Geriatrics

Background: Advancing age is frequently associated with balance impairment, increased fall risk, and psychological distress, which together contribute to loss of independence and reduced quality of life. Yoga, as a mind–body practice, has the potential to enhance physical stability as well as mental well-being in older adults. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a structured yoga program on balance, fear of falling, mobility, and mental health outcomes among older adults. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest–post-test study was conducted at Nagpur, India. A total of 64 eligible participants (65–85 years) were purposively assigned to a yoga intervention group (n = 32) or a waitlist control group (n = 32). The 12-week intervention comprised preparatory exercises, yoga postures, breathing practices, and meditation. Outcomes assessed at baseline and post-intervention included balance, fear of falling, mobility, depression, and anxiety. Results: Data from 50 participants (yoga: n = 26; control: n = 24) were analyzed. The yoga group showed significant improvements in balance (p < 0.001) and functional mobility (p < 0.001), with significant reductions in fear of falling (p = 0.009), anxiety (p = 0.0003), and depression (p = 0.004). In contrast, the control group exhibited deterioration in functional mobility (p = 0.001) and anxiety (p = 0.009), with no significant gains in other measures. Between-group comparisons confirmed significantly greater improvements in the yoga group across all outcomes. Conclusions: A 12-week yoga program was feasible and effective in improving balance, functional mobility, and mental health, while reducing fear of falling among older adults. Yoga may serve as a safe, non-pharmacological intervention to promote healthy aging in institutionalized populations. Trial registration: This study was prospectively registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of India (Registration No: CTRI/2023/10/058682; Registered on: 16 October 2023).

Background/Objectives: This pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of applying the Beers criteria in the community pharmacy setting and aid pharmacists in identifying and emphasizing adverse effects from potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) for older adults. Methods: We applied a single-center retrospective study to collect demographic and outcome data in order to analyze dispensed PIMs for older adults. We used an evaluation tool to compare warnings between pharmacy dispensing software and the Beers criteria. Descriptive statistics were computed via standard statistical software. Results: Culled from a random selection of 215 patients, the medical records from 50 subjects ≥65 years old were reviewed, including 440 of their medications. Our data demonstrated that 96% of subjects were dispensed at least one PIM, with a total of 34 different PIMs distributed at varying frequencies. A comparative analysis indicated that 74% of dispensed medications had similar, but not identical, warning profiles presented in the dispensing software and Beers criteria. Anticholinergic burden of dispensed PIMs indicated that older adults were at risk of falls and delirium. By supplementing the dispensing software with Beers criteria, we were able to create clinical communication notes for providers, patients, and pharmacy students to emphasize the role pharmacists can play to minimize PIM’s adverse effects on older adults. Conclusions: Our data indicates the feasibility of implementing the Beers criteria in the community pharmacy setting. Integrating the dispensing software warnings with Beers criteria created a structured intervention strategy to prevent potential adverse effects and develop clinical communication notes to emphasize a more engaging role that the community pharmacy setting can play to optimize therapeutic outcomes for older adults.

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors and is associated with a high mortality rate, especially in aged patients. Immunotherapy is an effective method for treating lung cancer, particularly when used in combination with other treatments like chemotherapy. One of the types of immunotherapy is the use of autologous immune cells that are pre-activated before injection back to a patient. The effectiveness of this type of immunotherapy is determined by the specificity of its action on cancer cells through the activation of immune cell, e.g., lymphocytes. However, this treatment is not extensively used in elder patients due to higher risk of complications. On the other hand, in those aged patients who suffer from late stage cancer, the immune-cell based immunotherapy may come as a last resort. In this study, we present a clinical case of a 63-year-old patient with advanced-stage lung cancer and CT-confirmed infiltration of the left main bronchus. Treatment of the patient with immunotherapy using autologous activated lymphocytes combined with tomotherapy resulted in prominent improvement and decreased size of the malignancy. This positive effect was accompanied by a decrease in the number of circulating tumor cells in the blood. The patient was treated in May-June 2024 and is still alive with good condition as of August 2025. We conclude that combined treatment is a reliable option for selected aged patients with advanced-stage lung cancer.