Josh Allen

The NICHE geriatric resource nurse model: improving the care of older adults with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

There are an estimated 5.3 million Americans with Alzheimers disease, and as the population ages, that number is expected to reach 7.7 million by the year 2030. Older adults with Alzheimers and other dementias are 3.1 times more likely to have a hospital stay than those without the condition. The Nurses Improving Care to Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) geriatric resource nurse (GRN) model is a proven framework to prepare acute care hospital registered nurses to care for this special population of older adults. This article addresses the NICHE/GRN model and its implementation at Palomar Pomerado Health.

Falls: Why They Matter and What You Can Do

Falls are a leading cause of serious injuries in older adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 3 adults aged 65 years and older falls each year. Approximately half of all people residing in nursing homes fall each year. Falls are the leading cause of injury death and also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma for this population. In 2009, 2.2 million nonfatal fall injuries among older adults were treated in emergency departments, and more than 581,000 of these individuals were hospitalized. Twenty to 30% suffer moderate to severe injuries, such as hip fractures or head traumas, which affect their ability to live independently and increase their risk of early death. The death rates from falls among older adults have risen sharply over the past decade. Many older adults who fall, even if they are not injured, develop a fear of falling that may cause them to limit their activities. A reduction in physical activity can lead to reduced mobility and loss of physical function that in turn increase the risk of falling. Reducing fall risk in older adults is an important public health concern. According to the American Geriatrics Society, most falls are caused by problems with walking, coordination, and balance. Falls among older adults are rarely due to a single cause and are often a result of multiple factors. The risk of falling increases as the number of risk factors increases. There are numerous risk factors for falls in older adults including:

AALNA News, Notes, and Updates

We at the American Assisted Living Nurses Association have been busy over the past few months. We are preparing for our 6th annual national conference, which will be held in Long Beach, California, on Saturday, October 9. This year’s conference features an outstanding lineup of presenters who will lead stimulating discussions on the challenges facing assisted living nurses, with an emphasis on practical solutions to realworld challenges. We have also been fortunate to welcome 3 new members to the AALNA Board of Directors. Before we talk more about our new board members and the conference, the entire AALNA family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Kathleen McDermott, our immediate past president. Kathleen served AALNA from 2007 to 2010 as both a board member and president. During that time, she led the organization through a significant growth in membership and 2 successful national conferences. But we did not let Kathleen go too far, as she continues to be actively involved in the New Jersey AALNA Chapter.