Recently, NIDUS Multi-PI Dr. Sharon Inouye and several colleagues published a new article entitled 'The Modified and Extended Hospital Elder Life Program: A remote model of care to expand delirium prevention'. Dr. Tamara Fong was lead author. Read the background, methods, results and conclusions in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

2023 Summer Workshop on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Disparities

The Hopkins’ Economics of Alzheimer’s Disease & Services (HEADS) Center, Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (JHAD-RCMAR), and Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions (HCHDS) are co-organizing a workshop, Tuesday, June 6 – Wednesday, June 7, 2023 in Baltimore, MD. Application deadline: January 17, 2023. Learn more and apply now. 

Hopkins’ Economics of Alzheimer’s Disease & Services (HEADS) Center: Call for 2023-24 Pilot Project Proposals

The Hopkins’ Economics of Alzheimer’s Disease & Services Center stimulates and brings together population-based research that identifies, quantifies, and addresses economic- and care systems-related challenges posed by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The HEADS Center expects to competitively award up to $200,000 in pilot awards (funds up to $50,000 per grant available). Letter of Intent (optional) deadline: January 3, 2023. Full proposal deadline: February 1, 2023. Learn more and apply.

Researchers at the Marcus Institute and University of Michigan will receive over $13 million to study the delirium  prevention in Older Adults. The new PCORI-funded study will focus on the efficacy of family caretaker support in reducing delirium risk. NIDUS Multi-PI Sharon Inouye says,  "More than 2.6 million older adults develop delirium in the U.S. each year, often leading to loss of independence, considerable health care costs, and distress for patients and families. We are thrilled to receive support from PCORI to determine if caregivers could provide extra support in combating delirium.”

Read the full article here.

The AARP and the GEDC (Geriatric Emergency Department Collaborative) have collaborated on two short educational videos about dementia care and delirium risks in in hospitals and the ER. Designed to educate and raise awareness of delirium and dementia, 'the videos provide key information and action steps that healthcare providers and caregivers can take to reduce risks to brain health.' These videos were also supported by West Health and The John A. Hartford Foundation, You can watch both videos on the AARP website.

Recently, Dr. Sharon Inouye spoke with VJDementia. The site published several short videos on several delirium-related topics. Among them are topics like 'Screening for delirium in individuals with dementia' and 'Biomarkers of delirium incidence and severity.' Click the image below for the full series of clips.

Join us for the virtual AGS CoCare®: HELP Special Interest Group Meeting hosted by GSA on Tuesday, October 11th at 4pm ET - Click here to register now
(Please note: you do not have to be a GSA member to attend the SIG meeting.)

We will be talking about how sites got their HELP programs started, overcame barriers, and have successfully sustained their program implementation. We will have presentation from Lyn Weinberg, MD from Allegheny Health Network and Molly Anderson from Maine Medical Center.

Dr. Rich Jones recently updated our Adult Delirium Measurement Info Cards. One of the major updates is the addition of COSMIN ratings. To view the newly updated cards, visit the Info Cards page.

The American Delirium Society’s 2023 Annual Meeting Conference Planning Committee is requesting proposals for Symposia, Workshops, and Panel Discussions for next annual meeting that will be held in Providence, RI from June 11-13, 2023.

The characteristics of a Symposia, Workshop, and Panel Discussion are described in the ADS 2023 Conference Submission guide, available on ADS website. All sessions are 60 minutes in duration. Please click on the link below to submit your proposal and complete all sections.

Proposals will be considered until September 26, 2022 at 11:59PM EST.
Link to Submission Site: https://americandeliriumsociety.org/events/ads-conference-2023/

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) Imbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Collaboratory (U54AG063546) was established in 2019 to build the nation’s capacity to conduct pragmatic clinical trials (ePCTs) of non-pharmacological interventions embedded within health care systems to improve the care of people living with AD/ADRD and their care partners.

The NIA IMPACT Collaboratory will fund up to two Demonstration Projects (maximum duration 18 months) designed as full-scale, Stage IV effectiveness ePCTs (based on the NIH Stage Model) that test, measure, and evaluate the effect of a care delivery intervention program in a health care system for people living with AD/ADRD and their care partners. The goal of the Demonstration Project is to generate evidence on effective care delivery practices that can be expanded and/or implemented in other systems. The IMPACT Collaboratory will give preference to applications for Demonstration Projects that address dementia care for populations historically marginalized or underrepresented in clinical trials and those that promote health equity.

