More than 90% of COVID Deaths Occurring Among Elderly Adults: CDC

ABC News | Mary Kekatos

Older people have always been known to be one of the groups at highest risk of death from COVID-19, but they now make up a larger share than ever before.

As of the week ending Nov. 19, Americans aged 65 and older make up 92% of all deaths from the virus, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's the first time senior citizens have made up more than nine out of 10 deaths since the pandemic began and a drastic increase from the roughly 58% of deaths they made up in summer 2021, an ABC News analysis shows.

An infectious disease expert told ABC News the data showcases the lack of boosters received by the older population and how the impact of the disease is hitting the most vulnerable as protection mounts in the population.

"The bottom line is that age is the most powerful risk factor for COVID deaths and we've known that all along," Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, told ABC News. "At this point in the pandemic, it's not enough to just get a vaccine series. So, what it reflects is the failure of the older age group to get boosters."

As of Nov. 24, just one-third of people aged 65 and older have received the bivalent boosters, CDC data shows.

The updated booster specifically protects against the omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, currently making up about 20% of infections in the U.S.

While this percentage is higher than most other age groups, Chin-Hong said it's still quite low for a group at high risk of severe illness and death.

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A Common Treatment for Your Knee Osteoarthritis May be Making it Worse, Studies Say

CNN | By Madeline Holcombe

A common treatment for some arthritis pain might actually be making the condition worse, according to two new studies.

“Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most chronic, degenerative and progressive conditions, with an estimated incidence of 800,000 patients each year in the US alone,” said lead author of one of the studies, Dr. Upasana Bharadwaj.

Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis where the cartilage within a joint breaks down over time and the bones around it change, getting worse over time, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At least 10% of the patients in the study used injections to manage the pain, added Bharadwaj, who is a postdoctoral research fellow in the department of radiology at the University of California San Francisco’s School of Medicine. Two of those pain management injectables are corticosteroids, the more common of the two, and hyaluronic acid.

The studies, which were presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, used either radiograph or MRI images to track the progression of osteoarthritis in the knees of patients. Some of those patients didn’t receive any treatment and others got corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections, according to the studies.

Both papers showed a statistically significant increase in progression of degenerative changes in knee cartilage over two years in people that had corticosteroid injections compared with those who had hyaluronic acid or no injections, according to the study authors.

However, just because the images might look worse doesn’t always mean that the people are feeling more pain, said Azad Darbandi, lead author of the other study.

“You might see that the knee looks bad on a radiograph, but the patient might not be having worse symptoms,” added Darbandi, a researcher and medical student at the Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.

The studies highlight a debate in the osteoarthritis scientific community about the role of changes in the structure of the joint. Currently, pain is the primarily recognized symptom, said Jason Kim, the Arthritis Foundation’s vice president of osteoarthritis research. Kim was not involved in either study.

The takeaway from the studies is that corticosteroids should be administered with caution for osteoarthritis pain.

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President's Message

Posted: November 29, 2022

As Vice President of the Academy, I am stepping in this to share this message on behalf of Phil Goldsmith. It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that Phil lost his father on Thanksgiving Day. On a day typically filled with bounty, joy, and gratitude, Phil and his family were thrust into a state of unexpected emotion. Our sincerest thoughts and support go out to the Goldsmith family. As I reflect on my family’s experience on Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful for all those around me who make life so special. I remind myself that life is short. There is no guarantee of tomorrow. Our chosen profession and practice setting provides us an opportunity to serve those who are often in the midst of difficult emotion and loss. As we support our patients and their families, perhaps we can consider this an honor and something we can be thankful for as well.

Sincerely,

Chris Chimenti
Vice President
APTA Home Health

Is Your ACHH Certificate Expiring Soon? 

For PT and PTA graduates of the Advanced Competency in Home Health Certificate program, please remember that your certificate must be renewed every five years. Failure to renew your certification means that you may no longer use the designation of ACHH or Certified in Advance Competency in Home Health. 

The renewal process is very straightforward and requires 10 units of related coursework and/or educational activities that demonstrate ongoing dedication to improving clinical excellence in home health physical therapy.  All details can be found on the Academy's website, here. 

An excellent way to earn 5 of your 10 required renewal credits is to attend the 2-day live Advanced Competency in Home Health course again! Our next course will be live in-person at CSM 2023 in San Diego, CA! For more information and to register, click here. 

Please note that renewal is based on the date of completion of your initial certification as indicated on your original certificate. Renewal can be made up to 60 days in advance but will be for 5 years from your expiry date.  Please note that late fees will apply if your renewal is not received by the expiry date. 

If you have questions regarding the ACHH program or renewing your certificate, please email us at [email protected].