title: Geriatric rehabilitation on an acute-care medical unit.
abstract: This study examined a geriatric rehabilitation pilot project on an acute-care medical unit. Over a 6-week period, using a 35-item geriatric rating scale and a mental assessment tool, changes in behaviours of 23 patients admitted to the geriatric rehabilitation module were compared to changes in behaviours of 10 elderly patients on a regular medical unit. The patients' demographic characteristics, their nursing and medical diagnoses, and discharge patterns were reviewed. Significant changes in behaviours of patients on the rehabilitation model included: increased ability to care for themselves, to maintain balance, and to communicate with others; decreased restlessness at night; decreased confusion; decreased incidence of incontinence; and improved social skills. The paper describes the geriatric rehabilitation programme and discusses implications for nursing of elderly patients in acute-care hospitals.
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000208:Acute Disease / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000368:Aged; D001955:British Columbia; D005851:Geriatric Nursing; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012648:Self Care