BOSTON — The proportion of nursing home residents with advanced dementia and eating dependency who received feeding tubes decreased by approximately 50% between 2000 and 2014 according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Researchers from the Harvard Medical School affiliated Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research (IFAR), Brown University’s Center for Gerontology and Health Care Research and University of Washington’s Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence conducted the study.

Investigators reviewed data on more than 71,000 advanced dementia residents in nursing homes across the U.S. From 2000 – 2014, researchers found that the proportion of residents receiving feeding tubes declined from 11.7% in 2000 to 5.7% in 2014. Among white patients, insertion rates declined from 8.6 to 3.1% while rates in black patients declined from 37.6-17.5%. For both cohorts, the proportion of residents with advanced dementia and eating dependency who received feeding tubes decreased by approximately 50% between 2000 and 2014.

According to Susan L. Mitchell MD, MPH, lead author of the study and Director of Palliative Care Research at IFAR, “This decline parallels the emergence of research, expert opinion, and recommendations by national organizations discouraging this practice.” In the future, to ensure that expert recommendations are disseminated and racial disparities are reduced, researchers argue that fiscal and regulatory policies are needed to discourage tube-feeding and promote a palliative approach to feeding problems for people with dementia.

This study was supported by NIH-NIA P01AG02729. Dr. Mitchell is supported by NIH-NIA K24AG033640.

About Institute for Aging Research

Scientists at the Institute for Aging Research seek to transform the human experience of aging by conducting research that will ensure a life of health, dignity and productivity into advanced age. The Institute carries out rigorous studies that discover the mechanisms of age-related disease and disability; lead to the prevention, treatment and cure of disease; advance the standard of care for older people; and inform public decision-making. The Aging Brain Center within IFAR studies cognitive aging and conditions affecting brain health.

About Hebrew SeniorLife

Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is a national senior services leader uniquely dedicated to rethinking, researching and redefining the possibilities of aging. Based in Boston, the non-profit, non-sectarian organization has provided communities and health care for seniors, research into aging, and education for geriatric care providers since 1903. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit https://www.hebrewseniorlife.org, follow us on Twitter @H_SeniorLife, like us on Facebook or read our blog.

BOSTON – Though seniors with type 2 diabetes (T2D) tend to have normal or higher bone density than their peers, researchers have found that they are more likely to succumb to fractures than seniors without T2D. In a new study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, researchers from Hebrew SeniorLife's Institute for Aging Research found older adults with type 2 diabetes had deficits in cortical bone--the dense outer surface of bone that forms a protective layer around the internal cavity-- compared to non-diabetics. The findings suggest that the microarchitecture of cortical bone may be altered in seniors with T2D and thereby place them at increased risk of fracture.

Participants in this study included over 1,000 member of the Framingham Study who were examined over a period of 3 years. High resolution scanning allowed researchers to determine that many older adults with diabetes had weakness specific to cortical bone microarchitecture that cannot be measured by standard bone density testing.

Osteoporotic fractures are a significant public health problem that can lead to disability, decreased quality of life, and even death - not to mention significant health care costs. Risk of fracture is even greater in adults with T2D, including a 40 - 50% increased risk of hip fracture - the most serious of osteoporotic fractures.

"Fracture in older adults with type 2 diabetes is a highly important public health problem and will only increase with the aging of the population and growing epidemic of diabetes. Our findings identify skeletal deficits that may contribute to excess fracture risk in older adults with diabetes and may ultimately lead to new approaches to improve prevention and treatment," said Dr. Elizabeth Samelson, lead author of the study.

Researchers hope that novel studies such as this will help to revolutionize the area of bone health, especially for older adults. It is important to follow screening guidelines for bone density testing, but better understanding of all the factors that affect bone strength and the tendency to fracture is needed.

This study was supported by the National Institute of Arthritis Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award R01AR061445 and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study under Contract N01-HC-25195, HHSN2682015000011. Additional support was provided by Friends of Hebrew SeniorLife and Investigator Initiated Studies Program of Merck, Sharp, & Dohme.

About Institute for Aging Research

Scientists at the Institute for Aging Research seek to transform the human experience of aging by conducting research that will ensure a life of health, dignity and productivity into advanced age. The Institute carries out rigorous studies that discover the mechanisms of age-related disease and disability; lead to the prevention, treatment and cure of disease; advance the standard of care for older people; and inform public decision-making. The Musculoskeletal Center within IFAR studies conditions affecting bone, muscle, and joint health with aging.

About Hebrew SeniorLife

Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is a national senior services leader uniquely dedicated to rethinking, researching and redefining the possibilities of aging. Based in Boston, the non-profit, non-sectarian organization has provided communities and health care for seniors, research into aging, and education for geriatric care providers since 1903. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit http://www.hebrewseniorlife.org, follow us on Twitter @H_SeniorLife, like us on Facebook or read our blog.

BOSTON – Hebrew Rehabilitation Center is among the 21 percent of skilled nursing facilities in the United States that have been recognized as a Best Nursing Home for 2020-21 by U.S. News & World Report.

Hebrew Rehabilitation Center’s Rehabilitative Services Units, in Boston and at NewBridge on the Charles in Dedham, MA, earned Best Nursing Homes status by achieving ratings of “High Performing,” the highest possible rating for short-term rehabilitation. U.S. News gives the designation of Best Nursing Home only to those organizations that satisfy U.S. News & World Report’s assessment of the appropriate use of key services and consistent performance in quality measures.

