Effects of functional status changes before and during hospitalization on nursing home admission of older adults

Exercise and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Community-Dwelling Adults

The authors used the meta-analytic approach to examine the effects of physical activity on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in older community-dwelling adults. A random-effects model was used for all primary analyses. Of the 257 studies screened, 11 randomized controlled trials representing 13 groups and 617 men and women (324 physical activity, 293 control), all older than 50, were included. Overall, a significant (small to moderate) standardized effect size improvement was found for physical function as a result of physical activity (Hedges's g = 0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.19, 0.64, p < .001). This was equivalent to a common language effect size of 62% and an odds ratio of 2.14 (95% CI = 1.42, 3.24). No significant differences were found for the other nine HRQOL outcomes. Although additional research is needed, results suggest that physical activity improves self-reported physical function, a component of HRQOL, in older community-dwelling adults.

Does gender influence emergency department management and outcomes in geriatric abdominal pain?

Prior studies have suggested gender-based differences in the care of elderly patients with acute medical conditions such as myocardial infarction and stroke, but it is unknown whether these differences are seen in the care of abdominal pain. The objective of this study was to examine differences in evaluation, management, and diagnoses between elderly men and women presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with abdominal pain. For this observational cohort study, a chart review was conducted of consecutive patients aged 70 years or older presenting with a chief complaint of abdominal pain. Primary outcomes were care processes (e.g., receipt of pain medications, imaging) and clinical outcomes (e.g., hospitalization, etiology of pain, and mortality). Of 131 patients evaluated, 60% were women. Groups were similar in age, ethnicity, insurance status, and predicted mortality. Men and women did not differ in the frequency of medical (56% vs. 57%, respectively), surgical (25% vs. 18%, respectively), or non-specific abdominal pain (19% vs. 25%, respectively, p = 0.52) diagnoses. Similar proportions underwent abdominal imaging (62% vs. 68%, respectively, p = 0.42), received antibiotics (29% vs. 30%, respectively, p = 0.85), and opiates for pain (35% vs. 41%, respectively, p = 0.50). Men had a higher rate of death within 3 months of the visit (19% vs. 1%, respectively, p < 0.001). Unlike prior research in younger patients with abdominal pain and among elders with other acute conditions, we noted no difference in management and diagnoses between older men and women who presented with abdominal pain. Despite a similar predicted mortality and ED evaluation, men had a higher rate of death within 3 months.

The hospital admission risk profile: the HARP helps to determine a patient's risk of functional decline

Older adults are at risk for losing functional ability during and after a hospitalization. It's often difficult to determine which patients are at highest risk and which might benefit from targeted interventions. The Hospital Admission Risk Profile, a simple screening tool, can be used to classify hospitalized older adults as being at low, intermediate, or high risk for losing the ability to perform activities of daily living, based on assessments of age, cognitive function, and the ability to perform independent activities of daily living. It's one of many tools profiled in Try This: Best Practices in Nursing Care to Older Adults, a series provided by the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University's College of Nursing. For a free online video demonstrating the use of this tool, go to http://links.lww.com/A286.

Variations in Service Use in the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE): Is More Better?

Background.  To date, there has been little empirical evidence about the relationship between service use and risk-adjusted functional outcomes among the frail, chronically ill elderly population. The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) offers a unique model within which to investigate this relationship. We examine variation in the risk-adjusted utilization of acute, rehabilitative, and supportive services in PACE, and assess whether use of these services is associated with risk-adjusted functional outcomes.

Methods.  The analytical sample included 42,252 records for 9853 individuals in 29 programs, over 3 years. Outcome was measured as change in functional status. Service use was assessed for hospital and nursing home admissions, day center attendance, therapy encounters, and personal home care. Mixed regression, generalized estimating equation (GEE) log-linear Poisson models and bootstrap procedures were used.

Results.  We examined the marginal effect of the five services on functional status over time, having controlled for each program's risk-adjusted use of services and functional status of their enrollees. We observed a statistically significant association between hospital admissions and functional status. Sites using more hospital care had worse functional outcomes. We found no other significant relationship between functional change and service use. However, correlations between program-level measures showed that sites providing more day center care and more therapy had significantly fewer hospital admissions.

Conclusions.  Findings suggest that programs with high hospital use may do well to re-examine and adjust the intensity of day center care. Greater focus on service provision in this setting may enhance care coordination and lead to reductions in hospitalizations, better outcomes, and cost savings.

Outcomes of inpatient rehabilitation for older adults with debility

OBJECTIVE

To determine the functional outcomes and discharge setting of older patients receiving inpatient rehabilitation for debility (ICD-9-CM, 799.3).

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study of 63,171 individuals >or= 65 yrs old with a primary (23%) or comorbid (77%) debility diagnosis from the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDSMR) database for 2002-2003.

RESULTS

Patients with a primary diagnosis of debility (PDD) had a lower mean rehabilitation efficiency score (functional change per day) as compared with the rest of the subjects (1.7 vs. 1.9, P<0.001), including those with a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 75% rule primary diagnosis (1.8, P<0.001). The PDD group was less likely to be discharged home (68% vs. 73%, P<0.001) and more likely to be discharged to a hospital (13% vs. 11%, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

From a clinical perspective, the functional recovery of older patients with debility is essentially the same, regardless of whether this is a primary or comorbid diagnosis. Their functional improvement is also comparable with that reported for other CMS 75% rule diagnoses, although the debility patients are less likely to be discharged home. More than 10% of these patients were discharged to acute hospital settings. Further research is warranted to identify the most appropriate rehabilitation setting for patients with debility.

Outcomes at 12 months in a population of elderly patients discharged from a rehabilitation unit

OBJECTIVES

This study investigates the cognitive, functional, and clinical variables associated with the risk of institutionalization, rehospitalization, and death at 12 months among a population of elderly discharged from a Rehabilitation and Aged Care Unit (RACU) within a 1-year period (May 1, 2004 to April 30, 2005). The RACU is a relatively new setting of care providing intensive rehabilitation and clinical support to elderly with highly heterogeneous reasons for admission.

