Geriatric Rehabilitation Hospital Research Articles

Inpatient Geriatric Rehabilitation: Definitions and Appropriate Admission Criteria, as Established by Maltese National Experts

(1) Background: The importance of having an appropriate admissions system for geriatric rehabilitation is on the increase. However, the process of admitting patients to inpatient rehabilitation is a complex process. This is yet to be standardised across the European Union, as the approach to geriatric rehabilitation tends to vary from one Member State to another. (2) Objective: To discuss evidence-based practice with clinical experts, in order to define geriatric rehabilitation and admission criteria based on the Maltese population. (3) Method: The study entailed conducting four panel sessions using a purposive sample of thirteen local clinicians with extensive knowledge in clinical rehabilitation and healthcare management. A total of 48 items, based on the literature and clinical experience, were presented to the panel. Data analysis was done quantitatively and qualitatively, using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 24 and thematic analysis. (4) Results: The panel formulated a definition of rehabilitation, which shared common elements with the definition provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other sources/literature. The panel agreed on a list of eight criteria for appropriate inpatient geriatric rehabilitation admission in Malta. Consensus was also reached on: the need for a consultant-led multidisciplinary approach to assessment; the adoption of a standardised assessment processes for an equitable chance for all older adults assessed; the benefit of digital health in assessments; and the consideration that most patients would have some form of rehabilitation potential, depending on availability of resources. (5) Conclusion: Inpatient geriatric rehabilitation hospitals should have a unified strategy for rehabilitation services. The conclusions reached by the panel, could be useful in supporting the clinical evidence and establishing future rehabilitation guidelines and standards for inpatient rehabilitation.

Usability, acceptabilityand clinical utility of a mobile app to screen for hearing loss in older adults in a geriatric rehabilitation hospital.

Hearing loss is a common problem for older adults entering rehabilitation hospitals. To pilot a hearing loss screening device to determine feasibility, usability, and impact on patient outcomes. We screened all patients newly admitted to a geriatric day hospital for hearing loss using the SHOEBOX® QuickTest (SHOEBOX Ltd.) app as part of a quality improvement programme. We measured the time it took for each patient to complete screening and recorded any issues they had using the app. We recorded the number of patients who screened positive who did not have a previous diagnosis and changes in physician behaviours after they received their patients' results. Seventy-four patients with a mean age of 83.4 years used the hearing screener. All patients were able to complete the screening with a mean time to completion of 10 min and 48 s. Ninety-nine percent of patients screened positive for hearing loss. Of these positives 56% were in participants not already known to have hearing loss. Physicians often changed their behaviour after receiving results by using assistive devices during visits and referring to audiology for formal testing. Screening for hearing loss is feasible in a geriatric day hospital. The SHOEBOX QuickTest app is acceptable, usable, resulting in the identification of undiagnosed hearing loss and in changes to physician behaviour.

A cross-sectional study using the skin tear knowledge assessment instrument (OASES) to assess registered nurses’ knowledge of the identification, classification, prevention, assessment and management of skin tears in a geriatric rehabilitation hospital

A cross-sectional study using the skin tear knowledge assessment instrument (OASES) to assess registered nurses’ knowledge of the identification, classification, prevention, assessment and management of skin tears in a geriatric rehabilitation hospital

Creating opportunities for patient participation in managing medications across transitions of care through formal and informal modes of communication.

BackgroundCommunicating about medications across transitions of care is important in older patients who frequently move between health care settings. While there is increasing interest in understanding patient communication across transitions of care, little is known about older patients' involvement in formal and informal modes of communication regarding managing medications.ObjectiveThe aim of this paper was to explore how older patients participated in managing their medications across transitions of care through formal and informal modes of communication.MethodsThe study was conducted across two metropolitan hospitals: an acute hospital and a geriatric rehabilitation hospital in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. A focused ethnographic design was used involving semi‐structured interviews (n = 50), observations (203 h) and individual interviews or focus groups (n = 25). Following thematic analysis, data were analysed using Fairclough's Critical Discourse Analysis.ResultsData analysis revealed two major discursive practices, which comprised of an interplay between formal and informal communication and environmental influences on formal and informal communication. Self‐created patient notes were used by older patients to initiate informal discussion with health professionals about medication decisions, which challenged traditional unequal power relations between health professionals and patients. Formal prompts on electronic medication administration records facilitated the continuous information discourse about patients' medications across transitions of care and encouraged health professionals to seek out older patients' preferences through informal bedside interactions. Environmental influences on communication comprised health professionals' physical movements across private and public spaces in the ward, their distance from older patients at the bedside and utilization of the computer systems during patient encounters.ConclusionOlder patients' self‐created medication notes enabled them to take on a more active role in formal and informal medication communication across transitions of care. Older patients and family members did not have continuous access to information about medication changes during their hospital stay and systems often failed to address older patients' key concerns about their medications, which hindered their active involvement in formal and informal communication.Patient or Public ContributionOlder adults, family members and health professionals volunteered to be interviewed and observed.

