title: Rehabilitation and nursing home admission after hospitalization in acute geriatric patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study explored the effect of multimorbidity, cognitive and physical impairment, and sociodemographic factors on the choice of allocation of geriatric patients at hospital discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight hundred thirty patients 65 years or older admitted into an acute geriatric ward in Italy were evaluated (1998-2000).
  
  
  METHODS
  Social characteristics before hospitalization, multimorbidity, physical functioning, and cognitive status were related to allocation of living place after hospitalization (home, rehabilitation unit, or nursing home).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most patients were discharged to their homes (85%); 7% of the younger patients (65-74 years) and 11% of the very old (75+ years) were referred to a rehabilitation unit, while only among the very old 4% were discharged to a nursing home. Worse functional status, longer hospitalization, and being affected by dementia and cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) were associated with the admission to both rehabilitation and nursing home. Cognitive impairment and multimorbidity played a role in discharge destination, but only in functionally impaired patients. Living alone before hospitalization was correlated only with being discharged to a rehabilitation unit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In geriatric patients, both medical and sociodemographic characteristics are key factors for referral to rehabilitation or nursing home at discharge.
authors.affiliation: Aging Research Center, NVS Department, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Gerontology Research Center, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marengoni
authors.forename: Hedda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Agüero-Torres
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Timpini
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cossi
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fratiglioni
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004194:Disease / Q000145:classification; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010343:Patient Admission; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers