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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 5 OF 24 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTRNCohort2023Association between Timing of Clinical Evaluation by a Physician or Advanced Practitioner and Risk of Rehospitalization in Older Adults Admitted to a Skilled Nursing Facility Following Hospitalization: A Cohort Study.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationIn skilled nursing facilities, a later first visit by a physician or advanced practitioner was associated with higher 14-day rehospitalization risk. Each day later was associated with 3% to 35% higher risk.
• OTRNQualitative2023Resilient Adaptation Strategies: Unveiling Older Adults' Coping Dynamics Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic.Journal of gerontological nursingOlder adults with frailty used life experience to reframe pandemic stress and actively problem-solved for social connection. They reported less fear of their own infection than fear of spreading it to others. Caregivers experienced higher mental health stress.
• OTSystematic Review2024Implementing Dementia Caregiver Programs in Real-World Settings: Fidelity Considerations.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationAcross 31 real-world dementia caregiver programs, fidelity was defined and measured inconsistently, mainly as sessions delivered. In occupational therapy programs, therapists reported documentation difficulties; one training comparison found added training did not improve adherence.
• OTRNOther2023Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of peer support among disadvantaged groups: A rapid scoping review.International journal of nursing sciencesPeer support for vulnerable groups was reported to improve quality of life, mainly emotional and social outcomes, but poor matching, limited training, weak trust and uncertain sustainability were major problems.
• PTOTSLPRNOther2023Frailty Syndrome and sarcopenia in older adults with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus in the municipality of Sinop, Mato Grosso: an epidemiological study.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemOlder adults with type 2 diabetes were significantly more likely to be frail than those without diabetes. Sarcopenia rates were similar in both groups. Physical inactivity strongly increased the likelihood of both frailty and sarcopenia.
• OTRNCohort2023Effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on health and functional capacity in institutionalized older adults.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S POlder adults in nursing homes who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were more often classified as dependent six months later, lost more weight, and had higher systolic blood pressure than those who tested negative.
• PTOTRNOther2024Functional fitness and risk factors of older patients with diabetes combined with sarcopenia and/or frailty: A cross-sectional study.Nursing openIn hospitalized older adults with diabetes, those with frailty or sarcopenia had lower strength, walking, balance, and flexibility. A shorter 6-minute walk distance was linked to frailty or sarcopenia and can help flag mobility decline.
• OTRNQualitative2024Care partners experience of an oral health intervention for individuals with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia using behavior change technique: A qualitative study.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)Prompts and cues were the most common strategy in the MCI group (74.4%) and the second most common in the MD group (66.7%). MCI caregivers coached brushing technique more; MD caregivers reminded about frequency.
• PTOTRNRCT2024Life-Space of Older Adults after Discharge from Skilled Nursing Facilities.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationThirty days after skilled nursing facility discharge, older adults in this study had very limited life-space: mean score 22.6 on a 0 to 120 scale. Many needed equipment or another person to move. Higher cognitive test scores and shorter stay were associated with better scores.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Presymptomatic Profiles of Cognitive Impairment with Prior Mobility Impairment.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationOlder adults who later developed cognitive impairment and had prior slow gait showed lower psychomotor speed and manual dexterity seven years before symptoms. They also had higher BMI, blood pressure, and insulin resistance. These profiles suggest metabolic and motor pathways rather than memory decline precede dementia.
• PTOTRNMeta-Analysis2024The prevalence and factors associated with sarcopenia in Thai older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.International journal of nursing sciences20.7% of older Thai adults in the included studies had sarcopenia. Rates were 33.4% in hospitals, 23.2% in outpatient clinics and 17.3% in community. Age, male sex, low BMI and malnutrition were associated.
• PTOTRNOther2024Inactivity May Identify Older Intensive Care Unit Survivors at Risk for Post-Intensive Care Syndrome.American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care NursesVery low wrist-measured activity in older ICU survivors was seen with worse attention, strength, dexterity, and more depression or anxiety. The study was small and exploratory, and it cannot show that activity causes these problems.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Reducing the Burdens of Paid Caregivers of Older Adults by Using Assistive Technology: A Scoping Review.Western journal of nursing researchPaid caregivers reported less physical strain with handrails, transfer devices and bidet seats, but sensors and robots were also reported to bring alarm burden, extra effort and worry. The evidence is too small and mixed to prove these technologies work.
