Long hospital stays and need for alternate level of care at discharge. Does family make a difference for elderly patients?

Abstract

Many (43.4%) of the patients had no spouse and 19.4% had no children; 32.9% stayed 45 days or more and 6.9% required alternate level of care at discharge. Predictive of a long hospital stay were being without children (adjusted RR = 1.85), having a neurologic or psychiatric diagnosis (adjusted RR = 3.39), and having surgery unrelated to reason for admission (adjusted RR = 5.88). Predictive of need for alternate level of care at discharge were increasing age (adjusted RR = 1.08), having no spouse (adjusted RR = 2.59), having no children (adjusted RR = 3.27), and having a neurologic or psychiatric diagnosis (adjusted RR = 7.56).