JMIR Aging

Social media may be a useful method for research centers to deliver health messages, increase their visibility in the local community, and recruit study participants. Sharing examples of social media–based community outreach and educational programs, and evaluating their outcomes in this setting, is important for understanding whether these efforts have a measurable impact.

Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) rank as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, underlining the importance of accurate ADRD risk prediction. While recent advancements in ADRD risk prediction have primarily relied on imaging analysis, not all patients undergo medical imaging before an ADRD diagnosis. Merging machine learning with claims data can reveal additional risk factors and uncover interconnections among diverse medical codes.

Persons living with dementia experience autonomy loss and require caregiver support on a daily basis. Dementia involves a gradual decline in communication skills, leading to fewer interactions and isolation for both people living with dementia and their caregivers, negatively impacting the quality of life for both members of the dyad. The resulting stress and burden on caregivers make them particularly susceptible to burnout.

Usability is a key indicator of the quality of technology products. In tandem with technological advancements, potential use by individuals with dementia is increasing. However, defining the usability of technology for individuals with dementia remains an ongoing challenge. The diverse and progressive nature of dementia adds complexity to the creation of universal usability criteria, highlighting the need for focused deliberations. Technological interventions offer potential benefits for people living with dementia and caregivers. Amid COVID-19, technology’s role in health care access is growing, especially among older adults. Enabling the diverse population of people living with dementia to enjoy the benefits of technologies requires particular attention to their needs, desires, capabilities, and vulnerabilities to potential harm from technologies. Successful technological interventions for dementia require meticulous consideration of technology usability.

Over the past decade, the adoption of virtual wards has surged. Virtual wards aim to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, expedite home discharge, and enhance patient satisfaction, particularly beneficial for the elderly population who face risks associated with hospitalization. Consequently, substantial investments are being made in virtual rehabilitation wards, despite evidence of varying success in their implementation. However, the facilitators and barriers experienced by virtual ward staff for the rapid implementation of these innovative care models remain poorly understood.

Individuals with heart failure (HF) have a high burden of health care utilization, cost, and morbidity in the year following hospitalization for an acute HF exacerbation. Frailty, described as increased vulnerability to adverse events, is common among those with HF and increases with age[1]. Health systems worldwide are integrating automated tools within electronic health records (EHR) to measure frailty. However, the consideration of longitudinal data to measure frailty to better predict outcomes among those with HF is lacking[2-5].

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a leading cause of dementia in individuals aged <65 years. Several challenges to conducting in-person evaluations in FTLD illustrate an urgent need to develop remote, accessible, and low-burden assessment techniques. Studies of unobtrusive monitoring of at-home computer use in older adults with mild cognitive impairment show that declining function is reflected in reduced computer use; however, associations with smartphone use are unknown.

In the United States, caregivers of people living with Alzheimer disease and Alzheimer disease–related dementias (AD/ADRD) provide >16 billion hours of unpaid care annually. These caregivers experience high levels of stress and burden related to the challenges associated with providing care. Social media is an emerging space for individuals to seek various forms of support.

Evidence-based programs (EBPs) for health promotion were developed to reach older adults where they live, work, pray, and play. When the COVID-19 pandemic placed a disproportionate burden on older adults living with chronic conditions and the community-based organizations that support them, these in-person programs shifted to remote delivery. While EBPs have demonstrated effectiveness when delivered in person, less is known about outcomes when delivered remotely.

Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) is an evidence-based, group psychosocial intervention for people with dementia, and it has a positive impact on cognition and quality of life. CST has been culturally adapted for use globally. It was developed as a face-to-face intervention but has recently been adapted for online delivery.

With the population aging, the number of people living with dementia is expected to rise, which, in turn, is expected to lead to an increase in the prevalence of missing incidents due to critical wandering. However, the estimated prevalence of missing incidents due to dementia is inconclusive in some jurisdictions and overlooked in others.

The duration of sleep plays a crucial role in the development of physiological functions that impact health. However, little is known about the associations between sleep duration and functional disability among older adults in China.