title: Outcomes among older people in a post-acute inpatient rehabilitation unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Designated multidisciplinary rehabilitation units have been shown to provide several benefits for the frail older population. The aim of this research was to evaluate changes in strength, mobility, balance, endurance, frailty and quality of life (QoL) following a 6-week multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, observational study performed in a post-acute multidisciplinary geriatric inpatient rehabilitation service. A consecutive sample of heterogenous frail older adults (n = 32) participated. Subjects were assessed on admission to the rehabilitation service (T1) and following 6 weeks of rehabilitation (T2). A range of outcome measures were used to assess function and QoL: Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go (TUG), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Barthel Index (BI), EuroQol-Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS), Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), lower limb and grip dynamometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority were female (n = 25), the mean age was 82.9 years (SD 6.35). The median length of stay was 49 days. Patients improved significantly between T1 and T2 assessments in the BBS (p ≤ 0.0001); TUG (p ≤ 0.0001); 6MWT (p ≤ 0.0001); BI (p ≤ 0.0001); EQ-VAS (p = 0.002); CFS (p ≤ 0.0001); and in some aspects of grip and lower limb strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has demonstrated that positive outcomes occurred in a range of measures in an older, frail inpatient rehabilitation population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. scoleman@stjames.ie
authors.forename: Sinead A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Conal J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: James Bernard
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Davis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coakley
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harbison
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.forename: Niamh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: N Frances
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Horgan
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength; D053581:Muscle Strength Dynamometer; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010147:Pain Measurement; D004856:Postural Balance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*