Post-COVID-19 patients in geriatric rehabilitation substantially recover in daily functioning and quality of life.

BACKGROUND: After an acute infection, older persons may benefit from geriatric rehabilitation (GR). OBJECTIVES: This study describes the recovery trajectories of post-COVID-19 patients undergoing GR and explores whether frailty is associated with recovery. DESIGN: Multicentre prospective cohort study. SETTING: 59 GR facilities in 10 European countries. PARTICIPANTS: Post-COVID-19 patients admitted to GR between October 2020 and October 2021. METHODS: Patients' characteristics, daily functioning (Barthel index; BI), quality of life (QoL; EQ-5D-5L) and frailty (Clinical Frailty Scale; CFS) were collected at admission, discharge, 6 weeks and 6 months after discharge. We used linear mixed models to examine the trajectories of daily functioning and QoL. RESULTS: 723 participants were included with a mean age of 75 (SD: 9.91) years. Most participants were pre-frail to frail (median [interquartile range] CFS 6.0 [5.0-7.0]) at admission. After admission, the BI first steeply increased from 11.31 with 2.51 (SE 0.15, P < 0.001) points per month and stabilised around 17.0 (quadratic slope: -0.26, SE 0.02, P < 0.001). Similarly, EQ-5D-5L first steeply increased from 0.569 with 0.126 points per month (SE 0.008, P < 0.001) and stabilised around 0.8 (quadratic slope: -0.014, SE 0.001, P < 0.001). Functional recovery rates were independent of frailty level at admission. QoL was lower at admission for frailer participants, but increased faster, stabilising at almost equal QoL values for frail, pre-frail and fit patients. CONCLUSIONS: Post-COVID-19 patients admitted to GR showed substantial recovery in daily functioning and QoL. Frailty at GR admission was not associated with recovery and should not be a reason to exclude patients from GR.

Comparing risk-adjusted inpatient fall rates internationally: validation of a risk-adjustment model using multicentre cross-sectional data from hospitals in Switzerland and Austria.

BACKGROUND: Inpatient falls in hospitals are an acknowledged indicator of quality of care. International comparisons could highlight quality improvement potential and enable cross-national learning. Key to fair cross-national comparison is the availability of a risk adjustment model validated in an international context. This study aimed to 1) ascertain that the variables of the inpatient fall risk adjustment model do not interact with country and thus can be used for risk adjustment, 2) compare the risk of falling in hospitals between Switzerland and Austria after risk adjustment. METHODS: The data on inpatient falls from Swiss and Austrian acute care hospitals were collected on a single measurement day in 2017, 2018 and 2019 as part of an international multicentre cross-sectional study. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to screen for interaction effects between the patient-related fall risk factors and the countries. The risks of falling in hospital in Switzerland and in Austria were compared after applying the risk-adjustment model. RESULTS: Data from 176 hospitals and 43,984 patients revealed an inpatient fall rate of 3.4% in Switzerland and 3.9% in Austria. Two of 15 patient-related fall risk variables showed an interaction effect with country: Patients who had fallen in the last 12 months (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.10-2.01, p = 0.009) or had taken sedatives/psychotropic medication (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.05-1.87, p = 0.022) had higher odds of falling in Austrian hospitals. Significantly higher odds of falling were observed in Austrian (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.13-1.68, p = 0.002) compared to Swiss hospitals after applying the risk-adjustment model. CONCLUSIONS: Almost all patient-related fall risk factors in the model are suitable for a risk-adjusted cross-country comparison, as they do not interact with the countries. Further model validation with additional countries is warranted, particularly to assess the interaction of risk factors "fall in the last 12 months" and "sedatives/psychotropic medication intake" with country variable. The study underscores the crucial role of an appropriate risk-adjustment model in ensuring fair international comparisons of inpatient falls, as the risk-adjusted, as opposed to the non-risk-adjusted country comparison, indicated significantly higher odds of falling in Austrian compared to Swiss hospitals.

Roles, mutual expectations and needs for improvement in the care of residents with (a risk of) dehydration: A qualitative study.

