MyMedR

Preparing the young to look after the old

Nordin R, Hamid AM, Adnan WA

World Health Forum, 1992;13(4):300-2.

In Malaysia the steady rise in the proportion of people aged 60 or more, and an awareness of their complex psychosocial, economic and health care needs, have led medical faculties to introduce geriatrics as an essential subject in their curricula. The efforts made in this field by the School of Medical Sciences of the Universiti Sains Malaysia are outlined in the present article.

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics/education*

Care of the older person in the medical curricula--the challenges

Sithamparam S

Med J Malaysia, 2002 Dec;57 Suppl E:31-3.

PMID: 12733190

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics/education*

Fulltext Geriatric practice in Malaysia: issues and challenges

Poi PJH

Med J Malaysia, 1997 Sep;52(3):202-5.

PMID: 10968085

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics*

Fulltext The elderly Malaysian

Chen PCY

Med J Malaysia, 1984 Dec;39(4):254-6.

PMID: 6544929

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics/education

The welfare of the elderly

Sandosham AA

Med J Malaysia, 1977 Mar;31(3):168-9.

PMID: 904505

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics*

MANAGEMENT OF PROSTATIC OBSTRUCTION IN THE ELDERLY MALE

MENON KA

Med J Malaysia, 1963 Dec;18:91-4.

PMID: 14117287

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics*

Priorities for the global advancement of care for older adults with cancer: an update of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology Priorities Initiative

Extermann M, Brain E, Canin B, Cherian MN, Cheung KL, de Glas N, et al.

Lancet Oncol, 2021 01;22(1):e29-e36.

PMID: 33387502 DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30473-3

In 2011, the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) published the SIOG 10 Priorities Initiative, which defined top priorities for the improvement of the care of older adults with cancer worldwide.1 Substantial scientific, clinical, and educational progress has been made in line with these priorities and international health policy developments have occurred, such as the shift of emphasis by WHO from communicable to non-communicable diseases and the adoption by the UN of its Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Therefore, SIOG has updated its priority list. The present document addresses four priority domains: education, clinical practice, research, and strengthening collaborations and partnerships. In this Policy Review, we reflect on how these priorities would apply in different economic settings, namely in high-income countries versus low-income and middle-income countries. SIOG hopes that it will offer guidance for international and national endeavours to provide adequate universal health coverage for older adults with cancer, who represent a major and rapidly growing group in global epidemiology.

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics/education; Geriatrics/standards*

Hypnosis in general medical practice in Singapore

MUN CT

Am J Clin Hypn, 1964 Apr;6:340-4.

PMID: 14136309

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics*

The effect of chlorhexidine in reducing oral colonisation in geriatric patients: a randomised controlled trial

Sharif-Abdullah SS, Chong MC, Surindar-Kaur SS, Kamaruzzaman SB, Ng KH

Singapore Med J, 2016 May;57(5):262-6.

PMID: 27211885 DOI: 10.11622/smedj.2016091

INTRODUCTION: Inadequate oral care has been implicated in the development of aspiration pneumonia in frail geriatric patients and is a major cause of mortality, due to the colonisation of microbes in vulnerable patients. This type of pneumonia has been associated with an increase in respiratory pathogens in the oral cavity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of chlorhexidine compared to routine oral care in edentulous geriatric inpatients.

METHODS: A double-blind, parallel-group randomised controlled trial was carried out. The intervention group received oral care with chlorhexidine 0.2%, while the control group received routine oral care with thymol. Nurses provided oral care with assigned solutions of 20 mL once daily over seven days. Oral cavity assessment using the Brief Oral Health Status Examination form was performed before each oral care procedure. Data on medication received and the subsequent development of aspiration pneumonia was recorded. An oral swab was performed on Day 7 to obtain specimens to test for colonisation.

RESULTS: The final sample consisted of 35 (control) and 43 (intervention) patients. Chlorhexidine was effective in reducing oral colonisation compared to routine oral care with thymol (p < 0.001). The risk of oral bacterial colonisation was nearly three times higher in the thymol group compared to the chlorhexidine group.

CONCLUSION: The use of chlorhexidine 0.2% significantly reduced oral colonisation and is recommended as an easier and more cost-effective alternative for oral hygiene.

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics/methods

Fulltext Can healthy life style predict successful aging among Iranian older adults?

Shafiee M, Hazrati M, Motalebi SA, Gholamzade S, Ghaem H, Ashari A

Med J Islam Repub Iran, 2020;34:139.

