TOPIC

Geriatrics research

Everything we have read on geriatrics. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

1,154 PAPERS · PAGE 23 OF 24 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTOther2025Development and initial psychometric properties of the timed upper limb assessment in older adults with Parkinson's.The British journal of occupational therapyA new 10-item timed hand and arm test took people with Parkinson's 22.2 seconds on average, against 16.8 seconds for controls, and times rose with disease stage. Two raters scored the same videos alike, but no one has yet re-tested the same person.
• OTQualitative2026Facilitators and Barriers to Implementing French-Canadian Lifestyle Redesign® in Occupational Therapy Practice.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieQuebec therapists, students, decision makers and community partners saw the French Lifestyle Redesign program as evidence-based and worth running, but named its length, cost, thin staffing and public-sector mandates as the obstacles. Public settings were judged the hardest to start in.
• PTOTCohort2026Falls and Fall-Related Injuries and Hospitalizations in Autistic Older Adults: A Medicare Data Study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceNearly half of autistic Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and over had a fall, against about a third of matched non-autistic peers, with around twice the odds of falling and more repeated fall injuries.
• OTOther2026Evaluating Strategy Use, Online Awareness and Memory Performance Using the Contextual Memory Test Version 2 (CMT-2) in Healthy Adults.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTHealthy adults who remembered the pictures using context or meaningful associations recalled more than those who used limited associations. Most underestimated how many they would recall, and underestimating more went with better recall. Age made no difference.
• OTSystematic Review2026Occupational Therapy Neurorehabilitation Practice in Middle East and North Africa (MENA): A Scoping Review.Occupational therapy internationalOccupational therapists across this region work inside multidisciplinary teams, and almost all the research is about stroke. Two gaps stand out: almost no study assesses how cognitive problems affect real daily tasks, and home safety assessment is absent.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025A Systematic Review of the Effects of Therapeutic Exercise With Psychological Interventions on Disability and Personal Outcomes in Older Adults.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAdding motivational interviewing or CBT to exercise more often improved older adults' participation and confidence than their strength or walking, but many trials found no difference and the trials were too varied to draw firm conclusions.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Several components of postural control are affected by benign paroxysmal positional vertigo but improve after particle-repositioning maneuvers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clinical rehabilitationRepositioning maneuvers improve the tilted sense of verticality and the extra sway that BPPV causes when vision or several senses are challenged, but not one-leg stance or older adults' limits of stability.
• OTSystematic Review2021Effects of Nonpharmacological Interventions on Disruptive Vocalisation in Nursing Home Patients With Dementia-A Systematic Review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAcross 23 randomised trials in nursing homes, 14 reduced vocally disruptive behaviour with nonpharmacological approaches, 7 found no change and 2 made it worse. Individualised, tailored multicomponent plans had the most support; massage, aromatherapy and therapeutic touch did not.
• OTRCT2022Remind Me To Remember: A pilot study of a novel smartphone reminder application for older adults with dementia and mild cognitive impairment.Neuropsychological rehabilitationTen older adults with memory problems completed more of the four timed water-fetching tasks with a smartphone reminder app than without it (median 100 vs 62.5 percent), and checked the clock far less. Small lab pilot, not home use.
• OTRCT2025Effects of Client-Centered Occupational Therapy Intervention in Older Adults With Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Occupational therapy internationalIn 30 older adults with long-standing depression, 16 sessions of client-centred occupational therapy at home reduced depression and stress more than case management plus seated gymnastics, and improved social integration. Daily-living skills did not change in either group, and anxiety did not differ between groups.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Association Between Patient and Facility Characteristics and Rehabilitation Outcomes After Joint Replacement Surgery in Different Rehabilitation Settings for Older Adults: A Systematic Review.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)After hip or knee replacement, older adults rehabilitating in inpatient rehabilitation facilities tended to have better function, fewer complications and shorter stays than those in skilled nursing facilities, which cost less. One study found no difference in motor scores.
• OTSLPMeta-Analysis2023Prevalence of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Adults in Different Healthcare Settings: A Systematic Review and Meta-analyses.DysphagiaAbout a third of hospital patients and half of nursing home residents were found to have swallowing problems, with 42.5% in rehabilitation. More than half the studies used swallowing tests with no published accuracy data, and none covered palliative care.
