[Geriatric rehabilitation in a nursing home and the Barthel Index as a parameter]

To analyse patient characteristics and the results of rehabilitation among patients admitted for rehabilitation to a nursing-home.

Retrospective study.

St. Jozefsheil in Bakel, part of the Stichting Verpleeghuizen Gewest Helmond Nursing Homes Foundation, District Helmond, SVGH).

On all 60 patients admitted to the SVGH homes in 1987, information was obtained from medical, paramedical and nursing records. The Barthel index was determined on admission and at discharge and the differences were tested statistically using a t-test.

37 female and 23 male patients were admitted, with a median age of 75.5 years. 62% had had a cerebrovascular accident and 90% were referred from the hospital, mainly by the neurologist. The median hospitalization time was 9 weeks and the waiting list for a nursing home 2.9 weeks. In 1990, 47% of the patients were discharged, after a median rehabilitation time of 15 weeks; 23% had died and 30% remained in the nursing home. Among the discharged patients the increase in mean Barthel index from admission to discharge was 17.9 points. The difference in mean Barthel index at admission compared with non-discharged patients was 35.4 points and that compared with the decreased patients 37.7 points. For the 23 patients discharged within one year compared with the 5 patients discharged after more then one year the difference was 13.6 points. The mean Barthel index at admission of the 14 discharged patients living alone was 21 points more then that of the 10 discharged patients living with a partner. At discharge this difference was 9.9 points.

The Barthel index appears useful for evaluation and comparison of results of (geriatric) rehabilitation.