Delirium Central is a newly-launched, delirium-focused website. Maintained by Dr. Sharon K. Inouye and the Aging Brain Center team at the Marcus Institute for Aging Research, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, the site offers delirium resources for clinicians, researchers, patients, and family members. In addition, the site cross-links with NIDUS II.

Delirium Central's vision is promoting a world where delirium prevention and healthy brain aging are realities for all. The major goals of this new initiative is "to inspire and engage the medical and research community to address issues of delirium and healthy brain aging as global priorities."

Explore Delirium Central today.

Registration is Now Open! The National Institute on Aging/American Geriatrics Society (NIA/AGS)  Webinar for Early Career Researchers is being held Thursday, June 30 from 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET. For early career researchers and anyone else who would like to attend, NIA representatives will provide an overview of the various divisions within NIA and available opportunities for funding. Along with a Q&A session and breakouts, you won’t want to miss this. Click here to view the agenda.

Application Now Available for Joint AGS/NIA Conference – Overview of the Resilience World – State of Science

We are excited to announce that the first R13 Bench-to-Bedside conference in a three-part series, “Overview of the Resilience World – State of Science,” will be held at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, DC from Wednesday, October 12 to Thursday, October 13, 2022. Sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the American Geriatrics Society (AGS), this conference will provide attendees with a broad overview of resilience and set the stage for the remaining two conferences in the series. The primary focus will be to explore areas of commonalities and differences with respect to the conceptual frameworks and research approaches for physical, cognitive, and psychosocial domains of resilience. Click here to view the preliminary agenda.

Apply to attend by TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2022!

The National Institute on Aging Butler-Williams Scholars Program is accepting applications for their 2022 cohort now.

The Butler-Williams (B-W) Scholars Program provides a powerful pathway for early-career scientists to expand their networks, advance grant writing skills, and gain a broader understanding of the science NIA conducts and supports. Early Career Scientists who are new to the field of aging may gain more knowledge about aging research as well as health disparities research in aging. It includes scientific presentations and small group activities related to the life course of aging, including: the biology of aging; genetics and Alzheimer's disease; and health, behavior, and aging.

Researchers from diverse backgrounds, with disabilities and/or who have an interest in health disparities research are encouraged to apply.

Application details can be found here. Applications are due April 15, 2022.

For more information about the program’s benefits, check out this post from the NIA Blog.

Are you committed to improving health and aging? Are you interested in learning about policymaking to increase your impact?

If so, we invite you to apply to join the next class of Health and Aging Policy Fellows!

As a Health and Aging Policy Fellow, you have the opportunity to join a dynamic community of 166 Fellows who are committed to improving health and quality of life for older Americans.

The one-year Fellowship runs from October 1 – September 30 and has full-time and part-time tracks. It is conducted as a hybrid program of mentoring, networking, learning and practicum experiences. Health and Aging Policy Fellows work across diverse fields of aging. They develop lifelong partnerships and networks. Individually and collectively they are improving the lives of older adults around the country.

Learn more about Fellows' recent placement experiences and accomplishments.

Apply here!

As part of the Healthy Longevity Global Competition, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) is accepting applications for the 2022 cycle of its U.S.-based Catalyst Awards. Applications will be accepted from January 17, 2022, through February 28, 2022, at 11:59 pm EST. Up to 25 innovators will each receive a cash prize of $50,000 plus travel costs to attend the annual Global Innovator Summit in 2023.

To help address the world’s rapidly aging population, the NAM launched the Healthy Longevity Global Competition: a three-phase awards program designed to identify and support bold, innovative, and potentially breakthrough ideas to improve health as people age. The Catalyst Awards reward exciting new or early-stage projects that have the potential to advance the field of healthy longevity and extend the human healthspan—in turn allowing individuals to live more enriching lives and stay active in their communities, families, and the workforce well into their later years.

Eligible projects aim to improve the mental, physical, or social health and well-being of individuals and can focus on any stage of life, as long as they ultimately promote health for people as they age.