• OTSystematic Review2022Randomised controlled trials of occupational therapy interventions for adults with a mental health condition or dementia: A systematic review of study methods and outcome measurement.The British journal of occupational therapyMost randomised trials of occupational therapy for adults with mental health conditions or dementia are poor or fair quality. Only eight of 26 reported a sample size calculation, half named no single primary outcome, and many outcome measures lack evidence they work in these groups.
• PTOTRCT2026Effect of core stability exercise training on activities of daily living, fatigue level and balance in haemodialysis patients: A randomised controlled study.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoCore stability exercises added to a breathing programme improved daily living independence, fatigue, balance and thinking and memory more than breathing alone, in 60 haemodialysis patients over 12 weeks. Both groups improved; the added exercises gave the extra gain.
• OTRCT2026The Model of Occupational Self-Efficacy: A Contemporary Model to Enhance Work Skills, Cognitive and Emotional Skills of Individuals With Brain Injury-A Pilot Randomized Control Trial.Occupational therapy internationalNo questionnaire score differed significantly between groups: work-related skills, cognition, depression and anxiety all favoured MOOSE but none reached significance, anxiety coming closest at P = 0.06. At the end, 8 of 14 MOOSE participants were in competitive work, against 4 of 14 in usual care.
• OTSystematic Review2022Occupational therapy in Australian residential aged care facilities: A systematic mapping review.Australian occupational therapy journalOnly 12 Australian studies on occupational therapy in residential aged care met inclusion criteria, and most were small qualitative or quasi-experimental designs. The profession lacks the local evidence base it needs to advocate for its scope of practice.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2024Whole-Body Vibration to Improve Physical Function Parameters in Nursing Home Residents Older Than 80 Years: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.Physical therapyWhole-body vibration on a platform improved lower limb strength, balance, and mobility in nursing home residents over 80. Walking speed did not improve. The 14 trials used very different protocols, so the best settings remain unclear.
• OTSystematic Review2023Quality of life measurement tools for people with dementia and intellectual disabilities: A systematic review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDNo quality-of-life measure has been properly tested for adults with both intellectual disabilities and dementia. The one tool with any testing was only done in Italian, for late-stage dementia. The other has no testing at all.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2023Systematic Review to Inform a World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Practice Guideline: Benefits and Harms of Needling Therapies for Chronic Primary Low Back Pain in Adults.Journal of occupational rehabilitationNeedling therapies for chronic low back pain showed a small pain reduction versus sham that fell short of the minimally important difference. Versus no treatment, pain and function improved more. All evidence is low or very low certainty.
• OTSystematic Review2025The effects of crafts-based interventions on mental health and well-being: A systematic review.Australian occupational therapy journalCrafts-based activities like pottery, knitting, and clay work showed short-term improvements in depression, anxiety, and well-being across 19 studies. One study found no effect. Long-term benefits remain unproven.
• OTSystematic Review2023Occupational therapy interventions for adult informal carers and implications for intervention design, delivery and evaluation: A systematic review.The British journal of occupational therapyOT interventions for carers show mixed results. TAP and COPE improved carer outcomes in multiple trials, COTiD did not replicate outside the Netherlands, and several trials actually increased carer burden. Carers consistently valued the support in qualitative feedback.
• OTRCT2025A Metacognitive Strategy Intervention for People With Parkinson's Disease: Pilot and Feasibility Trial.The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy AssociationIn a pilot trial of 50 people with Parkinson's, a metacognitive strategy approach produced larger gains in self-rated daily cognitive goals than a task-practice control, though both groups improved. The trial was feasible, safe, and well received.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025The Safety of Telerehabilitation: Systematic Review.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAcross 37 randomized trials, telerehabilitation produced 201 adverse events in 65,352 sessions, most mild and unrelated to the intervention. No serious event was linked to the remote therapy itself.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Effectiveness of guided telerehabilitation on functional performance in community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review.Clinical rehabilitationAcross 26 trials, no study found in-person care superior to telerehabilitation. Eleven found telerehabilitation better, twelve found improvement but no clear difference from the control group, and nine found no significant change. Evidence quality was low to moderate.
• OTSystematic Review2023Virtual reality applications based on instrumental activities of daily living (iADLs) for cognitive intervention in older adults: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationVirtual reality versions of shopping, cooking and housework lifted cognitive test scores in older adults, including those with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Everyday independence mostly did not change on scales such as Lawton. Treat this as cognitive training, not function training.