• PTOTRNMeta-Analysis2024A Meta-Analysis of Fall Risk in Older Adults With Alzheimer's Disease.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationAcross studies, 44.27% of older adults with Alzheimer's disease fell at least once a year, and 42.08% of those fallers fell again. Use this high fall risk to guide tailored fall-risk assessment and prevention planning.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2024Perspectives and experiences of community-dwelling older adults who experience falling: A qualitative meta-synthesis.International journal of nursing sciencesOlder adults after falls described pain, fear, less activity and independence, and social withdrawal. Some blamed themselves, denied falls, or saw them as inevitable; others used walking aids, home changes, and slowing down.
• PTOTRNSurvey2024What is the burden of multimorbidity and the factors associated with its occurrence in elderly Brazilians?Revista brasileira de enfermagemOver half of community-dwelling elderly Brazilians have two or more chronic conditions. Being female, older, having low education, smoking in the past, being physically inactive, and high screen time were associated with higher multimorbidity prevalence.
• PTOTRNPilot2024Long-Term Effect of a Tablet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Group Intervention on Step Count, Fatigue, Self-Efficacy, and Quality of Life in Older Adults With Arthritis: A Pilot Study.Journal of gerontological nursingOlder adults with arthritis who received a tablet program with Fitbit tracking, four weekly video CBT walking sessions, and homework reported more steps, less fatigue, higher self-efficacy, and better quality of life than controls over 10 weeks. Small pilot.
• OTRNOther2024Privacy Barriers in Health Monitoring: Scoping Review.JMIR nursingPrivacy concerns about home health monitoring technologies did not show a clear pattern. The review found they varied by person, technology, age, health needs, trust and context, and current evidence was too inconsistent to call privacy a major barrier.
• OTSLPRNOther2024Tracheostomy care for adults and the elderly in the home environment: a scoping review.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PHome tracheostomy care for adults and elderly people is described mainly as suction, stoma cleaning, dressing changes, tube fixation and humidification. Communication and social reintegration appear less often. Spiritual care is absent. The review maps practice, not tested outcomes.
• PTOTRNQualitative2024Qualitative Description of Exercise Perceptions and Experiences Among People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the High-Intensity Exercise to Attenuate Limitations and Train Habits Study.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingMost older adults with HIV stopped exercising due to practical life changes like relocation or cost, but their current barriers were physical pain, fatigue, and medication side effects. Providers often encouraged activity, but participants frequently perceived this advice as pressure rather than support.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2025Inpatients' experiences of falls: A qualitative meta-synthesis.Journal of advanced nursingPatients who fell in hospital often misjudged their balance, avoided calling nurses, and could not find or reach the call bell. They then feared walking independently. Ask why they did not call for help.
• OTRNSystematic Review2025Resilience in family caregivers of Asian older people with dementia: An integrative review.Journal of advanced nursingDementia caregivers' burden was associated with more severe dementia, role strain, stigma, family stress, being female, low income and low education. Positive caregiving aspects, family support and religiosity were associated with better adaptation.
• PTOTSLPRNCohort2024Crosswalk Algorithms for Cognitive and Functional Outcomes Among 2013-2018 Medicare Beneficiaries With Dementia.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationHome health admission scores often disagree with nursing facility discharge scores for patients with dementia. Cognitive impairment can be ruled out reliably using specific OASIS items, but ADL limitations are over-identified, making cross-setting comparisons unreliable.
• PTOTRNQualitative2024The Saskatchewan Caregiver Experience Study: Support Priorities of Caregivers of Older Adults.The Canadian journal of nursing research = Revue canadienne de recherche en sciences infirmieresCaregivers of older adults in Saskatchewan prioritized immediate practical help, especially homecare and long-term care access, plus being listened to by healthcare teams. They also wanted clearer information, respite, and workplace and policy supports.
• OTRNCohort2024Factors associated with change in activities of daily living performance in home health care patients with diabetes.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)Home health patients with diabetes improved ADL performance, and only 3% did not improve. Black patients and those with bowel incontinence or ostomy improved less, while surgical wounds, pain, confusion, better prior function, and caregiver training needs were linked to greater improvement.
