The effect of social isolation on the cognitive ability of the oldest old in Chinese nursing homes in post-COVID-19: a moderated chain mediation model.

Background: Both pre-or post-COVID-19, older adults residing in nursing homes are at significant risk for social isolation, which is negatively associated with cognitive ability. Currently, the elderly aged 80 years and older are the fastest-growing age group globally. The extent of social isolation within this group post-COVID-19 and its impact on cognitive abilities remain inadequately explored. Objective: This research aimed to evaluate the prevalence of social isolation among the oldest old in Chinese nursing homes post-COVID-19 and to investigate the mediating and moderating roles of basic activities of daily living (BADL), depression, and subjective socioeconomic status in the relationship between social isolation and cognitive ability. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 453 participants aged 80 years and older from 11 nursing homes in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China. Social isolation was assessed using the Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (LSNS-6), cognitive ability using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), BADL using the Barthel Index (BI), and depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 items (PHQ-9). Mediation and moderation effects were statistically analyzed using SPSS 23.0 and PROCESS 3.5. Results: The mean age of the study sample was 87.1 ± 3.8 years, among whom 60.3% (n = 273) were female, and 56.1% experienced social isolation, with 41.1% and 63.1% being isolated from family and friends, respectively. Social isolation indirectly affected cognitive ability through BADL and depression, respectively, and through the chain mediation effect of BADL and depression. Subjective socioeconomic status moderated the relationships between social isolation and BADL and between social isolation and depression. However, no moderating effect of subjective socioeconomic status was found between social isolation and cognitive ability. Conclusion: This study deepens our understanding of the current state of social isolation and its mechanisms of action in the oldest old post-COVID-19 and provides a new basis for future public health policy development and related research.

Intrinsic capacity loss rates and protective factors among individuals aged 80 years and older in Chinese nursing homes: A latent class analysis.

Prior to this cross-sectional study, the intrinsic capacity (IC) loss rates and protective factors in nursing homes for individuals aged 80 and older remained unexplored. Analysing 434 participants, this study found 86.9 % of individuals experienced the loss of at least one IC domain, with detailed losses in locomotion, vision, vitality, hearing, psychological, and cognitive capacities at rates of 83.2 %, 52.8 %, 50.9 %, 46.5 %, 44.9 %, and 44.0 %, respectively. Following latent class analysis (LCA), five distinct IC impairment patterns were noted, with locomotor impairment emerging as a central component across most classes. IC protective factors for persons aged 80 years and older included financial stability, being male or younger within the cohort, junior high school or higher education, being married, no smoking history, manageable comorbidity levels, minimal medication use, good sleep, and not using assistive devices. Based on these five classes, this study provides a potential practical framework alongside recommendations for IC care strategies in the oldest-old, emphasising the importance of locomotor function in maintaining the overall IC.

Development and preliminary validation of a questionnaire on the care needs of family carers of older individuals with disabilities in China: a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Ensuring the wellness of older individuals with disabilities requires prioritising the care needs of their carers. However, current practice lacks validated tools to measure the needs of carers in home environments. Thus, this study aimed to create and test a questionnaire on the care needs of family carers of older people with disabilities in China. METHODS: We used a standard development process to generate the questionnaire. The pilot testing included cognitive interviews to ensure interpretation as intended. Furthermore, we used a cross-sectional study method to conveniently select 640 Chinese family carers of older people with disabilities from August 1, 2022, to June 11, 2023, for face-to-face investigation. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) aided in project reduction and factor estimation, with 30 participants undergoing retest evaluations every two weeks. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) assessed the model's structural validity, while internal consistency and retest reliability validated its accuracy. RESULTS: These tests established the model: content validity, item analysis and EFA. Six factors extracted from the initial analysis explained 62.891% of the observation variance. CFA showed good model fit, and the questionnaire had good reliability and validity. The final questionnaire included 21 items focusing on six dimensions: care assistance (three items), care environment (three items), care information (three items), formal support (four items), care ability (six items) and self-development (two items). CONCLUSION: The care needs questionnaire effectively evaluates the needs of family carers in their caring activities.

Post-discharge care needs of the older people with hospital-associated disability: A longitudinal study.

AIMS: To investigate the change and associated factors of care needs within 6 months post-discharge in older people with hospital-associated disability, and the relationship between time-varying care needs and physical function. BACKGROUND: Older people with hospital-associated disability will have various care needs post-discharge. Understanding their care needs will help to improve their health. However, studies on this population are still limited. DESIGN: A longitudinal study. METHODS: The older people who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected in 2 tertiary hospitals in Zhejiang Province, China. The questionnaire survey method was used to collect data about socio-demographic characteristics, physical function and care needs. The data of 375 older people who completed follow-up were analysed using logistic regression analysis, generalised estimating equations and generalised additive mixed model. We followed STROBE checklist for reporting the study. RESULTS: The care needs of the older people with hospital-associated disability declined unevenly, it decreased rapidly in the first three months, and then flattening out. The percentage of people with care needs in each dimension decreased over time, but daily care and rehabilitation needs were consistently more important. Socio-demographic factors and physical function had different effects on need at different time points, the physical function was the main factor among them. There were non-linear relationships between the physical function and different care needs with different inflection points. CONCLUSION: This research revealed change patterns of the care needs of older people with hospital-associated disability post-discharge and the non-linear relationship between physical function and care needs. These findings may help healthcare professionals and caregivers to provide accurate care. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The findings can be used to identify effective approaches to address the care needs of older people with hospital-associated disability based on the time of discharge, in conjunction with age, education, and especially physical function, which will promote the justify allocation of nursing resources. What does this paper contribute to the wider global clinical community?