Topical Collection "Responding to the Pandemic: Geriatric Care Models"

Editor

1. Professor of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
2. Clinical Associate Director, Tennessee Valley Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
Interests: geriatrics education; long-term care; geriatric nutrition; frail elderly; quality improvement; geriatric care models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am delighted to edit this Topical Collection of Geriatrics focusing on “Responding to the Pandemic: Geriatric Care Models”. I invite you to contribute your innovative work focused on geriatric clinical care and caregiver support across the continuum of care.

Around the world, the coronavirus pandemic (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) has produced enormous economic, medical, political, and social changes. Older adults, especially those with chronic illness and residing in residential care facilities, have been disproportionately affected, accounting for over 50% of the mortality.  Families, caregivers, medical systems, and support services have adapted processes to respond to this challenge. The responses to this crisis have created a defining time which will affect the provision of health care, as well as the attitudes and expectations of providers and society for decades to come. We are truly all in this together. The sharing of creative approaches to prevent, prepare, and respond to access, safety, and isolation in the care of older adults in response to the COVID pandemic is invited in this Topical Collection.

Potential contributors to this Topical Collection of Geriatrics may include investigators and participants in innovative models of care such as transitions of care models, telehealth programs, primary care, caregiver support, acute care for elderly units, person centered care, new payment and healthcare policy models, and quality assessment and performance improvement programs. Submissions with data and analyses are particularly welcome. Additionally, thoughtful descriptive proposals of best practices and new approaches to geriatric syndromes as well as the promotion of healthy aging and attitudes regarding aging and society, health policy concerns, and successful team-based and collaborative care models are welcome.

We hope you and your colleagues will be willing to submit your creative work for this exciting Topical Collection of Geriatrics. I look forward to hearing from you.

Dr. James S. Powers
Collection Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the collection website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Geriatrics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • geriatric models of care
  • transitions of care
  • caregiver support
  • healthcare access
  • isolation
  • telehealth
  • health policy

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

2023

Jump to: 2022

Article
The Perpetual Pivot: Understanding Care Partner Experiences in Ontario Long-Term Care Homes during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Geriatrics 2023, 8(5), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics8050090 - 08 Sep 2023
Viewed by 287
Abstract
Long-term care homes (LTCHs) were impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. With their ever-changing conditions and restrictions, care partners’ roles in LTCHs changed drastically. In this cross-sectional study, an electronic survey was used to examine the experiences of care part-ners who were caring for [...] Read more.
Long-term care homes (LTCHs) were impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. With their ever-changing conditions and restrictions, care partners’ roles in LTCHs changed drastically. In this cross-sectional study, an electronic survey was used to examine the experiences of care part-ners who were caring for one or more adults in an Ontario LTCH during the pandemic. The survey was circulated through social media (convenience sample) which produced a convenience sample of 81 caregiver participants. Visit characteristics and a comparison in the quality of care in LTCHs was analyzed before the pandemic as well as during the most restrictive times. Visitation lengths and frequencies, other sources of communication such as phone and video calls, and various types of care provided by caregivers such as personal grooming and personal care all decreased significantly during the pandemic. Care partners also reported that the health of their care recipients decreased significantly during restrictive visitation times. Through thematic analysis, we identified three themes: restrictions and changing LTCH conditions created (1) social isolation and an erosion of connection, (2) a communication breakdown, and (3) a lack of person-centered care. Findings from this research can promote the health and wellbeing of residents and care partners within LTCHs. Full article