132 GERIATRIC REHABILITATION IN THE COVID-19 ERA: SERVICE INNOVATION AND PATIENT OUTCOMES

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed the way rehabilitation services are delivered, with focus placed on individual in-room therapy and cessation of group sessions. Sparks Innovation and National Lottery funding was obtained to implement the ‘In-Room Rehabilitation and Well-being Initiative’. This provided patients with individual physiotherapy equipment to use in their room thus maximizing time spent active during periods of isolation. We aim to describe service innovation occurring in a post-acute geriatric rehabilitation hospital during the COVID-19 era, and the resultant patient outcomes.MethodsRehabilitation was provided to patients in-line with evidence-based practice and national infection prevention and control guidelines. Patients who were deemed appropriate by the multi-disciplinary team were provided with in-room therapy equipment. Prospective data was collected on service and patient outcomes. Functional outcome measurements were collected on admission and discharge and compared using a paired t-test.ResultsRehabilitation was provided to 260 patients, average age 80.5 years (range 63–98) with 46.5% male. The majority of patients were admitted with ortho-geriatric diagnoses or general deconditioning following illness (70%). The patients were complex with multiple medical, functional, and psychosocial care needs, as indicated by an average Rehabilitation Complexity Score of 11/20, with 100% of patients requiring daily therapy. Average length of stay (LOS) was 30.7 days (range 3–169), with 85% of patients discharged home. Performance in activities of daily living (Barthel Index: 62 vs 79, p < 0.0001), and mobility (Cumulative Ambulatory Score: 3.8 vs 5.3, p < 0.0001) significantly improved from admission to discharge.ConclusionDespite ward closures, disruption to rehabilitation due to COVID-19 illness, and limitations on group therapies, our service achieved positive patient outcomes through innovation and delivery of high-quality evidence-based rehabilitation. Compared to the past eight years, 2020 had the lowest LOS and highest number of patients discharged home.

Root cause analysis to identify contributing factors for the development of hospital acquired pressure injuries

IntroductionMany hospital settings are adopting a zero-tolerance policy towards pressure injury (PI) development; this requires good planning and the implementation of care, as the incidence of PIs reflects the quality of care given in a hospital or facility. AimTo identify common contributing factors towards the development of PIs in a geriatric rehabilitation hospital and improve patient safety through the reduction of hospital-acquired PIs. MethodThis was done using root cause analysis (RCA). All patients who developed a Stage 3 or 4 deep tissue injuries or unstageable hospital-acquired PI between December 2017 and April 2018 PIs were investigated using RCA. The RCA was facilitated through the use of a contributing framework developed by the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel which guides investigations of different areas of care. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected from several sources and placed in a timeline to reconstruct the series of events. The investigator then identified if the PI was avoidable or not by comparing the evidence with pre-set criteria. Content analysis was further used to analyse the themes retrieved. ResultsA variety of root causes were common amongst all the cases. These included both flaws in the system, such as poor equipment and inadequate educational programmes, as well as human factors such as a lack of basic routine care. No skin assessment was being performed (n = 0) apart from the assessment done on admission. Documentation of action planning when it comes to PI prevention was also missing (n = 0). It was identified that 7 patients were mobilized on admission while the others (n = 3) had a delay in mobilisation, due to some fragmentation in care. There was no documentation of patient and relative education on the prevention of PIs (n = 0). All the patients were provided with the right pressure redistributing mattress however, some mattresses were bottoming out. Some causes overlapped, with system defects like lack of protocols, equipment and tools pushing human errors to occur. This created a series of events leading to the adverse event. The identification of these factors helped to provide an understanding of the changes that are needed to reduce future harm and improve patient safety. ConclusionRecommendations were proposed to reduce contributing factors to the development of hospital-acquired PIs. These include audits to reinforce adherence to hospital guidelines, streamlining of the documentation system, investment in new equipment and improvements to educational programmes. The recommendations implemented resulted in a decreased incidence rate of HAPIs.

