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An Activity Group for Long-Stay Elderly Patients in an Acute Care Hospital: Program Evaluation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Joanne Sulman
Affiliation:
Mount Sinai Hospital
Sue Wilkinson
Affiliation:
St. Joseph's Health Centre

Abstract

In order to assess the value of a group program for long-stay elderly patients in an acute care hospital, eight patient outcomes were compared over a six month period within the group and on the nursing units. The activity program was designed to help patients maintain or improve their functional levels while waiting for placement. All patients improved or maintained their functional levels in the group, but these outcomes were not consistently transferred to the nursing units. More intensive geriatric rehabilitation and attention to the unit milieu appear to be needed to maintain gains and to improve functional abilities of long-stay elderly patients in the acute hospital setting.

Résumé

Dans le but de mesurer la valeur d'un programme de groupe pour les patients âgés placés à long terme dans des hôpitaux de soins actifs, les suivis de huit patients ont été comparés durant une période de six mois à l'intérieur même du groupe et dans les unités de soins. Les activités ont été conçues en vue d'aider les patients à maintenir ou à améliorer leur niveau fonctionnel en attendant d'être placé. Tous les patients ont réussi à conserver ou à améliorer leur niveau fonctionnel au sein du groupe, cependant ces résultats n'ont pas été répétés régulièrement au niveau des unités de soins. Afin de conserver l'avance et améliorer les aptitudes fonctionnelles des patients âgés placés à long terme dans des centres hospitaliers offrant des soins actifs, il faudra intensifier les efforts au niveau de la réhabilitation gériatrique et porter une attention particulière au milieu de l'unité.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1989

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