Posters

Introduction Frailty is defined as a clinically recognised state of increased vulnerability, reflecting a decline in an individual’s psychological and physical reserves. Digital interventions, such as smartwatches, are increasingly utilised to monitor and support the health of older adults. Evidence on the effectiveness of digital interventions in reducing or reversing frailty is limited. This systematic review aimed to investigate the types of digital interventions tested and the resulting outcomes. Method The following databases: Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, PsychInfo and Embase were searched

Introduction Falls are a significant cause of patient harm in hospitals. Effective fall management requires timely assessment, early identification of risk factors, intervention, and thorough documentation. A quality improvement project (QIP) assessed compliance with key fall management measures through audit cycles. The second audit cycle evaluated progress following interventions implemented after the first audit. Methods A retrospective audit was conducted to assess adherence to post-fall assessment protocols. Key areas examined included timeliness of assessment, documentation of vital

Abstract Introduction Dysphagia frequently occurs in movement disorders, leading to malnutrition and aspiration. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) provides nutrition directly into the stomach, bypassing the dysfunctional swallow. However, PEG insertion is a complex decision, both clinically and ethically. Although PEG outcomes are reported in other neurological disorders, there is limited research in atypical Parkinsonian syndromes such as Multiple Systems Atrophy (MSA), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD). Insertion rates remain variable

Introduction Research has suggested that age-related hearing loss (ARHL) may increase the risk of dementia, an incurable and prevalent condition. Unlike dementia, ARHL is prevalent but undertreated and modifiable. In the absence of a cure and under the pressure of an ageing population, preventative strategies targeting dementia are crucial. This review therefore explores the association between ARHL and dementia in more depth and considers the evidence that hearing interventions such as hearing aids (HAs) may reduce the subsequent risk of dementia. Method A comprehensive search strategy was

The Mind-Body Connection: Developing integrated Old Age Psychiatry and Care of the Elderly Medicine services for people with Parkinson’s Disease: Service Development and Evaluation Introduction With approximately 17,300 new diagnoses per annum and the ageing population we are facing the ever-growing challenge of managing complexity in Parkinson’s disease (1). It is recognised that the neuropsychiatric symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are as common and at least as disabling as the motor symptoms (2). These symptoms remain under-recognised and under-treated and evidence suggests that they are

Introduction: Mobility decline during hospitalisation is common among older adults and is associated with adverse outcomes including prolonged length of stay, institutionalisation, and mortality. While physical activity and sleep are key modifiable factors influencing recovery and mobility improvement, their relationships remain underexplored in acute geriatric settings. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational pilot study involving 15 hospitalised older adults (mean age 84.9 years) admitted to an acute geriatric ward. Participants wore wrist- and thigh-worn ActiGraph wGT3X-BT

Introduction: The cornerstone of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) prevention is avoiding unnecessary indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) insertion [1]. As part of a long-term project to reduce the number of catheters, the most common inserted device used across MOE wards in our hospital, we recently undertook a project to improve planning (does it need to stay, can we remove it?) and the reliability of information reconciliation around their use. Methods: We designed a data collection tool, analysing key aspects of IUC care, measured our performance at least twice-yearly using

Decompensated heart failure is a common acute presentation to hospital amongst the frail older population (1). Treatment often involves intravenous furosemide, which is effective in inducing potent diuresis.​ However, this treatment can be associated with negative effects of hospital stay, such as hospital-associated infections, delirium and deconditioning. These risks are particularly significant for patients living with frailty, for whom admission can increase dependency, increase likelihood of readmission, and contribute to higher mortality. For many individuals with frailty, personal

Introduction: Elderly patients undergoing surgery for neck of femur (NOF) fractures are at high risk of post-operative hypotension due to reduced physiological reserve. Hypotension in this context is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and impaired recovery. Therefore, senior clinicians often pre-emptively hold angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) for 48 hours post-operatively, but this practice is inconsistently followed by resident doctors. We audited the prevalence and impact of this practice, and introduced an

Introduction Since COVID-19, Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) rates have increased nationally, including at South Warwickshire Hospital Foundation Trust (SWFT) during 2022–2023. A Quality Improvement Project (QIP), in collaboration with the Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) team, identified older adults with frailty as high-risk for receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics, which were linked to higher CDI rates and poorer outcomes. To address this, a frailty-specific antimicrobial guideline was introduced to reduce inappropriate broad-spectrum antibiotic use, particularly co-amoxiclav, and

