Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 15, 2026
06:52
Assessment of Dependence in Activities of Daily Living Among Older Patients in an Acute Care Unit
Published on: September 30, 2020
10.9K
[Functional decline in older persons after acute hospitalization]
Bianca M Buurman1, Sophia E de Rooij
1Academisch Medisch Centrum, afd. Geriatrie-Ouderengeneeskunde, Amsterdam.
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde
|April 2, 2015
Summary
Functional decline in older adults after hospitalization is common, impacting daily activities and quality of life. Early interventions like in-hospital recording, ambulation, and rehabilitation can help prevent this decline.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Geriatric Medicine
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Acute hospitalization frequently leads to new disabilities in activities of daily living among older adults (aged 65+), termed functional decline.
- Functional decline impairs independence in essential daily activities (e.g., bathing, dressing, walking) and is associated with reduced health-related quality of life and increased need for home care.
- Recovery from functional decline is challenging, and current preventive strategies are not widely implemented in clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significant issue of functional decline in older adults post-hospitalization.
- To identify key interventions for preventing functional decline.
- To pose critical research questions regarding recovery, contributing mechanisms, and intervention strategies for functional decline.
Main Methods:
- This study is a review and synthesis of existing literature on functional decline in older adults.
- It analyzes the impact of hospitalization on functional status and quality of life.
- It discusses the potential of in-hospital recording, early ambulation, and rehabilitation/transitional care in prevention.
Main Results:
- Functional decline is a prevalent consequence of hospitalization in older adults, leading to significant long-term disability.
- Effective preventive measures, including functional status recording, early ambulation, and tailored rehabilitation, are often underutilized.
- Current prevention methods have limited success, indicating a need for improved and broader application.
Conclusions:
- Preventing functional decline in older adults requires systematic implementation of evidence-based in-hospital interventions.
- Further research is crucial to understand recovery potential, underlying mechanisms, and optimize interventions for all older adults.
- Addressing functional decline is essential for maintaining independence and quality of life in the aging population.
More Related Videos
05:16Cutoff Value of Phase Angle by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis at Admission as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Acute Heart Failure
Published on: June 10, 2025
793
04:00Author Spotlight: Assessing Surgical Frailty with Point-of-Care Ultrasound of Quadriceps Muscles
Published on: July 26, 2024
1.6K
Related Concept Videos
01:15Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
368
Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...
368
01:18Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion
330
In geriatric patients, renal physiology undergoes significant changes, including diminished renal blood flow and a lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR), leading to alterations in medication clearance. Drugs such as aminoglycoside antibiotics, lithium, and digoxin, which rely on glomerular filtration for removal from the body, particularly impact pharmacokinetics. These drugs tend to have slower clearance rates in older adults, necessitating careful dosage considerations.Evaluation of renal...
330
01:29Acute Kidney Injury III: Clinical Manifestations
1.6K
Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) progresses through distinct clinical phases: the oliguric, diuretic, and recovery phases, each marked by unique manifestations and challenges.Oliguric Phase:The oliguric phase is the initial stage of AKI, typically lasting 10 to 14 days. This phase is marked by a significant reduction in urine output, usually less than 400 mL per day, indicating decreased kidney function. Fluid retention is a prominent feature, leading to symptoms such as edema, hypertension, and...
1.6K
01:23Acute Respiratory Failure-IV
753
Respiratory failure can manifest suddenly or gradually, characterized by a rapid decline in PaO2 and a rapid rise in PaCO2. This situation indicates a severe respiratory problem that may quickly become a life-threatening emergency. One of the early signs of hypoxemic Acute Respiratory Failure (ARF) is a change in mental status due to the brain's sensitivity to oxygen levels and changes in acid-base balance. Symptoms such as restlessness, confusion, and agitation suggest inadequate oxygen...
753
01:27Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
340
Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...
340
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
1.3K
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
1.3K