{"title":"Reconstruction of a resilient and secure community and medical care system in the coronavirus era - English translation of the Japanese opinion released from the Science Council of Japan.","authors":"Katsuya Iijima, Masahiro Akishita, Tamao Endo, Tetsuo Ichikawa, Norio Ozaki, Kouetsu Ogasawara, Yasuki Kihara, Masafumi Kuzuya, Hiroko Komatsu, Hiroko Terasaki, Yuichiro Doki, Haruko Noguchi, Kiyoko Nishi, Yumi Nishimura, Nobuhiko Haga, Motohiko Miyachi, Seiji Yasumura, Junko Wake, Hidenori Arai","doi":"10.1111/ggi.15073","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.15073","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Over 3 years have passed since the outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a disease associated with a high risk of severe illness and death among older individuals. This period has brought to light regional and social issues, including issues in overall and regional healthcare, that existed before the epidemic. \"COVID-19-related frailty\" is defined as secondary damage to health caused by inactivity and disconnection from human interaction owing to prolonged isolation among older individuals. Now in its fourth year, COVID-19 cannot be taken lightly, even though it is now a Category 5 infectious disease. Looking at it from the perspective of the Corona (COVID-19)/post-Corona (COVID-19) era and society, it is necessary to reconstruct regional communities in which active residents can resume their activities, a resilient regional society from multiple perspectives, and a medical and care system that can give the public a sense of security, all of which will lead to the development of local communities.</p><p><strong>Current situation and problems: </strong>Weak healthcare systems in emergencies such as emerging infectious diseases and disasters The COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges in the management of older individuals in Japan. These challenges are common to those encountered with other emerging infectious diseases and disasters; however, the pandemic has emphasized the vulnerability of older adults. End-of-life care and advance care planning do not function during a contingency The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant effect on the end-of-life (EOL) care of older adults, with the lack of implementation and dysfunction of advance care planning (ACP) identified as the biggest factors. This has made it difficult for this population to share their values, intentions, and life goals with their families and healthcare providers. Inadequate use of information and communication technology and the latest technologies Disparity in the digital field (digital divide) is more pronounced among older individuals. Consequently, the benefits of new technologies, such as digitalization and robotics, have not fully reached older individuals, leading to social isolation and frailty in this population. Various secondary health outcomes have emerged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic The influence of misinformation and disinformation following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated secondary health outcomes, as excessive isolation in life has become prolonged. The inability of older individuals to screen information is a source of major concern. Furthermore, older adults are generally vulnerable to information technology and often face difficulty in accessing correct information. Lack of human resources in the field of public health The promotion of vaccine development, therapeutic drug development, and measures to prevent serious illnesses among older adults remain major challenges, especially fo","PeriodicalId":12546,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics & Gerontology International","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143457553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Comment on: PRISMA-7 is a predictor of intensive care unit admission and mortality in older patients in an emergency department.","authors":"Korhan Kollu, Muhammet Cemal Kizilarslanoglu","doi":"10.1111/ggi.70002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.70002","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12546,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics & Gerontology International","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143457544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jin Hean Koh, Justina Angel Tan, Reshma Aziz Merchant, Li Feng Tan
{"title":"Response to commentary on \"Frailty as a predictor of mortality in the oldest old: A systematic review and meta-analysis\".","authors":"Jin Hean Koh, Justina Angel Tan, Reshma Aziz Merchant, Li Feng Tan","doi":"10.1111/ggi.70008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.70008","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12546,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics & Gerontology International","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143447659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reducing the burden of informal care through lecanemab: A case of a patient with mild cognitive impairment who continues to drive.","authors":"Jumpei Maruta, Akitoshi Takeda, Koki Inoue","doi":"10.1111/ggi.70007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.70007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This case report discusses a 75-year-old patient with mild cognitive impairment who successfully continued driving while treated with lecanemab. The treatment appeared to stabilize cognitive function and facilitate ongoing physical activity, potentially reducing informal care burdens associated with driving cessation. Further research is warranted to explore long-term impacts.