Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), particularly large language models (LLMs), is being integrated into healthcare documentation, decision support, patient education, administrative workflows, and emerging agentic systems capable of initiating clinical and operational actions. While GenAI may reduce clinician burden and support person-centered care, it also introduces risks such as misinformation, algorithmic bias, privacy harms, errors of omission, and automation over-reliance. These risks may be amplified for older adults because core geriatrics care tasks, such as goals-of-care discussions, capacity-sensitive consent, polypharmacy and deprescribing, and functional and cognitive assessment in the setting of multimorbidity, may be underrepresented in training data and are high-stakes in practice. The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) convened an interdisciplinary working and writing group, reviewed relevant literature and reports, incorporated input from multiple AGS committees, and completed review and approval through AGS committee processes in March 2026. This AGS position statement translates core geriatrics principles, person-centered care, equity, shared decision-making, and promoting independence into actionable recommendations for clinicians, health systems, developers, policymakers, older adults, and care partners. Recommendations address ethical use, clinical integration and oversight, transparency and documentation, privacy protections, governance across the AI lifecycle, including pre, during, and post-deployment monitoring and accountability, and priority geriatrics use cases. GenAI should augment, not replace, clinical judgment and relational care. Responsible use in geriatrics requires transparency, clinician-in-the-loop oversight, validation in older adult populations using age-relevant outcomes, and governance safeguards to protect dignity, safety, and equity.
To evaluate the accuracy of six different artificial intelligence (AI) models in answering questions from Spain's MIR (Médico Interno Residente) exam related to Geriatrics. The performance of six AI models was analyzed by comparing their conversational responses with the official answer keys of the MIR exam. The accuracy of each model was measured based on the number of correct answers obtained for the Geriatrics questions. Due to the sample size, a descriptive analysis of the accuracy percentages was performed. The questions were grouped into specific thematic categories, and the linguistic complexity of the justified responses was analyzed using the formal application of the INFLESZ readability index. The models demonstrated a high accuracy rate: peak performance reached 97.22%, an intermediate group achieved 91.67%, and the minimum score was 83.33%. Only one clinical question (a 90-year-old patient with insomnia due to gonalgia secondary to gonarthrosis) was failed simultaneously by five of the six analyzed tools. The overall INFLESZ index ranged between 44.63 and 49.26, classifying the explanatory texts as «somewhat difficult». AI models constitute tools of remarkable reliability and potential utility for theoretical medical education environments due to their high correct answer rates. However, they exhibit evident limitations in real-world clinical practice owing to the variability of individual medical scenarios, which are not always reproducible through traditional algorithmic design. Therefore, their role in current medicine must be conceived as complementary and never as an autonomous system for diagnosis or healthcare decision-making.
Hospital information systems (HIS) are now integral to the modern healthcare domain. These systems not only record the data in the form of clinical notes but also make the whole process of patient care easy, utilising electronic prescriptions, accessing laboratory results, previous clinical records, and much more. The list of the significance of these digital systems is non-exhaustive. Despite their widespread use in clinical practice, formal education on HIS remains limited within undergraduate medical training. As a result, newly qualified doctors often enter practice with little preparation for the digital environments in which patient care is delivered. This editorial not only explores the reasons for this gap, including traditional curriculum structures, limited faculty expertise, increasing curricular demands, and the assumption that digital competencies can be acquired during clinical practice, but also intends to highlight the need for curriculum revision. It also considers the implications for physician readiness, patient safety, and quality of care, and argues that competency in HIS should be regarded as a fundamental outcome of undergraduate medical education. While core competencies are transferable across healthcare settings, the diversity of HIS adopted by different hospitals and healthcare regions presents an additional challenge, requiring clinicians to adapt to local software platforms and workflows. This also highlights the use of various software due to the market's influence.
