Posters

Introduction Ageing & Frailty Standards(1) highlights the importance of identifying frailty at the earliest opportunity. A Community Rehabilitation Service is in prime position to incorporate frailty screening into the electronic healthcare record (EHCR). Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS)(2) is appropriate for this population however was not prompted within the assessment and as a result completion rates were low. The aim was to include the CFS Systematized Nomenclature of Medicines - Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) code in the template for all people aged over 65 and monitor completion rates. Methods

Key words: Anticholinergic burden, memory clinic, dementia, polypharmacy Introduction The aging UK population and increases in life expectancy are contributing to an increase in the prevalence of dementia. A high anticholinergic burden (ACB) is associated with adverse prognosis in dementia. The aim of this service evaluation was to assess the prevalence of anticholinergic medications on referral to memory clinics in Cardiff and Vale memory assessment service. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted which evaluated the referral letters of 200 new patients referred to memory

Introduction Delirium is an acute or subacute neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by disturbed consciousness, attention, and cognition. It is common among hospitalized older adults and is often underdiagnosed, which can negatively affect patient outcomes. The 4AT tool is a rapid screening instrument for delirium, particularly suited for ward-based assessments. This Quality Improvement Project (QIP) aimed to evaluate the use of the 4AT score in diagnosing delirium in inpatients and to raise awareness among healthcare providers to improve its usage. Method A retrospective analysis was

Introduction Delirium affects up to 50% of older patients (aged over 65 years) in hospital and is associated with serious consequences including greater morbidity and mortality, longer hospital stays with consequent hospital acquired complications, and an increased likelihood of hospital readmission. Early recognition prompting effective management is critical in improving outcomes for patients with delirium.  Methods  This QIP was conducted amongst Foundation Year 1 doctors (FY1) working across all wards in a busy district general hospital to improve knowledge of delirium through educational

Background Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is the gold standard for evaluating frailty and complex needs in older adults. However, a full CGA can take up to two hours to complete- an invaluable but time-intensive process. The Community Resource Team (CRT) at St Woolos Hospital, Newport, delivers swift medical and nursing assessments to acutely unwell elderly and frail patients in their homes to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions as a part of the Gwent Frailty Unit Teams. For many patients seen by CRT, a full CGA may not be required and a shorter, streamlined assessment preserving

Background Hip fractures are a common fragility fracture in older people; more than 4,000 patients with a hip fracture in Wales were submitted to the National Hip Fracture Database in 2024. Survival rates have improved in recent years, however while women are twice as likely to sustain a hip fracture than men, the risk of dying is greater for men who sustain a hip fracture. Methods We conducted a retrospective comparison of the demographics, care received and outcomes across sex in patients with hip fracture in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board in 2024. This included pre-existing

Introduction Inpatient falls remain a major healthcare challenge, with an average rate of 6.6 per 1,000 occupied bed-days in NHS England and Wales hospitals. Prevention of falls during hospital stay based on identifying and managing the modifiable risks are challenging. Multifactorial falls risk assessment and prevention action plan (MFRA FPAP) is a proforma booklet adopted by ABUHB. Methodology The initial QIP (2022–2024) revealed incomplete and poor-quality MFRA. Falls champions were introduced for a period of time, it showed an improvement, but was not sustained. Due to a rise in in-patient

Background and Objectives: Knowledge of social history and functional baseline is of paramount importance in Geriatric Medicine. Often a lack of adequate history leads to poor treatment outcomes in patients with advanced frailty. At our hospital, we have tried to identify the possible areas of improvement in collateral history documentation and designed a short and objective proforma that allows any doctor to take a detailed collateral history for geriatric patients. Methods: Data was collected retrospectively from notes of 30 patients in the Geriatric Medicine wards. This data was compared

Introduction Sarcopenia, a progressive and generalised skeletal muscle disorder involving the accelerated loss of muscle mass and function, is a significant geriatric syndrome associated with numerous adverse health outcomes, including increased falls, frailty, disability, hospitalisations, and mortality. Despite its high prevalence, particularly in older adults, sarcopenia often remains under diagnosed in routine clinical practice, especially in outpatient settings where early detection and intervention are crucial for preventing progression and improving patient quality of life. Method 1

Background: There has been success in implementing frailty education for healthcare professionals, but there remains a need to improve the knowledge and skills of researchers and healthcare professionals to develop, implement and evaluate frailty-focused research. This paper describes how the Australian Frailty Network developed and evaluated a virtual community of practice (VCOP), a proven model for fostering knowledge mobilisation, to support researchers and healthcare professionals in advancing frailty research and practice in Australia. Methods: A survey of prospective members sought to

