Seidenfeld, Justine

Importance Emergency department (ED) visits for people with dementia often involve care (including the admission or discharge decision) with lasting effects on quality of life. Home time—a claims-based measure of days alive and outside of institutional care—provides a patient-centered way to assess downstream outcomes of ED care in this population. Objective To examine variations in home time following an ED visit by patient, facility, and visit characteristics among veterans with dementia. Design, Setting, and Participants This national retrospective cohort study used US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system data sources. Participants were veterans aged 65 to 110 years with dementia with an eligible Veterans Health Administration ED visit in fiscal years 2017 (October 1, 2016, through September 30, 2017) and/or 2018 (October 1, 2017, through September 30, 2018). Data were analyzed from May 1, 2024, to May 15, 2025. Exposures Patient, ED facility, and ED visit factors. Main Outcomes and Measures Home time, operationalized for modeling as days not at home in the 180 days after the index ED visit. Associations between patient, ED facility, and ED visit characteristics and home time were assessed using a negative binomial model. Results The study included 51 707 veterans with dementia (mean [SD] age, 79.9 [8.59] years; 97.6% male; 52.2% married). The mean (SD) number of days not at home within 180 days was 21.7 (34.5). Of the total cohort, 4.5% never returned home in the 180 days after their ED visit, while 18.2% had all subsequent days at home. ED admission (vs discharge) disposition was the factor associated with the largest increase in days not at home (rate ratio [RR], 3.18; 95% CI, 3.08-3.29). Patient factors associated with more days not at home included very high frailty (RR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.21-1.33), unhoused status (RR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.39-1.63), unmarried status (never married: RR, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.16-1.32]; divorced, separated, or widowed: RR, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.20-1.28]), and depression (RR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.09-1.17). Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this cohort study suggest that home time offers a patient-centered measure of post-ED outcomes for individuals with dementia. Future work should refine its application, particularly regarding the ED disposition decision, to better evaluate the long-term impact of ED care decisions.

Abstract Background People living with dementia (PLWD) face short‐term risks following emergency department (ED) visits. However, the long‐term impacts of ED visits on PLWD quality of life are not well characterized. Home time‐ days alive and outside hospitals or other care settings‐ is an emerging measure that can reflect longer‐term outcomes. We aimed to identify patient and ED visit characteristics associated with variation in home time after an ED visit. Method Retrospective observational study of Veteran PLWD with ≥1 VA ED visit between 10/01/2016 and 09/30/2018. We used VA and CMS data sources to define veteran characteristics and outcomes. Primary outcome was home time in the 180 days after an ED visit, defined as days alive and not in an ED, inpatient, post‐acute, or a nursing home setting. We used a negative binomial model to evaluate the associations between covariates and home time with VAMC‐level random effects to account for correlation among patients at the same VAMC. Result Our final cohort comprised 51,707 Veteran PLWD, predominantly male (97.6%) and white (73.0%), with mean age 79.9 (SD 8.59). Most lived in urban areas (74.4%), and 52.2% were married. Characteristics associated with reduced home time included older age (RR 1.06, 95% CI 1.05‐1.07), never married (RR 1.24; 1.16‐1.32) or divorced/widowed (RR 1.24; 1.20, 1.28), depression (RR 1.13; 1.09, 1.17), and ED visits for chronic conditions (RR 1.13; 1.08, 1.18). Female sex (RR 0.88; 0.79‐0.97) and lower clinical frailty (RR 0.79; 0.75, 0.83) were associated with more home time. Conclusion Patient and ED visit characteristics impact home time up to 180 days after an ED visit. Older, frailer, unmarried, male patients and those presenting with chronic conditions experienced reduced home time, suggesting directions for targeted interventions. Efforts such as enhanced discharge planning and addressing psychosocial factors (e.g., depression) could improve quality of life.

ABSTRACT Objectives This portion of the Geriatric Emergency Department (GED) Guidelines 2.0 focuses on delirium in the emergency department (ED). Methods A multidisciplinary group applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to assess the certainty of evidence and develop recommendations related to older ED patients with possible delirium. Results The GED Guidelines 2.0 Delirium Work Group derived six evidence‐based recommendations for risk stratification, diagnosis, and brain imaging. To reduce universal screening, the Delirium Risk Score may be used to identify older adults at low risk for delirium, though the evidence certainty is very low. In adults over 65 admitted to ED observation units, Zucchelli's risk assessment tool (threshold ≥ 4) may stratify delirium risk, also with very low certainty. For adults over 75, the REDEEM Score may be used to identify low‐ or high‐risk individuals, again with very low certainty. For diagnosis, 4AT, bCAM, CAM‐ICU, mCAM, AMT‐4, or RASS may be used to rule delirium in or out, based on very low certainty. The Delirium Triage Screen (DTS) may be used to rule out, but not to rule in, delirium, also with very low certainty. For diagnostic imaging, there is very low certainty of evidence to recommend for or against obtaining a head CT as part of the evaluation for older ED patients with delirium. All recommendations are conditional, reflecting very low certainty of evidence due to the lack of high‐quality ED‐based studies and comparative effectiveness research. Conclusion Rigorous ED‐based research is needed to strengthen evidence and guide delirium care for older adults in geriatric emergency medicine.

Abstract Background The increasing prevalence of dementia poses significant challenges for emergency department (ED) care, as persons living with dementia (PLWD) more frequently experience adverse outcomes such as delirium, prolonged stays, and higher mortality rates. Despite advancements in care strategies, a critical gap remains in understanding how ED interventions impact outcomes in this vulnerable population. This systematic review aims to identify evidence‐based ED care interventions tailored to PLWD to improve outcomes. Methods A systematic review was conducted in Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Library (Wiley), Scopus (Elsevier), and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global through September 2024. The review protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024586555). Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and quality improvement initiatives focused on ED interventions for PLWD. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers, with disagreements resolved through discussion. Outcomes included patient satisfaction, ED revisits, functional decline, and mortality. Results From 3305 screened studies, six met the inclusion criteria. Interventions included nonpharmacologic therapies (e.g., music and light therapy), specialized geriatric ED units, and assessment tools, such as for pain. Tailored interventions including geriatric emergency units and community paramedic care transitions were effective in reducing 30‐day ED revisits and hospitalizations. However, heterogeneity in study designs and outcomes precluded meta‐analysis. Risk of bias ranged from low to moderate. Conclusion This review underscores the urgent need for standardized and evidence‐based interventions in ED settings for PLWD. Approaches including multidisciplinary care models and nonpharmacologic therapies demonstrated potential for improving outcomes. Future research should prioritize consistent outcome measures, interdisciplinary collaboration, and person‐centered care strategies to enhance the quality and equity of ED services for PLWD.