JMIR Aging

The co-occurrence of chronic illnesses and substance use presents complex challenges for health care systems. Understanding the interplay between these factors, compounded by the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, is essential for effective intervention strategies.

Considering the growing population of older adults, addressing the influence of loneliness among this demographic group has become imperative. Especially considering the link between social isolation and deterioration of mental and physical well-being. Technology has the potential of creating innovative solutions to increase socialization and potentially promote healthy aging.

Visual impairment (VI) is a prevalent global health issue, affecting over 2.2 billion people worldwide, with nearly half of the Chinese population aged 60 and above being affected. Early detection of high-risk VI is essential for preventing irreversible vision loss among Chinese middle-aged and elderly adults. While machine learning (ML) algorithms exhibit significant predictive advantages, their application in predicting VI risk among the general middle-aged and elderly population in China remains limited.

As dementia progresses, patients exhibit various psychological and behavioural symptoms, imposing a significant burden on families and society including Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). However, caregivers lack professional care knowledge and skills, making it difficult for them to effectively cope with the diverse challenges of caregiving. Therefore, it is urgent to provide caregivers with professional knowledge and skills guidance.

Multidose drug dispensing (MDD) is an adherence-aid where medicines are machine-dispensed in disposable unit bags, usually for a 14-day period. MDD replaces manually filled dosettes in many home care services in Norway. While evidence suggests that MDD can improve medication adherence and reduce errors, there are few studies on how patients manage MDD at home and how this affects their daily routines.

Osteoarthritis is a leading contributor to global disability. While evidence supports the effectiveness of Tai Chi in improving symptoms for people with hip/knee osteoarthritis, access to in-person Tai Chi classes may be difficult for many people. An unsupervised online Tai Chi intervention for people with osteoarthritis can help overcome accessibility barriers. The Approach to Human-Centered, Evidence-Driven Adaptive Design (AHEAD) framework provides a practical guide for co-designing such an intervention.

Older adults with chronic or acute cognitive impairment, such as dementia or delirium, who are hospitalized face unique barriers to person-centered care and a higher risk for negative outcomes stemming from hospitalizations. There is a need for co-designed interventions adapted for these patients to the hospital setting to improve care and outcomes. Patient life storytelling interventions have demonstrated promise in enhancing person-centered care by improving patient–care team relationships and providing information to enable care tailored to individual needs and values.

The severity of Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) is rarely documented in structured data fields in electronic health records (EHRs). Although this information is important for clinical monitoring and decision-making, it is often undocumented or “hidden” in unstructured text fields and not readily available for clinicians to act upon.

Case managers for persons with dementia not only coordinate patient care but also provide family caregivers with educational material and available support services. Taiwan uses a government-based information system for monitoring the provision of health care services. Unfortunately, scheduling patient care and providing information to family caregivers continues to be paper-based, which results in a duplication of patient assessments, complicates scheduling of follow-ups, and hinders communication with caregivers, which limits the ability of case managers to provide cohesive, quality care.

Higher-level functional capacity (HLFC) is crucial for the independent living of older adults. While internet use positively impacts the health of older adults, its effect on HLFC and how this effect varies with educational attainment remains uncertain.

Demographic change is leading to an increasing proportion of older people in the German population and requires new approaches for prevention and rehabilitation to promote the independence and health of older people. Technical assistance systems can offer a promising solution for the early detection of nutritional and physical deficits and the initiation of appropriate interventions. Such a system should combine different components, such as devices for assessing physical and nutritional status, educational elements on these topics, and training and feedback options. The concept is that the whole system can be used independently by older adults (aged ≥70 years) for monitoring and early detection of problems in nutrition or physical function, as well as providing opportunities for intervention.

The global population of older adults is on the rise. As people age, their physical functions gradually decline, leading to a decrease in the overall functioning of different organ systems. Due to these changes, older individuals are at a higher risk of encountering various adverse health outcomes and complications, such as malnutrition.