This study presents updated regression-based norms for verbal fluency tests: "FAS," "Animals," and "Supermarket" in older Norwegian adults. By examining the potential modulating effects and putative interaction effects of age, education, and sex, we aim to investigate cognitive aging and the effects of education. The study includes 449 healthy participants, aged 70-92 years, from the NorFAST (n = 254) and HUNT (n = 195) studies. Regression-based norms for all three verbal fluency tasks were produced. Models were assessed for pertinent linear, curvilinear, or interaction effects of age, education, and sex. We compared our norms to previously published norms. The task "FAS" was predicted by education (b = 0.773, partial R2 = 0.117, p < .001) and sex (b = 1.110, partial R2 = 0.037, p < .001), and the task "Animals" was predicted by education (b = 0.313, partial R2 = 0.021, p < .01) and age (b = -0.123, partial R2 = 0.045, p < .001). Higher education and being female were associated with better performance, whereas older age was associated with poorer performance. Finally, for the task "Supermarket," we found an interaction effect between age and education (b = -0.063, partial R2 = 0.034, p < .01), but the major predictor was sex (b = 1.446, partial R2 = 0.068, p < .001). The norms were adjusted for the demographic variables that predicted the individual tasks. The illustrative norm comparison estimated similar mean performance but larger differences between the "exceptionally low" scores. The results also indicate that only processing speed declines with age, and that higher education has minimal effect on test-performance.
Population aging is increasing demand for competent geriatric care. This is the first multicenter study in Palestine to assess physician geriatric knowledge using a validated instrument (Revised Facts on Aging Quiz), providing baseline data for curriculum reform in a country with no accredited geriatrics fellowship program. 378 physicians of the Palestinian Ministry of Health completed a self-administered questionnaire covering demographics, professional level, geriatrics education, and knowledge using the validated Revised Facts on Aging Quiz. Among 378 physicians (mean age 30.17±8.07 years; 65.34% male), the mean knowledge score was 20.35±4.14 (A score of 56.5% correct, while indicating foundational knowledge, leaves a 43.5% gap in understanding, a deficit that may translate into suboptimal care for older adults, including missed geriatric syndromes and inappropriate prescribing). Knowledge was not significantly associated with age, or gender. Physicians trained in Palestine scored higher than those trained abroad (20.82±4.28 vs. 19.84±3.94; p=0.022). Scores differed by professional level (ANOVA p=0.025), with interns highest (20.90±3.93) and general practitioners lowest (18.80±4.20). Common misconceptions involved older adults' adaptability, work capacity, and depression prevalence. Overall geriatric knowledge was moderate, but prevalent misconceptions highlight significant educational deficiencies. Knowledge differed by professional level and country of medical education, suggesting both career stage and educational environment affect geriatrics competency. We recommend that Palestinian medical schools integrate a minimum of 20 contact hours of geriatrics content into existing internal medicine and family medicine rotations, including clinical exposure to well-elderly care, geriatric syndromes, and polypharmacy management.
Geriatric medicine is becoming increasingly more important in the context of demographic change. Older people frequently suffer from multimorbidity, functional impairments and complex psychosocial conditions that are often insufficiently addressed by a purely diagnosis-oriented medical approach. The primary aim of geriatrics is therefore not only the treatment of diseases but also with respect to individual goals, the preservation of independence, quality of life and social participation.This expert paper outlines the current state of geriatric care in Germany, its scientific evidence base and key challenges and future perspectives. Central elements of geriatric complexity medicine include comprehensive geriatric assessment, multiprofessional treatment concepts and cross-sectoral models of care. Numerous studies demonstrate that this approach improves functional outcomes, reduces the risk of long-term care dependency and reduces or shortens hospital stays.Despite established acute geriatric and rehabilitation structures, substantial deficits remain in nationwide access to care, financing, academic integration, research and professional training. Workforce shortages, insufficient outpatient services and the limited integration of geriatric principles into other medical specialties weaken the great opportunity that modern geriatric medicine offers for preventing the need for long-term care. At the same time, digitalization, telemedicine and innovative cross-sectoral care models offer new opportunities for patient-centered geriatric medicine.The authors advocate stronger structural and political support for geriatrics, the expansion of outpatient geriatric centers, financing systems that adequately reflect patient complexity and a stronger integration of geriatrics into research, teaching and medical education including a German Center for Geriatric Medicine with substantial involvement of geriatrics. In this way, geriatrics can make a major contribution to a sustainable, patient-centered and future-oriented healthcare system. Die