US-based individuals and teams from all fields, backgrounds, industries, and specialties are encouraged to complete the simple 2-page application to be considered for a $50,000 prize. In addition to the winners, all applicants advancing to the final stages of the Catalyst Award review process are automatically considered for subsequent funding in the form of an Accelerator Award, the second phase of the Global Competition, worth $150,000 to more than $1 million USD.

For inspiration, check out the winners of the previous rounds of NAM Catalyst Awards, who have backgrounds in public service, computer science, clinical medicine, biomedical research, public health, and more.

To learn more, check out our 2021 informational webinar for prospective applicants, guidelines for submission, and our FAQ. For any other questions, please contact catalystawards@nas.edu with the subject line “Question – NAM Catalyst Awards.”

The NAM’s US-based Catalyst Award competition is part of a global initiative to extend the human healthspan. There are a number of Catalyst Award competitions worldwide that are open to innovators in over 50 countries and territories!

Apply today for a chance to share your innovative idea with the world – and transform the future of aging!

Give your career the Butler-Williams boost this summer!

Patricia Jones, Director, Office of Special Populations

Attention early-stage investigators and junior faculty: Would you like to take your aging research career to the next level? The NIA Butler-Williams Scholars Program provides powerful pathways to expand networks, advance grant writing skills, and gain a broader understanding of NIA science.

The 2022 Butler-Williams Scholars Program will be held virtually August 23-25, and the application deadline is April 15. Read the full blog post.

Visit NIDUS Bibliography at https://deliriumnetwork.org/bibliography/

Effect of aWard-Based Program on Hospital-Associated Complications and Length of Stay for Older Inpatients The Cluster Randomized CHERISH Trial

Alison M. Mudge, MBBS, PhD; Prue McRae, BPhty, MPhil; Merrilyn Banks, PhD; Irene Blackberry, PhD; Sally Barrimore, MNutrDiet; John Endacott, MBBS; Nicholas Graves, PhD; Theresa Green, RN, PhD; Gill Harvey, PhD; Ruth Hubbard, MBBS, MD; Sue Kurrle,MD, PhD;Wen Kwang Lim, MBBS, MD; Karen Lee-Steere, BSci(OccThy); Phil Masel, MBBS; Shaun Pandy, MBBS; Adrienne Young, PhD;
Adrian Barnett, PhD; Sharon K. Inouye, MD, MPH

To read the full article please visit: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2788060 

Dear Colleague,

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) released the Prevention, Early Identification and Treatment of Delirium in Older Adults Targeted PCORI Funding Announcement.

This funding announcement is seeking to fund high-quality, comparative effectiveness research (CER) projects that focus on the prevention, early identification, and treatment of delirium in older adults. PCORI will accept applications that propose rigorous multisite randomized controlled trials or robust well justified observational prospective studies. Applicants can propose to compare the effectiveness of single and multicomponent non pharmacologic interventions, pharmacological and/or nonpharmacological combination interventions. Applications focused on the needs of underserved, underrepresented, or historically excluded populations within hospital and long- term care settings are encouraged. Applicants will be asked to propose well-justified outcomes that are clinically meaningful and considered important by patients and/or their caregivers.

We invite you to review the funding announcement on our website for details and register for a town hall on January 24, 2022, at 12:00 pm (ET) where researchers and stakeholders will learn more about PCORI’s funding announcement on delirium.

Exciting news: UB-CAM App is now up and available in the Apple store (for the iPhone)!

UB-CAM Delirium Screen 

The Pennsylvania State University

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ub-cam-delirium-screen/id1591656740

Congratulations to Michael Devinney, MD, PhD, of Duke University School of Medicine on being awarded a FAER GEMSSTAR grant in 2021! Titled "The Association of Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown with Sleep Apnea and Postoperative Delirium," download Dr. Devinney's project abstract to learn more.

https://files.constantcontact.com/bc079eb3601/1a2c9923-6976-4a26-b263-be40b552c54f.pdf 

The Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program is currently in the recruitment cycle for its 15th cohort of Fellows. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 15, 2022 – so I wanted to reach out to encourage you to apply!

The year-long Health and Aging Policy Fellows program (www.healthandagingpolicy.org) offers a unique opportunity for professionals in health and aging to receive the experience and skills necessary to make a positive contribution to the development and implementation of health policies that affect older adults. The program is funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies, and West Health Policy Center. Fellows represent a wide range of disciplines across all career stages, and there are now 166 Fellows and Alumni around the country making a difference in the world of health policy in exciting and dynamic ways.

