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Despite the growing prevalence of dementia, few models of training for health professional students on this topic have been formally evaluated or widely disseminated. The Dementia Friends (DF) initiative is part of a global movement to improve the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. The impact of these sessions on the dementia-related knowledge and attitudes of health professional trainees has not been adequately assessed. Health professional students (medicine n = 70, physical therapy n = 30, pharmacy n = 28) participated in one-hour DF information sessions, offered in-person or via videoconference. The Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS), a validated 20-item questionnaire, was administered before and after each session. Pre- and post-session DAS scores were compared using a paired t-test. Students' dementia-friendly action plans were analyzed qualitatively. Of 128 students, 102 (80%) completed both the pre- and post-DAS. The mean DAS score increased significantly from 105.8 (12.3) to 120.8 (10.5) following the DF sessions (p <.001). Students' dementia-friendly action plans included improving communication, promoting quality of life, and learning more about dementia. The DF information session model significantly increased the knowledge and positive attitudes of health professional students toward those living with dementia. Further use and study of this model is appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objective Medical student geriatrics education using community-based volunteer older persons, known as a Senior Mentor Program (SMP), began decades ago. Though these programs have been described and evaluated against curriculum objectives, the full breadth of students' learning from SMPs has not been reported. Methods We conducted a qualitative study using content analysis of reflections of Year 2 medical students submitted during a single visit home-based SMP. Written reflections of 102 randomly selected students from 2016–2018 were inductively coded and grouped into themes. Older persons from the SMP site assisted in coding and quotation selection. Results We discerned six themes from the evaluation of student reflections: student insight, interview and exam, social community, challenges with aging, strengths (responses to challenges), and physical infrastructure. Conclusion A single home visit with older adults enables pre-clinical medical students to learn about multiple positive aspects of aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical comparison of similar and distinct features among admitted and resident nursing home subjects is accomplished in terms of demographic data, professional standards, medical facilities and supplier services, expenses incurred and outputs. In comparison with residents, admitted subjects are provided with efficient medical attention, dressing and nursing services. They utilize twice the amount of physician and supplier services and four times the amount of physical treatment. Rate of hospitalization for admissions is higher during the first year due to clinical factors.

There has been considerable concern about drug prescribing practices in nursing homes. Neuroleptics, which are antipsychotic drugs that produce passivity, anxiety and indifference to the surroundings, are most likely to be overused, exposing the patients to possible harm from side effects. Among the side effects of this class of drugs are tardive dyskinesia (uncontrollable tremors) and confusion, which may lead to falls and other accidents. Federal legislation regulated the use of these drugs in nursing homes certified by Medicare and Medicaid, in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, and guidelines were developed by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). Neuroleptic drug use in nursing homes has been examined in several studies, but none have used the HCFA guidelines to judge the appropriateness of drug use over time. In this study, almost 996 of 4,756 nursing home patients (21 percent) were taking neuroleptic drugs on admission. Approximately half of the residents were not eligible to take neuroleptics, according to HCFA guidelines; either they were taking the drug for a mental disorder not included in the guidelines, or else the drugs had been prescribed for advanced age. The implication is that the drugs are being used as a restraint mechanism. Those taking the drugs were also more likely to have been admitted from a hospital. Almost every nursing home had at least one patient who was not eligible to take neuroleptics, according to the guidelines. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Presents a response by Judith Garrard to a letter to the editor about her article 'Evaluation of Neuroleptic Drug Use by Elderly Nursing Home Patients Under Proposed Medicaid and Medicare Regulations' in a 1991 issue of the 'Journal of the American Medical Association.'

Older adults were disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of sudden-onset social isolation and factors that influenced it among social isolation in two groups of older adults. A qualitative thematic study with a survey component was conducted comparing 18 older adults in two groups: 12 reporting physical health challenges and 6 reporting no physical health challenges. Three qualitative themes describe experiences of (a) avoiding risk to personal health as the reason to postpone healthcare, (b) grieving church and church friends as a lost social connection, and (c) compound stress due to converging factors related to personal health, public health, racial justice movement and critical national events. Those with physical health challenges were less able to postpone seeking healthcare, suffered from compound stress, and were more likely to feel isolated when unable to participate in church activities. Religious, faith, or spiritual supports may be important buffers against social isolation during public health emergencies, especially for older adults with physical health challenges and when there is concurrent social unrest., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

With the rapid growth in medical knowledge, physicians' ability to keep up to date has become increasingly difficult. Although the Internet brought significant improvements in access to medical knowledge, there are still problems remaining, particularly for the mobile physician who is unable to perform time-consuming on-line searches, even with wireless access to the Internet. The goal of this project was to develop a novel way of distributing medical knowledge from the Internet to health professionals' Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). This model delivers targeted information and provides access to that information at the point of care.