Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass. Sarcopenic obesity, which describes the process of muscle loss combined with increased body fat as people age, is associated with loss of strength and function, reduced quality of life, and early death. This article describes the clinical significance of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity, their pathophysiology, and management strategies for healthy older adults. Both diet and exercise are essential for preventing and reversing loss of muscle and gains in fat. Dietary approaches include protein supplementation and a high protein diet. Exercise strategies promote resistance training in order to maintain muscle mass and maximize energy expenditure. Nurses should be knowledgeable about this condition and its management and routinely educate older patients on the benefits of resistance training and dietary protein to prevent or reverse sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity.

Background In several studies, investigators have successfully used an internet-enabled PAINReportIt tablet to allow patients to report their pain to clinicians in real-time, but it is unknown how acceptable this technology is to patients and caregivers when used in their homes. Objective The aims of this study were to examine computer use acceptability scores of patients with end-stage cancer in hospice and their caregivers and to compare the scores for differences by age, gender, race, and computer use experience. Intervention/Methods Immediately after using the tablet, 234 hospice patients and 231 caregivers independently completed the Computer Acceptability Scale (maximum scores of 14 for patients and 9 for caregivers). Results The mean (SD) Computer Acceptability score was 12.2 (1.9) for patients and 8.5 (0.9) for caregivers. Computer Acceptability scores were significantly associated with age and with previous computer use for both patients and caregivers. Conclusions This technology was highly acceptable to patients and caregivers for reporting pain in real time to their hospice nurses. Implications for Practice Findings provide encouraging results that are worthy of serious consideration for patients who are in end stages of illness, including older persons and those with minimal computer experience. Increasing availability of technology can provide innovative methods for improving care provided to patients facing significant cancer-related pain even at the end of life.

Background The experiences of African American adult patients before, during, and after acute care utilization are not well characterized for individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) or cancer. Objective To describe the experiences of African Americans with SCD or cancer before, during, and after hospitalization for pain control. Methods We conducted a qualitative study among African American participants with SCD (n = 15; 11 male; mean age, 32.7 ± 10.9 years; mean pain intensity, 7.8 ± 2.6) or cancer (n = 15; 7 male; mean age, 53.7 ± 15.2 years; mean pain intensity, 4.9 ± 3.7). Participants completed demographic questions and pain intensity using PAINReportIt and responded to a 7-item open-ended interview, which was recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used content analysis to identify themes in the participants’ responses. Results Themes identified included reason for admission, hospital experiences, and discharge expectations. Pain was the primary reason for admission for participants with SCD (n = 15) and for most participants with cancer (n = 10). Participants of both groups indicated that they experienced delayed treatment and a lack of communication. Participants with SCD also reported accusations of drug-seeking behavior, perceived mistreatment, and feeling of not being heard or believed. Participants from both groups verbalized concerns about well-being after discharge and hopeful expectations. Conclusions Race-concordant participants with SCD but not with cancer communicated perceived bias from healthcare providers. Implications for Practice Practice change interventions are needed to improve patient-provider interactions, reduce implicit bias, and increase mutual trust, as well as facilitate more effective pain control, especially for those who with SCD.