Please feel free to contact the HAPF National Program Office as well at hapfell@nyspi.columbia.edu with any questions and to discuss this opportunity in further detail.

The US Deprescribing Research Network (USDeN) seeks applicants for its Junior Investigator Intensive Program in Deprescribing Research.  The program will create a cohort of emerging leaders who are committed to pursuing research training and collaborative opportunities related to deprescribing

Full Application Due: Feb 1, 2022

Click here to read more about the JII RFA. 

What is deprescribing research and why is it important?

There is increasing recognition that use of some medication, especially as people get older or more ill, can cause more harm than good. Optimizing medication through targeted deprescribing is a vital part of managing chronic conditions, avoiding adverse effects and improving outcomes. The goals of deprescribing include reducing medication burden and maintaining or improving quality of life. Yet, there is a dearth of strong research evidence to guide clinical practice and inform shared clinical decision-making relevant to deprescribing.

What is the Junior Investigator Intensive Program?

The program has 3 main components:

1. Scholars will attend a special additional workshop at the 2022 US Deprescribing Research Network Annual Meeting (May 11, 2022, in Orlando, FL in conjunction with the AGS annual meeting) that is focused on career development, networking, and collaborative research opportunities for early-stage investigators interested in deprescribing.
2. Scholars will attend monthly “work-in-progress” meetings, a core curriculum, and other activities over the year that offer a mix of opportunities to get feedback on your research from colleagues and senior researchers and discussion of collaborative research projects in which scholars can participate (and help lead).
3. Scholars will have access to other aspects of the US Deprescribing Research Network such as attendance at webinars, consultations, and a variety of other resources. Scholars will be expected to attend the USDeN Annual Meeting and most of the monthly web-based meetings during the year.

Benefits of participation in the Junior Investigator Intensive

• Access to core resources and expertise of the US Deprescribing Research Network
• Get feedback on your research at virtual works-in-progress webinars and participate in collaborative research projects
• Attendance at the US Deprescribing Research Network Annual Meeting Session focused on Junior Investigators.
• Networking with both senior and junior colleagues interested in deprescribing for older adults

Who should apply to the Junior Investigator Intensive?

• MD, PhD, PharmD or equivalent degree (e.g., DO, DPT)
• Evidence of commitment to research in a field relevant to deprescribing
• People who have the time and interest to commit to the above-described activities
• The intended audience is early-stage faculty and qualified fellows/trainees/doctoral students or people in equivalent positions. While applications from other qualified people are also welcome, preference will be given to applicants who are in earlier stages of a research-focused career (e.g., up to 5 years in a research-oriented faculty position, not yet received an R01 or tenure).
• People outside the U.S. are welcome to apply
• Prospective applicants may apply to the USDeN Junior Investigator Intensive program and/or, separately, the USDeN Pilot Grant program.  Individuals are permitted to receive both, and applications to either program do not affect consideration for the other.

Dear colleague,

Dr. Maura Kennedy and colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital are conducting a qualitative research study about the implementation of delirium-related initiatives in emergency departments. If you have a program related to delirium identification, management and/or prevention, she would love to speak with an individual from your institution who was involved in implementing this program. Additional information about this study can be found here. If you were involved in program implementation, please consider participating in this study – you can contact Dr. Kennedy at mkennedy8@partners.org or can sign up for an interview at https://calendly.com/isantangelo1/deliriumqualprogram. If you were not involved in program implementation but do have a delirium-related program in your emergency department, please consider forwarding this email to someone who was involved in its implementation.

Thank you!

The RCoA and British Journal of Anaesthesia are pleased to announce a series of webinars available to our members on how to optimise your reading of the medical literature.

These webinars will feature members from our international editorial team and their guests including authors, experts and fellows addressing topics such as how to read the literature, the editorial process, and journal club discussions of important articles appearing in the BJA.

This Webinar addresses hot topics in Perioperative delirium based on recent publications in the British Journal of Anaesthesia and other high impact journals moderated by BJA editor Dr Michael Avidan.