'It's not magic': A qualitative analysis of geriatric physicians' explanations of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation in hospital admissions.

BackgroundDiscussing patient preferences for cardio‐pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is routine in hospital admission for older people. The way the conversation is conducted plays an important role for patient comprehension and the ethics of decision making.ObjectiveThe objective was to examine how CPR is explained in geriatric rehabilitation hospital admission interviews, focussing on circumstances in which physicians explain CPR and the content of these explanations.MethodWe recorded forty‐three physician‐patient admission interviews taking place in a hospital in French‐speaking Switzerland, during which CPR was discussed. Data were analysed in French with thematic and conversation analysis, and the extracts used for publication were translated into English.ResultsMean patient age was 83.7 years; 53.5% were admitted for rehabilitation after surgery or traumatism. CPR was explained in 53.8% of the conversations. Most explanations were brief and concerned the technical procedures, mentioning only rarely potential outcome. With one exception, medical indication and prognosis of CPR did not feature in these explanations. Explanations occurred either before the patient's answer (as part of the question about CPR preferences) or after the patient's answer, generated by patients' indecision, misunderstanding and by the need to clarify answers.Discussion and conclusionsThe scarcity and simplicity of CPR explanations highlight a reluctance to have in‐depth discussions and reflect the assumption that CPR does not need explaining. Providing patients with accurate information about the outcomes and risks of CPR is incremental for reaching informed decisions and patient‐centred care.Patient contributionPatients were involved in the data collection stage of the study.

IMAGINE study protocol of a clinical trial: a multi-center, investigator-blinded, randomized, 36-month, parallel-group to compare the effectiveness of motivational interview in rehabilitation of older stroke survivors

BackgroundRehabilitation pathways are crucial to reduce stroke-related disability. Motivational Interviewing (MI), as a person-centered complex intervention, aimed to empower and motivate, and could be a resource to improve rehabilitation outcomes for older stroke survivors. The IMAGINE project aims to assess the impact of MI, as a complement to standard geriatric rehabilitation, on functional improvement at 30 days after admission, compared to standard geriatric rehabilitation alone, in persons admitted to geriatric rehabilitation after a stroke. Secondary objectives include assessing the impact of MI on physical activity and performance, self-efficacy, safety, cost-utility, participants’ experiences and functional status at 3 months.MethodsWe will conduct a multicenter randomized clinical trial in three geriatric rehabilitation hospitals in Spain. Older adults after mild-moderate stroke without previous severe cognitive impairment or disability will be randomized into the control or intervention group (136 per group, total N = 272). The intervention group will receive 4 sessions of MI by trained nurses, including the design of a personalized rehabilitation plan agreed between stroke survivors and nurses based on stroke survivors´ goals, needs, preferences and capabilities. Main outcome will be the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). In-hospital physical activity will be measured through accelerometers and secondary outcomes using validated scales. The study includes a process evaluation and cost-utility analysis.DiscussionFinal results are expected by end of 2020. This study will provide relevant information on the implementation of MI as a rehabilitation reinforcement tool in older stroke survivors. A potential reduction in post-stroke disability and dependence would increase person’s health-related quality of life and well-being and reduce health and social care costs. IMAGINE has the potential to inform practice and policymakers on how to move forward towards shared decision-making and shared responsibilities in the vulnerable population of older stroke survivors.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03434938, registered on January 2018.

Impacts of robot implementation on care personnel and clients in elderly-care institutions

BackgroundDigital technologies, including robots, are being increasingly used in elderly care. Their impact on users carries implications for successfully integrating technological innovations into care. This study aims to identify the impacts of care-robot implementation on elderly-care service stakeholders. MethodsImpacts of care-robot implementation on users – care personnel and elderly clients – are identified from the data collected during a 10-week field study of the implementation process of the care robot ‘Zora’ in municipal elderly care services in Finland. The data were obtained from semi-participatory observation (27 sessions) of the robot engaging in rehabilitation efforts in two care homes and a geriatric rehabilitation hospital, and focus-group interviews conducted with 40 care workers and clients. ResultsRobot use in elderly care is associated with multiple types of impacts with positive, negative, and neutral dimensions. These include impacts on interaction and activity for clients, and impacts on the work atmosphere, meaningfulness of work content, and professional development for care personnel. Impacts on personnel were related to the need for orientation, problems of time usage, and overall attitudes toward novelty and renewing of care service. The robot’s presence stimulated the clients into exercising and interacting. The care workers perceived the clients’ well-being both as a motivation to learn how to use robots as well as a justification for negative views. ConclusionsCare-robots like Zora have the potential for multi-faceted rehabilitative functions and can become part of care service with careful systemic planning with a specific focus on orientation. Many of the identified impacts were related to how the robot fits into the service processes. Distinguishing between positive, negative, or neutral dimensions of different impacts is important.

