title: Rehabilitation of cognitive and motor functions in younger and older patients with vascular brain damage, rheumatologic illness and in post-surgery patients.
abstract: This study presents results of inpatient rehabilitation (as monitored by Functional Independence Measure (FIM)) of patients with vascular brain damage (n = 78), post surgery patients (n = 62) and of patients with rheumatologic illness (n = 45). These patients were divided into two age groups (cut off point 65 years). There were significant differences in the FIM scores in all three diagnosis groups between the younger and the older patients at discharge, the younger patients reaching a higher FIM score. However, there were no substantial differences between the two age groups in FIM gains the length of stay in any of the diagnosis groups. This study indicates that although younger patients reach higher FIM score at admission and at discharge the patients older than 65 improved in a comparable way during the same length of stay thus requiring comparable financial resources.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Centre, Medical Clinic, Buerger Hospital Solothurn, Switzerland. lvalach_so@spital.ktso.ch
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valach
authors.forename: G Cox
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Steck
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Röschli
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Selz
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D020214:Cerebrovascular Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000534:rehabilitation