Posthospital needs of elderly people at home: findings from an eight-month follow-up study.
In a study of 737 elderly hospital patients discharged to their homes in suburban areas northwest of Chicago, Illinois, 60 percent were assessed as needing help with personal care or housekeeping. Only 19 percent were referred by the hospital to community service agencies and, in the immediate postdischarge period, a large proportion of help in both personal care and housekeeping was given by relatives. Eight months after discharge, however, the proportion of care provided by relatives had decreased and the proportion of paid help had increased. The use of help at both points in time was strongly related to limitations in the basic activities of daily living (ADL) at time of hospital discharge. Many patients were unaware of available community services, and 64 percent said that no one in the hospital had talked with them about managing at home. These findings indicate the need for rethinking criteria for hospital discharge planning, more effective communication between service providers and patients, and community focus of attention on elders coming home from the hospital.
Jones
E W
EW
Harvard Center for Community, Health and Medical Care, MA.
Densen
P M
PM
Brown
S D
SD
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D007255:Information Services; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012017:Referral and Consultation