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The effect of domestic violence on individuals is considered.

Many of the techniques used by physicians to repair a fractured hip are well-supported by evidence. Researchers reviewed 97 research papers published in medical journals to determine if evidence supported 15 common practices in hip fracture repair. Prophylactic anticoagulation and antibiotic therapy, a variety of internal and external fixation devices, and early walking are advisable. Preoperative traction, prolonged wound drainage, and indwelling urinary catheterization are not supported by research evidence.

Elder abuse prevalence, intervention and outcomes are discussed relative to patients referred to four Aged Care Assessment Teams in Australia in 1994. The conclusion of the study of the patients was that a more uniform approach to detection is needed.

To explore the relationship between cognitive performance and falls in older people with mild to moderate cognitive impairment (CI) by investigating the mediational effects of medical, medication, neuropsychological, and physiological factors.

What walking aid prescription occurs at discharge after hip fracture? What changes in walking aid use occur in the following six months? Who initiates changes in walking aids and why?

The article focuses on the methods to be used when assessing elder abuse in Victoria. According to physician Mark Lachs, proper management of elder abuse will create improvement in the quality of life. It is stated that management of elder abuse requires the involvement of several individuals or service providers. Counseling is essential for the recovery of the victim and legal intervention is the last resort when a severe domestic violence happened.

Introduction: Hip fracture has the greatest personal and economic impact of all fall‐related injuries in the elderly population. External hip protectors have been developed and have been effective in reducing the incidence of hip fracture in one study. Their level of effectiveness, however, is influenced significantly by whether people will wear them.

Objective:To find out what difficulties general practitioners (GPs) experience with diagnosing and managing dementia. Design:Postal questionnaire to a random stratified sample of one in seven active Australian GPs (2182 of 14932). Results:1473 GPs (67.5%) responded to the questionnaire. The results indicated reasonable knowledge about diagnostic features of dementia and good insight into common issues facing family carers. Even so, GPs had difficulties with diagnosis and management of dementia and wanted assessment protocols and educational programs. A minority of GPs regularly screened elderly patients for cognitive impairment but the majority relied on passive means of diagnosing dementia. Although generally positive about Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) and Aged Care Community Services (ACCS), GPs expressed some concerns about these services. Conclusions:Recommendations arising from the survey were: development of an assessment protocol and a screening instrument, regular cognitive check‐ups for patients over 75 years, educational programs, improved coordination with Aged Care Assessment Teams and Community Services, inventories and registers of local community services and residential facilities, and appropriate Medicare rebates.

This article presents the findings of a survey of 175 service providers in Sydney, Australia, the majority of whom were doctors in general practice. Thirty-two percent of respondents had encountered cases of physical, psychological, or financial abuse or caregiver neglect of people 65 years old and over. Community nurses and social/welfare workers were particularly likely to have encountered cases of abuse. The findings suggest that coordination between health, welfare, and criminal justice agencies in Australia needs improvement. Policies to address elder abuse and neglect in Australia are in their infancy. As a priority governments should work towards effective training of professionals and appropriate intervention guidelines for services.

Objective:To report a series of older patients who had been physically abused or neglected and to describe their disabilities and social situation, the abuser, interventions offered and outcomes. Design:A retrospective case series. Patients were included if they met the requirements of a predetermined definition of physical abuse or neglect. Setting:An area‐based geriatric and rehabilitation service attached to a district hospital. Patients:Fifteen men and women aged over 65 who met the requirements of our definition of abuse and who were referred to the service over a 12‐month period. For each patient an abuser was identified. Results:Risk factors for elder abuse were a high degree of dependency of the elderly person resulting from cognitive or physical impairment; psychopathology in the abuser or stress on the carer. Intervention was effective for a majority of the patients. Conclusions:The findings are similar to those of overseas studies. Awareness of the problem and early intervention with counselling, provision of appropriate services and accommodation are likely to be successful in limiting the impact of elder abuse.

Abstract:This paper introduces a two year study at Hornsby/Ku‐Ring‐Gai Hospital which aims to shed more light on the nature of behaviour problems in dementia, and on methods of dealing with them. Rather than trialing a standard therapeutic technique across a range of behaviours, the project attempts to reflect what is often a complex clinical situation not amenable to standard answers. A series of interventions is being instituted in a controlled trial on the assumption that each case is idiosyncratic both in aetiology and other variables which affect treatment choice. Data are collected on quantitative and qualitative aspects of each case, including presumed causes of the behaviour. Outcome is assessed two and five months after the intervention using measures of patient behaviour, and of carer distress, coping and perception of the problem.

Objective:To establish the rate of occurrence and patterns of elder abuse, and outcomes of intervention, in an Australian population. Design:Retrospective review of medical records over a 12‐month period from July 1990 to June 1991. Setting:An area‐based geriatric and rehabilitation service attached to a district hospital. Patients:Referred patients over 65 years of age, who lived in private homes and who met a predetermined definition of elder abuse. Results: The rate of occurrence of elder abuse in the study population was 4.6%, with 29 cases of psychological abuse, 25 cases of physical abuse, 16 cases of neglect, and 13 cases of material/financial abuse. Patterns of abuse were identified and related to dependency of the older person (42%), psychopathology of the abuser (37%), family violence (14%), and carer stress (5%). Interventions and outcomes varied according to the pattern of abuse. Conclusion:The rate of occurrence and patterns of abuse of the elderly have been established for the first time in an Australian population. Intervention aimed at reducing the impact of elder abuse is effective, and should be tailored to the pattern of abuse that is occurring.

The article shares the views of geriatric specialist Susan Kurrle on issues related to the welfare and health care of the elderly in New South Wales as of August 2019. Topics discussed include the importance of aging gracefully according to a research about old people such as French Jeanne Louise Calment, the concept of life expectancy, and the beneficial effects of exercise including a lower risk for age-related illness such as dementia.

A funny thing happened on the way to the nursing home. A different handbook for dementia patients. 2nd edition. John Connor, Ourimbah, NSW: BookBound 1998 (ix + 75 pp., 814.95), ISBN; 1 876231 18 1.