• OTSLPRNSystematic Review2024Subjective Cognitive Dysfunction in Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis.Western journal of nursing researchPeople with chronic illness said memory, attention, and word-finding problems made self-management and relationships harder. They wanted providers to take their symptoms seriously and give brief, clear guidance.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Skilled Nursing Facility Rehabilitation Intensity and Successful Discharge in Persons with Dementia.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationVeterans with dementia after heart failure hospitalization who received more combined weekly audiology, speech-language, occupational and physical therapy were more likely to return home successfully. The study cannot show any single therapy caused this.
• PTOTQualitative2025Nurses' Descriptions of Interdisciplinary Interactions in Stroke and Geriatric Rehabilitation Units: A Case Example of the Registered Practical Nurse.Journal of advanced nursingThirty-one Ontario registered practical nurses said rehab team interactions depended on clear roles and communication: they carried over therapy, followed therapist transfer and swallowing directives, and used whiteboards/charts. These are perceptions, not patient outcomes.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2024Age-Friendly Healthcare: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis.Journal of clinical nursingOlder adult care is described as age-friendly when it supports autonomy, accessible environments, continuity, communication and prevention of care-related harm. The literature is fragmented, and patient outcome measurement is limited.
• PTOTPilot2025Effects of the Vitality Acupunch Exercise Program on Older Adults With Probable Sarcopenia: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study.Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses' AssociationIn nursing-home residents with probable sarcopenia, a 24-week seated acupunch program did not improve the main physical outcomes overall, but handgrip strength was higher at the end and participants described greater strength and enjoyment.
• PTOTRNSurvey2024Prevalence and Risk Factors of Self-Reported Sarcopenia and Its Association With Multimorbidity in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.Nursing & health sciencesCommunity older adults with two or more chronic conditions had self-reported sarcopenia more often: 43.5% versus 20.8%. Consider SARC-F to flag low strength, walking assistance, rising, stairs and falls in multimorbid patients.
• OTOther2025Higher patient activation is associated with lower odds of functional limitation in older adults with chronic diseases.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)In 159 older adults with multiple chronic diseases, higher patient activation was associated with less functional limitation. This does not prove activation causes better function.
• PTOTRNOther2024Multidisciplinary Inpatient Community Rehabilitation Programmes for Frail Older People: A Scoping Review.Nursing openMultidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation for frail older people is reported in few studies, mostly focused on mobility and function. The intervention studies had no control group, and outcomes varied widely, so the review cannot show which programme works.
• PTOTRNPilot2024A Pilot Home-Telehealth Program to Enhance Functional Ability, Physical Performance, and Physical Activity in Older Adult Veterans Post-Hospital Discharge.Research in gerontological nursingA 6-month home telehealth program with a physical activity trainer nearly doubled daily steps in older veterans post-discharge. Functional ability and physical performance showed modest, non-significant improvements. High dropout rates and small sample size limit conclusions on efficacy.
• PTOTRNOther2024Purposes and characteristics of virtual reality technologies for the elderly in the community: a scoping review.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemCommunity older adults used VR for balance, gait, strength, cognition, mood, and leisure. Devices included screens, Kinect, goggles, and sensors; only four studies reported dizziness, nausea or anxiety, so safety reporting was incomplete.
• OTRNQualitative2025Perceptions of Frail Older Adults on Contributing Factors Causing the Onset of Crises Leading to Hospital Admissions: A Qualitative Study.Journal of advanced nursingFrail older adults saw a fall, UTI or dizziness as the reason for the emergency department visit, but described months of unaddressed decline, stigma around frailty and delayed help-seeking.
• PTOTRNMeta-Analysis2025Non-Pharmacological Interventions Targeting Sense of Coherence Among Older Adults and Adults With Chronic Conditions: A Meta-Analysis With Trial Sequential Analysis.Journal of advanced nursingNon-drug programmes improved older adults' and chronic disease patients' sense of coherence, their confidence that life is manageable, for up to 3 months. Salutogenic programmes had short-term benefit; self-management was less firm; exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy and nurse-led education did not show stable benefit.