PMID: 33437735 DOI: 10.34171/mjiri.34.139

Background: Successful aging is a prominent and worldwide theme in gerontology. However, until recently, only few studies were conducted about successful aging in Iran. This study examined whether a healthy lifestyle could predict successful aging among older Iranians. Methods: This cross sectional and descriptive study included 975 older Iranians who were selected through a multistage cluster-quota method from the health centers of Shiraz, Iran. A 5-part questionnaire, including demographic characteristics, the Seniors' Healthy Lifestyle, Barthel Index, the Diner Life Satisfaction and Quality of Life, was used to collect the data. A logistic regression analysis was used in data analysis; data were analyzed using SPSS 21; and significance level was set at α = 0.05. Results: The prevalence of successful aging among older Iranians was calculated at 24.0%. Results of multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age (95% CI = 1.129- 1.702 and OR = 1.352), gender (95% CI = 0.412-0.764 and OR = 0.687), education level (95% CI = 1.443 - 1.699 and OR = 1.454), job (95% CI = 1.063-1.413 and OR = 1.185), monthly income (95% CI = 1.355-4.055 and OR = 2.272), insurance (95% CI = 0.344-0.842 and OR = 0.540), source of income (95% CI = 1.014-1.298 and OR = 1.145), and healthy lifestyle (95% CI = 0.772 - 0.858 and OR = 0.814) were predictors for successful aging. Conclusion: Findings indicated that successful agers were mostly younger men, with higher education level and monthly income, who had insurance and a job and a healthy lifestyle. Thus, to age successfully, one must maintain and improve healthy lifestyle to prolong one's health.

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics

Fulltext Prevalence of geriatric malnutrition and its associated factors at the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan

Nur Fazimah Sahran, Sakinah Harith, Rosminah Mohamed

Malays J Nutr, 2016;22(1):41-54.

MyJurnal

Introduction: Identified parameters associated with geriatric malnutrition add greatly to the knowledge of clinical nutrition and facilitate patient-centred nutritional care management.
Methods: A six-month cross-sectional study with the aims of deterrninine the prevalence of malnutrition and its associated parameters was conducted among hospitalised geriatrics admitted to Hospital USM. A total of 130 (49 men, 81 women) eligible participants with a mean age of 69.7 (6.99) were recruited for this study. Anthropometric tests, biochemical tests, and subjective global assessments (SGA) were applied in this study to assess the nutritional status of the participants. Meanwhile, socio-demographics, nutritional risk factors, and clinical elements were examined to identify the associated factors of malnutrition.
Results: The findings of this study revealed that 35.4% of the participants were malnourished based on SGA ratings of B (26.2%) and C (9.2%), with women having a significantly higher proportion (43.5%) compared to men (22 4%) with p

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics

Fulltext Development of Automatic Reminder System for Geriatric Medicine Intake

Aisyah Rahimi, Hamimi Zakri, Azira Khalil

Malaysian Journal of Science, Health & Technology, 2021;7(1):8-14.

MyJurnal

The consumption of medicine is typical in geriatrics, having many problems related to medications. Geriatrics often forget to take their medicine, and this problem can be overcome by using an automatic reminder system. In this study, an automated reminder system is developed as an improved community element, acting as a system that can help geriatric in taking their medicine on time, thus, boosting their health condition. This reminder system also includes an interaction between the geriatrics and their caretakers. This reminder system includes Arduino UNO as the microcontroller, with the notification system, Blynk Application, a buzzer, and a light-emitting diode (LED) system. To make this reminder system more versatile, the buzzer will alarm during the medicine intake time, giving information to the elderly on which medicine to take. When the time has reached to take medication, the buzzer will produce a sound. Suppose the medicine box opens after the buzzer's sound and is detected by the passive infrared sensor (PIR sensor). In that case, the caretaker will receive a notification through the Blynk application that the geriatric already took medicine. On the contrary, if the medicine box is not open after 3 minutes following the buzzer's sound, which indicates that the geriatric did not take their medicine, the system will not send a notification to their caretakers on the status. This prototype is tested on ten users for its accuracy and effectiveness. It is believed that this system can provide geriatrics more alert in taking their medicine on time, enhancing their health status.

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics

Trends in geriatrics-related translational research and funding in the "big 4" medical journals

Ch'ng ASH, Yong KTW, Ng DWH, Heyzer L, Lim WS

J Am Med Dir Assoc, 2017 06 01;18(6):544-545.