Chairs: Hugh Hemmings and Michael Avidan, BJA

Speakers:

• Sharon Inouye, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Aging Brain Center at the Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife
•  Joyce Yeung, Associate Clinical Professor of Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Warwick
• Bradley Fritz, Instructor of Anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Book now

This webinar is in collaboration with NIDUS (Network for investigation of Delirium: Unifying Scientists)

The US Deprescribing Research Network's virtual annual meeting will be held on May 27 from 11am - 2pm ET / 8am-11am PT. Sessions will include an interactive fireside chat with Kedar Mate (President and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement), presentation of new research on deprescribing, stakeholder perspectives, and thematic small group breakouts to promote networking and sharing of ideas for scholarship in this field. For more information and to register, visit https://deprescribingresearch.org/network-activities/annual-network-meeting/

Our next session will feature Dr. Karin Neufeld, and how she used NIDUS resources to advance her systematic review and meta-analysis on use of antipsychotics in delirium, published recently in Ann Intern Med. Dr. Dale Needham was the senior author, who will join as the Moderator/Discussant at this session. Join the NIDUS investigators and NIA in this important session that will help you advance your career. Don’t miss out!

Here are the details:
Title: Use of the NIDUS Resources to Advance Research: A Real World Example
Who: Karin Neufeld, MD, MPH
When: Thursday, March 25, 12-1pm EST
Zoom link: https://psu.zoom.us/j/898303397
Phone: +1 312 626 6799 (US Toll), Meeting ID: 898 303 397

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) will accept applications for the 2021 cycle of Healthy Longevity Catalyst Awards from January 25 through March 8, 2021. Up to 24 innovators will receive a cash prize of $50,000 plus travel costs to attend an international Innovator Summit.

The NAM Catalyst Awards will reward bold, new, potentially transformative ideas to improve the physical, mental, or social well-being and health of people as they age, in a measurable and equitable way. The NAM seeks innovative approaches that aim to extend the human healthspan, especially approaches that challenge existing paradigms or propose new methodologies or concepts.

The application process is uniquely simple – a 2-page proposal is all it takes to be considered for this one-of-a-kind award. The competition is open to U.S. residents or institutions of any background or discipline. For inspiration, check out the winners of the inaugural round of NAM Catalyst Awards, announced in October 2020.

The NAM Catalyst Awards are part of a larger, global competition available in over 50 countries and territories. The goal of this multiyear, multi-million-dollar contest is to accelerate progress in the growing field of healthy longevity. Ultimately, one or more Grand Prize(s) of up to $5 million will be awarded for the achievement of a breakthrough innovation.

Apply today for a chance to share your innovative idea with the world – and transform the future of aging!

The Del-COrS research group is currently looking for volunteers including patients, family members, carers, healthcare professionals and researchers with experience of delirium in palliative care.

Participants would complete two online surveys to establish their views on the outcomes that are important to include in future studies of interventions to prevent or to treat delirium in palliative care. We will subsequently invite participants to a meeting to discuss the findings and vote on outcomes they consider important.

Please contact abb526@york.ac.uk if you are interested in participating.

The US Deprescribing Research Network has 2 open opportunities!

Pilot and Grant Planning Awards - applications are now being accepted (deadline is January 22). Up to $60K per proposal for projects related to deprescribing research,  For more information, see https://deprescribingresearch.org/network-activities/grant-opportunities/

Junior Investigator Intensive - applications are now being accepted (deadline is February 1). This year-long virtual program is designed to advance the scholarship and career development of fellows, junior faculty, and other early-stage investigators interested in a research career that involves deprescribing research.  For more information, see https://deprescribingresearch.org/request-for-applicants-for-a-junior-investigator-intensive-program-in-deprescribing-research/

A new study by Dr. Franchesca Arias and Dr. Sharon Inouye showed older adults who live in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods are two times more likely to experience delirium after surgery than their counterparts from more affluent communities. Read the full press release here.

The NIDUS Pilots and Innovation Task Force announces two new pilot grants to advance innovation in delirium research. The goal is to provide funding for investigation into innovative areas of delirium research and support research on priority areas. From a pool of over 40 applications, these two grants have been selected for funding during Year 5.

NIDUS is thrilled to partner with a new group of researchers to further the field of delirium research. We look forward to sharing news about their studies and outcomes.

