Geriatrics

Objectives : Humans often hold structured generalizations about themselves, which include attributes of qualities or characteristics they consider as important to their personal self-definitions. In this regard, holding one's age as an important defining personal category (high age awareness) was demonstrated to be connected with increased distress in older adults. However, little is known about the manner by which this connection is affected by individuals' perceptions regarding how close they are to their death on the one hand, and their personal resources on the other hand...

Alzheimer's disease and other similar dementias are debilitating neurodegenerative disorders whose etiology and pathogenesis remain largely unknown, even after decades of research. With the anticipated increase in prevalence of Alzheimer's type dementias among the more susceptible aging population, the need for disease-modifying treatments is urgent. While various hypotheses have been put forward over the last few decades, we suggest that Alzheimer's type dementias are triggered by external environmental factors, co-expressing in individuals with specific genetic susceptibilities...

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The sense that one is living a worthwhile and meaningful life is fundamental to human flourishing and subjective well-being. Here, we investigate the wider implications of feeling that the things one does in life are worthwhile with a sample of 7,304 men and women aged 50 and older (mean 67.2 y). We show that independently of age, sex, educational attainment, and socioeconomic status, higher worthwhile ratings are associated with stronger personal relationships (marriage/partnership, contact with friends), broader social engagement (involvement in civic society, cultural activity, volunteering), less loneliness, greater prosperity (wealth, income), better mental and physical health (self-rated health, depressive symptoms, chronic disease), less chronic pain, less disability, greater upper body strength, faster walking, less obesity and central adiposity, more favorable biomarker profiles (C-reactive protein, plasma fibrinogen, white blood cell count, vitamin D, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), healthier lifestyles (physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, sleep quality, not smoking), more time spent in social activities and exercising, and less time spent alone or watching television...

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No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Anemia and frailty are two common findings in geriatric patients and have been shown to be associated with poor outcomes in this patient group. Recent studies have contributed to the growing evidence of a possible association with the age-related chronic inflammatory status known as "inflammaging". These findings do not only give a better insight into the pathogenesis of anemia in frailty, but also offer new treatment options. The present article focuses on this assumed association between anemia, frailty, and inflammaging and summarizes current management options for anemia in frail patients...

The 2015 American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Beers Criteria are presented. Like the 2012 AGS Beers Criteria, they include lists of potentially inappropriate medications to be avoided in older adults. New to the criteria are lists of select drugs that should be avoided or have their dose adjusted based on the individual's kidney function and select drug-drug interactions documented to be associated with harms in older adults. The specific aim was to have a 13-member interdisciplinary panel of experts in geriatric care and pharmacotherapy update the 2012 AGS Beers Criteria using a modified Delphi method to systematically review and grade the evidence and reach a consensus on each existing and new criterion...

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The objective of this study was to develop a prospectively applicable method for classifying comorbid conditions which might alter the risk of mortality for use in longitudinal studies. A weighted index that takes into account the number and the seriousness of comorbid disease was developed in a cohort of 559 medical patients. The 1-yr mortality rates for the different scores were: "0", 12% (181); "1-2", 26% (225); "3-4", 52% (71); and "greater than or equal to 5", 85% (82). The index was tested for its ability to predict risk of death from comorbid disease in the second cohort of 685 patients during a 10-yr follow-up...

BACKGROUND: Screening for deficiencies in vitamin B(12) and folate is advocated to prevent anemia in very elderly individuals. However, the effects of vitamin B(12) and folate deficiency on the development of anemia in old age have not yet been established. METHODS: The current study is embedded in the Leiden 85-Plus Study, a population-based prospective study of subjects aged 85 years. Levels of vitamin B(12), folate, and homocysteine were determined at baseline...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of epoetin alfa treatment on hemoglobin (Hb), fatigue, quality of life (QOL), and mobility in elderly patients with chronic anemia. DESIGN: An exploratory, 32 week, randomized, double-blind, crossover treatment trial. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-two community-dwelling individuals aged 65 and older with chronic anemia (Hb < or =11.5 g/dL). INTERVENTION: Subcutaneous epoetin alfa or placebo weekly for 16 weeks (Phase I) with crossover to the opposite treatment (Phase II)...

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PURPOSE: The goal of this narrative review was to identify and summarize the ways in which palliative care could benefit patients who have advanced dementia. METHODS: This case-based discussion article examines current literature on palliative care for dementia. FINDINGS: Dementia is an incurable, progressive disease that affects millions of subjects. The prevalence has grown in the last decade and is projected to continue on this trajectory...

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No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.