Efficacy of Nursing Intervention with Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment for the Elderly Aged 75 or over in the Acute Care Hospital

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of nursing intervention using CGA in late-stage elderly patients admitted to acute hospitals. Methods: A total of 39 elderly patients aged 75 years or older who were admitted to acute hospitals were assigned to the intervention group (20 subjects, mean age of 83.9 years) or the control group (19 subjects, mean age of 85.0 years) to compare ADL, cognitive function, and vitality at baseline, changes in outcomes at three weeks post-admission, length of hospital stay, and discharge destination. Results: Total scores of ADL, cognitive function, and vitality significantly increased from baseline in the intervention group compared to the control group with interactions among the total scores. Scores on subscales of ADL (toilet use, dressing, bowel control, and bladder control), the subscale of cognitive function (names of five items), and subscales of vitality (on and off toilet) significantly increased from baseline in the intervention group compared to the control group. The length of hospital stay did not significantly differ between the intervention and control groups. Conclusion: This study indicated that nursing intervention using CGA was effective in preventing decline in ADL, cognitive function, and vitality in late-stage elderly patients admitted to acute hospitals.