Institutionalization of the elderly and characteristics of nursing home patients

To characterize nursing home patients and to study the prevalence of institutionalization 191 patients living in four somatic nursing homes in western Sweden were investigated. Of the total population over 65 years 7.8% were institutionalized, 2.6% in somatic nursing homes. The need for care increased markedly after 80 years of age. Most commonly (45%), the patients were admitted from emergency somatic wards. The mean age was 82.5 years, 74% were single and 60% were women. The mean period of care was 1.82 years. 87% had more than one diagnosis. The most common diseases concerned the circulatory system (51%) and the musculoskeletal system (43%). Dementia was diagnosed in 41% at admittance, but functional tests revealed a much higher frequency (72%). Conclusions. The nursing home patient was very old, was mostly single and had multiple diseases. The prevalence of dementia was high.