Pandemic effect on the elderly and their caregivers

COVID-19 pandemic forced governments to enact mobility restrictions to contain the spread of infection. Elderly, especially those with co-morbidities, are highly susceptible to infections. Hence, reverse quarantine measures have been enacted to protect the elderly. The barriers in social connectedness have an impact on the mental and physical well-being of the elderly. Stress, anxiety, anger, confusion, depression, and suicidal tendencies are reported among the elderly kept in social isolation. Apart from the elderly, their family caregivers also go through similar physical and psycho-social stress. Many times, the caregivers are also having additional responsibilities of childcare and homeschooling during the pandemic time. The authors outline the various intricate issues and dimensions of the pandemic's effect on the elderly and their caregivers. Various feasible strategies to address these multidimensional problems faced by the elderly and their caregivers during the pandemic time, like mobile-based mindfulness meditation training, spiritual support, telephone-based psychotherapy, telehealth services, physical exercise promotion, and social support measures, are recommended.

Emergency department referrals from a provincial medical call centre: Is it more than just 1-800-go-to-emerg?

ABSTRACTObjectiveHealthLine is Saskatchewan's provincial 24-hour health information and support telephone line. A proportion of HealthLine's callers are referred to the emergency department (ED) for further assessment. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the appropriateness of these referrals and assess whether they increased the burden on an already strained ED system.MethodsA list of callers referred from HealthLine to Saskatoon EDs from January 1, 2014, to March 31, 2014 was obtained. This list was cross-referenced with Saskatoon Health Region registration data to determine which of those callers had been registered in one of the three Saskatoon EDs within 48 hours of the original call.ResultsDuring the 90-day time period in question, 707/3,938 (17.9%) of callers were referred by HealthLine to the ED. Out of those referred, 601 were identifiable and 358 attended the ED. Hospital charts were pulled for full data extraction and analysis of the 276 who met inclusion criteria. Of those who presented to the ED and met inclusion criteria, 60% had investigations performed while 66% received some form of treatment. The overall admission rate for the patient population studied was 12.0% v. 16% for non-referred patients. Referred pediatric patients had fewer investigations and treatments with a lower admission rate compared with the adult patients.ConclusionThe Saskatchewan HealthLine is doing an effective job at directing callers both to and away from EDs in Saskatoon and not overburdening our local EDs with unnecessary referrals.

Pregnancy and Birth Survey of the Fukushima Health Management Survey

The Pregnancy and Birth Survey was started by Fukushima Medical University as part of the Fukushima Health Management Survey in 2011 in order to assess the physical and mental health of mothers and provide parenting support (telephone counseling) for those in need. The present study reviewed the major findings from 4 annual surveys conducted from 2011 to 2014. Overall proportions of preterm deliveries, low birth weight infants, and congenital anomalies in the first year were almost the same as those in national surveillance data. The prevalence of depressive symptoms among the mothers held steady at about 25% over the 4 years. Regarding the content of parenting counseling, the proportion of mothers who voiced concerns about radiation decreased each year. This survey should be continued to provide support to mothers in Fukushima.

The Use of Technology for Phone and Face-to-Face Communication After Total Laryngectomy

Purpose The purpose of this article is to describe the characteristics and experiences of individuals who use technology to support telephone or face-to-face communication after total laryngectomy. Method An online questionnaire was used to identify potential participants. Seventeen individuals met inclusion criteria and participated in an in-depth survey. They were compared with a reference group matched for age, gender, and time postsurgery who did not use these technologies. Open-ended responses were summarized. Results Compared with the matched reference group, individuals who used technology to support verbal communication had undergone more aggressive cancer treatment and used more communication methods. They were less likely to use an alaryngeal speech method, had greater difficulty over the telephone, and used more repair strategies in face-to-face communication. The 2 groups did not differ significantly in the frequency or success of their communication, however. Open-ended responses revealed great variety with regard to their reasons, purposes, and timing of technology use. Conclusions There is a subset of individuals using technology to support verbal communication very successfully after laryngectomy. Usage was not limited to those who were unable to communicate verbally and often continued long after the initial postoperative period in many settings, for various purposes, and in combination with other methods of communication.