An inpatient bed for acute nursing home admissions.
BACKGROUND
Some older patients are admitted directly to nursing homes without a comprehensive assessment.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a hospital assessment bed might provide better assessment, treatment and a more appropriate placement for selected older people. Setting a single bed in an elderly care unit of a district general hospital.


METHODS
Older people who general practitioners thought needed nursing home care but whose social workers felt might benefit from inpatient assessment.


METHODS
Type of treatment needed (acute care, rehabilitation, palliation, long-term care) and placement (home, nursing home, residential home or hospital).


RESULTS
of 34 patients assessed, 22 (65%) needed further clinical assessment or care and 26 (75%) left hospital for places other than nursing homes.


CONCLUSIONS
Inpatient assessment is a successful way of assessing the needs of some older people who would otherwise have been admitted directly from their homes to nursing homes.
Hutchinson
S G
SG
Portsmouth Healthcare NHS Trust, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Health Authority, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, Portsmouth P06 3LY, UK.
Tarrant
J
J
Severs
M R
MR
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016852:Housing for the Elderly; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010821:Physicians, Family; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012947:Social Work