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The Discharge of Elderly Patients from an Accident and Emergency Department: Functional Changes and Risk of Readmission
129
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0
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1990
Year
Trauma ResuscitationElderly PatientsEmergency Department AdministrationInjury PreventionFunctional ChangesGeriatric MedicineEmergency CareHospital MedicineFunctional AssessmentNeurorehabilitationFrailtyFifty PatientsHealth SciencesGeriatricsOutcomes ResearchRehabilitationEmergency DepartmentNursingPatient SafetyEmergency Medical ServiceOut-of-hospital Emergency Medical ServiceGeriatric AssessmentMedicineEmergency Medicine
Four hundred and fifty patients aged 75 years or older were followed up after discharge from an accident and emergency department. Forty-three per cent of all patients experienced some loss of functional independence. A small number, 5.6%, were readmitted to hospital within 14 days. This group were significantly less able to perform certain activities of daily living than those not readmitted. Attention to functional assessment by casualty staff may help to prevent readmission to hospital of this frail elderly group of patients.