METHODS

There were 1303 patients (> or =65 years old) contacted 12 months after discharge from the RACU. We obtained information about institutionalization, rehospitalization, and death. Predictors were all the demographic and clinical variables potentially related to these outcomes. The relationship among predictors and outcomes was tested with multiple stepwise logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Among the 1072 patients alive at the 12-month follow-up, 90 (8.4%) were institutionalized (3.4% early at discharge and 4.9% within the next period). The logistic regression analysis showed that 2 ranges of age (78 to 83 years and 84 years or more), living alone, occurrence of delirium, cognitive impairment (Mini Mental State Examination lower or equal to 20/30), and poor functional status at discharge (Barthel Index scores ranging from 69 to 85 and Barthel Index scores lower than 68/100) were independently and significantly associated with the risk of institutionalization during the 12 months following discharge from the RACU. Three hundred and twenty-three (30.1%) patients had been rehospitalized once and 86 (8.0%) patients twice at the 12-month follow-up. In the multivariate analysis, comorbidity (Charlson Index scores ranging from 2 to 3 and Charlson Index scores higher than 4) and delirium were significantly and independently associated with this outcome. One hundred and thirty-six (11.3%) patients had died by the 12-month follow-up. The stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that age greater than 83 years, poor functional status (Barthel Index lower than 60/100 at discharge), high comorbidity (Charlson Index scores ranging from 3 to 4 and Charlson Index scores higher than 4, respectively), and albumin serum levels ranging from 3.2 to 2.9 mg/dL and lower than 2.9 mg/dL independently and significantly predicted the 12-month risk of death. Absence of depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale <2/15) had instead a protective effect.

CONCLUSION

Variables related to the sociodemographic, cognitive, functional, and health status predicted, with different degree of association, the 12-month risk of institutionalization, rehospitalization, and death among a population of elderly patients discharged from a RACU. Accordingly, various clinical and organizational approaches may be planned for prevention.

A research and policy agenda for transitions from nursing homes to home

More than 1 million adults make the transition from nursing homes to the community every year, often using formal health services including Medicare Part A skilled home health care. Although the need for discharge planning is well described, and the risks associated with care transitions are increasingly recognized, there is very limited information about the process and outcomes as patients move from nursing home to home. This paper reviews pertinent published data and health services research as background information and outlines a research agenda for studying these important transitions.

Do Objective Measurements of Physical Function in Ambulatory Nursing Home Women Improve Assessment of Functional Status?

OBJECTIVE

To compare the functional status of ambulatory women in four academic nursing homes using standardized rating scales and physical performance measures used in community settings.

DESIGN

Observational cohort.

PARTICIPANTS

Women older than 65 years, ambulatory with or without an assistive device.

INTERVENTIONS

Direct comparison of the Functional Independence Measure and the Performance Self Maintenance Score with objective measure of the Get-up-and-go test, a six minute walk, and a six meter walk.

RESULTS

Two variables, the gait speed and creatinine clearance, correctly classified 80% of subjects with higher functional status defined by subjective rating scales.

CONCLUSION

Although gait speed calculated by a six meter walk is easily performed and highly correlated with subjectively assessed functional status, the majority of these ambulatory women nursing home residents exceeded the population means for each of the performance-based physical function measures.

Time-dependent prognostic factors of 6-month mortality in frail elderly patients admitted to post-acute care

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between functional and nutritional changes caused by an acute illness requiring hospitalisation and 6-month mortality.

DESIGN

Hospital-based prospective longitudinal cohort study.

SETTING

Acute care centre (Hospital General de Vic, Barcelona Province, Spain). Post-acute care centre (Hospital de la Santa Creu de Vic, Barcelona Province, Spain).

SUBJECTS

Hundred sixty five patients aged 75 years and older, hospitalised for an acute event.

METHODS

Functional status (Barthel and Lawton Indices), cognitive status (Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire), nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment, albumin, cholesterol), depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale), co-morbidity (Charlson Index) and self-rated health status were collected upon admission to the post-acute care centre. Functional and nutritional status were assessed 1, 3 and 6 months after admission by a trained staff of geriatricians. Six-month mortality was the main outcome variable. Survival analysis was performed with functional and nutritional status as time-dependent variables.

RESULTS

The mean age of the cohort was 83.3 years (SD 5.1) and 68.5% were female. Six-month mortality was 29.1% (95% CI: 22.2-36.7). The variables associated with mortality in bivariate analysis were: gender, Barthel Index (2 weeks before admission), Lawton Index (2 weeks before admission), Charlson Index, Barthel Index (time-dependent), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) (time-dependent) and cognitive status. The variables associated with mortality in multivariate analysis were: gender, Barthel Index (2 weeks before admission), Charlson Index and MNA (time-dependent).

CONCLUSIONS

Functional and nutritional changes due to an acute illness have a statistical and clinical prognostic value and should be assessed along with other well-known relevant prognostic factors.

Upper extremity function, an independent predictor of adverse events in hospitalized elderly

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationships between upper extremity function (UEF) and mortality, need for social assistance and change of residence, at discharge from hospital and at 1 month following discharge.

METHODS

Observational, cohort study.

SETTING

Acute Geriatric Unit of a Tertiary Teaching Hospital.

SUBJECTS

356 Consecutive patients admitted over a 6-month period. Performance of 4 UEF tasks (UEFTs) was assessed by direct observation on admission, at discharge and at 1 month after discharge: picking up a full glass, touching the scapula, cutting with a knife and unfastening a button. UEF was correlated with measures of global physical and mental functioning, namely the Barthel index, the Lawton index, Holden's FAC scale and Pfeiffer's test. The association of UEF with adverse events such as mortality, need for social assistance and change of residence was also assessed.

RESULTS

UEF was well-correlated with global functioning scales (p<0.001). Using multivariant models, the inability to perform 3 or 4 UEFTs on admission was an independent predictor of mortality at discharge (OR 15.2; CI 95% 5.2-44.4) and at 1 month (OR 3.3; CI 95% 1.8-6.2), of need for social assistance at discharge (OR 2.1; CI 95% 1.1-4.1) and at 1 month (OR 3.3; CI 95% 1.1-10.1), and of change of residence at discharge (OR 3.5; CI 95% 1.2-10.4).

CONCLUSIONS

UEF, independently of global functioning, is a predictor of adverse events in the hospitalized elderly. Its determination by direct observation may be an indirect measure of global functioning during hospitalization, avoiding potentially biased data facilitated by caregivers.

Characteristics of nondisabled older patients developing new disability associated with medical illnesses and hospitalization

OBJECTIVE

To identify demographic, clinical, and biological characteristics of older nondisabled patients who develop new disability in basic activities of daily living (BADL) during medical illnesses requiring hospitalization.

DESIGN

Longitudinal observational study.

SETTING

Geriatric and Internal Medicine acute care units.

PARTICIPANTS

Data are from 1,686 patients aged 65 and older who independent in BADL 2 weeks before hospital admission, enrolled in the 1998 survey of the Italian Group of Pharmacoepidemiology in the Elderly Study.

