武地 一

Mobile phones are increasingly being proposed as tools to support daily life among older adults with cognitive impairment; however, empirical data on their actual ownership and use in clinical settings remain limited. This study aimed to clarify mobile phone ownership and usage patterns among older adults with cognitive impairment attending memory clinics. Eighty-two older adults with cognitive impairment (mean age: 80.4 y; mean Mini-Mental State Examination score: 18.1 points) were included. Data were collected using caregiver-administered questionnaires and analyzed descriptively. Among the participants, 65 (79.3%) owned a mobile phone, with an almost equal distribution of smartphones (n=33) and featured phones (n=32). Fifteen phone owners did not use their devices. Reported use was largely limited to basic communication functions. These findings indicate limited mobile phone ownership and functional use among older adults with cognitive impairment and underscore the need to consider cognitive limitations when implementing mobile technologies.

A BSTRACT Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic prompted widespread restrictions on daily activities, leading to concerns over delayed medical consultations. However, limited social interaction outside the home may have increased the time family members spent with older adults, potentially facilitating earlier detection of dementia symptoms. This study aimed to examine changes in dementia severity, cognitive function, and caregiver burden at initial visits to a memory clinic before and during the pandemic and compare the patterns of initial visits to outpatient memory clinics. Materials and Methods: In total, 378 patient-family pairs (200 before and 178 during the pandemic) were evaluated at their first clinic visit. Cognitive function, dementia severity, and caregiver burden were assessed. Group comparisons were conducted using the Mann-Whitney U and χ ² tests. Results: While cognitive test scores and caregiver burden were similar between the two periods, patients who visited during the pandemic exhibited significantly lower dementia severity (clinical dementia rating: P = 0.001). The correlation between observed dementia severity and cognitive function remained strong in both periods. Conclusion: Contrary to expectations of delayed care, the pandemic period was associated with earlier clinical visits for patients with milder dementia. These results suggest that increased contact between family members and patients provided more frequent opportunities for support and intervention, which prevented a decline in activities of daily living among patients with the same cognitive impairment.

Abstract Background Various health-related concerns experienced daily by older adults, designated here as subjective geriatric complaints (SGCs), and are suspected to be early signs of the decline in quality of life (QOL). This study aims to test the hypothesis that SGCs are significant predictors of future disability and mortality among older adults. Methods This prospective cohort study was conducted in Japan. A health-related questionnaire was mailed to community-dwelling older adults, and data on the certification of long-term care needs and mortality that occurred over the subsequent 5 years were analysed. The analysis included 10 199 individuals. Thirteen SGCs were classified into six groups. The primary outcome was a composite end point of disability and mortality. Survival time analysis was conducted using Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression models. Results The mean age (standard deviation) of participants (52.4% female) at baseline was 73.7 (6.0) years. Over the 5-year study period, 1793 participants (17.6%) were newly certified as requiring long-term care and 931 (9.1%) died. After adjusting for age, sex, depressive mood, and presence of multimorbidity, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for SGC 1b (circulatory/respiratory complaints) and SGC 3 (neurological complaints) were 1.558 (1.316–1.884, P < 0.001) and 1.355 (1.14–1.61, P = 0.001), respectively. Conclusion These findings suggest that SGCs are independent risk factors for a decline in QOL. Additionally, risk varied across different symptom groups within SGCs. These differences should be carefully considered in the management of health for older adults.

INTRODUCTION: We examined the efficacy of a multidomain intervention in preventing cognitive decline among Japanese older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODS: Participants aged 65-85 years with MCI were randomized into intervention (management of vascular risk factors, exercise, nutritional counseling, and cognitive training) and control groups. The primary outcome was changes in the cognitive composite score over a period of 18 months. RESULTS: Of 531 participants, 406 completed the trial. The between-group difference in composite score changes was 0.047 (95% CI: -0.029 to 0.124). Secondary analyses indicated positive impacts of interventions on several secondary health outcomes. The interventions appeared to be particularly effective for individuals with high attendance during exercise sessions and those with the apolipoprotein E ε4 allele and elevated plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein levels. DISCUSSION: The multidomain intervention showed no efficacy in preventing cognitive decline. Further research on more efficient strategies and suitable target populations is required. HIGHLIGHTS: This trial evaluated the efficacy of multidomain intervention in individuals with MCI. The trial did not show a significant difference in preplanned cognitive outcomes. Interventions had positive effects on a wide range of secondary health outcomes. Those with adequate adherence or high risk of dementia benefited from interventions.

AIM: In Japan, an additional system for patients with suspected or diagnosed dementia during hospitalization for physical illness began in 2016. We examined the clinical characteristics of older patients with suspected or diagnosed dementia during hospitalization. METHODS: The study participants consisted of 569 patients. Current age, sex, comorbidities, causative disease for admission, body mass index (BMI), blood tests, environment before admission, prescription history before admission and rate of delirium were examined. Simple regression analysis for high-frequency diseases was carried out with the respective risk factors as independent variables. Multiple regression analysis was then carried out. RESULTS: Infection had the highest frequency in the causative diseases for admission. A total of 48% of patients had delirium during hospitalization. The delirium group had the highest frequency of being at home. In the infection group, BMI and serum albumin were lower in the non-infection group (BMI 19.0 ± 3.7 vs 20.4 ± 4.1; P < 0.001, albumin 2.1 ± 0.7 vs 3.3 ± 0.6 g/dL; P < 0.001 respectively). White blood cell count and C-reactive protein were higher than in the non-infection group, respectively (white blood cell count 11181.4 ± 6533.3 vs 8765.8 ± 111 424.3/μL; P = 0.007, C-reactive protein 8.6 ± 8.6 vs 3.0 ± 5.2 mg/dL; P < 0.001 respectively). Using independent factors associated with infection, multiple regression analysis was performed. BMI (P = 0.013), serum albumin (P < 0.001) and nursing home care before admission (P < 0.001) had significant correlations. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of delirium and the environment before admission of older patients with suspected or diagnosed dementia when hospitalized are necessary. Furthermore, evaluation of nutrition might also contribute to reducing deterioration due to physical illness. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 641-645.