2022

Jump to: 2023

Article
The Initial Response to COVID-19 Disruptions for Older People with HIV in Ukraine
Geriatrics 2022, 7(6), 138; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics7060138 - 06 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1510
Abstract
Ukraine imposed a COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. From April to June 2020, we surveyed 123 older people with HIV (OPWH) by phone to assess their mental health, engagement in HIV and other healthcare, and substance use using standardised scales. Variables of key [...] Read more.
Ukraine imposed a COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. From April to June 2020, we surveyed 123 older people with HIV (OPWH) by phone to assess their mental health, engagement in HIV and other healthcare, and substance use using standardised scales. Variables of key interest were symptoms of depression and symptoms of anxiety. Univariate and multivariable Firth logistic regression models were built to assess factors associated with: (1) symptoms of depression, and (2) symptoms of anxiety. Findings indicated high suicidal ideation (10.6%); 45.5% met the screening criteria for moderate to severe depression; and 35.0% met the criteria for generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). Independent correlates of having moderate to severe depression included being female (AOR: 2.83, 95%CI = 1.19–7.05), having concerns about potential barriers to HIV treatment (AOR: 8.90, 95%CI = 1.31–104.94), and active drug use (AOR: 34.53, 95%CI = 3.02–4885.85). Being female (AOR: 5.30, 95%CI = 2.16–14.30) and having concerns about potential barriers to HIV treatment (AOR: 5.33, 95%CI = 1.22–28.45) were independently correlated with GAD, and over half (58.5%) were willing to provide peer support to other OPWH. These results highlight the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions in Ukraine on mental health for OPWH and support the need to screen for psychiatric and substance use disorders, potentially using telehealth strategies. Full article
Article
Comparative Outcomes and Surgical Timing for Operative Fragility Hip Fracture Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Geriatrics 2022, 7(4), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics7040084 - 13 Aug 2022
Viewed by 1466
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic had wide-reaching effects on healthcare delivery, including care for hip fractures, a common injury among older adults. This study characterized factors related to surgical timing and outcomes, length-of-stay, and discharge disposition among patients treated for operative hip fractures during the [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic had wide-reaching effects on healthcare delivery, including care for hip fractures, a common injury among older adults. This study characterized factors related to surgical timing and outcomes, length-of-stay, and discharge disposition among patients treated for operative hip fractures during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to historical controls. A retrospective, observational cohort study was conducted from 16 March–20 May 2020 with a consecutive series of 64 operative fragility hip fracture patients at three tertiary academic medical centers. Historical controls were matched based on sex, surgical procedure, age, and comorbidities. Primary outcomes included 30-day mortality and time-to-surgery. Secondary outcomes included 30-day postoperative complications, length-of-stay, discharge disposition, and time to obtain a COVID-19 test result. There was no difference in 30-day mortality, complication rates, length-of-stay, anesthesia type, or time-to-surgery, despite a mean time to obtain a final preoperative COVID-19 test result of 17.6 h in the study group. Notably, 23.8% of patients were discharged to home during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to 4.8% among controls (p = 0.003). On average, patients received surgical care within 48 h of arrival during the COVID-19 pandemic. More patients were discharged to home rather than a facility with no change in complications, suggesting an opportunity for increased discharge to home. Full article
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Article
Caring for Homebound Veterans during COVID-19 in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Foster Home Program
Geriatrics 2022, 7(3), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics7030066 - 15 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2436
Abstract
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic made older, homebound adults with multiple chronic conditions increasingly vulnerable to contracting the virus. The United States (US) Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Foster Home (MFH) program cares for such medically complex veterans residing in the [...] Read more.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic made older, homebound adults with multiple chronic conditions increasingly vulnerable to contracting the virus. The United States (US) Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Foster Home (MFH) program cares for such medically complex veterans residing in the private homes of non-VA caregivers rather than institutional care settings like nursing homes. In this qualitative descriptive study, we assessed adaptations to delivering safe and effective health care during the early stages of the pandemic for veterans living in rural MFHs. From December 2020 to February 2021, we interviewed 37 VA MFH care providers by phone at 16 rural MFH programs across the US, including caregivers, program coordinators, and VA health care providers. Using both inductive and deductive approaches to thematic analysis, we identified themes reflecting adaptations to caring for rural MFH veterans, including care providers rapidly increased communication and education to MFH caregivers while prioritizing veteran safety. Telehealth visits also increased, MFH veterans were prioritized for in-home COVID-19 vaccinations, and strategies were applied to mitigate the social isolation of veterans and caregivers. The study findings illustrate the importance of clear, regular communication and intentional care coordination to ensure high-quality care for vulnerable, homebound populations during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article
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Figure 1

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