Now in its 11th year, the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Nursing Homes ratings and profiles offer comprehensive information about care, safety, health inspections, staffing, and more for nearly all the nation’s 15,000+ nursing homes. The Best Nursing Homes ratings reflect the magazine’s exclusive analysis of publicly available data using a methodology that evaluates factors it has determined most greatly impact patient and resident care, safety, and outcomes. This year, to accompany the new ratings, nursing home profile pages were updated to include a patient safety summary that reflects COVID-19 data alongside other measurements of safety.

Explore the rating for the Rehabilitative Services Unit at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-Dedham or at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-Boston. 

“We pride ourselves on keeping our patients safe, especially during these challenging times,” said Mary Moscato, President, Hebrew SeniorLife Health Care Services and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center. “The fact that U.S. News & World Report chose to name us as ‘High Performing’ is a tribute to all of our dedicated staff providing high quality care in a safe and welcoming environment. They are the backbone and heart of our organization.”

About Hebrew SeniorLife
Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is a national senior services leader uniquely dedicated to rethinking, researching, and redefining the possibilities of aging. Based in Boston, the nonprofit organization has provided communities and health care for seniors, research into aging, and education for geriatric care providers since 1903. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit http://www.hebrewseniorlife.org or follow us on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Boston, MA - Hebrew Rehabilitation Center’s skilled nursing units are ranked as high performing and recognized as Best Nursing Homes for 2024 by U.S. News & World Report.

The Rehabilitative Services Units at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston and at NewBridge on the Charles in Dedham both have overall ratings of 5 out of 5 and have short-term rehabilitation ratings of high performing. 

“This well-deserved designation recognizes the outstanding efforts of the multidisciplinary teams on our Rehabilitative Services Units who provide the highest quality care and help older adults achieve what matters most to them — restoring function after a hospitalization so they can return to the community and continue to age and live well,” said HSL Chief Medical and Quality Officer Ernest Mandel, M.D. 

The U.S. News Best Nursing Homes Short-Term Rehabilitation, Long-Term Care and Overall ratings offer individuals and families a starting point in their search for a nursing home, whether they are in need of short-term rehabilitation, long-term care or are interested in a home’s overall care. To help find the best match for a loved one, U.S. News evaluated more than 15,000 facilities throughout the country and rated most of them in two different areas, short-term rehabilitation and long-term care.  For 2024, ratings were determined by nurse staffing, patient outcomes and whether steps known to be effective in avoiding harm and improving health were built into nursing home routines.

About Hebrew SeniorLife

Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is a national senior services leader uniquely dedicated to rethinking, researching, and redefining the possibilities of aging. Hebrew SeniorLife cares for more than 4,500 seniors a day across six campuses throughout Greater Boston. Locations include: Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-Boston and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-NewBridge in Dedham; NewBridge on the Charles, Dedham; Orchard Cove, Canton; Simon C. Fireman Community, Randolph; Center Communities of Brookline, Brookline; and Jack Satter House, Revere. Founded in 1903, Hebrew SeniorLife also conducts influential research into aging at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, which has a portfolio of more than $85 million, making it one of the largest gerontological research facilities in the U.S. in a clinical setting. It also trains more than 1,000 geriatric care providers each year. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit our website or follow us on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Hebrew Rehabilitation Center is among the elite 16 percent of skilled nursing facilities in the United States that have been recognized as a Best Nursing Home for 2022-23 by U.S. News & World Report.

Hebrew Rehabilitation Center’s Rehabilitative Services Units in Boston and at NewBridge on the Charles in Dedham earned Best Nursing Homes status by achieving ratings of “High Performing,” the highest possible rating. 

The annual Best Nursing Homes ratings, now in their 13th year, assist prospective residents and their families in making informed decisions in consultation with their medical professionals about where to receive short-term or long-term nursing home care, according to U.S. News.  Only 16 percent of U.S skilled nursing facilities earned the “Best Nursing Home” designation this year.

For 2022-2023, U.S. News rated more than 15,000 nursing homes on care, safety, infection rates, staffing and health inspections. For the first time, the Best Nursing Homes ratings feature a new measure on weekend staffing and another new measure on infection rates that led to hospitalizations.

Explore the rating for the Rehabilitative Services Unit at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-Dedham and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-Boston.

“We are pleased that U.S. News & World Report chose to name Hebrew Rehabilitation Center as ‘High Performing,’” said Mary Moscato, President, Hebrew SeniorLife Health Care Services and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center.  “Our staff strives to keep our patients safe by providing high quality care in a healthy and welcoming environment.”  

About Hebrew SeniorLife
Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is a national senior services leader uniquely dedicated to rethinking, researching, and redefining the possibilities of aging. Hebrew SeniorLife cares for more than 3,000 seniors a day across six campuses throughout Greater Boston. Locations include: Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-Boston and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-NewBridge in Dedham; NewBridge on the Charles, Dedham; Orchard Cove, Canton; Simon C. Fireman Community, Randolph; Center Communities of Brookline, Brookline; and Jack Satter House, Revere. Founded in 1903, Hebrew SeniorLife also conducts influential research into aging at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, which has a portfolio of more than $63 million, making it the largest gerontological research facility in the U.S. in a clinical setting. It also trains more than 1,000 geriatric care providers each year. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit our website or follow us on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.