Need is usually the primary determinant of ED visits in older people. Controlling for need, predisposing and enabling factors that promote access to primary medical care are associated with reduced ED utilization.
Minor injuries in independent older adults treated in EDs are associated with a 15% cumulative incidence of functional decline 3 months after the injury that persisted 6 months later. Simple-to-measure factors such as occasional use of a walking aid, daily medication, need for help with IADLs, and physician assessment of decline may help identify independent older adults at risk of functional decline during their consultation. These results confirm the need to improve risk assessment and management of this population in EDs.
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