PMID: 28431910 DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2017.02.018

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics*

Geriatric training in problem-based learning: an Asian perspective

Majumder MA, Rahim AF, Rahman S

J Am Geriatr Soc, 2004 Jun;52(6):1038-9.

PMID: 15161490

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics/education*

Recent advances in geriatric medicine - a review

Srinivas P

JUMMEC, 1999;4:67-73.

The rapid aging of populations worldwide demands major changes across all aspects of health care for older persons. Geriatric medicine which is that branch of of medicine which is concerned with the clinical, preventive and rehabilitative aspects of care of older persons, has much to offer in relieving the suffering and increasing the disability free years they can enjoy. Recent advances in Geriatric Medicine based on well designed randomised trials and meta-analysis that are clinically significant to the practicing physician are reviewed in this article. KEYWORDS: Recent advances, Geriatric Medicine, Older persons.

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics

The relevance of educating doctors, pharmacists and older patients about potentially inappropriate medications

Abd Wahab MS

Int J Clin Pharm, 2015 Dec;37(6):971-4.

PMID: 26415737 DOI: 10.1007/s11096-015-0203-3

Providing appropriate pharmacotherapy to older people can be difficult since older people are more at risk of developing adverse drug reactions due to age-related physiological changes. The use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) among older people is common throughout the globe, and is a cause for concern due to their clinical, humanistic and economic implications. Nevertheless, it appears that doctors and pharmacists have limited knowledge regarding PIMs. Moreover, uninformed older patients may use PIMs without considering their potential negative consequences. There is a need, therefore, to educate doctors, pharmacists and older patients about PIMs. Geriatric pharmacotherapy education with an emphasis on appropriate prescribing, and PIMs, should be included in the medical and pharmacy teachings at the undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education levels. Moreover, older patients should be informed about PIMs and the possible risks that they may pose.

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics

Fulltext Online Multi-Domain Geriatric Health Screening in Urban Community Dwelling Older Malaysians: A Pilot Study

Alex D, Fauzi AB, Mohan D

Front Public Health, 2020;8:612154.

PMID: 33520920 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.612154

Introduction: With a rapidly aging population, the Malaysian health care system needs to develop solutions to address the lack of resources that are required for the assessment of the older person. The complex nature of geriatric syndromes coupled with the occurrence of multiple comorbid illnesses with aging, make geriatric assessment a resource intensive process. Digital health solutions could play an important role in supporting existing health care systems, especially in low and middle income countries, with limited speciality services in geriatrics. Objective: This is a pilot study aimed at screening for geriatric syndromes through self-administered online surveys in urban community dwelling older Malaysians and assessing the pattern of geriatric syndromes in relation to the frailty status of the study participants. Methods: This is a cross-sectional pilot study conducted between July-September 2020. Community dwelling adults aged 60 years and over were invited to take part in an online survey. Information on sociodemographic variables, comorbidities, and the self-reported results of geriatric syndromes (frailty, sarcopenia, anorexia of aging, urinary incontinence, falls, and cognitive impairment), were collected through the survey. Results: Data was collected for 162 participants over a period of 2 months. The mean (SD) age of the respondents was 66.42 (5.25) years with 64.9% females. Majority of the respondents were of Chinese ethnic origin (67.9%) and had tertiary level of education (75.9%). The average time taken by participants to complete the survey was 16.86 min. Urinary incontinence was the highest reported geriatric syndrome (55.1%) followed by falls (37.6%), anorexia of aging (32.8%), cognitive impairment (27.8%), and sarcopenia (8.3%). Frailty was detected in 4.5% of the study population. Loss of weight in the previous year was the highest reported component of the frailty assessment tool. The presence of sarcopenia, anorexia of aging, poor/fair self-rated health, urinary incontinence, and multimorbidity were significantly higher in older adults who were frail or prefrail. Conclusion: Screening for geriatric syndromes through online surveys is a feasible approach to identify older adults in the community who are likely to benefit from geriatric assessment. However, the demographic profile of the older population that are accessible through such digital platforms is limited.

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics

Drug therapy in the elderly

Ng PK

Family Practitioner, 1982;5:67-70.

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics

Musculoskeletal problems in the elderly

Yong SY

Family Practitioner, 1984;7:34-37.

Matched MeSH terms: Geriatrics

Psychiatric disorders in the elderly

Deva MP

Family Practitioner, 1988;11:22-24.