Engaging older adults in their transitional care: what more needs to be done?
Multiple studies reveal that the healthcare needs of chronically ill older adults are poorly managed and often have devastating consequences. This paper examines available evidence related to improving care management and outcomes in this vulnerable patient group. Findings reinforce the need for enhanced patient engagement and suggest comparative effectiveness research as an important and immediate path to optimize patient-clinician partnerships. An ongoing study in care management is described as an example of such comparative effectiveness research. An overview of the barriers to implementation of evidence-based strategies related to health literacy, shared decision-making and accountability for self-management is provided, followed by a set of recommendations designed to facilitate comparative effectiveness research that advances engagement of high-risk older adults and their family caregivers.
University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, Fagin Hall Room 341, 418 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4217, USA.
Mary D
MD
Naylor
Karen B
KB
Hirschman
Melissa
M
O'Connor
Ronald
R
Barg
Mark V
MV
Pauly
D000368:Aged; D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003657:Decision Making; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D012648:Self Care; D035862:Vulnerable Populations