geriatrische Medizin gewinnt angesichts des demografischen Wandels zunehmend an Bedeutung. Ältere Menschen leiden häufig an Multimorbidität, funktionellen Einschränkungen und komplexen psychosozialen Problemlagen, die durch eine rein diagnoseorientierte Medizin nicht ausreichend berücksichtigt werden. Ziel der Geriatrie ist daher nicht allein die Behandlung einzelner Erkrankungen, sondern, auf Basis individueller Ziele, der Erhalt von Selbstständigkeit, Lebensqualität und gesellschaftlicher Teilhabe.Das vorliegende Expertenpapier beschreibt den aktuellen Stand der geriatrischen Versorgung in Deutschland, ihre wissenschaftliche Evidenz sowie zentrale Herausforderungen und Zukunftsperspektiven. Im Mittelpunkt steht die geriatrische Komplexitätsmedizin mit dem geriatrischen Assessment, multiprofessionellen Behandlungskonzepten und sektorenübergreifenden Versorgungsmodellen. Zahlreiche Studien belegen, dass dadurch funktionelle Fähigkeiten verbessert, Pflegebedürftigkeit reduziert und Krankenhausaufenthalte verringert oder verkürzt werden.Trotz etablierter akutgeriatrischer und rehabilitativer Strukturen bestehen weiterhin erhebliche Defizite in der flächendeckenden Versorgung, der Finanzierung, der universitären Verankerung sowie in Forschung und Weiterbildung. Besonders der Fachkräftemangel, unzureichende ambulante und präventive Angebote und die mangelnde Integration geriatrischer Prinzipien in andere Fachgebiete schwächen die große Chance, die eine moderne Altersmedizin zur Vermeidung von Pflegebedürftigkeit bietet. Gleichzeitig eröffnen Digitalisierung, Telemedizin und innovative sektorenübergreifende Versorgungskonzepte neue Möglichkeiten.Die Autorinnen und Autoren fordern eine strukturelle und politische Förderung der Geriatrie, den Ausbau ambulanter geriatrischer Zentren, eine an Komplexität und Funktionalität orientierte Finanzierung sowie eine intensivere wissenschaftliche und akademische Verankerung, inklusive eines Deutschen Zentrums für Altersmedizin mit starker Beteiligung der Geriatrie. Die Geriatrie kann damit einen entscheidenden Beitrag zu einem nachhaltigen, patientenzentrierten und zukunftsfähigen Gesundheitssystem leisten.
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Older adult mentor programs offer a way for medical schools to prepare future clinicians to care for our aging population, including tools for avoiding the negative health impacts of ageism. AGE-PAIRS (Aging and Geriatrics Education: Physician Alumni Intergenerational Relationships with Medical Students) is a novel mentoring program that involves matching medical school students with older adult physician alumni mentors. AGE-PAIRS was implemented at Harvard Medical School from August 2024 to May 2025. The curriculum includes a program orientation, bimonthly structured conversations focused on four topics (Medicine: An Evolving Field, Perceptions of Aging, Retirement & A Changing Life, Addressing Ageism), and program evaluation. Evaluation included pre- and post-program surveys assessing attitudes toward aging using adapted validated instruments, student-written reflections, and students and mentor focus groups. A total of 148 medical student-mentor dyads participated in AGE-PAIRS. Satisfaction was high as 78.2% mentors and 84.3% students expressed their experience in the program was positive as opposed to neutral or negative, and 92% of mentors wished to participate again. Baseline attitudes toward aging were positive and remained stable for both mentors and students. Qualitative analysis of 242 student reflections and mentor focus groups (n = 50 mentors) highlighted themes of workforce and curricular change, the experience of aging and ageism, professional growth, and the value of intergenerational relationships. AGE-PAIRS demonstrates the feasibility of engaging physician alumni as mentors in early geriatrics education and suggests that structured intergenerational mentorship can support empathy and professional identity formation. Future work will integrate AGE-PAIRS more deeply into graded coursework, add structured mentor reflections, expand participation across all class years, and evaluate higher-level outcomes such as geriatrics knowledge, clinical performance, and interest in geriatrics careers.
Elder abuse is internationally recognized as a growing problem of the 21st century that requires urgent intervention and action. This review aimed to synthesize evidence on the prevalence and risk factors of elder abuse between 2010 and 2022. A total of 2875 articles were identified through database searches, of which 28 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis (24 cross-sectional studies, 3 prospective studies, and 1 descriptive study). Reported prevalence rates of elder abuse ranged from 2.2% to 81.2% overall, while studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic reported rates ranging from 1.6% to 44.7%. Psychological abuse was the most frequently reported form of violence. The most commonly identified risk factors included low income, low educational level, gender, disability, depression, and-during the COVID-19 pandemic-social isolation. Across most studies, individuals with lower education and women were statistically more likely to experience abuse. The findings indicate substantial variability in the prevalence of elder abuse both before and during the pandemic, with consistently high rates observed. These results highlight the urgent need for improved screening, education, and targeted interventions by healthcare and social service professionals.