MEASUREMENTS

Study outcome was new BADL disability at time of hospital discharge. Sociodemographic, functional status, and clinical characteristics were collected at hospital admission; acute and chronic conditions were classified according to the International Classification of Disease, ninth revision; fasting blood samples were obtained and processed with standard methods.

RESULTS

At the time of hospital discharge 113 patients (6.7%) presented new BADL disability. Functional decline was strongly related to patients' age and preadmission instrumental activities of daily living status. In a multivariate analysis, older age, nursing home residency, low body mass index, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, acute stroke, high level of comorbidity expressed as Cumulative Illness Rating Scale score, polypharmacotherapy, cognitive decline, and history of fall in the previous year were independent and significant predictors of BADL disability.

CONCLUSION

Several factors might contribute to loss of physical independence in hospitalized older persons. Preexisting conditions associated with the frailty syndrome, including physical and cognitive function, comorbidity, body composition, and inflammatory markers, characterize patients at high risk of functional decline.

Anxiety symptoms and decline in physical function over 5 years in the health, aging and body composition study

OBJECTIVES

To examine the relationship between anxiety and functional decline.

DESIGN

A 5-year longitudinal cohort study of well-functioning adults.

SETTING

The Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study.

PARTICIPANTS

Two thousand nine hundred forty adults aged 70 to 79 (48% male, 41% black), initially free of self-reported mobility difficulty.

MEASUREMENTS

In 1997/98, presence of three anxiety symptoms (feeling fearful, tense or keyed up, or shaky or nervous) from the Hopkins Symptom Checklist were ascertained. Physical function was examined over 5 years using the Health ABC performance battery (continuous range 0-4) consisting of chair stands, usual and narrow course gait speed, and difficulty with standing balance and self-reported mobility, defined as difficulty walking one-quarter of a mile or difficulty climbing 10 steps.

RESULTS

Participants with anxiety symptoms had similar baseline physical performance scores. After adjustment for potential confounders, subjects with anxiety symptoms had similar declines in physical performance over 5 years as participants without anxiety symptoms. Adults with anxiety symptoms were more likely to report incident mobility difficulty, with a hazard ratio of 1.4 (95% confidence interval=1.3-1.6), compared with adults without anxiety symptoms. These results persisted after adjustment for depressive symptoms, demographics, comorbidity, and use of antianxiety, depressant, and sedative hypnotic medications.

CONCLUSION

Anxiety symptoms are not associated with declines in objectively measured physical performance over 5 years but are associated with declines in self-reported functioning. Future studies are needed to determine why anxiety has a differential effect on performance-based and self-reported measures of functioning.

Indicateurs précoces de durée de séjour prolongée chez les sujets âgés

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to identify early indicators of prolonged hospital stays by elderly patients.

METHODS

This prospective pilot study, conducted at Strasbourg University Hospital, included patients aged 75 years or older who were hospitalized via the emergency department (SAFES cohort: Sujet Agé Fragile: Evaluation et suivi, that is, Frail Elderly Subjects: Evaluation and Follow-up). A gerontologic evaluation of these patients during the first week of their hospitalization furnished the data for an exact logistic regression. Two definitions were used for prolonged hospitalization: 30 days and a composite number adjusted for diagnosis-related group according to the French classification (f-DRG).

RESULTS

The analysis examined 137 hospitalizations. More than two thirds of the patients were women (73%), with a mean age of 84 years. Twenty-four hospitalizations (17%) lasted more than 30 days, but only 6 (4%) lasted beyond the DRG-adjusted limit. No social or demographic variables appeared to affect the length of stay, regardless of the definition of prolonged stay. No indicator was associated with the 30-day limit, but clinical markers were linked to prolongation assessed by f-DRG adjustment. A "risk of malnutrition" (OR=14.07) and "mood disorders" (OR=2,5) were both early markers for prolonged hospitalization. Although not statistically significant, "walking difficulties" (OR=2.72) and "cognitive impairment" (OR=5.03) appeared to be associated with prolonged stays. No association was seen with either the variables measured by Katz's Activities of Daily Living Index or its course during hospitalization.

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that when generally recognized indicators of frailty are taken into account, a set of simple items enables a predictive approach to the prolongation of emergency hospitalizations of the elderly.

A systematic review of predictors and screening instruments to identify older hospitalized patients at risk for functional decline

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To determine a valid, reliable and clinical user-friendly instrument, based on predictors of functional decline, to identify older patients at risk for functional decline. The predictors of functional decline are initially considered and, subsequently, the characteristics and psychometric qualities of existing screening instruments are investigated.

BACKGROUND

Functional decline is a common and serious problem in older hospitalized patients, resulting in a change in quality of life and lifestyle. Studies have shown that 30-60% of older people develop new dependencies in activities of daily living (ADL) during their hospital stay. Adverse health outcomes such as mortality, a prolonged hospital stay, nursing home placement and increased dependency of older people at home are the results. Not only are the personal costs high but also, in a rapidly growing older population, the impact on health-care costs is also high.

RESULTS

Age, lower functional status, cognitive impairment, preadmission disability in instrumental activities of daily life (IADL), depression and length of hospital stay were identified as predictors of functional decline. Three screening instruments to identify hospitalized patients at risk for functional decline were found in the literature: the Hospital Admission Risk Profile, the Identification of Seniors at Risk and the Care Complexity Prediction Instrument. The reported validity was moderate. Reliability and the ease of use in the clinical setting were not well described.

CONCLUSION

These three instruments should be further tested in a hospitalized older population.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Screening is a first step to identify patients at risk for functional decline and this will make it possible to treat patients who are identified so as to prevent functional decline. Because of their ability to observe and to guide the patients and the overall view they have, nurses play a key role in this process.

Randomised trial of in-hospital geriatric intervention: impact on function and morale

BACKGROUND

In two previous publications, we have shown that treatment of acutely sick, frail elderly patients in a Geriatric Evaluation and Management Unit (GEMU) compared to treatment in the general Medical Wards (MW) reduced mortality and improved the chances of living at home in contrast to living in nursing homes or being dead.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this presentation was to study the impact on function, symptoms of depression and general well-being of treatment in the GEMU as compared to treatment in MW.

