[Predictors of functional decline and care for the hospitalized elderly]

The number of elderly patients in hospitals rises as a country's population ages. In Taiwan, roughly 27% of hospitalized patients are elderly. Previous studies have reported that 30% to 60% of hospitalized elderly patient experienced functional decline following discharge. This article reviews references on the predictors of functional decline in hospitalized elderly. Six predictors are summarized, including, senility, daily activity disturbance (activity of daily living, preadmission disability in instrument activity of daily life), cognitive impairment, diseases (diagnosis, depression, incontinence), and hospitalization (length of hospital stay, prior hospital utilization, and demographic characteristics [e.g., high body mass, low income, institutional resident]). Nursing interventions that have been shown to help moderate functional decline in elderly patients include the multidiscipline care model, creating an elder-friendly environment, and facilitating exercise programs. As healthcare costs are so high, the need to decrease negative outcomes in personal health is a pressing issue. Thus, identifying hospitalized elderly at risk and providing intervention to prevent disabilities is an important mission of healthcare providers.