Effective rehabilitation of older people in a district rehabilitation centre

To assess the outcome of rehabilitation of older patients in a district rehabilitation centre.

Prospective observational study.

A total of 202 patients aged ≥ 65 years rehabilitated at a Norwegian district inpatient rehabilitation centre, referred from district hospital, nursing homes or their own homes. Diagnoses were: stroke, arthrosis, hip fracture and other chronic diseases.

Admission: according to rehabilitation potential.

multidisciplinary team including an experienced general practitioner.

Sunnaas Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Index (SI).

Umea Life Satisfaction Checklist (LSC). Cognitive (Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)), emotional (Symptom Check List-10) and marital status, residence, length of stay and hours/week private and home care services were recorded.

SI increased significantly during the mean 3.1 weeks stay (mean 4.2, 95% confidence interval 3.5, 4.8), p<0.001), persisting after 3 months. Eighty-four percent of patients scored satisfied according to LSC after rehabilitation. SI at discharge (adjusted for SI at admission) was predicted by MMSE and type of residence. Seventy-four percent of the patients needed home care services <3 h/week, at discharge and 3 months later.

Significant and persisting improvements in activities of daily living may be achieved by rehabilitation of older patients with stroke, arthrosis, hip fracture and other chronic diseases in a district inpatient rehabilitation centre with co-ordinated and multi-disciplinary rehabilitation.