• OTSLPCohort2026Adaptive and Maladaptive Behaviours and Their Cognitive Correlates in Aging Adults With Down Syndrome.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDIn cognitively stable adults with Down syndrome, communication is the relative weakness and daily living the strength. Memory and general cognitive ability predict adaptive functioning across all domains. No cognitive factor predicts maladaptive behaviour, which is uncommon in this group.
• OTCohort2026The Intellectual Disability Frailty Index Predicts 10-Year Mortality Within the HA-ID Cohort.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRHigher frailty scores in adults with intellectual disability predict 10-year mortality. Each 0.01-point increase in the ID-FI score carries a 6% higher death risk, and the severely frail group faces 10 times the death risk of the relatively fit.
• PTOTCohort2026Factors associated with life-space mobility in older adults with chronic respiratory disease: IMIAS study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesBeing female, having poor vision, lower physical performance, and rating one's own health poorly were the factors most strongly linked to restricted community mobility in 223 older adults with chronic lung disease. These are associations from a single time point, not causes.
• OTPilot2026A Feasibility Study of a Community-Based Program for Individuals Living With Dementia.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieThree men with early dementia found an 8-week occupation-based group program acceptable, attended every session, and kept meeting a year later. It is a feasibility signal, not proof the program improves outcomes.
• OTCase Series2026Adapting Lifestyle Redesign®: Navigating Fidelity and Contextual Fit Across Four Case Examples.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieFour adapted versions of an OT lifestyle program all retained their core therapeutic elements while changing language, format, content, and setting to fit their populations. The paper documents how the adaptations were made, not whether they improved patient outcomes.
• OTNarrative Review2026Linking Social Prescribing and Lifestyle Redesign®: A Step Toward Health and Equity?Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieThis is a theoretical paper arguing that social prescribing and Lifestyle Redesign share enough ground for OTs to bridge them. It summarizes ten existing reviews of social prescribing evidence and proposes three ways to link the two frameworks. No original participants, no intervention, no outcomes.
• OTOther2026Interprofessional Collaboration Between Nurses and Occupational Therapists Enhances Independence and Reduces Disposable Absorbent Product Use in Older Patients.Occupational therapy internationalOlder hospital patients who received a one-time nurse-OT collaboration meeting showed significantly greater ADL improvement and lower absorbent product use at discharge than matched controls. Physical restraint use fell in both groups with no between-group difference.
• OTSurvey2025Occupational Therapy-Based Physical Activity Questionnaire (OTBPAQ) Categorization of Physical Activity Composition Ratios of Older Individuals Living in the Community.Occupational therapy internationalThe mix of physical activities an older adult does is associated with frailty. In this group of 499, the aerobic exercise group had the lowest frailty (30.4%) and the recreational gymnastics group the highest (73.3%).
• OTOther2026Supporting implementation of occupational therapy led Falls Hazard Reduction at Home: A scoping review.Australian occupational therapy journalAcross 19 studies, implementation of OT-led home falls hazard reduction leans on champion identification and stakeholder engagement. Facilitation and interactive assistance are almost absent. OTs often assume the practice is already core, but chart audits show it is not delivered systematically.
• OTCohort2026Examination of Total Hours of Volunteering or Informal Helping Among Older Adults and Risk of Future Functional Disability Using Data From a Large Panel Study.The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy AssociationMore hours helping others was linked to lower risk of daily-activity difficulty in 2,434 adults 65+, but the association disappeared once baseline cognitive and physical capacity and existing health conditions were included. Those capacity measures stayed significant.
• OTSurvey2026Relationship Between Caregiver Burden and Sense of Coherence in Home-Based Family Caregivers.Occupational therapy internationalIn 64 Japanese family caregivers, the feeling that one's caregiving situation is understandable and predictable was the only component of sense of coherence independently linked to lower burden. Manageability and meaningfulness were not. This is a cross-sectional association, not proof that building that sense reduces burden.
• PTOTPilot2026Sedentary behaviour and activity patterns of older adults in an acute hospital setting: An exploratory study.The British journal of occupational therapyOlder adults in hospital took a mean of 657 steps a day and spent about 20 hours sitting or lying. More steps correlated with better function, but the main barriers were outside the patient: staffing, space, and nothing purposeful to do.
• OTRCT2026Training-induced cognitive coupling emerges under sham but not active transcranial electrical stimulation in older adults: a triple-blind, randomized, sham-controlled study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTen sessions of tDCS or tACS added to cognitive and balance training did not improve attention or executive function beyond the training alone in healthy older adults. The sham group showed the largest gains on several attention measures.
