Assessment of recovery in older patients hospitalized with different diagnoses and functional levels, evaluated with and without geriatric assessment

Abstract

BackgroundThe objective of the present study was to investigate 1) the role of different admission diagnoses and 2) the degree of functional loss, on the rate of recovery of older patients after acute hospitalization. Furthermore, to compare the predictive value of simple assessments that can be carried out in a hospital lacking geriatric service, with assessments including geriatric screening tests.MethodsProspective, observational cohort study, including 961community dwelling patients aged ≥ 70 years, transferred from medical, cardiac, pulmonary and orthopedic acute hospital departments to intermediate care in nursing home. Functional assessment with Barthel index (BI) was performed at admission to the nursing home and further geriatric assessment tests was performed during the first week. Logistic regression models with and without geriatric assessment were compared concerning the patients having 1) slow recovery (nursing home stay up to 2 months before return home) or, 2) poor recovery (dead or still in nursing home at 2 months).ResultsSlow recovery was independently associated with a diagnosis of non-vertebral fracture, BI subgroups 50–79 and <50, and, in the model including geriatric assessment, also with cognitive impairment. Poor recovery was more complex, and independently associated both with BI < 50, receiving home care before admission, higher age, admission with a non-vertebral fracture, and in the geriatric assessment model, cognitive impairment.ConclusionsGeriatric assessment is optimal for determining the recovery potential of older patients after acute hospitalization. As some hospitals lack geriatric services and ability to perform geriatric screening tests, a simpler assessment based on admission diagnoses and ADL function (BI), gives good information regarding the possible rehabilitation time and possibility to return home.

Referral to geriatric rehabilitation: a scoping review of triage factors in acutely hospitalised older patients

“…We found 29 studies on factors related to recovery of internal medical patients; 19 of these were prospective cohort studies [ 27 , 29–37 , 39 , 40 , 42 , 45 , 48–53 ], eight retrospective [ 28 , 38 , 41 , 43–47 , 50 ] and two used mixed methods, combining a cohort study with interviews or a survey [ 25 , 26 ]. The sample size varied from 100 [ 27 ] to over 60,000 [ 28 ].…”

Effectiveness of a telephone follow‐up nursing intervention in postsurgical patients

“…Over the course of the study, it was observed that the frequency of delayed surgical recovery increased significantly in the control group. Studies consider that older adults have an increased chance of complications in the postoperative period, with rates ranging between 24.0% and 67.7% (Abrahamsen, Haugland, & Ranhoff, ). Our findings confirm estimates from the National Cancer Institute, which describe a higher incidence of colorectal cancer (the leading cause of colectomy) and gastric cancer (the leading cause of gastrostomy) in patients over 60 years (World Health Organization, ).…”

Prognosis of treatment outcomes by cognitive and physical scales

“…The studies demonstrated that patients treated in nursing homes suffer both from cognitive impairment (cognitive disorders were diagnosed in 67% of patients) and an inability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) (reported in 56% of patients) [ 11 ]. The Barthel Index (BI) has been used to assess the level of patient independence in daily living [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]. BI was developed as an instrument to assess the disability of patients suffering from nervous and musculoskeletal diseases receiving in-hospital rehabilitation treatment [ 15 ].…”