Correlates of fear of falling and falls efficacy in geriatric patients recovering from hip/pelvic fracture

Objective: To gain a better understanding about the nature of fear of falling, this study analyzed associations between psychological and physical aspects related to fear of falling and falls efficacy in hip/pelvic fracture patients. Design: Baseline data of a randomized controlled trial. Setting: Geriatric inpatient rehabilitation hospital. Subjects: In all, 115 geriatric patients with hip/pelvic fracture (mean age: 82.5 years) reporting fear of falling within first week of inpatient rehabilitation. Interventions: None. Main measures: Falls efficacy (Short Falls Efficacy Scale–International; Perceived Ability to Manage Falls), fear of falling (one-item question), fall-related post-traumatic stress symptoms (six items based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) criteria), physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery) and psychological inflexibility (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II) were assessed. Results: Path analyses demonstrated that low falls efficacy (Short Falls Efficacy Scale International) was significantly related to poor physical performance (β* = –.277, P ⩽ .001), but not to psychological inflexibility and fall-related post-traumatic stress symptoms (P ⩾ .05.). Fear of falling was directly associated with fall-related post-traumatic stress symptoms (β*= .270, P = .007) and indirectly with psychological inflexibility (β*= .110, P = .022). Low perceived ability to manage falls was significantly related to previous falls (β* = –.348, P ⩽ .001), psychological inflexibility (β* = –.216, P = .022) and female gender (β* = –.239, P ⩽ .01). Conclusion: Falls efficacy and fear of falling constitute distinct constructs. Falls efficacy measured with the Short Falls Efficacy Scale International reflects the appraisal of poor physical performance. Fear of falling measured by the single-item question constitutes a fall-specific psychological construct associated with psychological inflexibility and fall-related post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Fire Disaster Readiness: Preparation for the Evacuation of Medical Facilities During Fires in Haifa, Israel, 2016.

When a fire occurs, there is little time to escape. In less than 30 seconds, a fire can rage out of control, filling the area with heat and toxic thick smoke (Purdue University Fire Department, 2017; http://www.purdue.edu/ehps/fire/fire-101.html.) In 2010, following the successful evacuation of Maale Ha'Carmel Mental Health Center during a raging forest fire in the area, a comprehensive investigation was performed to evaluate the management of the evacuation process and to systematically elicit lessons learned from the incident. In 2016, a forest fire erupted in the same geographic area that required the evacuation of Fliman Geriatric Rehabilitation Hospital, and methodical debriefing identified the strengths and weaknesses of the evacuation process in that hospital. The lessons learned from the evacuation of these two health care facilities, which were at the focus of major fires in Israel in 2010 and in 2016, are presented. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:375-379).

The ‘unworthy’ patient with dementia in geriatric rehabilitation hospitals

BackgroundThe number of people presenting to hospital with dementia is escalating worldwide. Hospitals are inadequately prepared leading to a poor patient experience. AimTo explore the perspectives of nurses caring for people with dementia to critically evaluate the reasons behind the widely reported poor care received by such patients. The study examined what was privileged in the care of patients with dementia in geriatric rehabilitation facilities. MethodThe study used critical ethnography. Data were obtained from interviews with 29 nurses working with patients with dementia in geriatric rehabilitation hospitals. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. FindingsThe theme of the ‘unworthy’ patient was supported by sub-themes of people with dementia and hospital performance targets, risk, nurse workload and acute care issues. DiscussionHospitals have increasing pressure to conform to tight budgets and must justify all expenditure, increase patient throughput and minimise risk. Patients with dementia can have a longer hospital stay complicated by frailty, complications and social problems. The focus on rapid discharge influences the mind-set of nurses and nurse habitus. Patients with multiple chronic co-morbidities are unpopular and considered low priority and less worthy of resources. Privileging care for certain patients and tasks is supported by organisational cultural beliefs. Nurses require support to maintain empathetic caring practices in the face of managerial priorities. ConclusionThe research found that patients with dementia were considered unworthy in the geriatric rehabilitation hospital setting. The difficulties caring for patients with dementia are considerable. Nurses need education and support to improve practice.

