Feasibility of Individual Exercise Programs for Older Hospital Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Nolan Jo, Thomas Susie
Primary Institution: Flinders Medical Centre
Hypothesis
Can individual exercise programs for older hospitalized patients be implemented effectively within 48 hours of admission?
Conclusion
It is feasible to identify older medical patients likely to benefit from an exercise program to maintain functional abilities, and to commence within 48 hours of admission.
Supporting Evidence
- 89% of suitable patients commenced the exercise program within 48 hours.
- 17% withdrawal rate from the program was relatively low.
- 70% compliance with exercise sessions was achieved.
Takeaway
This study shows that older patients in the hospital can start exercise programs quickly, which helps them stay strong and healthy.
Methodology
Cohort service improvement project conducted over 20 weeks with patients aged 70 and older at risk of functional decline.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias due to disparate group sizes and reliance on staff physiotherapists for data collection.
Limitations
High proportion of patient admissions (78%) were not suitable for the program, and reliance on staff physiotherapists for outcome measures may introduce bias.
Participant Demographics
Patients aged 70 and older, with a majority being female (68%) and an average age of 83.16 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.002 for ACAT referrals, 0.019 for ACAT approvals
Confidence Interval
0.088–0.587 for ACAT referrals, 0.115–0.822 for ACAT approvals
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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