Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T07:37:46.819Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

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

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

REFERENCES

Aronson, J., Marshal, V.W. & Sulman, J. (1987). Patients awaiting discharge from hospital. In Marshall, Victor W. (ed.), Aging in Canada: Social Perspectives, 2nd Edition (pp. 538549). Markham: Fitzhenry and Whiteside.Google Scholar
Barry, P.P. (1986). Iatrogenic disorders in die elderly: Preventive techniques. Geriatrics, 41 (9), 4247.Google Scholar
Catchen, H. (1983). Repeaters: Inpatient accidents among the hospitalized elderly. The Gerontologist, 23 (3), 273276.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fisher, R.H. & Zorzitto, M.L. (1983). Placement problems: Diagnosis, disease or term of denigration? Canadian Medical Association Journal, 129, 331334.Google ScholarPubMed
Gillick, M.R., Serrell, N.A. & Gillick, L.S. (1982). Adverse consequences of hospitalization in die elderly. Social Science and Mediane, 16, 10331038.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Glasser, P., Sarri, R. & Vinter, R. (1974). Individual Change Through Samu Groups. New York: The Free Press.Google Scholar
Hersch, E.L., Csapo, K.G. & Palmer, R.B. (1978). Development of the London Psychogeriatric Rating Scale. London Psychiatric Hospital Research Bulletin, 1, 321.Google Scholar
Jahnigen, D., Hannon, C., Laxson, L. & LaForce, F.M. (1982). Iatrogenic disease in hospitalized elderly veterans. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 30 (6), 387390.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lang, N.C. & Sulman, J. (1987). Collectivity in Social Group Work: Concept and Practice. New York: Haworth Press.Google Scholar
Marshall, V.W. (1987). Older patients in the acute-care hospital setting. In Ward, Russel A. & Tobin, Sheldon S. (eds.), Health in Aging: Social Issues and Policy Directions (pp. 194208). New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Metropolitan Toronto Distria Health Council (1984). Long term care bed needs in Metropolitan Toronto. Toronto: Metropolitan Toronto District Health Council.Google Scholar
Middleman, R.R. (1968). The Non-Verbal Method in Working with Groups. New York: Association Press.Google Scholar
Miller, M.B. (1975). Iatrogenic and nurisgenic effects of prolonged immobilization of the ill aged. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 23 (8), 360369.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parrish, H.M. & Weil, T.P. (1958). Patient accidents occurring in hospitals: Epidemiologie study of 614 accidents. New York State Journal of Mediane, 58, 838846.Google Scholar
Robertson, D. (1985). Long term care patients in acute care beds: Implications for action. Report to the Capital Regional Hospital District Hospital and Health Planning Commission.Google Scholar
Steel, K., Gertman, P.M., Crescenzi, C. & Anderson, J. (1981). Iatrogenic illness on a general medical service at a university hospital. The New Engknd Journal of Medicine, March 12, 1981, 638642.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tepperman, P. & Kaiser, P. (1982). Trimodal Ability Profile. Unpublished clinical assessment scale, Toronto.Google Scholar
Warshaw, G.A., Moore, J.T., Friedman, W., Currie, C.T., Kennie, D.C., Kane, W.J. & Mears, P.A. (1982). Functional disability in the hospitalized elderly. JAMA, 248 (7), 847850.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Woods, Gordon (1987). Bed utilization study, Department of Medicine. Consultants' study, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto.Google Scholar