Dealing with daily emotions—supportive activities for the elderly in a municipal care setting

There are diverse descriptions of supportive activities in nursing to be found in the literature. What they have in common is their association with good care outcomes, but they may differ depending on the context in which the care is given. In a Swedish municipal elderly care setting, registered nurses (RN) work in a consultative way and they describe a part of their tasks as comprising supportive activities without specifying what kind of supportive activities they mean. The aim of the study was to explore the main concern of the support given by RN to a group of patients in an elderly home care setting. The study was conducted using Grounded Theory. Data were collected using nonparticipant observations regarding the supportive activities of 12 RN at the home of 36 patients between the ages of 80 and 102. Most of the home visit lasted about 40 min but some lasted for 90 min. The central category was about dealing with daily emotions. This was done by encouraging the situation and reducing the patient's limitations, but situations also occurred in which there was a gap of support. Support was about capturing the emotions that the patient expressed for a particular moment, but there were also situations in which RN chose not to give support. To develop a holistic eldercare, more knowledge is needed about the factors causing the RN to choose not to provide support on some occasions

Atopic Keratoconjunctivitis: Pharmacotherapy for the Elderly

Among the different forms of allergic conjunctivitis, atopic keratoconjunctivitis has distinct characteristics, defined by a more common onset in late adolescence or early adulthood, but also affecting the elderly, and with a higher prevalence in male individuals. However, the prevalence of atopic keratoconjunctivitis is scarcely investigated, and the data are often uncertain because other allergic nasal or respiratory disorders occur concomitantly. Mast cells, eosinophils, basophils, and T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of atopic keratoconjunctivitis. Despite its denomination as atopic, negative responses to skin tests or in-vitro immunoglobulin E tests are common. In fact, atopic keratoconjunctivitis can be attributed to a combination of T-helper-1 and T-helper-2 responses, but a higher prominence for T-helper-1 cells was found. The most common symptoms of atopic keratoconjunctivitis are bilateral ocular itching, burning, and tearing with a perennial presentation, although some patients may have seasonal exacerbations in winter or summer. Other symptoms such as photophobia, blurred vision, and mucous chewy discharge, owing to the accumulation of cells and mucin, may occur. The diagnosis of atopic keratoconjunctivitis is mainly clinical, as accepted diagnostic criteria or laboratory tests are not available. The treatment of atopic keratoconjunctivitis is aimed at controlling symptoms, decreasing relapse and exacerbations, and reducing vision loss. Therapeutic options comprise topical ophthalmic drops, including cromones, antihistamines, corticosteroids, and calcineurin inhibitors. Topical ointments are also available for corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors. Severe forms may require systemic medications including antihistamines, corticosteroids, and calcineurin inhibitors. Atopic keratoconjunctivitis therapy in the elderly does not differ from the adult population, but the occurrence of multi-morbidities and concomitant drug treatment, which are common in this age group, requires a careful evaluation to determine appropriate and personalized treatment

Immunotherapy and biologicals for the treatment of allergy to Hymenoptera stings

Introduction: Venom immunotherapy (VIT) is an effective treatment for Hymenoptera venom allergy. The occurrence of severe reactions (SRs) to VIT, although infrequent, hampers the achievement of tolerance to insect stings. Risk factors for such reactions include allergy to honeybee venom, concomitant mast cell disorders, and the build-up phase of VIT. A role for omalizumab has come forward in recent years. Areas covered: This article reviews the available literature on the efficacy of omalizumab in preventing SRs and allowing the attainment of VIT maintenance doses. Pre- and co-treatments with omalizumab were evaluated, with positive overall results. Adding omalizumab to VIT in patients with SRs generally results in tolerance to VIT, thus restoring its precious preventive value. Expert opinion: VIT is effective for patients with Hymenoptera venom allergy and is recommended to prevent further (possibly fatal) reactions to stings. Omalizumab has shown efficacy in protecting patients from VIT-related SRs, particularly in those at high risk of SRs because of mast cell disorders and/or honeybee venom allergy. Notwithstanding, the accepted dose and time course of omalizumab for achieving tolerability and ensuring safety during VIT are not yet defined. In the future, other biologicals may play a role in preventing SRs during VIT