Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T00:56:18.086Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effectiveness of the geriatric day hospital – a realist review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2011

Indunil Gunawardena*
Affiliation:
Southampton University Hospital Trust, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Indunil Gunawardena, 19 Bartlett Drive, Bournemouth BH7 7JT. Email: [email protected]

Summary

This research paper is a realist review on the effectiveness of medical care for older people in the geriatric day hospital (GDH), based on trial data from a Cochrane review published in 2008. The Cochrane review indicated no overall difference between GDH care and alternative services. However, health care management and policy interventions are quite complex and methodologically more diverse than clinical treatments. Hence a ‘realist review’ is a more suitable explanatory analysis, aimed at discerning what works for whom, in what circumstances, in what respect, and how. This realist review on GDH care provides an explanatory analysis and has aimed to identify where GDH care is and is not effective.

Type
Psychological and social gerontology
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Royal College of Physicians. Geriatric Medicine. In Consultant Physicians Working with Patients, 4th edn. London: Royal College of Physicians, 2008.Google Scholar
2Department of Health. National Service Framework for older people. London: Department of Health, 2001.Google Scholar
3Department of Health. The NHS Plan: A plan for investment. A plan for reform. London: Department of Health, 2000.Google Scholar
4British Geriatrics Society. Geriatric (Medical) Day Hospitals for older people. BGS Best Practice Guide 4.4. 2006. Available at: http://www.bgs.org.uk/Publications/Compendium/compend_4–4.htm (accessed 10 June 2010).Google Scholar
5Forster, A, Young, J, Lambley, R, Langhorne, P. Medical day hospital care for the elderly versus alternative forms of care. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008; (4): CD001730.Google Scholar
6Pawson, R, Greenhalgh, T, Harvey, G, Walshe, K. Realist review – a new method of systematic review designed for complex policy interventions. J Health Serv Res Policy 2005; 10: 2134.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Greenhalgh, T, Kristjansson, E, Robinson, V. Realist review to understand the efficacy of school feeding programmes. BMJ 2007; 335: 858–61.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8Weissert, W, Wan, T, Liviertos, B, Katz, S. Effects and costs of day-care services for the chronically ill: a randomized experiment. Med Care 1980; 18: 567–84.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9Cummings, V, Kerner, JF, Arones, S, Steinbock, C. An evaluation of a day hospital service in rehabilitation medicine. National Centre for Health Services Research Grant HS 01043, 1980.Google Scholar
10Hedrick, SC, Branch, LG. Adult day health care evaluation study. Med Care 1993; 31: SS1124.Google ScholarPubMed
11Hui, E, Lum, CM, Woo, J, Or, KH, Kay, RL. Outcomes of elderly stroke patients – Day hospital versus conventional medical management. Stroke 1995; 26: 1616–19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Tucker, MA, Davison, JG, Ogle, SJ. Day hospital rehabilitation – effectiveness and cost in the elderly: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ 1984; 289: 1209–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13Woodford-Williams, E, McKeon, JA, Trotter, IS, Watson, D, Bushby, C. The day hospital in the community care of the elderly. Gerontology Clinic 1962; 4: 241–56.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14Burch, S, Longbottom, J, MacKay, M, Borland, C, Prevost, T. A randomised controlled trial of day hospital and day centre therapy. Clinical Rehabil 1999; 2: 105–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15Wan, TT, Weissert, WG, Liviertos, BB. Geriatric day care and homemaker services: an experimental study. J Gerontol 1980; 35: 256–74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16Roderick, P, Low, J, Day, R, Peasgood, T, Mullee, MA, Turnbull, JC, Villar, T, Raftery, J. Stroke rehabilitation after hospital discharge: a randomized trial comparing domiciliary and day-hospital care. Age Ageing 2001; 30: 303–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17Eagle, DJ, Guyatt, GH, Patterson, C, Turpie, I, Sackett, B, Singer, J. Effectiveness of a geriatric day hospital. CMAJ 1991; 144: 699704.Google ScholarPubMed
18Crotty, M, Giles, LC, Halbert, J, Harding, J, Miller, M. Home versus day rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial. Age Ageing 2008; 37: 628–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar