiazepines and related (BZD) is excessive, particularly in older populations. Over the age of 70, 1 person in 2 uses BZD on a long-term basis (more than 3 years), whereas it is recommended not to exceed 12 weeks. To compensate for the numerous undesirable effects and to maintain a positive benefit-risk balance, these treatments must be very effective and improve significantly the quality of life.

Risk Factors for Hospital Readmission and Death After Discharge of Older Adults from Acute Geriatric Units: Taking the Rank of Admission into Account.

Objective: To analyze the impact of the number of hospital readmissions on the risks of further hospital readmission and death after adjustment for a range of risk factors.

Methods: We performed a multicentre prospective study of the DAMAGE cohort in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Patients aged 75 and over hospitalized initially in an acute geriatric unit (AGU) were included and followed up for 12 months.

Development of a Predictive Score for Mortality at 3 and 12 Months After Discharge From an Acute Geriatric Unit as a Trigger for Advanced Care Planning.

Background: There is a need for a mortality score that can be used to trigger advanced care planning among older patients discharged from acute geriatric units (AGUs).

Objective: We developed a prognostic score for 3- and 12-month mortality after discharge from an AGU, based on a comprehensive geriatric assessment, in-hospital events, and the exclusion of patients already receiving palliative care.

Methods: Devenir Après la Médecine Aigue Gériatrique (DAMAGE) is a French multicenter, prospective, cohort study.

Communication during the COVID-19 pandemic: evaluation study on self-perceived competences and views of health care professionals.

Purpose: The aims of this study were to describe communication experiences while wearing a mask during COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, to identify possible mask-related barriers to COVID-19-adapted communications and to investigate whether the ABC mnemonic (A: attend mindfully; B: behave calmly; C: communicate clearly) might address these.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional, voluntary, web-based survey between January and February 2021. A 22-item survey was developed using the Surveymonkey platform and question styles were varied to include single choice and Likert scales.

Sleep Apnea Syndrome in an Elderly Population Admitted to a Geriatric Unit: Prevalence and Effect on Cognitive Function.

Background: Sleep apnea leads to cognitive impairment in older patients, but its association with neurodegeneration remains controversial, and most studies do not distinguish between the more common obstructive form (OSAS) and the rarer central form (CSAS).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of the different forms of sleep apnea in a cohort of cognitively impaired elderly patients (>70 years) and to investigate their associations with cognitive deficit, weighted against known risk factors for neurodegeneration.

Methods: Overnight polygraphy was performed for 76 consecutive patients admitted to our geriatric unit.

A Particularly Tragic Case of Possible Alzheimer's Disease, that of Marshal Pétain.

After World War I and more particularly in June 1940, the prestige of French Marshal Philippe Pétain, considered as the winning general the battle of Verdun, was very high. He became President of Council while the French army was unable to stop the German offensives. But five years later he was sentenced to death for high treason.

Decreased Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow Is Associated With Cognitive Deficit in Elderly Patients.

Disruptions in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow during aging could compromise protein clearance from the brain and contribute to the etiology of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). To determine whether CSF flow is associated with cognitive deficit in elderly patients (>70 years). We studied 92 patients admitted to our geriatric unit for non-acute reasons using phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) to calculate their ventricular and spinal CSF flow, and assessed their global cognitive status, memory, executive functions, and praxis.

Specific Effects of Anti-Hypertensive Treatment in an Older Patient with Dementia.

Dementia is one of the most common health problems in the world. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. The presence of vascular risk factors such as hypertension (HT) may increase the risk of AD [1,2].