The presence of a spouse is an additional important factor determining discharge home in older stroke patients. It is important to monitor and support informal caregivers in order to provide appropriate care for older community-dwelling stroke patients.
BackgroundHip fracture is a common injury in the geriatric population. Despite surgical repair and subsequent rehabilitation programmes, functional recovery is often limited, particularly in individuals with multi-morbidity. This leads to high care dependency and subsequent use of healthcare services. Fear of falling has a negative influence on recovery after hip fracture, due to avoidance of activity and subsequent restriction in mobility. Although fear of falling is highly prevalent after hip fracture, no structured treatment programme is currently available. This trial will evaluate whether targeted treatment of fear of falling in geriatric rehabilitation after hip fracture using a multi-component cognitive behavioural intervention (FIT-HIP), is feasible and (cost) effective in reducing fear of falling and associated activity restriction and thereby improves physical functioning.Methods/designThis multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial will be conducted among older patients with hip fracture and fear of falling who are admitted to a multidisciplinary inpatient geriatric rehabilitation programme in eleven post-acute geriatric rehabilitation units. Fifteen participants will be recruited from each site. Recruitment sites will be allocated by computer randomisation to either the control group, receiving usual care, or to the intervention group receiving the FIT-HIP intervention in addition to usual care. The FIT-HIP intervention is conducted by physiotherapists and will be embedded in usual care. It consists of various elements of cognitive behavioural therapy, including guided exposure to feared activities (that are avoided by the participants). Participants and outcome assessors are blinded to group allocation. Follow-up measurements will be performed at 3 and 6 months after discharge from geriatric rehabilitation. (Cost)-effectiveness and feasibility of the intervention will be evaluated. Primary outcome measures are fear of falling and mobility.DiscussionTargeted treatment of fear of falling may improve recovery and physical and social functioning after hip fracture, thereby offering benefits for patients and reducing healthcare costs. Results of this study will provide insight into whether fear of falling is modifiable in the (geriatric) rehabilitation after hip fracture and whether the intervention is feasible.Trial registrationNetherlands Trial Register: NTR 5695.
Pain is a significant problem in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is associated with other symptoms, worse health status and lower functional status. Not much is known about pain in unstable disease. The primary aim of the present study is to investigate prevalence, characteristics and relationships of pain in patients with COPD hospitalized for an acute exacerbation (AECOPD) and indicated for post-acute pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). This cross-sectional observational study included 149 patients (mean age 70.8 (±7.9) years, 49% male, mean forced expiratory volume in one second as percentage of predicted value 35.3 (±12.6)). Pain was assessed using the brief pain inventory. Functional status and health status were measured using the six-minute walking test (6MWT), the Barthel index (BI) and the clinical COPD questionnaire (CCQ), respectively. Pain was prevalent in 39.6% of all patients. Symptom burden was high, especially in patients with pain. Although we found no difference in objective measurements of functional status (6MWT, BI), patients with pain had clinically relevant lower health status (CCQ), attributed to the functional domain. Pain in patients hospitalized for AECOPD and indicated for post-acute PR is a relevant problem and needs more attention. Incorporation of standard pain assessment during exacerbations and post-acute PR is recommended.
Background: In the inpatient rehabilitation of older patients, estimating to what extent the patient may functionally recover (functional prognosis), is important to plan the rehabilitation programme and aid discharge planning. Comorbidity is very common in older patients. However, the role of comorbidity in making a functional prognosis is not clearly defined. The aim of this study was to investigate a modified and weighted Functional Comorbidity Index (w-FCI) in relation to functional recovery and compare its predictive performance with that of the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and the original Functional Comorbidity Index (FCI). Methods: The COOPERATION study (Comorbidity and Outcomes of Older Patients Evaluated in RehabilitATION) is a prospective observational cohort study. Data of patients that were admitted in an inpatient geriatric rehabilitation facility in the UK between January and September 2017, were collected. The outcome measures were: the Elderly Mobility Scale (EMS) and Barthel index (BI) at discharge, EMS gain/day and BI gain/day. Baseline comorbidity was assessed using the CCI, the FCI and the w-FCI. Correlations, receiver operating curves (ROC), and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. The models were adjusted for age, gender and EMS or BI on admission.
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