METHODS

Acutely sick, frail patients aged >or=75 years, admitted as emergencies to the Department of Internal Medicine, were randomised either to treatment in the GEMU (n = 127) or the MW (n = 127). In the GEMU the treatment strategy emphasised comprehensive interdisciplinary assessment of all relevant disorders, prevention of complications and iatrogenic conditions, early mobilisation, rehabilitation and discharge planning. The control group received treatment as usual from the Department of Internal Medicine. After discharge neither group received specific follow-up. Activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental ADL, cognitive function, symptoms of depression and general well-being were assessed 3, 6 and 12 months after discharge from hospital.

RESULTS

There was no difference in function, depression or general well-being in the GEMU as compared to the MW group. If the dead were included in the analysis at the highest ADL dependency level, there was better function in the GEMU group at 3 months (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Treatment in the GEMU had no measurable beneficial impact on function, morale or symptoms of depression. Taken the previously shown mortality reduction into consideration an additional effect on function was less likely and the overall treatment effect was considered to be positive.

Early Markers of Prolonged Hospital Stays in Older People: A Prospective, Multicenter Study of 908 Inpatients in French Acute Hospitals

OBJECTIVES

To identify early markers of prolonged hospital stays in older people in acute hospitals.

DESIGN

A prospective, multicenter study.

SETTING

Nine hospitals in France.

PARTICIPANTS

One thousand three hundred six patients aged 75 and older were hospitalized through an emergency department (Sujet Agé Fragile: Evaluation et suivi (SAFEs)--Frail Elderly Subjects: Evaluation and follow-up).

MEASUREMENTS

Data used in a logistic regression were obtained through a gerontological evaluation of inpatients, conducted in the first week of hospitalization. The center effect was considered in two models as a random and fixed effect. Two limits were used to define a prolonged hospital stay. The first was fixed at 30 days. The second was adjusted for Diagnosis Related Groups according to the French classification (f-DRG).

RESULTS

Nine hundred eight of the 1,306 hospital stays that made up the cohort were analyzed. Two centers (n=298) were excluded because of a large volume of missing f-DRGs. Two-thirds of subjects in the cohort analyzed were women (64%), with a mean age of 84. One hundred thirty-eight stays (15%) lasted more than 30 days; 46 (5%) were prolonged beyond the f-DRG-adjusted limit. No sociodemographic variables seemed to influence the length of stay, regardless of the limit used. For the 30-day limit, only cognitive impairment (odds ratio (OR)=2.2, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.2-4.0) was identified as a marker for prolongation. f-DRG adjustment revealed other clinical markers. Walking difficulties (OR=2.6, 95% CI=1.2-16.7), fall risk (OR=2.5, 95% CI=1.7-5.3), cognitive impairment (OR=7.1, 95% CI=2.3-49.9), and malnutrition risk (OR=2.5, 95% CI=1.7-19.6) were found to be early markers for prolonged stays, although dependence level and its evolution, estimated using the Katz activity of daily living (ADL) index, were not identified as risk factors.

CONCLUSION

When the generally recognized parameters of frailty are taken into account, a set of simple items (walking difficulties, risk of fall, risk of malnutrition, and cognitive impairment) enables a predictive approach to the length of stay of elderly patients hospitalized under emergency circumstances. Katz ADLs were not among the early markers identified.

Improper intake of medication by elders--insights on contributing factors: a review of the literature

Elders represent 6.4% of the world's populations, and 60% of them take medication. In one of six hospital admissions of elders, failures in medication intake are involved. Most of these admissions (88%) could be prevented if elders at risk can be identified (Beijer & Blaey, 2002). This review was conducted to identify and gain insight into which factors influence medication intake in elders. The factors are grouped into six categories: physiological factors, cognitive factors, polypharmacy and medication frequency, patient consent to the treatment and motivation for taking the medication, demographic variables, and family caregivers and social support. In order to identify elders at risk in an early stage, it is recommended that a risk-assessment instrument be developed.

Rates of Acute Care Admissions for Frail Older People Living with Met Versus Unmet Activity of Daily Living Needs

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether older people who do not have help for their activity of daily living (ADL) disabilities are at higher risk for acute care admissions and whether entry into a program that provides for these needs decreases this risk.

DESIGN

A longitudinal cohort study.

SETTING

Thirteen nationwide sites for the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). PACE provides comprehensive medical and long-term care to community-living older adults.

PARTICIPANTS

Two thousand nine hundred forty-three PACE enrollees with one or more ADL dependencies.

MEASUREMENTS

Unmet needs were defined as the absence of paid or unpaid assistance for ADL disabilities before PACE enrollment. Hospital admissions in the 6 months before PACE enrollment and acute admissions in the first 6 weeks and the 7th through 12th weeks after enrollment were determined.

RESULTS

Those who lived with unmet ADL needs before enrollment were more likely to have a hospital admission before PACE enrollment (odds ratio (OR) = 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-1.63) and an acute admission in the first 6 weeks after enrollment (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.00-2.09) but not after 6 weeks of receiving PACE services (OR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.53-1.40).

CONCLUSION

Frail older people who live without needed help for their ADL disabilities have higher rates of admissions while they are living with unmet ADL needs but not after their needs are met. With state governments under increasing pressure to develop fiscally feasible solutions for caring for disabled older people, it is important that they be aware of the potential health consequences of older adults living without needed ADL assistance.

Care of hospitalized older patients: opportunities for hospital-based physicians

BACKGROUND

Half of patients admitted to hospital for reasons unrelated to childbirth are age 65 years or older. Nonetheless, few hospital-based physicians have received training in geriatric medicine, and few geriatricians practice in the hospital. This paper describes the state of the science of hospital care for older patients, and identifies opportunities and barriers to improving their care.

METHODS

General medical journals from 1980 to the present were selectively reviewed to identify original articles on the treatment of specific diseases and syndromes on hospitalized persons age 65 years or older. Information was synthesized to describe the course of these patients during and after hospitalization, and to identify effective management strategies and gaps in knowledge.

RESULTS

Older persons in hospitals pose substantial clinical challenges: they have high rates of cognitive impairment, delirium, disability, and difficulty walking, and they often require increased attention, longer lengths of stay, and higher hospital costs than younger patients with the same diagnoses. Disease-specific interventions have not been studied extensively in those older than 75 years. Multicomponent interventions can reduce short-term rates of disability and delirium without increasing costs, but they have not been widely disseminated. Interventions to treat or prevent other common conditions in hospitalized older patients have not been proven effective.

CONCLUSIONS

Fundamental discoveries in the science of hospital medicine are needed to prevent or treat geriatric syndromes, to treat common diseases in the very old, and to put into practice what is known. Hospital-based physicians can address these gaps in knowledge and practice with geriatricians, building from their shared perspectives on the care of the aged in complex health systems.

