Provision of rehabilitation in nursing homes.

Abstract

AbstractInterviews were conducted with the administrators of 118 nursing homes in Minnesota. Data were collected regarding: 1) characteristics of the nursing home, 2) economic characteristics, 3) characteristics of the patients, and 4) characteristics of the administrators. Information also was collected on: 1) medical rehabilitation services, 2) psycho‐social rehabilitation services, 3) volunteer services, and 4) activity programs. Indices were developed and the data subjected to statistical analysis.Results of the study indicate that nursing homes differ in the kinds of rehabilitation services and programs provided to their elderly patients. Different nursing homes emphasize different aspects of rehabilitation. Moreover, although nursing homes differ as to kinds of rehabilitation services and programs provided, few nursing homes serve a homogeneous population, similar in terms of rehabilitation potential and rehabilitation needs. Patients with high potential are housed in nursing homes providing few, if any, medical rehabilitation services, and persons who might especially benefit from programs of nonmedical rehabilitation dwell in facilities placing little emphasis upon their psychological and social needs.An obvious conclusion is that nursing‐home patients should be classified according to rehabilitation potential and rehabilitation needs and matched with nursing homes which can best fulfill the requirements. Although both potential and needs for rehabilitation may be medically assessed, there are few criteria by which to classify nursing homes according to rehabilitation services offered. This study represents a first attempt to discover those characteristics of nursing homes which provide various kinds of rehabilitation services and programs for their aged residents.