Background: Legionnaires’ disease, a form of atypical pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophila, can present without respiratory symptoms, particularly in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. While commonly associated with contaminated water sources and travel-related exposure, community-acquired cases without typical respiratory symptoms can be easily overlooked. Early recognition and targeted therapy are crucial to reduce morbidity and mortality. Case Presentation:A 78-year-old male, ex-smoker, with known COPD, Chronic kidney Disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and

Background: At Epsom and St. Helier, patients are referred to the SDEC (Same Day Emergency Care) Pathway for the organisation of an Ultrasound Doppler of their lower limbs based on their presentation to Accident and Emergency with lower limb swelling, pain, and an elevated D-Dimer. This has resulted in inundation of a dedicated ultrasound service, with wait times for scan up to 10 days. Aim: To review the DVT Pathway of outpatient referrals to the Medical Assessment Unit (SDEC) at St. Helier Hospital, To audit the outcome of DVT referrals to the SDEC department from Accident and Emergency, and

Introduction: Falls are common in people living in care homes (CHs). London Ambulance Service (LAS) data indicated four out of the ten London CHs with the highest conveyance to hospital were in Lambeth and Southwark. Secondary care and community services were unable to provide prompt consultation and address educational needs of staff required to prevent and manage CH falls. Method: The Lambeth and Southwark CH Falls Prevention group was established in 2022 by local care partnerships to explore ways to improve the approach to falls. Following an audit of falls-related service gaps, a Care Home

Abstract Content: Introduction: Emerging and increasing frailty often goes unidentified, and families living with dementia and frailty are missing vital opportunities to receive the right support at the right time. People living with frailty are less able to adapt to stress factors such as acute illness, injury, or changes in their environment, personal or social circumstances, leading to adverse health outcomes and an earlier loss of independence. Method: We have developed a unique and innovative National frailty Consultant Admiral Nurse service to address this concern. This service was

Abstract Content: Introduction: Emerging and increasing frailty often goes unidentified, and families living with dementia and frailty are missing vital opportunities to receive the right support at the right time. People living with frailty are less able to adapt to stress factors such as acute illness, injury, or changes in their environment, personal or social circumstances, leading to adverse health outcomes and an earlier loss of independence. Method: We have developed a unique and innovative National frailty Consultant Admiral Nurse service to address this concern. This service was

Abstract Content : Introduction: Emerging and increasing frailty often goes unidentified, and families living with dementia and frailty are missing vital opportunities to receive the right support at the right time. People living with frailty are less able to adapt to stress factors such as acute illness, injury, or changes in their environment, personal or social circumstances, leading to adverse health outcomes and an earlier loss of independence. Method: We have developed a unique and innovative National frailty Consultant Admiral Nurse service to address this concern. This service was

Introduction: The global prevalence of Parkinson's disease, a common neurodegenerative disorder, is rising. Most people with Parkinson's live in low- and middle-income countries, where accessing healthcare is challenging. A growing body of literature has investigated the distribution and experience of Parkinson's disease in Tanzania, yet there remains a need to understand access to healthcare for the condition in this setting. This study aims to qualitatively explore the experience of accessing healthcare for Parkinson's disease in northern Tanzania's Kilimanjaro region. Method: Twenty-seven

Introduction: The older population are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases, requiring more frequent hospital admissions, therefore, in University Hospital of Wales there is a dedicated Older Persons Acute Medical Unit (OPAMU). The OPAMU, opened in 2023, admits frail patients directly from the Emergency (ED) and Acute Medicine (AM) Departments for comprehensive geriatric assessment before discharge or onward hospital stay. Main objective: To understand how our patients felt throughout different steps of their journey to the OPAMU. Secondary objective: To assess how the patient

INTRODUCTION In the recent falls guidelines, multidomain interventions are recommended for people with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD)[1]. Walking aids improve local balance and stability, increase confidence and reduce mechanical effort associated with walking[2], however walking aid use is associated with recurrent falls in PD[3]. This study aimed to understand pre-fall activity and environmental fall risk in fallers and the differences associated with walking aid use. METHODS An online survey was developed to evaluate retrospective falls in adults ≥60y. 117 PwPD responded to the survey. The

Background Shared decision making (SDM) is supported by NICE, the Royal College of Surgeons, General Medical Council and protected through legislation. Evidence continues to be produced to support the use and implementation of SDM prior to elective surgery, however, little work appears to have been done in the emergency surgical setting. Decision making prior to emergency surgery can be complex, especially for older patients with increasing frailty whose risks from surgical intervention are higher than the general population. SDM in this context therefore has substantial importance. This is a