Coercive Care: Southern Europe’s Reliance on Elder Restraints In parts of Europe, nursing homes use physical restraints on residents, citing safety. But experts warn of harm.

Really powerful article from @jonathanmoens.bsky.social
and colleagues about the abuse of older people through restraints. Focuses on Italy, Spain and Portugal but occurs much more widely
undark.org/2025/07/25/e...

Only 40% “almost always” inform patients of the risks associated with altered texture solids. More than one in five were unable to select even one known risk associated with MDTs. A lot of improvement needed but well done to Drs Matthew Ward and Angela Bowman for highlighting.

Frontiers | Oropharyngeal dysphagia management and informed consent: a survey of speech-language pathologists’ practice patterns when recommending modified texture diets PurposeThe modification of diet textures and liquid viscosity represents the primary form of management of oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) by speech-language pa...

It is great to see this now examined in a US survey of 326 speech-language pathologists, but not so great to see our fears confirmed . Less than half participants “almost always” inform the patient of the risks associated with thickened liquids.
www.frontiersin.org/journals/reh...

We previously noted – albeit mainly based on indirect evidence that here is ample reason to suggest that current consent practices for modified texture diets is suboptimal but suggested that the topic needed further research.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Valid informed consent requires provision of accurate and balanced information, and that agreement is given freely by someone who knows they have a choice. This is true for use of modified texture diets (MTDs) in dysphagia as for other healthcare interventions

Title: SOME GRAMMATICAL VOICES FOR USE IN SCIENTIFIC WRITING ACTIVE VOICE e.g. Our team collected samples and then we tested them. CLICKBAIT VOICE e.g. We collected some samples... You won't believe what happened next! PASSIVE VOICE e.g. Samples were collected and tested. HAIKU VOICE e.g. Quiet science lab. Workers arrive with samples. The testing begins. PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE VOICE e.g. We did all the collecting and testing. No need to thank us. Just doing our job. CONSPIRACY VOICE e.g. Mysterious "Samples" were harvested and covertly "tested" by so-called scientists.

My latest @newscientist.com cartoon

Why risk feeding your children?

Recent posts show a shift to promoting empathy and even being primarily performative. Back to basics! The real challenge is changing current practice.
Another stimulating and painless collaboration
@arlenemccurtin.bsky.social
@lindsey_UoB
@DominikaLis007
@tlpslt.bsky.social
@profpleslie

Sage Journals: Discover world-class research Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Our take on thickened liquid and modified texture diet #challenges. Originally @ewidera.bsky.social - and still if used correctly - a valuable role in highlighting the impact of modified diets and encouraging staff to reflect on the appropriateness of their use

rdcu.be/ebsDM
Just out. Featuring this drawing of his own hallucination by a talented patient: “shiny, silvery” “big, deep, dark eyes, like holes” “almost stretched mouth” “a bit unusual maybe but rather pretty and graceful”.

Here's a controversy I didn't know existed!
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37888960/#:~....

2015 "nip this “reaching out” nonsense in the bud before it “becomes a thing”" www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rendezview/p...
Alas hasn't worked: 3 emails already today.
Stop it!!

I clock up to 20,000 steps a night: my life with restless legs syndrome I spent years desperate for help and exhausted from lack of sleep. But the condition is badly misunderstood – even by doctors

Wonderful article, and sad also in how long effective dx and Tx were delayed. Iron not a panacea - but remember when considering it's not serum iron that counts but the stores - check ferritin/ trans sats www.theguardian.com/wellness/202...

Delighted to see this published. Open access .. See rdcu.be/d4ST1.
@tcddublin.bsky.social @dysphagiamatters.bsky.social

Passage from Carl Sagan’s A demon-haunted world book.

Some folks are pretty good seeing things coming.

Why Britain's doctors are in revolt To save the NHS money, the General Medical Council has been pushing the use of physician associates in place of qualified doctors—and putting patients...

Read this brilliant and terrifying truth-to-power piece by @doctoroxford.bsky.social

The UK General Medical Council is unfit for purpose. #medsky #healthpolicy

www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/pol...

“Dubious Doctors” by Suzanne Buffam, ending with “All Doctors of Literature”

Forever burned by Suzanne Buffam

We’re all suffering from qualitynesia now Borne along on the tide of technology, it is far too easy to forget that some things really were better quality in the past

Can’t stop thinking about this @sarahoconnorft.bsky.social column on the poor quality of sound on Spotify and what other reductions in quality that might become commonplace in the future:

Jane Smiley on The Once and Future King Jane Smiley continues her analysis of the novel with TH White's Arthurian cycle.

Wonderful article on this www.theguardian.com/books/2006/j...

Wonderful book or rather quartet

Know the feeling
Like reading Mount Misery after House of God
Or Closing Time after Catch-22

Reviewing this. I couldn’t put it down. Piller has done a fantastic and diligent job detailing individual instances of fraudulent Alzheimer research, the resulting contamination of our field and the troubling complacency of research leaders about the problem. Landmark book that will make you angry.

Two authors I've read 50 or more books by:
PG Wodehouse
Georges Simenon
Feeling the urge right now!

Grandiose website: “The European Society of Medicine is more than a professional association. We are a community”. The community includes any “institutions whose members have published articles in the society’s journal”.

Avoid

8 days later!....

I'm sure you are busy but if you could get back to me about this by tomorrow it would be greatly appreciated. We need to finalize the plans for the Rehabilitation theme issue. Would you like me to put your name down as one of the participants?

aiming to cover a variety of innovations advancing the field. Your expertise would bring a unique perspective. Are you open to this idea? Sincerely, Rehabilitation Section editor [no name]

A new and unwelcome shower! Typos not mine
Dear [me], I found your paper on X insightful. I am curious, are you still conduciting any research in this area? I am editing a theme issue focused on Rehabilitation for the official journal of the European Society of Medicine, ...

Alzheimer's advances pose challenges A new test and new treatments for Alzheimer's disease may offer patients hope but could also raise more questions than they answer, with careful balancing of risks and benefits required.

A nice summary by @charlottehuff.bsky.social of what we know and don’t know about #Alzheimer’s blood based biomarkers and amyloid antibodies.
immattersacp.org/archives/202...

Excellent thing Klaxon! Have only just found out that all 4 series of wonderful parody series “Documentary Now” with Bill Hader and Fred Armisen among others, is on ITVx, of all places. They are very brilliant, note perfect spoofs of legendary documentaries. Highly recommended.