THE OUTCOMES OF PATIENTS NEWLY ADMITTED TO NURSING-HOMES AFTER HIP FRACTURE

Objectives. The outcomes of elderly, hospitalized patients discharged to nursing homes after hip fracture were examined. Methods. For 2624 h ip fracture patients admitted to any of 43 proprietary nursing homes b etween 1984 and 1988, admission assessments were examined in relation to 1-month outcomes. Results. Mean patient age was 82 +/- 7y; 85% of t he sample were female. Within 1 month after dis charge, 24% had return ed home, 12% had been rehospitalized, 3% had died, and 61% remained in the nursing home. Characteristics significantly associated with morta lity included disorientation, functional dependency, neurologic diagno ses, and use of cardiac medications, antidepressants, or narcotics. Re hospitalization was significantly associated with age, gender, living with Someone, being ambulatory, and functional dependency. Returning h ome was associated with younger age, living with someone, being ambula tory. and having no disorientation, functional dependency, or psychiat ric or neurologic diagnoses, nor ally pressure sores. Conclusions. Bet ter-functioning persons and those with social support returned home; p hysically and cognitively impaired persons and those taking narcotics, cardiac medications, or antidepressants were likely to die; and young er men. those with social support, those with functional dependency, a nd those who were free of disorientation were more likely to be rehosp italized.