Relationship between functional loss before hospital admission and mortality in elderly persons with medical illness

OBJECTIVE

This hospital-based prospective study tests the hypothesis that, in a large group of hospitalized elderly patients, those who report functional decline between pre-illness baseline and hospital admission have a higher risk of death.

METHODS

Nine hundred fifty elderly ambulant patients (F = 69.3%; mean age 78.3 +/- 8.5 years) were consecutively admitted to a geriatric ward (Poliambulanza Hospital, Brescia, Italy) during a 15-month period. Number and severity of somatic diseases, Charlson Index score, APACHE II score, level of serum albumin, cognitive status (by Mini-Mental State Examination), and depression score (by Geriatric Depression Scale), were assessed on admission and evaluated as potential prognostic factors. Functional status (by Barthel Index) was assessed by self-report on admission. Preadmission function was also assessed by self-report at the time of admission. Impairment of function due to an acute event is measured as the difference between performances on admission and 2 weeks before the acute event. Six-month survival was the main outcome variable.

RESULTS

Factors related to mortality in bivariate analysis were: male sex, age over 80, cancer, congestive heart failure, pulmonary diseases, elevated Charlson Index score, and (independently) dementia (Mini-Mental State Examination < 18), APACHE-Acute Physiology Score , albumin level <3.5 g/dL, and anemia. After controlling for these variables and for Barthel Index score 2 weeks before the acute event, change in function due to the acute disease is independently related to 6-month mortality (minor functional change [<30 Barthel Index Point] relative risk: 1.3, 95% confidence interval, 0.6-3.0 and major functional change [major functional decrement] relative risk: 2.8, 95% confidence interval, 1.3-5.7).

CONCLUSIONS

Disease-induced disability may reflect a condition of biological inability to react to acute diseases (i.e., frailty), and should be assessed as a relevant prognostic indicator.

Hospitalization and development of dependence in activities of daily living in a cohort of disabled older women: the Women's Health and Aging Study I

BACKGROUND

Changes in self-reported function in older adults are known to occur in the 2 weeks prior to, during, and in the first few months after hospitalization. The long-term outcome of hospitalization on functional status in disabled older adults is not known. The objective of this study was to determine whether hospitalization predicts long-term Activities of Daily Living (ADL) dependence in previously ADL independent, although disabled, older women.

METHODS

The Women's Health and Aging Study I is a population-based, prospective cohort study of disabled, community-dwelling women > or =65 years old. We evaluated participants who were independent in ADLs at baseline and excluded women with incident stroke, lower extremity joint surgery, amputation, or hip fracture. We examined the association between self-reported incident hospitalization at three consecutive 6-month intervals and incident dependence in at least one ADL at 18 months (n = 595).

RESULTS

Of 595 women evaluated, 32% had at least one hospitalization. Women who were hospitalized were more likely to become dependent in ADLs than were women who were not hospitalized (17% vs 8%, p =.001). In a multivariate model, hospitalization was independently predictive of development of ADL dependence that persisted at 18 months after baseline (odds ratio [OR], 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-5.8), adjusting for age, race, education, baseline walking speed, difficulty with ADLs, self-reported health status, depressive symptoms, cognitive status, and presence of congestive heart failure, diabetes, or pulmonary disease. Increasing numbers of 6-month intervals with hospitalizations were independently predictive of higher risk in an adjusted model: one (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.1-4.6), two (OR, 5.8; 95% CI, 2.4-14.4), and three (OR, 12.5; 95% CI, 2.7-57.6).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that hospitalization has an independent and dose-response effect on loss of ADL independence in disabled older women over an 18-month period.

Early evaluation of the risk of functional decline following hospitalization of older patients: development of a predictive tool

OBJECTIVE

To develop a predictive tool that could be used on admission to identify older hospitalized people at risk of functional decline 3 months after discharge.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study that included 625 patients aged 70 years and older (mean age 80.0 +/- 5.6 years) hospitalized by the way of the emergency room, for at least 48 h, in two academic hospitals. Three months after discharge, 550 patients remained for analysis. On admission, people were assessed for premorbid functional status with the activities of daily living (ADL) scale and instrumental ADL scale. Demographic and medical data, including cognitive function, falls, polypharmacy, comorbidity, continence, mobility and self-rated health, were collected. ADL functioning was re-assessed at discharge and 1 and 3 months later. Functional decline was defined as the loss of at least one point on the ADL scale between the premorbid and 3-month evaluation. Univariate analyses were used to select variables associated with functional decline. A logistic regression model was then constructed to predict functional status 3 months after discharge.

RESULTS

Three months after discharge, 165 (31.5%) patients had declined. The predictive tool SHERPA includes five factors: age, impairment in premorbid instrumental ADLs, falls in the year before hospitalization, cognitive impairment (Abbreviated Mini Mental State below 15/21) and poor self-rated health. Sensitivity and specificity were 67.9% and 70.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Older people are at high risk of functional decline following hospitalization. On admission, a simple instrument can easily identify these patients, even though the performance of this instrument is moderate.

The Subjective Global Assessment reliably identifies malnutrition-related muscle dysfunction

BACKGROUND

Muscle dysfunction is a common finding in malnourished patients and is associated with poor outcome. We investigated whether the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) is a valuable tool for identifying malnutrition-related muscle dysfunction.

METHODS

Two hundred eighty seven consecutive patients were assessed on admission to hospital according to the SGA, anthropometric measurements, and to the results of bioelectrical impedance analysis. The SGA was used as the main criterion for the classification of malnutrition. Muscle function was assessed by handgrip strength.

RESULTS

Maximal voluntary handgrip strength was significantly lower in malnourished than in well-nourished male and female patients (45.22 (13.51-67.7)kg versus 30.82(11-48) kg in men; 23.81 (5.60-56.5) kg versus 18.5 (5.90-48.8) kg in women). Handgrip strength tended to decline with age. Handgrip strength was positively correlated to body cell mass (BCM) (r=0.72, P<0.001 in men and: r=0.56, P<0.001 in women) and to body mass index (r=0.271, P=0.03 in men and r=0.183, P=0.02 in women). BCM was identified as a powerful contributor to the variation in handgrip strength (delta r2=0.645, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The SGA appears to be a reliable bedside assessment tool for malnutrition and malnutrition-related dysfunction. Patients classified malnourished according to the SGA have an impaired functional status. Every effort should be made to provide both nutritional and physical therapy in order to improve the patients' outcome.