• OTCohort2026Cognitive and Demographic Associations of Dementia-Related Behavioural Changes in Adults With an Intellectual Disability: Findings From the IDS-TILDA Study.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRAdults with Down syndrome had higher scores on a caregiver-reported dementia screening measure than those with other intellectual disabilities, and older age was linked to higher scores. Verbal fluency performance was associated with these scores; memory and praxis tests were not.
• PTOTOther2026Factors associated with the life-space assessment in community-dwelling older adults requiring support.Journal of physical therapy scienceAmong 63 older adults certified as requiring support, maximum gait speed was the only physical measure stably linked to how far they went out. Pain-related disability showed a weaker, less stable link. Gait speed matters more than chair-stand reps or balance for this group's mobility.
• OTSurvey2026Factors Influencing Engagement in Work-Related Activities Among People With Dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Cross-Sectional Study.Occupational therapy internationalGreater engagement in work-related activities was associated with better mental well-being, more frequent participation, and hearing loss in 63 people with dementia or MCI. Cross-sectional design means these are associations, not causes. The hearing-loss link is counterintuitive and may reflect extra individualized support.
• PTOTOther2026Association of independent transportation use with life-space and physical activity for community-dwelling older adults using a day-care rehabilitation facility.Journal of physical therapy scienceAmong 24 day-care rehabilitation users, being able to drive or use public transport independently was linked to a wider life-space but made no measurable difference in how much they actually moved. Helping a patient get to more places does not, by itself, get them more active.
• OTSystematic Review2026Interventions for Improving Leisure for Older Adults on the Palliative Pathway Living With Advanced Cancer: A Qualitative Systematic Review.The British journal of occupational therapyPatients with advanced cancer described wanting to keep doing the things that made them feel like themselves (gardening, cooking, being with others) and said adapting those activities let them stay engaged. OTs in the same studies reported their role was reduced to equipment provision.
• OTCohort2026Sex Differences in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and Transportation Modes by Driving Status Among Older Adults.Occupational therapy internationalCurrent drivers aged 75–80 in Japan did more everyday activities and reported better health than non-drivers. Among non-drivers, the sex gap was in transport mode (men cycled more, women were driven by others more) not in activity frequency.
• OTOther2026Strategy Use Among People With Parkinson's Disease During the Weekly Calendar Planning Activity.The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy AssociationCrossing off items, entering fixed appointments first, crossing off free day, and self-checking related to higher accuracy for people with Parkinson's, but more strategies meant longer time with no efficiency gain. For those with mild cognitive impairment, strategy use did not relate to performance.
• OTQualitative2026Transferring Occupational Therapy Knowledge to Village Health Volunteers to Enhance Activities of Daily Living Among Older Adults in Community-Based Elder Care: A Qualitative Study.Occupational therapy internationalPractical strategies across six ADL domains (seated dressing to cut fall risk, oval-lipped cups for stroke patients, bamboo grab bars) emerged from ten experienced OTs in Chiang Mai, alongside a hands-on training model for village health volunteers using simple language and local materials.
• OTPilot2026Application of VR360 for Clinical Reasoning Development in Occupational Therapy Students in Handling Complex Behavioural Symptoms in Individuals With Dementia.Occupational therapy internationalSixty OT students rated their own clinical reasoning higher after a four-scenario 360° video module on dementia behaviour, but with no control group the gains could come from simply completing the module. Promising as a training tool, not yet proven to work.
• OTSystematic Review2026An occupational perspective of the lived experience of individuals with Alopecia Areata: A scoping review.The British journal of occupational therapyA scoping review of 11 qualitative studies maps how alopecia areata disrupts daily life (school, work, self-care, relationships) across the lifespan. It identifies unmet occupational needs and calls for OT involvement, but tests no treatment and offers no evidence that any intervention works.
• OTSLPMeta-Analysis2026Prevalence and impact of orofacial pain in older adults with dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.CoDASAbout 1 in 5 older adults with dementia has orofacial pain, though the true rate may be as low as 9% or as high as 31%. These patients often cannot report pain, so clinicians should actively look for it rather than wait for complaints.
• OTSystematic Review2026Mapping the occupational therapy process in response to COVID-19 and long COVID: A scoping review.The British journal of occupational therapyAcross 25 studies of OT for COVID and long COVID, most were single-patient case reports. Only one controlled trial tested a specific OT approach. The evidence base is too thin to recommend any particular intervention over another.