Malnutrition affects more than 25% of hospitalized older adults, is often underrecognized, and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Despite European guidelines, standardized screening and management remain inconsistent across geriatric services. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to enhance healthcare staff's knowledge and practices regarding malnutrition in acute geriatric settings. A multicenter QI project was conducted in seven hospitals across five countries (France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom). An educational infographic on malnutrition was displayed for 4 weeks in acute geriatric wards, incorporating a QR code linking to national guidelines and key scientific resources. Self-rated knowledge of healthcare staff (including junior doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals) was measured via surveys administered before and after a 4-week infographic display period. Pre- and post-intervention audits of nutritional risk assessments in patient records were conducted to evaluate changes in healthcare staff behavior. A total of 237 survey responses were collected (130 pre-intervention and 107 post-intervention). Self-rated knowledge increased, with respondents reporting good/excellent knowledge rising from 33.8 to 56.1%. Awareness of malnutrition prevalence improved, with those estimating rates at ≥ 25% increasing from 44.6 to 62.3%. Changes were limited for confidence in screening (35.4-37.3%) and acting on malnutrition (35.4-39.3%), while perceived professional responsibility remained high (78.5-80.4%). Point-prevalence audits suggested increased documentation of nutritional screening across several sites. Participant comments indicated that the infographic was perceived as useful and clear. A simple infographic may help improve staff awareness of malnutrition and support geriatric nutritional care. Further efforts should focus on multimodal educational strategies, institutional support, and evaluation of long-term clinical outcomes.
Japan faces unprecedented demographic challenges as the world's most rapidly aging country, with 29.4% of the population aged ≥ 65 (2025) and projections estimating 38% by 2065. While Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is the gold standard for geriatric care, its implementation in Japan remains limited to geriatric specialists, creating a significant gap in delivering optimal care to Japan's growing older adult population. To propose an integrated model that combines the 5Ms framework (Mind, Mobility, Medications, Multicomplexity, Matters Most) with CGA to enhance accessibility, practicality, and continuity of geriatric care in Japanese healthcare systems. This position statement synthesizes evidence on CGA effectiveness and the educational and clinical utility of the 5Ms, evaluates cultural considerations in Japan, and proposes a three-tiered implementation model. The integration of CGA and the 5Ms framework creates a tiered assessment continuum that adapts to clinical contexts, facilitates team-based care, and improves quality and continuity across settings. The model supports education, quality improvement, and culturally sensitive care planning. The integration of the 5Ms and CGA offers a practical framework to formalize, connect, and strengthen geriatric care already being delivered across Japanese healthcare settings. The Japan Geriatrics Society supports this model as a guiding structure for phased implementation, workforce development, and ongoing evaluation to enhance the delivery of person-centered geriatric care in Japan.
Early detection of cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults requires accessible, automated screening tools that minimize the burden on healthcare personnel. To address this, we developed a novel, tablet-based cognitive screening tool that might be administered within the Specific Health Checkups (SHC) framework and used by Minsei-iin (Commissioned Volunteer Community Welfare Officers). Methods: We developed "Cognitive Assessment for Community-Dwelling Older Adults" (CANDIDE), a tablet-based cognitive test designed to evaluate multiple cognitive domains within eight minutes. Over a period of six months, outpatients at our hospital's memory clinic (Center for Comprehensive Care and Research on Memory Disorders, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Ōbu, Japan) underwent both the CANDIDE and the Japanese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-J). To accommodate diverse sensory needs, instructions were presented via both auditory and visual modalities. The statistical correlation between the two assessments was evaluated to determine the provisional cutoff score of the new tool. A total of 70 participants were enrolled (34 males, 36 females; mean age: 80.9 ± 6.5 years; mean education years: 11.6 ± 2.2 years). A strong positive correlation was observed between the total scores of the CANDIDE and the MMSE-J (r = 0.721, p < 0.001). Based on linear regression, the standard MMSE-J cutoff score of 24 corresponded to a CANDIDE score of 21.2. The CANDIDE might be a feasible tool for screening of cognitive decline in individuals aged 40-74. Further investigation is warranted to validate its clinical utility and cost-effectiveness within the annual SHC framework, as well as its efficacy as an objective assessment tool for Minsei-iin.