Medicare and Medicaid Home Health and Medicaid Waiver Services for Dually Eligible Older Adults: Risk Factors for Use and Correlates of Expenditures

PURPOSE

The purpose of this work was to, among frail dually eligible older adults, determine risk factors for the likelihood of using Medicare home health and Medicaid home health services and to, among service users, determine correlates of Medicare home health, Medicaid home health, and Medicaid waiver service expenditures.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Dually eligible individuals enrolled in Connecticut's Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS) waiver program for the aged (N = 5,232) were identified from a statewide database containing person-level linked data from Medicare claims, Medicaid claims, and uniform clinical assessment forms. Expenditures, based on claims data, were observed from the month following clinical assessment over the period August 1995 to December 1997.

RESULTS

In multivariate models controlling for medical conditions and sociodemographic variables, similar functional disability measures were strongly associated with the probability of the use of, and expenditures for, Medicare home health and Medicaid home health services; severe cognitive impairment was strongly associated with greater Medicaid waiver service expenditures.

IMPLICATIONS

Given the similarity of factors associated with Medicare and Medicaid home health service use and expenditures, greater integration of Medicare and Medicaid financing, reimbursement, and delivery strategies for home health services may be feasible and warranted for dually eligible older adults enrolled in state Medicaid HCBS waiver programs.

Delirium symptoms and low dietary intake in older inpatients are independent predictors of institutionalization: a 1-year prospective population-based study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effects of delirium on the institutionalization rate, taking into account geriatric syndromes and nutritional status.

METHODS

This population-based study took place in an acute care unit and included participants older than 75 years, arriving from home and later discharged. Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) symptoms were recorded by the nurses within 24 hours after admission and every 3 days. Delirium was defined using the CAM algorithm, and subsyndromal delirium responded to symptoms not fulfilling the CAM algorithm. These delirium categories were either present at admission (prevalent) or occurred during the hospital stay (incident). Participants were classified as having a low dietary intake when energy intake was at any time lower than 600 kcal/d. Age, sex, known cognitive impairment, weight, functional dependency, and laboratory testing as well as diagnoses were also recorded. Step-by-step backward logistic regression was used to identify predictors of institutionalization.

RESULTS

Among 427 patients, 310 (72.6%) were discharged and were compared with 117 (27.4%) participants admitted to an institution. Female sex (odds ratio [OR]: OR 2.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: CI 1.22-3.78), prevalent delirium (OR 3.19, 95% CI 1.33-7.64), subsyndromal delirium (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.48-5.01), incident subsyndromal delirium (OR 4.27, 95% CI 2.17-8.39), low dietary intake (OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.35-4.63), and a fall (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.22-3.84) or a diagnosis of stroke (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.04-3.94) were independent predictors of institutionalization.

CONCLUSIONS

Symptoms of delirium and severe nutritional impairment led patients to geriatric institutions. Therefore, these institutions need to implement policies that address both of these issues.

Effects of facility characteristics on departures from assisted living: results from a national study

PURPOSE

Assisted living is an increasingly important residential setting for the frail elderly person. How often and why residents leave such facilities are important issues for consumers, for clinicians advising frail patients on their options for living arrangements, and for policymakers. This research investigated the impact of facility and individual characteristics on residents' departures from assisted living.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This research is based on data on 1,483 residents in a nationally representative sample of 278 assisted living facilities (ALFs). Analyses of these data from 1998 and 1999 especially focused on those residents who left a study ALF between baseline and follow-up data collection. Multinomial logit models were estimated to investigate the impact of facility and individual factors on residents' status at follow-up.

RESULTS

Over three quarters of those leaving their baseline ALF did so because they needed more care. The multivariate analyses indicated that poorer functional status and being married affected residents' relative odds of death before follow-up. Moving to another setting, other than a nursing home, was more likely for residents in for-profit ALFs. Functional status, cognitive status, and the presence of a full-time RN affected residents' odds of moving from an ALF to a nursing home.

IMPLICATIONS

Both facility-level and individual-level factors affected residents' relative odds of leaving an ALF. The findings with the most potentially interesting policy implications are those concerning the factors that affected residents' relative likelihoods of entering a nursing home.

Diagnosis-Related Group–Adjusted Hospital Costs Are Higher in Older Medical Patients with Lower Functional Status

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether hospital costs are higher in patients with lower functional status at admission, defined as dependence in one or more activities of daily living (ADLs), after adjustment for Medicare Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) payments.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

General medical service at a teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

One thousand six hundred twelve patients aged 70 and older.

MEASUREMENTS

The hospital cost of care for each patient was determined using a cost management information system, which allocates all hospital costs to individual patients.

RESULTS

Hospital costs were higher in patients dependent in ADLs on admission than in patients independent in ADLs on admission ($5,300 vs $4,060, P<.01). Mean hospital costs remained higher in ADL-dependent patients than in ADL-independent patients in an analysis that adjusted for DRG weight ($5,240 vs $4,140, P<.01), and in multivariate analyses adjusting for age, race, sex, Charlson comorbidity score, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation score, and admission from a nursing home as well as for DRG weight ($5,200 vs $4,220, P<.01). This difference represents a 23% (95% confidence interval=15-32%) higher cost to take care of older dependent patients.

CONCLUSION

Hospital cost is higher in patients with worse ADL function, even after adjusting for DRG payments. If this finding is true in other hospitals, DRG-based payments provide hospitals a financial incentive to avoid patients dependent in ADLs and disadvantage hospitals with more patients dependent in ADLs.

Predicting mortality in older patients. The VELCA Study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Mortality at older age, during and after hospitalization, can be determined by several factors, beyond the direct cause for hospital admission, which are not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to assess predictors of inpatient mortality and one-year mortality in older Italians, hospitalized for dementia, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, hip fracture and myocardial infarction at the Verona Teaching Hospital, Northern Italy.

METHODS

At admission, 429 patients aged 65 years and older reported information on: sociodemographic characteristics, Barthel index at admission and two weeks before, and severity of investigated diagnosis; at discharge: diagnosis, comorbid conditions, complications from hospital records, drug therapy, and Barthel index. One year after discharge, an ad hoc questionnaire for those subjects found to have died on phone contact was administered to a proxy to collect data on new hospital admissions, onset of new conditions, need for formal care, a short version of the Barthel index one month before death, and the place of death.

