IMPACT OF POST-ACUTE TRANSITION CARE FOR FRAIL OLDER PEOPLE: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY
Objectives:To describe the characteristics and outcomes of frail older people in a post-acutetransitional care program and to compare the recovery trajectories of patients with high and low care needs todetermine who benefits from transition care. Design:Prospective observational cohort. Participants and Setting:351 patients admitted to community-based transition care in two Australian states during an 11 monthrecruitment period. Intervention:Transition care provides a package of services including personal care,physiotherapy and occupational therapy, nursing care and case management post discharge from hospital. It istargeted at frail older people who, in the absence of an alternative, would otherwise be eligible for admission toresidential aged care. Measurements: A comprehensive geriatric assessment using the interRAI Home Careinstrument was conducted at transition care admission and discharge. Primary outcomes included changes infunctional ability during transition care, living status at discharge and six months follow-up, and hospital re-admissions over the follow-up period. For comparison of outcomes, the cohort was divided into two groups basedon risk factors for admission to high or low-level residential aged care. Results:There were no significantdifferences between groups on outcomes, with over 85% of the cohort living in the community at follow-up.More than 80% of the cohort showed functional improvement or maintenance of independence during transitioncare, with no significant differences between the groups. Conclusions:Post-acute programs should not betargeted solely at fitter older people: those who are frail also have the potential to gain from community-basedrehabilitation.