The purpose of a recent study was to evaluate patient and system outcomes
regarding older community-residing (nursing home, assisted living facility) adults who participated in a
rehabilitation program following hip fracuture surgery.
The health care
professionals on the rehabilitation unit in this feasibility study had
never cared for such patients who were so frail, with multiple
co-morbidities including cognitive impairment. After an innovative
model of care was developed and the staff trained in the novel approach
to care, the unit opened for all patients living within the community
who had fractured their hip, regardless of their cognitive impairment.
Of the 31 elderly
patients consecutively admitted post-hip fracture in this retrospective study, 18
were found to have cognitive impairment postoperatively. There were no differences in length
of stay, rehabilitation efficiency, and motor gain scores
between the two groups of patients.
This feasibility retrospective
study suggests that staff can learn how to care for patients with cognitive impairment in
rehabilitation settings, and that such clients can achieve outcomes
comparable to those without cognitive impairment in a setting dedicated to caring for
patients with a hip fracture. For more, see the study.
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Robert W. Carter, Jr. is a Virginia attorney whose law practice is
dedicated to protecting the rights of the victims of nursing
home and assisted living neglect and abuse in Richmond, Roanoke,
Norfolk, Lynchburg, Danville, Charlottesville, and across Virginia.
