Geriatrics

A

• Advanced Dementia - Infections Hand Feeding and Comfort Focused Care

  For advanced dementia, emphasize comfort, avoid burdensome interventions that do not improve outcomes, prioritize careful hand feeding, and discuss limits of antibiotics and hospitalization.
• Advanced Dementia — Feeding Decisions & Goals

  In advanced dementia, tube feeding does not improve survival, prevent aspiration pneumonia, or heal pressure injuries. Offer 'comfort feeding only' and align with goals of care.
• Anticoagulation for Atrial Fibrillation in Older Adults - Shared Decision Making

  Balance stroke and bleeding risks using validated tools, consider falls in context, select agent by kidney function and interactions, and engage in shared decisions.
• Aspiration Prevention in Dysphagia - Positioning and Feeding Strategies

  Use swallow screening, safe positioning, texture modifications, and oral hygiene; avoid routine feeding tubes in advanced dementia for aspiration prevention.
• Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Older Adults - Avoid Unnecessary Antibiotics

  Do not treat bacteriuria without urinary symptoms except in specific situations; avoid routine urine testing for nonspecific changes in status.

B

• Benzodiazepine Deprescribing — Protocols & Alternatives

  In older adults, prioritize deprescribing BZDs due to falls, cognitive impairment, and delirium risk. Use slow tapers (5–10% q2–4 wks), CBT‑I/CBT‑A, and safer alternatives; coordinate across prescribers.

C

• Constipation in Older Adults - Bowel Regimen and Opioid Induced Constipation

  Begin with fiber fluids and activity when appropriate; use osmotic agents then stimulants, and add peripherally acting mu antagonists for refractory opioid induced constipation.

D

• Delirium Superimposed on Dementia - Nonpharmacologic Prevention and Care

  Recognize acute change from baseline, search for precipitants, and use multicomponent nonpharmacologic measures; reserve antipsychotics for dangerous agitation.

E

• Elder Abuse & Neglect — Screening & Reporting

  Recognize physical, emotional, financial abuse, and neglect. Screen sensitively, document carefully, ensure safety, and follow mandatory reporting laws.

F

• Falls Clinic — Multifactorial Interventions

  Reduce falls via exercise (balance/strength), medication review, vision/footwear optimization, orthostatic hypotension management, and home hazard reduction.
• Falls in Older Adults - Risk Assessment and Prevention Bundle

  Screen routinely, review medications, check orthostatic vitals and gait, and implement strength balance training plus home safety modifications.

G

• Goals of Care - Serious Illness Conversations with Older Adults

  Use structured conversations to elicit values, prognosis understanding, and care preferences; document code status and align treatments with goals.

H

• Hearing Loss — Evaluation & Hearing Aids

  Differentiate conductive vs sensorineural loss; treat reversible causes and refer for amplification or implantable devices. Address communication strategies and safety.
• Hip Fracture in Older Adults - Early Surgery and Co Management

  Early surgical repair with collaborative co management, delirium prevention, analgesia with regional techniques, and early mobilization improves outcomes.

M

• Malnutrition in Older Adults — Screening & Repletion

  Screen routinely; treat with protein‑energy repletion, micronutrient correction, and address causes. Beware refeeding syndrome in high‑risk patients.

O

• Orthostatic Hypotension in Older Adults - Evaluation and Management

  Confirm with standardized measurements, correct volume and medications, use nonpharmacologic measures, and add midodrine or fludrocortisone when needed.
• Osteoporosis in Older Adults - Fracture Prevention and Bisphosphonate Therapy

  Assess fracture risk with bone density and calculators, optimize calcium and vitamin D, initiate antiresorptive therapy when indicated, and address fall prevention.
• Osteoporosis — Anabolic Therapies & Fracture Liaison

  For very high‑risk patients (multiple/vertebral fractures or very low T‑scores), start anabolic therapy (teriparatide, abaloparatide, romosozumab) then transition to antiresorptive to maintain gains.

P

• Pain Management in Older Adults - Nonopioid First and Dose Adjustment

  Start with nonpharmacologic and nonopioid options, use the lowest effective doses with renal and hepatic adjustment, and monitor closely for adverse effects.
• Polypharmacy - Deprescribing Using STOPP START Approach

  Systematically reconcile medications, identify potentially inappropriate drugs, and deprescribe using shared goals and monitoring.
• Polypharmacy — Anticholinergic Burden Reduction

  Systematically reduce anticholinergic load and inappropriate meds using tools (Beers, STOPP/START, ACB scale). Substitute safer alternatives and monitor outcomes.
• Pressure Injury Prevention - Turning Nutrition and Moisture Management

  Identify at risk patients, use repositioning schedules, offload pressure, optimize nutrition and moisture control, and avoid devices that concentrate pressure.

T

• Transitional Care — High‑Risk Discharges

  Structured transitional care lowers readmissions: risk stratify, reconcile meds, schedule follow‑up within 48–72 h, ensure teach‑back education, and provide 24/7 contact.
• Transitions of Care - Medication Reconciliation and Follow Up

  Perform accurate medication reconciliation at each transition, provide clear discharge instructions, arrange timely follow up, and communicate with caregivers and outpatient clinicians.

V

• Vision Impairment — Cataracts, Macular Degeneration Supports

  Address reversible causes (cataracts), provide AMD‑specific care, and connect to low‑vision services and supports for independence and safety.