Quantifying how risk factors shape the timing of dementia onset can inform care and prevention strategies. We aimed to establish the degree to which and in whom frailty accelerates time to a diagnosis of dementia. Longitudinal data came from community-dwelling participants of the Rush Memory and Aging Project in Northeastern Illinois. At baseline, participants had data on age, education, sex, APOE ε4 status and sufficient health/functional variables to calculate a frailty index score. In a subset of participants who underwent autopsy, neuropathologic burden was quantified using a 10-item index of markers of Alzheimer's disease and mixed brain pathology. Accelerated failure time models estimated associations of frailty and age at dementia diagnosis. In 1614 participants (mean age 79.6 years, 75% female) over 23.9 years of follow-up, frailty (frailty index scores ≥0.25) was associated with 3.6% younger age at dementia diagnosis (time ratio, TR 0.96 (95% CI 0.95, 0.98)), equating to 2-3 years earlier. That association was stronger in males than females, but present across each sex, education and APOE ε4 subgroup. In the autopsy subset (n=906), frailty was associated with 9.8% younger dementia diagnosis among those who died with low neuropathologic burden (TR 0.90 (95% CI 0.85, 0.96)) but had no association in those with intermediate or high burden. Frailty appears to independently accelerate dementia onset, particularly for individuals whose neurodegenerative lesions might be insufficient to explain their dementia diagnosis. Its routine measurement in clinical practice could hold benefit for risk stratification and care.
Sarcopenia-related disability in older adults has emerged as a serious public health challenge; however, the relative efficacy of digital health interventions delivered through different technological pathways in this population remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the clinical effectiveness of different digital modalities in older adults with confirmed sarcopenia through network meta-analysis (NMA), with equal attention given to three core outcome measures: muscle strength (handgrip strength), muscle mass (skeletal muscle mass index, SMI), and physical function (Timed Up and Go Test, TUGT). A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL, and CNKI for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on digital health interventions for sarcopenia in older adults published up to February 13, 2026. Intervention nodes were pre-specified according to the core interaction mechanisms of digital interventions and classified into three categories: Real-time Feedback, mHealth Management, and Hardware-driven Monitoring. This classification scheme was pre-specified in the PROSPERO registration protocol. Two researchers independently screened the literature and assessed risk of bias using RoB 2.0. A random-effects model was applied for network synthesis and SUCRA probability ranking. A total of 8 RCTs involving 611 participants were included. Network meta-analysis showed that among digital interventions, Real-time Feedback ranked highest in improving handgrip strength (SUCRA = 80.8%) and SMI (SUCRA = 78.3%); however, it should be noted that these rankings were primarily based on indirect comparisons with a limited evidence base, and the results should be interpreted with caution. Compared with conventional health education, Real-time Feedback demonstrated a statistically significant effect on handgrip strength improvement [SMD = 0.92, 95% CI (0.40, 1.44)]; compared with habitual activities, it showed a significant effect on SMI improvement [SMD = 1.45, 95% CI (0.55, 2.35)]. Offline traditional training ranked highest for physical mobility function (TUGT, SUCRA = 98.7%), outperforming mHealth management [SMD = 0.93, 95% CI (0.39, 1.47)]; however, only 4 studies reported TUGT outcomes and related conclusions should be interpreted with particular caution. Exploratory meta-regression suggested a positive distribution trend in intervention effects with increasing duration, though this finding is for reference only given the limited number of studies. CINeMA evidence certainty was overall rated as "low" to "moderate." Digital health interventions are effective means of improving muscle mass and strength in patients with sarcopenia. Among them, Real-time Feedback ranked highest within the current limited evidence base and shows promising potential; however, it is insufficient as a definitive recommendation for the optimal intervention and warrants further validation through more high-quality RCTs. For rehabilitation involving complex mobility functions, offline traditional training retains a relative advantage, and a hybrid management model combining "online real-time feedback with offline physical guidance" may be considered in clinical practice.
