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Acute hospitalization in a home for the aged
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|August 1, 1985
Summary
Hospitalizations among aged care residents led to significant mortality and increased care needs. Key predictors of death within six months included age, hospital complications, surgery, and acute myocardial infarction.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Internal Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Acute hospitalizations are common among residents of aged care facilities.
- Understanding hospitalization patterns and outcomes is crucial for improving care quality and resource allocation in geriatric settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the characteristics, outcomes, and predictors of acute hospitalizations in a home for the aged.
- To identify factors associated with mortality and the need for a higher level of care post-hospitalization.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of all acute hospitalizations over a four-year period for 373 eligible residents from a 229-bed home for the aged.
- Data collected included hospitalization frequency, length of stay, primary diagnoses, complications, mortality, and subsequent care needs.
- Logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with death within six months of the first hospitalization.
Main Results:
- 239 residents experienced 503 hospitalizations, with a median stay of 9.4 days.
- Hospital mortality was 11.7%. Within one year, 40% of residents died and 17% required a higher level of care.
- Age, hospital complication, surgical procedure, and acute myocardial infarction were significant predictors of death within six months.
Conclusions:
- Hospitalization in aged care residents is associated with high mortality and increased dependency.
- Identifying high-risk individuals through factors like age and complications can inform targeted interventions.
- Further research is needed to explore long-term survival trends and the impact of specific diagnoses on outcomes.