AIM: Examining the perspectives of formal and informal caregivers and residents on roles, mutual expectations and needs for improvement in the care for residents with (a risk of) dehydration. DESIGN: Qualitative study. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 16 care professionals, three residents and three informal caregivers were conducted between October and November 2021. A thematic analysis was performed on the interviews. RESULTS: Three topic summaries contributed to a comprehensive view on the care for residents with (a risk of) dehydration: role content, mutual expectations and needs for improvement. Many overlapping activities were found among care professionals, informal caregivers and allied care staff. While nursing staff and informal caregivers are essential in observing changes in the health status of residents, and medical staff in diagnosing and treating dehydration, the role of residents remains limited. Conflicting expectations emerged regarding, for example, the level of involvement of the resident and communication. Barriers to multidisciplinary collaboration were highlighted, including little structural involvement of allied care staff, limited insight into each other's expertise and poor communication between formal and informal caregivers. Seven areas for improvement emerged: awareness, resident profile, knowledge and expertise, treatment, monitoring and tools, working conditions and multidisciplinary working. CONCLUSION: In general, many formal and informal caregivers are involved in the care of residents with (a risk of) dehydration. They depend on each other's observations, information and expertise which requires an interprofessional approach with specific attention to adequate prevention. For this, educational interventions focused on hydration care should be a core element in professional development programs of nursing homes and vocational training of future care professionals. IMPACT: The care for residents with (a risk of) dehydration has multiple points for improvement. To be able to adequately address dehydration, it is essential for formal and informal caregivers and residents to address these barriers in clinical practice. REPORTING METHOD: In writing this manuscript, the EQUATOR guidelines (reporting method SRQR) have been adhered to. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Perceived quality of collaboration in dehydration care among Dutch nursing home professionals: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: To explore the perceived quality of collaboration in dehydration care among nursing and medical staff in Dutch nursing homes. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: An online questionnaire was administered to nursing and medical staff in February 2020 to assess the quality of collaboration in dehydration care and its influencing factors. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to describe the results and examine differences between groups. RESULTS: In total, 695 questionnaires were completed by multiple levels of (specialized) nursing staff and nursing home physicians. The quality of collaboration was assessed as good (23.2%), sufficient (59.4%) and insufficient (17.4%). Predicting factors related to perceiving the quality of collaboration as good were working experience, dehydration training during education and the presence of a dehydration protocol/guideline in the nursing home. Enabling factors related to collaboration in dehydration care were 'availability of sufficient aids to detect dehydration', 'continuity in the care relationship' and 'sufficient background data of the resident in the care record'. Factors that hinder collaboration were 'insufficient knowledge about dehydration among nursing and medical staff', 'the absence of a team meeting in which the topic dehydration is discussed' and 'insufficient staffing level among nursing and medical staff'. CONCLUSION: Collaboration in dehydration care was generally assessed as sufficient. Participants with >10 years of working experience, who received dehydration training during their education and had a dehydration protocol/guideline available in the nursing home, perceived the quality of collaboration more often as good. Experienced barriers and enablers for collaboration in dehydration care varied between professional groups. Therefore, it is important to gain more insight into (informal) caregivers' perceptions on what is expected from each other about dehydration care. IMPACT: Care professionals experience several limiting factors in collaborating in dehydration care. Addressing these factors could optimize dehydration care in Dutch nursing homes.

Dehydration in the nursing home: Recognition and interventions taken by Dutch nursing staff.

AIMS: To examine which signs/symptoms registered nurses (RNs) and certified nurse assistants (CNAs) (nursing staff) in Dutch nursing homes associate with dehydration, if they observe these signs/symptoms themselves and what they do after observing them. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: In February 2020, using an online questionnaire based on a diagnostic strategy to diagnose dehydration, nursing staff was asked: (1) which signs/symptoms they associate with dehydration; (2) if they observe these signs/symptoms themselves; and (3) which actions they take after observing these signs/symptoms in a resident. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square statistics were used to describe the answers and explore significant differences between groups. RESULTS: In total, 250 RNs and 226 CNAs participated. Among RNs, 67%-99% associated the signs/symptoms of the strategy to dehydration compared with 45%-98% of the CNAs. RNs and CNAs often indicated to observe signs/symptoms from the strategy themselves (80.1% and 92.6%), but they also often relied on information given by other care professionals and the informal caregiver. Interventions taken were mainly focused on communicating findings to colleagues. CONCLUSION: Many signs/symptoms from the diagnostic strategy trigger nursing staff to think of dehydration. Results also show that a variety of formal and informal caregivers are involved in dehydration care. As RNs and CNAs did often not receive dehydration training after entering workforce, this could have limited their ability to recognize signs/symptoms related to dehydration. To ensure timely recognition of dehydration, a clear description of roles and responsibilities about dehydration care in, and between, formal and informal caregivers is essential with structurally embedded dehydration training in the nursing home. IMPACT: Tackling dehydration in the nursing home requires interdisciplinary collaboration and communication with family members. Without clear roles and responsibilities, a risk of dehydration can be left unattended.