RESULTS

Sex and specific diseases at admission were not significant predictors of inpatients, nor was one-year mortality in this cohort, whereas the presence of any comorbid conditions doubled the risk of mortality at one year compared with patients without comorbidity. Those patients who had moderate to severe/total dependency in ADL at admission were three times more likely to have died at discharge than those who were independent. The same risk for mortality at one-year follow-up was found in those patients who were severely or totally dependent at preadmission, at admission, or at discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Functional status and comorbidity are key risk factors for mortality in the elderly. Therefore, multidimensional assessment, including functional status prior to hospitalization should always be assessed, and should be considered a relevant predictor of short- and long-term outcomes.

Unsteadiness reported by older hospitalized patients predicts functional decline

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether a simple question about steadiness at admission predicts in-hospital functional decline and whether unsteadiness at admission predicts failure of in-hospital functional recovery of patients who have declined immediately before hospitalization.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

One university hospital and one community teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

One thousand five hundred fifty-seven hospitalized medical patients aged 70 and older.

MEASUREMENTS

On admission, patients reported their steadiness with walking and whether they could perform independently each of five basic activities of daily living (ADLs) at admission and 2 weeks before admission (baseline). For the primary analysis, the outcome was decline in ADL function between admission and discharge. For the secondary analysis, the outcome was in-hospital recovery to baseline ADL function in patients who experienced ADL decline in the 2 weeks before admission.

RESULTS

In the primary cohort (n = 1,557), 25% of patients were very unsteady at admission; 22% of very unsteady patients declined during hospitalization, compared with 17%, 18%, and 10% for slightly unsteady, slightly steady, and very steady patients, respectively (P for trend =.001). After adjusting for age; medical comorbidities; Acute Physiology, Age, and Chronic Health Evaluation II score; and admission ADL, unsteadiness remained significantly associated with ADL decline (odds for decline for very unsteady compared with very steady = 2.6, 95% confidence interval = 1.5-4.5). In the secondary analysis, predicting ADL recovery in patients who declined before hospitalization (n = 563), 46% of patients were very unsteady at admission. In this cohort, 44% of very unsteady patients failed to recover, compared with 35%, 36%, and 33% for each successively higher level of steadiness, respectively (P for trend = 0.06). After multivariate adjustment, greater unsteadiness independently predicted failure of recovery (P for trend = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

A simple question about steadiness identified patients at increased risk for in-hospital ADL decline and, in patients who lost ADL function immediately before admission, failure to recover.

Loss of independence in activities of daily living in older adults hospitalized with medical illnesses: increased vulnerability with age

OBJECTIVES

To describe the changes in activities of daily living (ADL) function occurring before and after hospital admission in older people hospitalized with medical illness and to assess the effect of age on loss of ADL function.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

SETTING

The general medical service of two hospitals.

PARTICIPANTS

Two thousand two hundred ninety-three patients aged 70 and older (mean age 80, 64% women, 24% nonwhite).

MEASUREMENTS

At the time of hospital admission, patients or their surrogates were interviewed about their independence in five ADLs (bathing, dressing, eating, transferring, and toileting) 2 weeks before admission (baseline) and at admission. Subjects were interviewed about ADL function at discharge. Outcome measures included functional decline between baseline and discharge and functional changes between baseline and admission and between admission and discharge.

RESULTS

Thirty-five percent of patients declined in ADL function between baseline and discharge. This included the 23% of patients who declined between baseline and admission and failed to recover to baseline function between admission and discharge and the 12% of patients who did not decline between baseline and admission but declined between hospital admission and discharge. Twenty percent of patients declined between baseline and admission but recovered to baseline function between admission and discharge. The frequency of ADL decline between baseline and discharge varied markedly with age (23%, 28%, 38%, 50%, and 63% in patients aged 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85-89, and > or =90, respectively, P <.001). After adjustment for potential confounders, age was not associated with ADL decline before hospitalization (odds ratio (OR) for patients aged > or =90 compared with patients aged 70-74 = 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.88-1.82). In contrast, age was associated with the failure to recover ADL function during hospitalization in patients who declined before admission (OR for patients aged > or =90 compared with patients aged 70-74 = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.20-3.65) and with new losses of ADL function during hospitalization in patients who did not decline before admission (OR for patients aged > or =90 compared with patients aged 70-74 = 3.43, 95% CI = 1.92-6.12).

CONCLUSION

Many hospitalized older people are discharged with ADL function that is worse than their baseline function. The oldest patients are at particularly high risk of poor functional outcomes because they are less likely to recover ADL function lost before admission and more likely to develop new functional deficits during hospitalization

Longitudinal assessment of ADL ability of partially dependent elderly people: examining the utility of the index and characteristics of longitudinal change in ADL ability

The present study aimed to evaluate the utility of the activities of daily living (ADL) index for partially dependent elderly people (ADL-PDI) when applied longitudinally to an institutionalized partially dependent (PD) group, and to determine the characteristics of the longitudinal change in ADL ability of the PD group. The subjects were ten Japanese PD living at welfare institutions for the aged such as accredited nursing homes and health facilities (mean age was 82.2 +/- 2.32 years in total; 84.3 +/- 4.18 years for five males; 80.3 +/- 2.33 years for five females). The questionnaire consisted of the ADL-PDI, the Barthel index (BI), physical independence, dementia independence, anamnesis, body impairments, use of assisting devices, the institutionalized period, and type of medical rehabilitation and medical treatment, and was administered to the subjects twice during their institutionalized period. All testers were staff working at the subjects' institution, such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists and nurses. The result of the longitudinal ADL assessment was that ADL-PDI may evaluate the longitudinal change in ADL ability on a unidimensional scale. The utility of the standard for discriminating the functional level of the elderly using the ADL-PDI score, which was indicated in our previous study (Sato et al., 2001), was supported by longitudinal data. Furthermore, the BI was superior to the ADL-PDI in evaluating the disabled elderly with lower functional levels. However, the ADL-PDI was better than the BI in evaluating the disabled elderly with a higher functional level and was considered to have wider applications in evaluating the ADL ability of the elderly.

Progressive versus catastrophic loss of the ability to walk: implications for the prevention of mobility loss

OBJECTIVES

Loss of mobility is an important functional outcome that can have devastating effects on quality of life and the ability of older persons to remain independent in the community. Although a large amount of research has been done on risk factors for disability onset, little work has focused on the pace of disability progression. This study characterizes the development of severe walking disability over time and evaluates risk factors and subsequent mortality as they relate to mobility disability with progressive or catastrophic onset.

DESIGN

Population-based prospective cohort study with annual follow-up assessments for up to 7 years

SETTING

Three communities of the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly.

