Japanese Journal of Geriatrics最新文献

Aim: The increased number of older workers correlates with an increased incidence of industrial accidents, particularly falls. This study investigated falls among workers in nursing care facilities that have already implemented resident fall prevention measures.

Methods: From December 2, 2024, to January 23, 2025, a web-based survey was conducted targeting 3,547 member facilities of the Japan Association of Geriatric Health Services Facilities. The survey covered the number of facility staff, the number of fall accidents in the past year, and the age, gender, and occupation of individuals who suffered industrial fall accidents, as well as their return to work status after the accident.

Results: Of the 844 responding facilities, 91 reported 110 fall-related industrial accidents in the past year (1.63 per 1,000 people). The incidence rate increased with facility size and was unrelated to the proportion of full-time staff. The most affected age group was those in their 60s. After adjusting for age stratification within facilities, the accident rate was higher for those in their 50s (3.8 times higher), 60s (9.1 times higher), and 70s and over (8.8 times higher) than for those under 50 years old. Care workers (47%) and nurses (31%) were most frequently affected. Approximately 80% returned to the same occupation, whereas 5% retired.

Conclusions: Falls among workers in nursing care facilities increased from 50 years old, with varying incidence by occupation. To prevent fall-related industrial accidents among workers in nursing care facilities, the early detection of age-related physical and mental decline should be considered for each job type.

Aims: We examined patients with nasogastric tube who were hospitalized in a long-term care hospital from 2018-2023 to analyze the current situation and role of nasogastric tube placement.

Methods: Patients with nasogastric tube were divided into three groups; cured (n=75), transferred (n=61) and deceased (n=168).Sex, average age, length of stay, and history of aspiration pneumonia were compared between the transferred and deceased groups.

Results: Younger patients were easier to treat and their length of hospital stay became shorter. In the cured and deceased groups, 8% and 50.6% of patients, respectively, had aspiration pneumonia, which amounted to a statistically significant difference.In the deceased group, aspiration pneumonia was the direct cause of death in 41.7% of cases.

Conclusion: Although nasogastric tube placement does not involve surgery and is easy to interrupt and resume, it has many disadvantages.The enteral nutrition guidelines state that, "If tube feeding is short-term, nasal access is chosen. If it is long-term for > 4 weeks, gastrostomy is the first choice, if possible." When there is a low risk of aspiration pneumonia, short-term nasogastric tube feeding must be attempted before proceeding to gastrostomy.

Aim: The combination of sarcopenia and osteoporosis is a risk factor for frailty and fractures, which are the main causes of conditions that require long-term care. The objective of this study was to clarify the association between frailty, as measured using the Kihon Checklist (KCL), sarcopenia, and low bone mass.

Methods: A total of 521 community-dwelling older adults were recruited and frailty was assessed using the KCL. A binomial logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association between frailty and the presence or absence of sarcopenia and low bone mass, with the presence or absence of frailty as the dependent variable. In addition, the sub-items of the KCL were compared to examine the characteristics of the four groups based on the presence or absence of sarcopenia and low bone mass.

Results: Of the participants, 17.7% were frail. Only osteosarcopenia was associated with frailty (odds ratio 3.324, 95% confidence interval 1.308-8.448). Osteosarcopenia was also associated with a poor motor function, poor nutritional status, social isolation, and depressed mood.

Conclusions: The results suggest that older people with a combination of sarcopenia and low bone mass are at a high risk for frailty, as measured by the KCL, and that a comprehensive approach to their care is required that includes not only physical, but also mental, psychological, and social aspects.