</p>","PeriodicalId":12546,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics & Gerontology International","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143448791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multidimensional insights about healthy aging from the cohort study for community-dwelling older adults: The SONIC study.","authors":"Kei Kamide, Kazunori Ikebe, Yukie Masui, Takeshi Nakagawa, Mai Kabayama, Hiroshi Akasaka, Tomoaki Mameno, Yuki Murotani, Madoka Ogawa, Saori Yasumoto, Koichi Yamamoto, Takumi Hirata, Yasumichi Arai, Yasuyuki Gondo","doi":"10.1111/ggi.70003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.70003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Septuagenarian, Octogenarian, Nonagenarian Investigation with Centenarian (SONIC) study was established considering population trends and targeting the oldest-old population. This study is unique in its narrow age range, consisting of individuals aged in their 70s, 80s and 90s, and is carried out as a longitudinal cohort study with follow ups every 3 years in urban and rural areas of eastern and western Japan. The aims of the SONIC study are primarily to clarify aging-related changes in multiple domains of human functioning, explore the dynamics of interactions among these domains and identify factors influencing healthy longevity, including psychological well-being. Investigations spanning medical, dental, nutritional, psychological and sociological fields were carried out by specialists, yielding important results. Findings from the SONIC study in Japan, a super-aged society, will provide valuable information for addressing the global aging trend. This review introduces the results from the SONIC study, and explains factors contributing to healthy longevity and happy aging. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; ••: ••-••.</p>","PeriodicalId":12546,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics & Gerontology International","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143413703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jingyi Chen, Khyber Alam, Si Ye Lee, Anne-Marie Hill
{"title":"Eye care practitioners and falls prevention for older adults: A scoping review.","authors":"Jingyi Chen, Khyber Alam, Si Ye Lee, Anne-Marie Hill","doi":"10.1111/ggi.15098","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.15098","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Eye care practitioners are well-placed in the community to provide falls prevention advice to older adults, but existing literature offers scant insight into whether this occurs in practice. This scoping review aimed to map and synthesize the evidence for community eye care practitioners' awareness and behaviors in falls prevention in older adults, as well as barriers and enablers to implementation of falls evidence.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This review process was guided by the Arksey and O'Malley framework for scoping reviews and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. MEDLINE, CINAHL Complete, Embase, Web of Science and OpenMD were searched for published and gray literature between January 1990 to October 2024. Data were mapped against the World Falls Guidelines framework of: (i) risk stratification, (ii) assessment, and (iii) management, and a barriers and enablers framework.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 19 sources met the inclusion criteria. Few studies directly captured results from eye care practitioners. The results suggested a gap in implementation of falls guideline evidence. Community eye care practitioners had low levels of awareness about falls, and were not routinely implementing falls history taking, risk stratification and assessment of contrast, visual fields, and stereopsis. Eye care practitioners might not be referring patients for exercise and environmental interventions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The evidence suggests that eye care practitioners have some awareness of falls prevention, but might benefit from better understanding of evidence-based falls guidelines. There appeared to be gaps that exist between evidence and translation into practice. Future studies should explore practitioner experiences and implementation efforts to improve falls prevention in community eye care. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; ••: ••-••.</p>","PeriodicalId":12546,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics & Gerontology International","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143390330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Associations between social frailty, use of digital device and depression among community-dwelling older adults: A population-based cross-sectional study.","authors":"Mina Hwang, Yeji Hwang","doi":"10.1111/ggi.70005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.70005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Social frailty is prevalent among community-dwelling older adults, and it is a leading factor associated with depression in this population. Digital devices can provide opportunities to engage in social or recreational activities, helping to reduce depression in older adults, regardless of their level of social frailty. However, little is known about which specific activities older adults engage in with such devices can lower depression. Therefore, this study aimed to examine which activities are associated with a lower likelihood of developing depression after adjusting for social frailty.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A secondary data analysis was carried out using the 2020 National Survey of Older Koreans, which includes a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older adults in Korea (n = 9920). Depression was measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale, social frailty was measured with the Social Frailty Index and digital device use was measured using 11 items from the survey. The 11 items included sending and receiving text messages, searching for information, taking pictures or videos, watching videos, playing games, and more. The data were analyzed using weighted logistic regressions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study, 13% of participants showed depression. After adjusting for social frailty, the following activities were significantly related to lower odds of depression: playing games (OR 0.618, 95% CI 0.438-0.872, P = 0.006), and searching for and installing applications (OR 0.590, 95% CI 0.372-0.937, P = 0.025).