Intrinsic Capacity Assessment by a Mobile Geriatric Team During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Frontiers in Medicine

Matteo Cesari¹  Robin Baré²  Sandra De Breucker²  Camille Nicolay²  Davide Angioni³  Frédéric Vandergheynst⁴ 

[1] Geriatric Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy;Hôpital Erasme, Service de Gériatrie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium;Hôpital Erasme, Service de Gériatrie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium;CHU Toulouse, Service de Gériatrie, Toulouse, France;Hôpital Erasme, Service de Médecine Interne, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium;

关键词: COVID-19;    older adults;    intrinsic capacity;    decision-making;    mobile geriatric team;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fmed.2021.664681

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

In the autumn of 2020, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hit Europe. In this context, because of the insufficient number of beds in geriatric COVID units, non-geriatric wards were confronted with a significant number of admissions of geriatric patients. In this perspective article, we describe the role of a mobile geriatric team in the framework of the COVID-19 pandemic and specifically how it assisted other specialists in the management of hospitalized geriatric patients by implementing a new approach: the systematic assessment and optimization of Intrinsic Capacity functions. For each patient, assessed by this consultative team, an individualized care plan, including an anticipated end-of-life decision-making process, was established. Intensity of care was most often not stated by considering chronological age but rather the comorbidity burden, the frailty status, and the patient's wishes. Further studies are needed to determine if this mobile geriatric team approach was beneficial in terms of mortality, length of stay, or functional, psychological, and cognitive outcomes in COVID-19 geriatric patients.

【 授权许可】

CC BY