Use of community services by seniors before and after an emergency visit

Using data from a cohort of 1,352 community-dwelling seniors visiting hospi tal emergency departments (EDs), we investigated: (1) the prevalence (prior to the ED visit) and incidence (during a three-month follow-up) of use of publicly-funded community services, and (2) factors related to the use of s ervices. Data were collected by face-to-face interview in the ED and by tel ephone at follow-up. Prior to the ED visit, 59.8 per cent of patients had s ome disability in activities of daily living (ADL); 16.8 per cent of disabl ed patients received community services. Among patients who were not previo usly receiving these services, 45.4 per cent developed one or more new ADL disabilities, only 23.5 per cent of whom began to receive community service s. Controlling for measures of need, patients admitted to hospital were sig nificantly more Likely to receive services during the follow-up period than those released from the ED. There may be significant unmet needs for commu nity services in this population.