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Older adults engaging in activities using digital devices are less likely to develop depression. Educational programs should be developed to teach older adults about various activities they can perform with digital devices. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; ••: ••-••.</p>","PeriodicalId":12546,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics & Gerontology International","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143390181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Association between school bullying and late-life depression: Evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study.","authors":"You Zuo, Lan Liu, Gong Chen, Guogui Huang","doi":"10.1111/ggi.70000","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.70000","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Existing literature suggests that school bullying can have long-lasting effects on mental health, but its specific impact on late-life depression remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate the association between early-life school bullying experiences and depression symptoms in old age and the variations by sex, place of residence and educational level.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Data were derived from the Life History Survey of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2014, including 4333 older adults aged ≥60 years. School bullying was assessed on the basis of self-reported experiences during childhood. Depression symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-10. Poisson regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between early-life school bullying experience and late-life depression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 4333 respondents, 607 (14%) reported being bullied during childhood, and 1274 (29.4%) exhibited symptoms of depression. Older adults who experienced school bullying were 1.17 times more likely to exhibit depression symptoms compared with those without such experiences (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.173; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.027-1.3390). This association was more prominent among women (PR, 1.284; 95% CI, 1.093-1.475), rural residents (PR, 1.477; 95% CI, 1.210-1.803) and those with education at primary school level (PR, 1.172; 95% CI, 1.017-1.352). The results remained robust using an alternative school bullying cutoff and after imputing all missing data.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Early-life school bullying is a significant risk factor for depression in later life, with its impact being particularly pronounced among women, rural residents and those with lower educational levels. These findings highlight the need for targeted mental health interventions for individuals with a history of early-life school bullying to mitigate long-term psychological effects. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; ••: ••-••.</p>","PeriodicalId":12546,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics & Gerontology International","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143364399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Association between early retirement and risk of frailty in later life: A population-based longitudinal study.","authors":"Tsui-Hung Wang, Shao-Yun Chien, Wan-Ju Cheng, Ya-Wen Huang, Shi-Heng Wang, Wei-Lieh Huang, Ya-Ling Tzeng, Chih-Cheng Hsu, Wei J Chen, Chi-Shin Wu","doi":"10.1111/ggi.15096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.15096","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Early retirement is prevalent and can alter daily habits, potentially impacting health. This study aims to explore the association between early retirement and frailty and to examine the modifying effect of sociodemographic characteristics.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a population-based matched cohort study that included 1 779 628 early retirees aged 45-64 years and an equal number of employed individuals from Taiwan's National Health Insurance (2010-2021). Early retirement was defined as unemployment before age 65 years without reemployment. Frailty was assessed using the multimorbidity Frailty Index (mFI) based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Covariates such as demographics, socioeconomic status, and medical conditions were adjusted using propensity score weighting. Generalized estimating equations determined the association between early retirement and frailty. Subgroup analyses were conducted by age, sex, income and occupation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results showed that early retirees exhibited a significant increase in mFI score changes compared to their employed counterparts, with a coefficient rise of 0.372 (95% CI, 0.303-0.441). Early retirement was associated with higher mFI scores among younger individuals (aged 45-54 years); men; those with lower incomes; and individuals working as employers, private-sector employees, freelancers, farmers and fishers. Conversely, early retirement was linked to lower mFI scores among civil servants.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings support the development of targeted retirement policies and occupational health programs. Further research on frailty mediators, such as physical activity, diet and social participation is crucial for improving clinical care and informing health policies to mitigate the negative impacts of early retirement on high-risk populations. Geriatr Gerontol Int ••; ••: ••-•• Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; ••: ••-••.</p>","PeriodicalId":12546,"journal":{"name":"Geriatrics & Gerontology International","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143364395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}