Development and psychometric evaluation of an instrument to assess Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Family Caregivers at Preventing Pressure Injuries (KAP-PI) in Indonesian community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of pressure injuries among community-dwelling older adults in countries worldwide is still a serious problem. In Indonesia, older adults mostly rely on family members for (medical) care. Therefore, involving family members in the prevention and treatment of pressure injuries (PIs) could potentially decrease its prevalence rates. However, family members are usually not trained for such tasks. Hence, it is essential to first get more insight into the current state of affairs on family members' knowledge, attitude and actual practice of preventing PIs. Due to the lack of an existing instrument to measure knowledge, attitude and practice of family caregivers in preventing PIs, this study focuses on the development and evaluation of psychometric properties of such an instrument. METHODS: Three phases of instrument development and evaluation were used, including item generation, instrument construction and psychometric testing of the instrument. A total of 372 family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults who randomly selected participated in this study. Principal factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha were performed to evaluate factor structure and internal consistency of the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Family Caregivers at Preventing Pressure Injuries (KAP-PI) instrument. RESULTS: The final version of the KAP-PI-instrument consists of a 12-item knowledge domain, a 9-item attitude domain, and a 12-item practice domain with Cronbach's Alpha values of 0.83, 0.93 and 0.89, respectively. The instrument appeared to be both reliable and valid. CONCLUSION: The KAP-PI instrument can be used in family nursing or community nursing practice, education, and research to assess knowledge, attitude and practice of pressure injury prevention of family caregivers.

Instruments used to assess quality of life of older adults in African countries: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Over 60% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa, live in informal settlements (slums) with little or no resources. To be prepared to meet the needs of older people living in slums, it is necessary to know more about their quality of life (QoL). The objective of this review is to identify instruments, which can be used by researchers to assess the QoL of older adults living in African countries, especially those dwelling in slums. METHODS: A scoping review was performed using the databases Scopus, PubMed, and ISI Web of Science to retrieve studies published from January 2008 - September 2020. Studies were included if they reported generic QoL instruments, focused on adults with a mean age ≥ 50 and were conducted in African countries. RESULTS: In total, 18 studies were included using 7 unique instruments to measure QoL (EUROHIS-QOL-8, SWLS, WHOQOL-OLD, the WHOQOL-BREF, SF-36, SF-12 and RAND-38). All instruments could be interviewer-administered and had 5-36 items. However, little is known about their psychometric properties (validity and reliability), time-investment and cultural sensitivity of the domains included in the instruments. CONCLUSIONS: Even though this review retrieved instruments used to assess QoL of older adults in African countries, there is a need for further research on adjustment and validation of currently existing QoL instruments. In addition, the development and validation of a new instrument which can be used in (illiterate) older populations, living in slums in Africa should be considered.

Skin areas, clinical severity, duration and risk factors of intertrigo: A secondary data analysis.

AIM: To describe the skin areas most often affected by intertrigo, the clinical severity and duration of intertrigo and possible risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from 2013 to 2016 collected by the International Prevalence Measurement of Care Quality in Dutch hospitals, care homes and community care. RESULTS: In total, n = 7865 (mean age 80.1 years) subjects were included in this analysis. The inguinal, breast and gluteal cleft skin areas were most often affected by intertrigo. The skin was often inflamed but not eroded. Strongest associations between intertrigo at inguinal skin and diabetes mellitus (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1-3.1), intertrigo at sub mammary folds and urinary incontinence (OR 1.6; 95% CI 0.9-2.9) and between intertrigo at gluteal cleft and urinary incontinence (OR 2.9; 95% CI 1.4-5.2) were observed. CONCLUSION: The inguinal region, sub mammary folds and gluteal clefts are most often affected by intertrigo. Female sex, urinary incontinence and high BMI seem to enhance intertrigo risk at all of these skin areas.