A qualitative study of healthcare provider perspectives on measuring functional outcomes in geriatric rehabilitation

Objectives: To explore, from the perspective of healthcare providers, the barriers to and facilitators of using standardized outcome measures of physical function in geriatric rehabilitation settings. Methods: In-depth semi-structured interviews with medical doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists were conducted from three geriatric rehabilitation hospitals in Ontario. Qualitative content analysis through an inductive approach was used to identify barriers to and facilitators of outcome measurement in geriatric rehabilitation settings. Results: A total of 20 healthcare providers from different disciplines were interviewed. Barriers are standardized outcome measures that (1) cannot be used in isolation to inform clinical decision-making for older patients, (2) are difficult to complete and interpret in older complex patients, (3) may not be useful for all members of the clinical team and (4) are used for reasons unrelated to patient care. Facilitators are to (1) divide the standardized outcome measure into components that are useful for each team member’s practice, (2) encourage standardized outcome measures as tools for improving daily communication and (3) provide adequate education and support for their daily use. Conclusion: This study revealed important barriers to using standardized outcome measures in geriatric rehabilitation from the perspective of healthcare providers. However, it also identified multiple factors that may help facilitate their use.

251Patients in a Step Down Geriatric Rehabilitation Hospital – What are the Reasons for Transfer Back to an Acute Hospital?

251Patients in a Step Down Geriatric Rehabilitation Hospital – What are the Reasons for Transfer Back to an Acute Hospital?

The liminality of the patient with dementia in hospital.

The aim was to explore the experiences of people with dementia in subacute geriatric rehabilitation hospitals to critically evaluate the care received by such patients. Globally, the number of people with dementia is growing and is expected to impact progressively more on health systems. People with dementia can become deconditioned and deteriorate in cognitive function while in hospital. The unfamiliar environment and people can cause the person to become disorientated, which then leads to behavioural symptoms which complicate care. Critical ethnography. Methods included observation with field notes and 30 audio-recorded conversational interviews with patients with dementia in an Australian subacute care setting. Data were collected in May-December 2014, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. The central theme identified that patients with dementia described a liminal experience and felt like outsiders in the hospital environment. This was supported by the subthemes of not understanding why they were being kept in hospital, feeling lost in the space, bored, anxious about discharge plans and lacking intersubjective relationships. Many felt imprisoned by the locked wards. There was little evidence of nursing care delivered in an empathetic person-centred way. Nurses were busy and engaged with the patients only superficially. People with dementia can have a liminal experience and feel like outsiders in this environment, which does not cater for the specific needs of this patient group. It should be acknowledged that people with dementia require additional resources. A caring nurse-patient relationship is fundamental to the patient experience. Nurses require further support and education about dementia in order to deliver quality care to this patient group. These findings will influence nurse leaders to advocate for improved resources for nurses to provide appropriate care for patients with dementia in subacute geriatric hospitals. The clinical practice of nurses needs to be supported with education, pyschological and material support to improve the therapeutic environment for patients with cognitive impairment resulting from dementia.

Current legal and jurisdictional questions from the perspective of the German Federal Association for Geriatrics : Practical report

The article discusses the questions of the arbitration bodies according to §111b SGBV (Volume V of the Social Insurance Code) in the individual federal states from the perspective of geriatric rehabilitation hospitals. The content of the agreement of reimbursement between a rehabilitation hospital and health insurance will be targeted as well as the question whether the entire content of the agreements of reimbursement can be negotiated at the arbitration body. In addition, the authors describe the consequences of the jurisprudence of the Federal Social Court on §301I. S.1 no.8 SGBV and the reaction of the lawgiver. Furthermore the authors describe the effects of the jurisprudence of the Federal Social Court regarding the minimum age associated with complex geriatric treatment (OPS8-550).

Assessing Risk of Falling in Older Adults-A Comparison of Three Methods.