Background: Aging involves several social, psychological, and biological changes, including changes in perceived energy. Within Self-Determination Theory, Subjective Vitality refers to the experience of having energy available to the self. Despite its relevance for older adults, no review has mapped how Subjective Vitality has been studied in this population. This scoping review aimed to map the literature on Subjective Vitality in older adults and identify gaps in the evidence base. Method: Following Joanna Briggs Institute guidance, five electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed quantitative articles published between 1997 and 2026 in which Subjective Vitality was assessed in samples with a mean age of 65 years or older. Of the 1915 records identified, 11 reports were included, corresponding to eight independent samples. Results: Studies were conducted in a limited number of countries, predominantly Western, and showed substantial heterogeneity across research domains. Subjective Vitality was most often assessed using the Subjective Vitality Scale, although different versions and response formats were used, and psychometric or adaptation evidence specific to older adults was limited. Potential antecedents and mechanisms included basic psychological need satisfaction, autonomy support, autonomous regulation, intrinsic goals, flow, social contacts, ego integrity, and meaning in life. Intervention studies suggested that leisure education and endurance training may support Subjective Vitality, although evidence remains limited. Conclusions: Future studies should use clearer sampling procedures, validated and well-reported measures, and stronger longitudinal and intervention designs capable of testing temporal and causal relationships.
Digital transformation in healthcare, compounded by the erosion of informal caregiving reservoirs due to low fertility, has widened disparities in access to medical services among older adults. Medical visit companion services (MVCS) offer a promising solution. This study aims to explore the key determinants and hierarchical pathways influencing older adults' willingness to use MVCS. This study employed a quantitative cross-sectional design. A multistage stratified sampling method was used to recruit older adults in Zhejiang Province, China, from January to May 2024. Drawing on Andersen's behavioral model, this study identified the determinants of older adults' willingness to use MVCS through non-parametric tests and ordered logistic regression. Shapley value decomposition and interpretative structural modeling (ISM) were employed to quantify contributions and delineate the hierarchical mechanisms of influence. The study included 494 older adults, with a mean score for willingness to use MVCS of 3.27 ± 1.23. Shapley analysis revealed that need factors (45.97%), enabling resources (30.01%), and predisposing characteristics (24.02%) collectively explained variance in utilization willingness. ISM analysis revealed a three-tier hierarchical structure: (1) direct factors, including individual accompaniment demands and need for assistance from MVCS; (2) indirect factors, such as medical visit autonomy, self-rated health status, self-rated ease of medical visits, social support, and MVCS awareness; and (3) deep-rooted factors, comprising age, education, and number of children. These elements form a hierarchical path progressing from predisposing characteristics through enabling resources and evaluated needs, to perceived needs and, ultimately, utilization willingness. Older adults' willingness to use MVCS is primarily driven by perceived needs, which are structurally shaped by indirect enabling resources and deep-rooted predisposing characteristics. To effectively enhance this willingness, interventions should leverage the institutional authority of hospitals and community centers, facilitating the transition from general awareness to explicit utilization willingness. We recommend transforming MVCS from basic accompaniment to specialized medical navigation services to augment perceived service utility. Furthermore, policy efforts should prioritize precise resource allocation for vulnerable populations, particularly those characterized by poor health and diminished informal support from fewer children.
To synthesise the principal scientific advances and professional development opportunities presented at the 21st EuGMS Congress, with a focus on findings likely to influence future geriatric practice and research priorities. Members of the EuGMS-Early-Career Geriatricians Initiative (ECGI) attended and reviewed congress sessions, including all plenary lectures, joint symposia with major European and international societies, ECGI-organised sessions, and selected Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings. A narrative, non-systematic synthesis was developed through collaborative discussion, guided by the congress theme of 'New Landscapes in Geriatric Medicine' and informed by on-demand access to recorded sessions. Key scientific contributions included advances in the management of multimorbidity, hypertension, osteoporosis, nutrition-related disorders, frailty, and sarcopenia. Emerging trial and cohort data emphasised the importance of refined assessment tools and improved risk stratification to support individualised care. Sessions consistently highlighted the value of multidisciplinary models integrating geriatrics with cardiology, endocrinology, oncology, and surgical care. Congress activities also facilitated research capacity-building through peer exchange, SIG engagement, and structured early-career initiatives, supporting methodological skill development and fostering cross-national collaborations. The scientific advances marked a pivotal moment for geriatric medicine in Europe, with biological diagnostics, personalised treatment strategies, and cross-specialty collaboration rapidly reshaping comprehensive care for older people. Translating these advances equitably will require sustained investment in geriatric workforce development and research infrastructure and represents a call to align health policy with the growing complexity of an ageing population.