An audit of inpatient falls - are we adequately addressing bone health? Background: Falls in older adults frequently result in osteoporotic fractures, leading to longer stays, greater dependency, and long-term morbidity. Fragility fractures are estimated to cost the UK around £4.5 billion annually. Despite these serious implications, tools like FRAX, and routine assessments such as calcium and vitamin D levels, are still underused in the inpatient setting, especially following a fall. The National Osteoporosis Guideline Group (NOGG) recommends using the FRAX tool to estimate 10-year fracture

Introduction Inpatient falls in older adults frequently lead to fragility fractures, with femoral fractures occurring in up to 82% of cases (RCP, NAIF 2023). These injuries significantly impact long-term morbidity and cost the NHS £4.4 billion annually (ROS, 2022). Despite tools like FRAX and national guidance (NOGG, 2021; NICE, 2022), bone health assessments remain inconsistently performed after a fall. Objectives To evaluate whether inpatients who fell received appropriate fracture risk assessment and bone protection in line with NICE and NOGG recommendations. Methods We conducted a

Introduction: Deconditioning remains a significant challenge for hospital inpatients, particularly the older patients. National campaigns such as “End PJ Paralysis” and “Sit Up, Get Dressed, Keep Moving” endorsed by the British Geriatrics Society, highlight the importance of maintaining mobility during hospital stays. We designed a QIP to raise awareness of deconditioning among nursing staff and resident doctors and to identify barriers preventing mobilization. Method: We conducted a QIP on a geriatric ward at Lincoln County Hospital, collecting quantitative data on the frequency of patients

Introduction Older adults living with frailty are at high risk of harm in traditional emergency care settings whilst frailty prevalence is rising. The Frailty Same Day Emergency Care (FSDEC) service at University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) was launched in January 2025 to provide rapid, specialist-led, multidisciplinary care outside the Emergency Department (ED) footprint. The aim: to assess, treat, and discharge patients on the same day, avoiding unnecessary and unwanted admissions and aligning with the NHS Long Term Plan. Method FSDEC operated as a three-month pilot within the medical SDEC

Introduction Even in “healthy” ageing, the immune system undergoes significant changes, with these immune system aberrations being collectively known as immunosenescence. These changes are complex, occurring both in the innate and the adaptive immune system, though recent focus has been on changes in the adaptive immune system due to increasing availability of highly targeted immunomodulatory drugs coming into clinical use. Managing immunosenescence is important for older adults as these immune changes contribute to their increased susceptibility to infections, poor response to vaccines

Introduction: Hospital inpatients can present as confused for a multitude of reasons, thus learning how to effectively communicate with confused patients is a key skill for medical students. Fourth year is the first clinical year at our medical school. A verbal feedback session with fourth year medical student year representatives identified confidence in communicating with confused patients as a key concern of the cohort. Methods: 40 fourth year medical students were surveyed using an online form. The students rated their confidence in communicating with confused patients on a Likert scale

Introduction. The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (OT) define OT as “supporting individuals to develop, recover, or maintain skills for daily life and personal fulfilment”. At its core there is a focus on meaningful activities and occupation-based practice. However, workforce shortages and referral changes have altered OT roles, leading to a misunderstanding and under-recognition within the Multidisciplinary-Team (MDT). In our trust this led to the need for a referral form to trigger OT involvement in patient care to be introduced in 2024. Method. An initial pilot questionnaire (n-30)

Introduction The risk of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) increases as we age, with 1 in 2 people over the age of 75 having CKD. Previous research in London found 48% of those with CKD stage 3-5 were undiagnosed. The commonest cause of death in patients with CKD is cardiovascular events. This means that timely detection of CKD is important to allow risk-stratification and monitoring of other cardiovascular risk factors, which could help improve mortality of those with CKD. This audit consists of two cycles to see whether those 75 years or older who fit the NICE CKS criteria for CKD are diagnosed

Introduction Lagan Valley Hospital is 80 bedded district general hospital offering acute medical specialty admissions. Over 70% of admissions relate to older adults (> 65 years). Previous focused audits demonstrated high prevalence of delirium and undiagnosed dementia. Chart reviews highlighted variation in completeness and quality of cognitive history taking by all members of the multidisciplinary team. Development of a cognitive history template offers potential to improve patient care. Method Survey of doctors to assess baseline confidence in cognitive history taking, audit of in-patients (

Background: Whilst working within the Older Person Medicine (OPM) department, we noted that there were many frail patients who were not having Advanced Care Plan (ACP) discussions. Our preliminary retrospective data collection showed that 39% of OPM inpatients died within a year of their admission. Patients with a Clinical Frailty Score (CFS) >/=7 or >2 admissions in the last year were at highest risk of this 1-year mortality. Aim: Our quality improvement project aimed to highlight patients in which an ACP discussion may be appropriate and therefore improve the frequency of ACP discussions and