Various risk assessment methods have been developed to assess fall risk. Diagnostic accuracy of fall risk assessments is low and there is a scarcity of evidence regarding clinical effectiveness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and clinical effectiveness of a standardized fall risk assessment relative to clinical and self-report assessment. A single-site, prospective, longitudinal study was performed in a group of geriatric patients. Participants were patients being admitted to a geriatric rehabilitation hospital. The St. Thomas's risk assessment tool (STRATIFY), clinical assessment, and a self-report assessment (fear of falling) were used to assess fall risk at two time points (at baseline and 3-week follow-up). The primary outcome was fall events. Contingency tables were used to calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values. Fisher's exact test was used to test the association between assessments and fall events. A total of 124 patients participated in the study. The self-report technique demonstrated the highest sensitivity and negative predictive validity. The STRATIFY tool showed the highest specificity but the lowest sensitivity. The self-report technique was associated with a lower number of fall events. Given the lack of diagnostic accuracy of all three assessment techniques and the lack of evidence regarding clinical effectiveness, the usefulness of these fall risk assessments can be challenged. At least in settings in which fall prevention programs are a part of standard care, additional time consuming assessments may not be required. It is questionable whether time-consuming assessments examined in this study are necessary. Further studies are needed to examine the diagnostic accuracy and clinical effectiveness of fall risk assessments.

Discharge medication - what do patients know about their medication on discharge?

Patients' lack of knowledge about their discharge medication can endanger patients' safety after their hospital stay. This is especially the case with regard to medications that were newly prescribed during the hospital stay and are intended to be used after discharge or medications with an increased risk for adverse drug reactions (high-risk drugs). The aim of this study was to analyse the patients' level of knowledge about their discharge medication and to identify influence factors. In a bicentric survey patients were interviewed prior to their discharge from an acute and a geriatric rehabilitation hospital. They were asked about their discharge medication in a structured interview. Influence factors were statistically analysed by Tobit regression. In total, 179 patients were interviewed. On average, patients named 48% of their discharge medication correctly (95% CI: 46-50%). Influence factors for knowledge deficits were the lack of a medication plan, an older age, the hospitalization in a rehabilitation hospital and a long hospitalization. 81% of the patients had at least one drug in their discharge medication, which was newly prescribed during the hospital stay. 11% of those drugs were named correctly, the potency was named correctly in 6%, the indication in 8%. For almost two-thirds of the patients at least one high-risk drug was recommended in the discharge letter, among them most frequently oral anticoagulants and opioid analgesics. 38% of these high-risk drugs were named correctly. Our results demonstrate an urgent need to train patients about their discharge medication, especially if medications are included that were newly prescribed during the hospital stay and recommended for further use after discharge or medications with an increased risk of adverse drug reactions. Particularly older patients and patients of a rehabilitation hospital after long hospitalization should be intensively counselled and obtain a medication plan upon discharge.

This Is What a Clinical Death Looks Like

Sickness, dying, and ageing are increasingly medicalized, focusing elder quality of life on interventions, that I argue, progressively strip autonomy, dignity, and privacy. For elders aged 70 plus years, personal autonomy, or the ability to “author” one’s circumstances, is poorly understood, and in clinical settings, often ethically vexatious. What matters to elders, as they approach end-of-life I argue, could be more meaningfully understood and supported via an experiential conception of autonomy. This autoethnographic case study, based in an Australian sub-acute geriatric rehabilitation hospital, explores what happens when the author’s 86-year-old mother, Marie, challenges clinical culture. Institutional barriers to explore a collaborative and empathic care practice, regarding sleeping arrangement, exercise, and nursing, resulted in Marie’s decision to die on her own terms—and highlights a need to expand institutional understandings of personal autonomy, the sanctity of life, and elder care beyond the pathological.

Quality of life in older individuals with joint contractures in geriatric care settings.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between functioning and disability and quality of life (QoL) in older individuals with joint contractures in the geriatric care setting. More specifically, this study aimed to identify determinants of QoL out of a defined set of contracture-related categories of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Participants for this multicenter cross-sectional survey were recruited from acute geriatric rehabilitation hospitals, nursing homes, and community nursing facilities in Germany between February and October 2013. QoL was assessed using the validated German version of the EQ-5D index score and the EQ-5D visual analog scale (VAS). Manual and automatic variable selection methods were used to identify the most relevant variables out of 125 contracture-related ICF categories. A total of 241 eligible participants (34.9% male, mean age 80.1years) were included. The final models contained 14 ICF categories as predictors of the EQ-5D index score and 15 categories as predictors of the EQ-5D VAS. The statistically significant ICF categories from both models were 'muscle power functions (b730),' 'memory functions (b144),' 'taking care of plants (d6505),' 'recreation and leisure (d920),' 'religion and spirituality (d930),' 'drugs (e1101),' and 'products and technology for personal use in daily living (e115).' We identified the most relevant ICF categories for older individuals with joint contractures and their health-related quality of life. These items describe potential determinants of QoL which may provide the basis for future health interventions aiming to improve QoL for the patients with joint contractures.