Automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, to manage cardiac arrest have become standard in many community settings. This was evident when first responders had to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use an AED on Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who went into cardiac arrest on the football field in January.

Prescribing patterns and the occurrence of hypoglycemic episodes in long-term care residents in the United States remained consistent over a five-year period, a serialized cross-sectional study found.

Multicomponent training can improve the cognitive function of older adults who do not have cognitive impairment, a Brazilian study found. A multicomponent training program, as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine, includes aerobic, resistance, balance, and stretching training.

July 20-23, 2023

This issue of Caring for the Ages focuses on many of the highlights of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine’s Annual Conference in Tampa, FL, in March. It was the first conference that was fully in person since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and I felt the joy of people just wanting to be together, network, learn from each other, and reconnect after several challenging years.

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As a professional social worker, I am committed to creating compassionate environments where people work and live, which includes addressing topics that may stimulate discomfort for some people. In this article, I focus on weight stigma.

One of the most important decisions a person can make is the decision to end his or her life. Likewise, it may be an equally vexing situation for the physician who is asked to provide the lethal cocktail that would end a patient’s life. Currently, 11 jurisdictions permit medical aid in dying (MAID). This article briefly examines some of the legal, medical, and ethical issues that lie at the heart of MAID.

“Managing stress takes day-by-day, moment-by-moment vigilance,” said author, speaker, and comedian Kay Frances, MBA, at the opening general session of PALTC23, the Annual Conference of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. She added, “It also requires a sense of humor, a light heart, and optimism. No pessimistic person ever survived the stress of being a long-term care practitioner without losing their mind.”

During the pandemic, AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine was able to raise its profile and attract the attention of policymakers and other stakeholders. In the past year, the organization has continued to make inroads on a variety of issues and to gain advocacy momentum. At PALTC23’s Saturday general session, Milta Little, DO, CMD, the Society’s 2023-2024 president, noted, “We don’t just want a seat at the table. We want to chair committees and lead discussions.”

Senior contributing writer Joanne Kaldy spoke to Lisa Sweet, RN, co-founder of the National Association of Health Care Assistants, about the importance of addressing PTSD among certified nurse assistants (CNAs).

The presenters at the PALTC23 program “Medical Aid in Dying (MAID): Medical, Ethical, and Legal Implications” showed a powerful video about an older couple who decided to take control of their lives and deaths. It presented an honest, poignant, and sometimes difficult-to-watch picture of MAID — why people choose this path and its impact on those around them. This was part of a discussion about a controversial procedure that has been gaining public and legislative support.

“Misinformation spreads quickly, and it’s hard to correct it in real time,” said Sing Palat, MD, CMD, at the start of the PALTC23 session “Managing Medical Misinformation: How to Address This Information Mess.” Leslie Eber, MD, CMD, agreed: “We are all vulnerable to misinformation, even those of us in this room. Information hunger makes us vulnerable. False information spreads faster and deeper than the truth. Repeat exposure is an effective strategy for spreading misinformation.”

Nursing homes have an ethical obligation to create facility policies and protocols that support the ethical and evidence-based treatment of individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD), A. Justine Landi, MD, urged at PALTC23, the Annual Conference of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.

Preemptive anticoagulation for post-acute and long-term care residents infected with SARS-CoV-2 is worth consideration, given that venous thromboembolism (VTE) is not uncommon in COVID-19 and most PALTC residents have a higher risk for VTE to begin with, said Nadia Mujahid, MD, CMD, at the Annual Conference of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine during a session on antithrombotic treatments for residents with SARS CoV-2/COVID-19. “Let’s not wait for residents to develop a VTE.

“The real cause of problems is solutions.” — Eric Sevareid, American Journalist

Already 2023 is looking to be a great year for AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Our Annual Conference, PALTC23, held in Tampa, FL, was a huge success. We welcomed over 1,300 people, including 87 Futures Program participants, to learn and celebrate together, fully in-person for the first time since 2019. Some of the highlights of the conference were enjoying a much-needed laugh with our opening keynote speaker, honoring the Foundation’s award recipients and the giving campaign, and celebrating Chris Laxton’s last meeting as our fearless executive director.

Little did I know that the Foundation Futures Program would become the architect of my career in geriatrics. By the time I was three quarters of the way into my geriatrics fellowship, I was beginning to feel the isolating effects of tackling the challenges that come with serving our geriatric population. I spent countless hours buried in patient documentation, as I tried to understand my patients and come up with a plan for their care. I felt alone and empty, and was beginning to lose sight of my purpose.

The numbers are alarming. The United States will need at least 30,000 geriatricians and 2.5 million more nurses, nursing assistants, and other team members to care for older adults. Addressing workforce issues is a top priority for AMDA — The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, and they are taking multiple steps in this regard.

Reference: Grant LK, St Hilaire MA, Heller JP, Heller RA, Lockley SW, Rahman SA. Impact of Upgraded Lighting on Falls in Care Home Residents. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2022;23:1698–1704.e2.