Bertrand Fougère1, Stéphane Oustric2, Julien Delrieu3, Bruno Chicoulaa4, Emile Escourrou4, Yves Rolland5, Fati Nourhashémi5, Bruno Vellas5. 1. Gérontopôle, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France; Inserm UMR1027, Université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France. Electronic address: b.fougere@gmail.com. 2. Inserm UMR1027, Université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France; Département de médecine générale, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France. 3. Gérontopôle, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France. 4. Département de médecine générale, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France. 5. Gérontopôle, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France; Inserm UMR1027, Université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Aging can be affected by frailty and chronic diseases causing physical, cognitive, sensory, and functional decline evolving gradually to disability. The assessment of older patients is carried out in some geriatric day hospitals (GDHFs). However, it seems difficult to assess all patients in these GDHFs. In this context, a care model, which uses a specialist nurse trained in primary care and geriatric assessment, has been developed. In this article, we describe the organization, details of the evaluation, and provide the main characteristics of the first 200 patients assessed over a 6-month period. METHODS: Persons aged 70 years and older were invited to undergo an evaluation at the general practitioner's (GP) office by a nurse if the GP thought that the patient was frail or if the patient had cognitive complaint or for both reasons. RESULTS: A total of 200 patients from 14 GP offices were assessed. Overall, the mean age was 81.3 (±5.92) years. More than one-half were female (66%), and 32% of participants lived alone. The average Mini-Mental State Examination score was 25.2 (±4.23); 16.7% had dementia; 12% of mild cognitive impairment were identified; 78% of patients were followed by their GP; and 2.5% were referred to a GDHF, 12% to specialized memory center, and 7.5% to geriatric consultation. CONCLUSIONS: This work foreshadows any other ambulatory options for older persons in his/her living area representing an alternative to the GDHF. It seems to meet the needs for this population and demonstrates the feasibility to implement in primary care a nurse trained to assess older patients in a GP office.
BACKGROUND: Aging can be affected by frailty and chronic diseases causing physical, cognitive, sensory, and functional decline evolving gradually to disability. The assessment of older patients is carried out in some geriatric day hospitals (GDHFs). However, it seems difficult to assess all patients in these GDHFs. In this context, a care model, which uses a specialist nurse trained in primary care and geriatric assessment, has been developed. In this article, we describe the organization, details of the evaluation, and provide the main characteristics of the first 200 patients assessed over a 6-month period. METHODS:Persons aged 70 years and older were invited to undergo an evaluation at the general practitioner's (GP) office by a nurse if the GP thought that the patient was frail or if the patient had cognitive complaint or for both reasons. RESULTS: A total of 200 patients from 14 GP offices were assessed. Overall, the mean age was 81.3 (±5.92) years. More than one-half were female (66%), and 32% of participants lived alone. The average Mini-Mental State Examination score was 25.2 (±4.23); 16.7% had dementia; 12% of mild cognitive impairment were identified; 78% of patients were followed by their GP; and 2.5% were referred to a GDHF, 12% to specialized memory center, and 7.5% to geriatric consultation. CONCLUSIONS: This work foreshadows any other ambulatory options for older persons in his/her living area representing an alternative to the GDHF. It seems to meet the needs for this population and demonstrates the feasibility to implement in primary care a nurse trained to assess older patients in a GP office.
Authors: Brian Downer; Soham Al Snih; Bret T Howrey; Mukaila A Raji; Kyriakos S Markides; Kenneth J Ottenbacher Journal: Aging Ment Health Date: 2018-11-24 Impact factor: 3.658
Authors: Rebecca S Crow; Matthew C Lohman; Dawna Pidgeon; Martha L Bruce; Stephen J Bartels; John A Batsis Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2018-02-10 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: B Fougère; C Lagourdette; P Abele; B Resnick; M Rantz; C Kam Yuk Lai; Q Chen; W Moyle; B Vellas; J E Morley Journal: J Nutr Health Aging Date: 2018 Impact factor: 4.075
Authors: Marcos Leandro Pereira; Thiago Henrique Ferreira de Vasconcelos; Amanda Aparecida Rocha de Oliveira; Sarah Bárbara Campagnolo; Sarah de Oliveira Figueiredo; Ana Flávia Bereta Coelho Guimarães; Maira Tonidandel Barbosa; Luís Felipe José Ravic de Miranda; Paulo Caramelli; Leonardo Cruz de Souza Journal: Dement Neuropsychol Date: 2021 Jan-Mar