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The burden of chronic illness in local authority residential homes for the elderly
Insights
Residents in Liverpool
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Public Health
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Part III residential homes provide care for a significant elderly population.
- Chronic illnesses are prevalent among residents, impacting their quality of life and healthcare needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the burden of chronic illness and medication use in Part III residential homes in Liverpool.
- To identify the healthcare needs of residents with prevalent chronic conditions.
Main Methods:
- A survey of 331 residents in Part III residential homes in Liverpool's Central and Southern Health District.
- Examination of diagnoses and medication of residents.
Main Results:
- Cardiovascular, psychiatric, and orthopedic conditions were the most prevalent chronic illnesses.
- Over half of all conditions were among the top 10 diagnoses, all requiring treatment monitoring.
- Two-thirds of these diseases were likely to progress, and three-quarters of residents experienced potential side effects from medication.
Conclusions:
- Part III residential homes face a substantial burden of chronic illness, necessitating comprehensive medical care.
- Current healthcare provisions may be inadequate to address the subtle yet significant health deterioration in residents.
- There is a critical need for improved anticipatory and event-related medical care in these settings.
Abstract:
A survey of all Part III residential homes in the Central and Southern area of Liverpool Health District examined the diagnoses and medication of 331 residents. A heavy burden of chronic illness was observed with cardio-vascular, psychiatric and orthopaedic problems being the most prevalent. Of the top 10 diagnoses, accounting for over half of all conditions, all disease instances required monitoring of their response to treatment. At least two thirds of these diseases were likely to progress, and the usual treatment of three quarters of the sample was associated with possible side-effects. This heavy burden of chronic illness in Part III residential homes implies a major need for both anticipatory and event-related medical care. These needs are unlikely to be met, given that the subtle, but significant, deterioration in the health of residents has been shown to go undetected.
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