Long term outcome of frailty and ADL following "Continuum of care for frail elderly persons"

• The current trend in Western societies facing a growing proportion of older people is to support frail older persons to remain in their homes as long as possible, so-called ageing in place. Older persons comprise a group whose reserve of strength is decreasing, and whose activity and participation levels will deteriorate with increasing frailty, often leading to dependence in daily activities. Frail older persons need integrated care from different caregivers at different care levels with multi-professional competences. An intervention study for frail community-dwelling older people was designed, creating a continuum of care from the hospital through and back to their own homes. Objectives were to evaluate its effects on activities of daily living (ADL) and frailty up to one year. The study design was a RCT with participants randomized to either the intervention or a control group with follow-ups at three-, six- and 12 months. The study group includes 161 older people who sought care at the emergency department at Mölndal hospital, Sweden, and discharged to their own homes. Inclusion criteria were age 80 and older or 65 to 79 with at least one chronic disease and dependent in ADL. Frailty was measured as a sum of eight core frailty indicators and ADL with the ADL staircase. The analyses were made on the basis of the intention-to-treat principle. At both three- and twelve-month follow-up the intervention group had a higher OR in improved number of ADL managed independently. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding frailty.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Arbetsterapi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Occupational Therapy (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kon (subject category)