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The Practice of Respite Admissions on a Geriatric Assessment Unit: The Correlates of Successful Outcome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Maria L. Zorzitto ,
David P. Ryan  and
Rory H. Fisher
Maria L. Zorzitto
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
David P. Ryan
Affiliation:
York University
Rory H. Fisher
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
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Abstract

A program of respite admission to a geriatric assessment unit was evaluated through a retrospective review of the medical records of 50 consecutive male respite patients.

The demographic and medical characteristics of these patients were examined and their hospital course was reconstructed. The correlates of several outcome variables were also examined. These included: 1) family response 2) the patient's condition at discharge and 3) the location of discharge.

The results indicate that although the program was appraised positively by family members, not all patients thrived during the admission and the condition of 22% deteriorated. Age and the incidence of a variety of intercurrent illnesses were among the most significant correlates of outcomes.

Finally, several recommendations are provided. These include the need for family counselling, following a pre-admission assessment, and the need for sound principles of geriatric management which can decrease the risk to the patient which appear to arise during a short-term respite admission.

Résumé

Un programme d'admission de sursis dans une unité gériatrique diagnostique a été soumis à une évaluation à partir d'une recension des dossiers médicaux de 50 malades masculins consecutifs.

Les caractéristiques démographiques et médicales de ces malades ont été soumises à un examen et le cours de leur séjour à l'höpital à été reconstitué. Les corrélate entre diverses variables résultantes ont également été examinés, notamment: 1) la réaction de la famille, 2) la condition du malade au moment de sa sortie, 3) le lieu de sa sortie.

Les résultats indiquent qu'en dépit de la satisfaction exprimée par les families, le séjour en milieu hospitalier n'a pas été profitable à tous les malades et que leur santé s'est détériorée dans 22% des cas. L'àge et ainsi que diverses maladies incidentes figurent parmi les corrélats les plus significatifs de l'issue.

Enfin, plusieurs recommandations sont formulées, dont la nécessité de conseiller les families à la suite de l'examen prédédant l'hospitalisation, et la nécessité d'appliquer de solides principes de gestion gériatrique en vue de diminuer les dangers qui guettant les malades au cours d'un court séjour de sursis en milieu hospitalier.

Keywords

long-term carerespite admissionsgeriatric assessmentsrehabilitation
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , Summer/L'été 1986 , pp. 105 - 111
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1986

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References

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