PARTICIPANTS

There were 5,355 persons not disabled at baseline and the first follow-up who had adequate data available to classify mobility disability during subsequent follow-ups.

MEASUREMENTS

Severe mobility disability was defined as the need for help from a person to walk across a room or inability to walk across a room. Those developing severe mobility disability were classified as having progressive mobility disability if they had been unable to walk half a mile in either of the prior 2 years. They were classified as having catastrophic mobility disability if they reported having been able to walk half a mile in two previous annual interviews.

RESULTS

The overall incidence of severe mobility disability was 11.6 cases/1,000 person years. Those age 85 and older or having three or more chronic conditions at baseline were significantly more likely to develop progressive disability than catastrophic disability. Stroke, hip fracture, and cancer occurring during follow-up were associated with very high risk of severe mobility disability. For stroke and hip fracture, the risk was twice as high for catastrophic disability as for progressive disability, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Risk for catastrophic disability from cancer was significantly greater than for progressive disability. Half of catastrophic disability subjects had stroke, hip fracture, or cancer in the year immediately preceding this disability. Incident heart attack did not predict severe mobility disability. Among those who developed severe mobility disability, type of disability did not influence subsequent survival for the first 3 years, but beyond 3 years those with catastrophic disability had a relative risk of death of 0.4 (95% confidence interval 0.2-0.9) compared with those with progressive disability.

CONCLUSION

The observation that risk factors and mortality outcomes were both different for progressive and catastrophic mobility disability supports the value of ascertaining the pace of disability development as a useful characterization of disability. Further progress in developing prevention and treatment strategies may be made by taking the pace of disability development into account.

Reduced employment in caregivers of frail elders: impact of ethnicity, patient clinical characteristics, and caregiver characteristics

BACKGROUND

Without family caregivers, many frail elders who live at home would require nursing home care. However, providing care to frail elders requires a large time commitment that may interfere with the caregiver's ability to work. Our goal was to determine the patient and caregiver characteristics associated with the reduction of employment hours in caregivers of frail elders.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of 2806 patients (mean age 78, 73% women, 29% African American, 12% Hispanic, 54% with dementia) with at least one potentially working caregiver (defined as one who is either currently employed or who would have been employed if they had not been providing care) and their 4592 potentially working caregivers. Patients were enrollees at 11 sites of the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Social workers interviewed patients and caregivers at the time of PACE enrollment. Caregivers were asked if they had reduced the hours they worked or had stopped working to care for the patient. Nurses interviewed patients and caregivers to assess independence in activities of daily living (ADLs) and the presence of behavioral disturbances. Comorbid conditions were assessed by physicians during enrollment examinations.

RESULTS

A total of 604 (22%) of the 2806 patients had at least one caregiver who either reduced the number of hours they worked or quit working to care for the patient. Patient characteristics independently associated with a caregiver reducing hours or quitting work were ethnicity, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-1.78 for African American;, 95% CI 1.43-2.52 for Hispanic), ADL function below the median (, 95% CI 1.44-2.15), a diagnosis of dementia (, 95% -2.17 if associated with a behavioral disturbance;, 95% CI 1.06-1.63 if not associated with a behavioral disturbance), or a history of stroke (OR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.16-1.73). After controlling for these patient characteristics, caregiver characteristics associated with reducing work hours included being the daughter or daughter-in-law of the patient (OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.37-2.08) and living with the patient (OR = 4.66, 95% CI 3.65-5.95 if no other caregiver lived at home, OR = 2.53, 95% CI 2.03-3.14 if another caregiver lived at home).

CONCLUSIONS

Many caregivers reduce the number of hours they work to care for frail elderly relatives. The burden of reduced employment is more likely to be incurred by the families of ethnic minorities and of patients with specific clinical characteristics. Daughters and caregivers who live with the patient are more likely to reduce work hours than other caregivers. Future research should examine the impact of lost caregiver employment on patients' families and the ways in which the societal responsibility of caring for frail elders can be equitably shared.

Functional status before hospitalization in acutely ill older adults: validity and clinical importance of retrospective reports

OBJECTIVES

Retrospective reports of patients' functional status before hospital admission are often used in longitudinal studies and by clinicians caring for hospitalized patients. However, the validity of these reports has not been established. Our aim was to examine the validity of retrospective reports by testing hypotheses about the relationships these measures would have with other clinical measures if they were valid.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

A total of 2877 older patients (mean age 81, 36% women) hospitalized on the general medical service at two hospitals. For 1953 of the subjects, the patient was the primary respondent, whereas for 924 subjects, a surrogate was the primary respondent.

MEASUREMENTS

Shortly after hospital admission, patients or surrogates reported whether the patient was independent in each of five activities of daily living (ADLs) on admission and at baseline 2 weeks before admission. Outcome measures included reported independence in each ADL 3 months after the hospitalization and survival to 1 year.

RESULTS

Patients' retrospective reports of their ADL function 2 weeks before admission had a clinically plausible relationship with ADL function at the time of admission, in that patients independent in an ADL on admission rarely reported they were dependent in that ADL 2 weeks before admission (range 2-6%). Surrogates were somewhat more likely than patients to report that patients independent on admission were dependent 2 weeks before admission (range 5-14%). Retrospective reports of prehospitalization ADL function demonstrated strong evidence of predictive validity for both patients' and surrogates' reports. For example, among patients dependent in bathing on admission, patients who were reported as independent 2 weeks before admission were much more likely than those reported as dependent 2 weeks before admission to be independent 3 months after hospitalization (68% vs 20%, P < .001 for patient respondents; 30% vs 5%, P < .001 for surrogate respondents). Similarly, among patients dependent in bathing on hospital admission, survival 1 year after hospitalization was much higher in patients who were independent in bathing 2 weeks before admission than patients who were dependent 2 weeks before admission (76% vs 59%, P < .001 for patient respondents; 60% vs 45%, P < .001 for surrogate respondents). Results were similar for each of the other four ADLs. In a logistic regression model controlling for the number of ADLs reported as dependent on admission, the number of ADLs reported as dependent 2 weeks before admission was significantly associated with 1-year mortality among both patient (odds ratio (OR) = 1.39 per dependent ADL, 95% confidence interval (CI) - 1.26-1.54) and surrogate (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.06-1.24) respondents.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitalized patients' assessments of their ability to perform ADLs before their hospitalization have evidence of face and predictive validity. These measures are strong predictors of important health outcomes such as functioning and survival. In particular, among patients dependent in ADL function on hospital admission, these results highlight the prognostic importance of inquiring about the patient's functional status before the onset of the acute illness.