title: Perspectives of older adults of low socioeconomic status on the post-hospital transition.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Older adults of low socioeconomic status are at high risk for poor post-hospital outcomes. Design. A qualitative researcher, who was also an outreach worker from the West Philadelphia community, conducted in-depth interviews with 25 participants within 30 days of their hospital discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible participants were: 1) residents of high-poverty ZIP codes; 2) dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid; 3) had capacity or a caregiver who could be interviewed as a proxy; 4) general medicine or cardiology patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants were unable to access the care and accommodations needed to cope with post-hospital frailty. As a result, medical disability was amplified by socioeconomic disability. Participants were ashamed of the resulting loss of control and had difficulty asking for help, particularly from potential supports who were perceived as emotionally controlling or judgmental.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strategies that address socioeconomic stressors of hospitalization and provide empathic support may improve the post-hospital transition for these high-risk individuals.
authors.forename: Shreya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kangovi
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Frances K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Barg
authors.forename: Tamala
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grande
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000191:economics*; D015143:Philadelphia; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012649:Self Concept