Greetings!

Welcome to the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing's May 2009 eNewsletter featuring articles, reference materials, useful links, calendar of events and other best practice information on the care of older adults.

This eNewsletter is sponsored by ConsultGeriRN.org.

ConsultGeriRN.org is the authoritative geriatric clinical nursing website of the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, New York University College of Nursing and the NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) program, (www.nicheprogram.org). ConsultGeriRN.org contains evidence-based protocols and topics for nurses and other healthcare professionals on the care of older adults. Content is updated regularly.

How has ConsultGeriRN.org helped you? We would like to know!

Older Americans Month originated in May 1963 as "Senior Citizen's Month" with a presidential proclamation by President John F. Kennedy. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter officially changed the name to what we recognize it today as, "Older Americans Month." Historically, Older Americans Month has been a time to acknowledge the contributions of past and current older persons in our country. Each year the Administration on Aging (AoA) issues a theme for Older Americans Month to assist the National Aging Services Network of state, tribal, area agencies on aging, and community services providers plan for activities that might take place in May or throughout the year.

From The Administration on Aging (AOA)
May is Older Americans Month, a great time to bring attention to the issues that affect older adults and create community-wide opportunities to help older Americans improve their quality of life. This year's theme is "Living Today For a Better Tomorrow," and we, as a nation, must work together to give older adults the tools they need to make healthy decisions.

By 2030, one in every five Americans will be age 65 or older. Although the risk of disease increases with advancing age, poor health is not an inevitable consequence of aging. Many illnesses, disabilities and even death associated with chronic disease are preventable.

Nearly 40% of deaths in America can be attributed to poor health habits such as lack of physical exercise, poor eating habits and smoking. Older Americans can prevent or control chronic disease by adopting healthy habits such as exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet and ceasing tobacco use.
To learn more, visit the Administration on Aging website, www.aoa.gov.

The goal of palliative care is "to prevent and relieve suffering and to support the best possible quality of life for patients and their families regardless of the stage of disease". But did you know that patients over 80 referred for palliative care consultation have fewer interventions for pain, nausea, anxiety and other symptoms, and persons 65 and over often have under-treated or untreated pain and other symptoms? Learn more about "Palliative Care" with references and resources by visiting ConsultGeriRN.org.

NICHE Web Based Learning Series Presents:

"The Never Event Series: The Experts Respond"

Dr. Boltz receives prestigious Fagin Fellowship!

The Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test-Geriatric Version (SMAST-G) is often used in outpatient settings to detect "at-risk" alcohol use, alcohol abuse, or alcoholism in older adults. As the number of older adults in the United States grows, those who develop problems of abuse and a dependence on alcohol will grow as well. The availability of accurate, easy-to-use screening tools to detect people in need of counseling can increase the number of older adults whose lives can be improved and even lengthened.

The How to Try This:® series is funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation to the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University's College of Nursing in collaboration with the American Journal of Nursing (AJN). This initiative translates the evidence-based geriatric assessment tools in the Try This Assessment Series into cost-free, web-based print and video resources, for caring for older adults. This series can be viewed, downloaded, and shared without any fees. Articles may be printed and copied for educational use without copyright fees. View more information

The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at NYU's College of Nursing has recently launched its revised gerontological nursing certification review course for nurses who intend to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Gerontological Nurse Certification Examination. The course is updated with new, state-of-the-science material addressing key clinical information and issues central to caring for the highly specialized needs of older adults. The course also reviews financial, social, political, and cultural issues that affect nursing care for the elderly. It is organized to reflect the revised ANCC examination outline, is designed for nurses who care for older adults in hospitals, nursing homes, or home care settings and is useful to any practicing nurse, nurse faculty, or student wanting to acquire fundamental knowledge of geriatric nursing care.

The Gerontological Nursing Certification Review Course was revised based on a two-day workshop created by Sharon Stahl Wexler, PhD, RN, BC. It is designed for self-paced study; the estimated time for completion is 10 hours. To access the course users must register with the Hartford Institute site. The cost of the course is $150 for 10 contact hours, and the continuing education certificate is available to print online.
Discounts are available for educational institutions and hospitals participating in the Hartford Institute's NICHE Program. Contact certreview@hartfordign.org for more information.
Learn more about the new On-line Gerontological Certification Review Course

Mathy Mezey, EdD, RN, FAAN
Professor and Director
Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing
New York University College of Nursing

As nurses and as predominantly women, we tend to focus on our work and on our families. In so doing, we often neglect our friendships and our social needs. But several new studies suggest that friendships are a good buffer to health generally and to health in old age specifically. These benefits accrue to both women and men, and occur with friends you see often and those who live some distance away. Friendships appear to be associated with both big and little improvements in health. An article in the NY Times (April 20, 2009) summarizes several studies about the benefits of friendship. One study found that older people who have a large number of friends are less likely to die than those with fewer friends. A second article cited indicated that friendships can improve brain health as people grow old. And a third study found that people with friends have fewer colds. So help your older patients stay healthy by encouraging them to keep up old friendships and to look for ways to make new friends.

Sarah Greene Burger, RN-C, MPH, FAAN
Senior Advisor on Special Projects, Hartford Institute

Many of us are used to teaching nurses and administrators, but not accustomed to transferring knowledge to CNAs or those who are delivering care at the bedside. On May 12th 2009 at 3:00 pm (ET), Advancing Excellence Nursing Home Campaign will sponsor a webinar that will focus on strategies and techniques for effective teaching and learning in this group. View the flyer for more information or register online. Handouts will be posted by May 9th.

Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes is a voluntary campaign designed and managed by a steering committee that is made up of a coalition of twenty-eight organizations. These national organizations represent providers, professionals, consumers, workers, regulators and funders. Seven of the eight geriatric nursing organizations in the Coalition of Geriatric Nursing Organizations (CGNO) are members of the steering committee, assuring a strong nursing presence in decision making and national effort.