CHARACTERISTICS OF ELDERLY INPATIENTS AT HIGH-RISK OF NEEDING SUPPORTIVE SOCIAL AND HEALTH-CARE SERVICES

A two-stage cross-sectional study was conducted in a 951-bed acute-car e hospital: a first survey designed to determine the profile of patien ts aged greater than or equal to 64 years needing supportive social/he alth care services, in which 38 patients discharged between June and J uly, 1992 (group 1) with social/health care problems that accounted fo r inappropriate hospitalization days participated, and a second survey designed to identify patients aged greater than or equal to 65 years at high risk and thus facilitating the early intervention of social wo rkers, in which 153 patients selected at random and interviewed betwee n August and September, 1992 (group 2) participated. A significantly h igher percentage of group 1 patients had no medical insurance, were ad mitted to hospital for treatment, lived alone, had been readmitted in the previous 6 months, suffered from dementia and/or cognitive impairm ent, presented with associated chronic illnesses, and showed lower Bar thel index scores as compared to group 2 patients. In patients in grou p 2, hospital discharge was delayed due to the need of supportive soci al and health care services in only 27 patients. The percentage of agr eement in the suitability of the resource provided was higher after (9 2.6%) than before the intervention (71.1%). The mean number of inappro priate hospitalization days was 3.5 days for patients in group 1 and 1 .9 days for those in group 2 (p = 0.013). The early identification of elderly inpatients at high risk of needing additional supportive socia l and health care would help patients to find the most appropriate res ource according to their individuals needs.