Functional decline associated with hospitalization for acute illness

Functional change as a result of hospitalization is common, dynamic, and co stly in both economic and human terms,It,however, is not an inevitable outc ome of illness and aging. Older persons are substantial users of hospital c are, and yet providers subject them to hospital practices that are more app ropriate for younger patients. The information presented in this article su ggests that our knowledge base regarding functional decline associated with hospitalization now allows us to identify high-risk patients and intervene both during and after hospitalization in order to maintain patient functio ning.