Joseph Hippensteel, MD | University of Colorado
Potentiation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPAR) by highly-sulfated chondroitin sulfate: a novel contributor to sepsis-associated delirium

Kimberly Oosterhouse, PhD | Loyola University Chicago 
Computable Phenotyping of Delirium: Analyzing the Unstructured Data

The Mobility Action Group (MACT) and Change Package were developed to provide a conceptual framework, road map, and step‐by‐step guide to enable mobility teams to implement mobility programs successfully and meet their mobilization goals. The MACT and Chage Package provides an innovative approach emphasizing system wide change that can help catalyze a culture of mobility in hospitals across the nation, improving the quality of care for hospitalized older adults. Read the full article here.

The NIDUS Pilots and Innovation Task Force announces four new pilot grants to advance innovation in delirium research. The goal is to provide funding for investigation into innovative areas of delirium research and support research on priority areas. From a pool of over 40 applications, these four grants have been selected for funding during Year 4.

NIDUS is thrilled to partner with a new group of researchers to further the field of delirium research. We look forward to sharing news about their studies and outcomes.

Sean Barnes, MD | Johns Hopkins School of Medicine 
Neurofunctional Outcomes and Biomarkers of Postoperative Delirium in Children after Cardiac Bypass Surgery

Sangil Lee, MD | University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Machine Learning Algorithm to Predict Delirium from Emergency Department Data

Michael Reznik, MD | Brown University
Validating the Fluctuating Mental Status Evaluation: A Novel Delirium Screening Tool for Critically Ill Patients with Stroke

Ravikanth Velagapudi, PhD | Duke University
Profiling Postoperative Neuroinflammation in a Mouse Model of Delirium Superimposed on Parkinson’s Disease

"Most shockingly, delirium is often unrecognized. Studies have shown that in affected persons, that delirium is only recognized by about 1/3 of physicians and nurses."

Listen or watch the conversation.

"Rather than designating delirium as a “never event” for hospitals, Medicare could offer incentives for the use of proven strategies for preventing it — such as ensuring early mobility, reducing use of bed or chair alarms, minimizing use of psychoactive drugs, and providing adaptations for vision and hearing impairment — in order to motivate change."

Read more from Dr. Inouye's NEJM Perspectives piece here: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1910499

The NIDUS Delirium Research Hub has now been listed as one of the NIH's Open Domain-Specific Data Sharing Repositories! Make sure to submit your delirium study to the Hub!

The death of a child, at any age, is one of the most – if not the most – stressful life events a person can go through. Bereavement is associated with severe health, social, and economic consequences – but sparse legal and social supports exist to protect grieving parents.

The authors of the newest NAM Perspectives commentary state that bereavement care in the United States is broken, and call for evidence-based research into the prevalence and outcomes of bereavement and how to best mitigate the adverse short- and long-term outcomes of coping with bereavement. The authors believe there is much that can be done to address this crisis, and that it must be approached with sensitivity and attention as we care for those who have experienced the profound loss of a child. Read more: https://doi.org/10.31478/202001e

New Wall Street Journal article featuring Dr. Sharon Inouye and Dr. Wes Ely out now! Read more about the ways to combat delirium here.

A new randomized controlled trial in JAMA Internal Medicine has demonstrated the effectiveness of the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP), this time in an adapted, tailored format. The HELP Program reduces delirium and functional decline in hospitalized older adults through daily interventions, many of which are performed by volunteers.

This study enrolled 281 surgical patients at a hospital in China and compared a group receiving a tailored version of the HELP program (t-HELP) to a group receiving usual care with no HELP program. T-HELP included non-pharmacological interventions completed by family members (instead of volunteers) trained by nursing staff. Results demonstrated the effectiveness of this t-HELP format, as occurrence of delirium was only 2.6% in the t-HELP group while 19.4% in the usual care group. And even further, patients who received t-HELP program had greater recovery (both cognitive and functional) one month after surgery compared to the usual care group.

This is a very important study, as in China, family members are frequently involved in care of older persons but hospitals often do not utilize volunteers. This study demonstrates that HELP can be adapted to fit a variety of institutional formats. Read more about the study here: https://scienmag.com/family-members-can-assist-in-preventing-post-operative-delirium-by-as-much-as-16-8/ 

Dr. Inouye's interview, "Delirium, Dementia, and the Brain", is featured in The Harvard Mahoney Neuroscience Institute Letter!