RGP COVID-19 Update April 15, 2020

Early Mobilization

1. COVID-19 and Mobilization in Older Adults Living with Frailty (PDF) - Evidence-based recommendations and curated resources to help frail older adults remain active indoors. *New RGP Resource*

2. Stretch, Lift, or Tap (SLoT) - How Older Adults Can Stay Active Indoors (PDF) - A practical resource for frail older adults who are unable to leave their living spaces during the pandemic. Includes suggestions for how to add more movement to a daily routine, including two mobility games.

*New RGP Resource*

Long-Term Care Tools

3. Guidance for Clients Who Wander and Require Physical Isolation (PDF) - Toronto Central BSO Coordinating office and the RGP of Toronto are pleased to jointly release this document that provides suggestions for non-pharmacological strategies that care teams can consider and implement when supporting frail older adults with dementia who are at risk due to wandering behaviour. We support an ethical approach that values person-centered care principles and gives due consideration to ruling out treatable causes of responsive behaviours.

*New RGP & BSO Resource*

4. Thinking About Removing Your Older Loved One from Long Term Care? (PDF) - A list of 25 important questions for family and friends to consider before removing their loved one from LTC. Developed by CanAge.

5. Should I go to live with family/friend or stay in my retirement/assisted living home? (PDF) - A 5-step decision aid for older adults. Developed by the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Includes personal rating exercise of harms and benefits.

Assessment & Management

6. Emergency Department Discharge of Older Adults with Viral Syndrome During the COVID-19 Pandemic (PDF) - Discharge instructions for older adults and/or their families on discharge from the ED with a viral syndrome. From The Geriatric Emergency Department Collaborative (GEDC).

7. Managing Respiratory and End-of-Life Symptoms for Frail Older Adults with COVID-19 (PDF) - Resource adapted by Baycrest and the University of Toronto with permission from BC Centre for Palliative Care Guidelines.

8. HELP COVID-19 Delirium Prevention Toolkit (HTML) - Instructions on creating a patient "toolkit" to prevent functional decline in hospitalized older adults. Developed by the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP).

9. Pallium Canada - Free, Online Modules (HTML) - Enhance your knowledge, skills, and practice in providing high-quality palliative care with these free, self-directed modules.

Virtual Care

10. Telephone-based Screening Tools for Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (HTML) - This review from Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience highlights some of the existing instruments with particular focus on data validation, cognitive domains assessed, administration time and instrument limitations and advantages.

Upcoming Webinars

11. Optimizing Transitions between Nursing Homes and EDs in the age of COVID (April 20, 2020 3:00 - 4:00pm EST) - Expert panel webinar from the Geriatric Emergency Department Collaborative (GEDC). Hear from specialists in both nursing home care and ED care about 2-3 promising models of care that are already succeeding in various settings.

12. Difficult Conversations in the Time of COVID-19 (April 15, 2020 3:00 - 4:00pm EST) - Learn how to talk to patients about advance care planning in the era of COVID-19, includes addressing the goals of care and attending to the emotions associated with the pandemic. Speaker: Dr. Robert Arnold, Founder of VitalTalk.

THE RESOURCES IN OUR COVID-19 UPDATES ARE ALSO POSTED ON OUR COVID-19 RESOURCES PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE.