Abstract
A three year mortality study was undertaken of a population of 4490 people aged 65 and over in all types of hospitals and homes provided within a defined geographical area. The rate of survival consistently fell with increasing incapacity in mobility, incontinence, washing/dressing, and feeding. The effect was independent of differences in age, sex, and duration of stay. Differences in survival between patients and residents of National Health Service hospitals (geriatric, psychiatric, acute) and homes for the elderly did not persist after adjustment for variations between populations in level of incapacity, age, and sex. An assessment based on ability to perform basic items of self care is easily undertaken and understood by staff in different settings. It allows homogeneous groups of elderly people to be identified despite a diverse range of underlying diseases and could provide the basis for planning and evaluating services and rehabilitation regimens.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Brauer E., Mackeprang B., Bentzon M. W. Prognosis of survival in a geriatric population. Scand J Soc Med. 1978;6(1):17–24. doi: 10.1177/140349487800600104. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Donaldson L. J., Clayton D. G., Clarke M. The elderly in residential care: mortality in relation to functional capacity. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1980 Jun;34(2):96–101. doi: 10.1136/jech.34.2.96. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Goldfarb A. I., Fisch M., Gerber I. E. Predictors of mortality in the institutionalized age. Dis Nerv Syst. 1966 Jan;27(1):21–29. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Goldfarb A. I. Predicting mortality in the institutionalized aged. A seven-year follow-up. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1969 Aug;21(2):172–176. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1969.01740200044006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hodkinson H. M., Hodkinson I. Death and discharge from a geriatric department. Age Ageing. 1980 Nov;9(4):220–228. doi: 10.1093/ageing/9.4.220. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Silver C. P., Zuberi S. J. Prognosis of patients admitted to a geriatric unit. Gerontol Clin (Basel) 1965;7(6):348–357. doi: 10.1159/000244920. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Smith R. G., Lowther C. P. Follow-up study of two hundred admissions to a residential home. Age Ageing. 1976 Aug;5(3):176–180. doi: 10.1093/ageing/5.3.176. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Warren M. D., Knight R. Mortality in relation to the functional capacities of people with disabilities living at home. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1982 Sep;36(3):220–223. doi: 10.1136/jech.36.3.220. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]