Background: In older adults, multimorbidity and polypharmacy complicate medication regimens and often lead to poor adherence. Mobile health (mHealth) has been suggested as a solution to enhance medication adherence in chronic conditions. Despite the increase in smartphone usage among people aged 65 and over, there is still a lack of evidence of mHealth in this age group. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of mHealth interventions on medication adherence in older adults (≥65 years) with chronic diseases, compared with standard care or other interventions. Methods: The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews. Randomized controlled trials published from 2000 onwards were considered with no linguistic or geographical restrictions. The databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL. Methodological quality was assessed using the Revised Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomized Trials. Results: 551 records were initially identified, from which 8 randomized controlled trials published between 2014 and 2025 were included. Six of eight studies showed that medication adherence in mHealth groups was significantly higher than in controls. However, one study found benefits only in specific drug classes rather than a general improvement. Conclusions: The results of this review suggest that mHealth has the potential to improve medication adherence among older adults with chronic diseases, especially when interventions go beyond simple reminders and incorporate educational and relational components. Nevertheless, higher quality studies with larger samples and longer follow-up are needed to clarify mHealth's role in the care of this population.
The United States is experiencing rapid population aging, making geriatric oral health an increasingly important public health and clinical concern. Older adults bear a disproportionate burden of oral diseases, including dental caries, periodontal disease, edentulism, xerostomia, and oral cancer, many of which are closely linked to chronic systemic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive impairment. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on oral disease patterns and trends among older adults in the United States, with particular attention to the bidirectional relationships between oral and systemic health. It further examines the organization of oral health care delivery and financing for this population, including the roles of Medicare and Medicaid. Persistent inequities in access to preventive and restorative dental services are highlighted, especially among low-income individuals, racial and ethnic minorities, rural residents, and older adults with functional or cognitive limitations. Workforce shortages, fragmented care models, and limited integration of oral health into primary and geriatric care further exacerbate these disparities. Finally, this review identifies future directions to improve geriatric oral health, including policy reforms to expand dental coverage, integration of oral health into medical and long-term care settings, adoption of minimally invasive approaches, and strengthened interprofessional education and research. Addressing these challenges is essential to promoting healthy aging and reducing oral health disparities among older adults in the United States.
Pulmonary tumors rank among the most common thoracic diseases. Optimized therapies are critical to improve patient prognosis and quality of life. Radical surgery is risky and unsuitable for elderly frail patients or those with poor cardiopulmonary function and distant metastasis. CT-guided percutaneous lung radiofrequency ablation is a validated minimally invasive therapy with minor trauma, few complications, and rapid recovery. Existing quantitative studies mainly evaluate its therapeutic efficacy, whereas few investigate patients' distinctive psychological experiences during ablation. Sustained immobilization and treatment concerns trigger anxiety that undermines procedural cooperation and recovery. This qualitative study explores patients' perioperative feelings to provide evidence for individualized psychological interventions. To explore the authentic perioperative physical and psychological experiences of patients with lung tumors receiving CT-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation, so as to provide evidence for developing targeted perioperative nursing interventions. A qualitative descriptive design was adopted. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 14 patients hospitalized at a tertiary hospital in Nanjing from September to November 2025 who were scheduled for CT-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted to collect patients' first-hand perioperative narratives. Data were analyzed via Colaizzi's seven-step qualitative analysis procedure, with the Health Belief Model applied as the theoretical framework to categorize and interpret extracted themes. With the Health Belief Model (HBM) adopted as the analytical framework, this study extracted the authentic perioperative experiences of patients receiving CT-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for lung tumors from psychological, physical, and cognitive dimensions. Three core themes including 14 subthemes were summarized: (1) Complex ambivalent emotions, (2) Coexisting multiple physical discomforts, (3) Disease cognition and care needs. Clinical staff should fully recognize the diversified physical and psychological distress experienced by ablation patients. Standardized preoperative health education covering procedural knowledge and cooperation tips, together with stage-specific supportive care strategies, are recommended to relieve patient suffering. Given the single-center exploratory nature of this study, the findings cannot be widely generalized, and further multi-center verification is required.