• OTRNSurvey2024Network analysis of the relationships between depressive symptoms and social participation activities among Chinese older adults and its implications for nursing.International journal of nursing sciencesAmong 12,043 older Chinese adults, more social participation was linked with fewer depressive symptoms. Housework was an exception: it was positively linked with feeling bothered and sleep problems, so asking about housework burden may matter.
• OTPilot2025Student-Led Falls Prevention Program for Community-Dwelling Older Adults in a Rural Community: A Pilot Study.The Australian journal of rural healthOT students visiting rural older adults found 82.5% were at high fall risk and every participant had at least one home hazard. Most rated the visit valuable, but this pilot cannot show falls were prevented.
• OTRNCase Series2025Morbidity and factors associated with frailty in post-COVID-19 elderly patients attended at a reference center.Revista brasileira de enfermagemPost-COVID-19 elderly survivors were often pre-frail or frail. Among 204, 80 were pre-frail and 31 were frail. Impaired cognition, five or more comorbidities, and trouble with complex daily activities were associated with frailty.
• OTRNQualitative2025Perspectives of Older Adults on Self-Care of Chronic Diseases Utilizing Online Health Resources: An Exploratory Descriptive Qualitative Study.Nursing & health sciencesOlder adults in Singapore with chronic diseases trusted doctors, family and friends more than online health information, but were wary of scams and unsure how to judge websites. They wanted guidance to use technology safely.
• OTRNSurvey2025Housing characteristics of low and moderate income older adults with and without disabilities.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)About 32% of low and moderate income older adults with disability had an adverse consequence from unmet care needs. Subsidized housing, renting, apartment or mobile home, and interior disorder were associated with having such consequences.
• PTOTQualitative2025Health Professional Perceptions of Delivering Hospital Falls Prevention Education-A Qualitative Study.Western journal of nursing researchHealth professionals supported hospital falls education but said short stays, busy wards, cognitive impairment, risk-taking, and English-only materials made delivery hard. They identified PTs and OTs as most suitable to deliver it.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Successful Care Conferences: Nursing Home Staff, Persons with Dementia, and Caregiver Perspectives.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationNursing home staff and families identified three keys to successful virtual care conferences: keeping the resident present and driving the discussion, ensuring direct-care staff like CNAs attend and prepare, and using a trained facilitator to manage the agenda and technology.
• OTQualitative2025Dementia and Cognitive Impairment in the Australian Farming Community. A Preliminary Qualitative Investigation of Healthcare Provider's Perceptions of Risks/Barriers to Care.The Australian journal of rural healthHealthcare workers reported that pride, stoicism and reluctance to ask for help were linked to later diagnosis and care avoidance. Geographic isolation made home care harder, and families often carried the burden. Driving, firearms and machinery added risks to staying on the farm.
• PTOTRNSurvey2025Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior on Daily Living Activities and Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.Nursing & health sciencesIn 506 older adults, higher fear-of-falling avoidance was linked with lower independence in basic daily activities and lower physical activity. This was an association, not proof that avoidance causes decline.
• PTOTQualitative2025Identifying Patient, Care Partner, and Clinician Needs for Functional Recovery Following Hospitalization When Dementia is Present.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationVeterans with dementia and care partners wanted clearer discharge communication, involvement in decisions, and home support; PTs and OTs needed time, training, equipment, and tools for home rehabilitation.
• OTSLPRNProtocol2025Promoting Mealtime Independence and Mealtime Experience for Individuals With Dementia: A Study Protocol.Nursing openNo results are available yet. The pilot plans 20 Spaced Retrieval and Montessori mealtime sessions for nursing home residents with dementia. The planned outcomes are eating difficulties, engagement, and nutrition.
• PTOTRNCohort2025Multimorbidity, Muscle Strength, and Falls among Older Mexican Americans.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationAmong older Mexican Americans with no prior falls, high grip strength was linked to fewer falls over 12 years, even with multimorbidity. No multimorbidity was linked to even fewer falls.
• PTOTRNPilot2025Real-Time Fatigue and Physical Activity of Older Adults in Assisted Living: Feasibility of Ecological Momentary Assessment.Western journal of nursing researchReal-time monitoring of fatigue and movement worked in assisted living residents. For wheelchair users, activity was linked to higher fatigue shortly after, but for walkers, there was no link. This is a small pilot, so treat these findings as preliminary.