Measuring the quality of care in nursing home residents with early-onset neurodegenerative diseases: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Nursing home residents with early-onset neurodegenerative diseases are often younger in comparison with other residents, and need different, often more complex care. Accordingly, the measurements currently used for measuring quality of care in nursing homes may not be suitable for use in this target group. Little is known about the experiences of these residents and of their (in) formal caregivers regarding the quality of care they receive. Therefore, the aim of this scoping review is to explore which instruments are available for measuring the quality of care for nursing home residents with early-onset neurodegenerative diseases (excluding dementia), from the perspective of the resident and of (in) formal caregivers. METHODS: A literature search was performed in the databases Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and Cinahl. The search strategy consisted of four main concepts: neurodegenerative diseases, quality of care, nursing homes and perspectives of residents, (in) formal caregivers. Studies were included if they used instruments and/or strategies to measure quality of care, focused on nursing home residents with early-onset neurodegenerative diseases and the perspective of either the resident or (in) formal caregiver. RESULTS: From a total of 809 identified articles, 87 full text articles were screened for eligibility. Five studies were included, only one of which described an instrument. The other four used topic lists and/or themes to measure quality of care. In total, 60 items related to quality of care could be derived. From these 60 items, eight overarching domains were found, with a subdivision into items derived, respectively, from the residents', informal and formal caregivers' perspective: 'emotional support', 'physical support', 'social support', 'care', 'care content', 'expertise', 'communication' and 'organization of care'. CONCLUSIONS: Currently, there are no methods for assessing the quality of care specifically focused on nursing home residents with early-onset neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, the items retrieved in this review give an overview of important topics for measuring the quality of care for this target group, from the perspective of the resident, and of the informal and formal caregivers. These items might be used to develop a tailored instrument for assessing the quality of care for nursing home residents with early-onset neurodegenerative diseases.

The effectiveness of an integrated care pathway in geriatric rehabilitation among older patients with complex health problems and their informal caregivers: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: To improve continuity and coordination of care in geriatric rehabilitation, an integrated care pathway was developed and implemented in The Netherlands. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of this pathway on patients and informal caregivers. METHODS: Two cohorts of patients and their informal caregivers were prospectively recruited before implementation of the pathway (2011-2012) and after implementation of the pathway (2013-2014). Primary outcome measures were dependence in activities of daily living in patients (KATZ-15) and self-rated burden among informal caregivers (SRB-VAS). Secondary outcome measures were the frequency of performing extended daily activities, social participation, psychological well-being, quality of life and discharge location (patients) and quality of life and objective care burden (informal caregivers). Outcomes were measured at baseline, after three and after nine months. RESULTS: No effect was shown on the KATZ-15 after three and nine months. However, a larger percentage of patients were discharged home in the care pathway cohort (83% vs 58.1% after three months and 88.6% vs 67.4% after nine months; p = 0.004). Furthermore, after three months, patients from the care pathway cohort performed more extended daily activities (p = 0.014) and informal caregivers experienced a lower self-rated burden (p = 0.05). After nine months, these effects disappeared. No differences were found for the other outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the positive effects of the integrated care pathway, we are inclined to recommend implementing the care pathway in regular care. To have longer lasting effects among patients and informal caregivers, we suggest actively disseminating information about the pathway to primary care providers who are currently still unaware of its content. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN90000867 (date of registration: 07-04-2016).

Process evaluation of an integrated care pathway in geriatric rehabilitation for people with complex health problems.

BACKGROUND: An integrated care pathway in geriatric rehabilitation was developed to improve coordination and continuity of care for community-living older adults in the Netherlands, who go through the process of hospital admission, admission to a geriatric rehabilitation facility and discharge back to the home situation. This pathway is a complex intervention and is focused on improving communication, triage and transfers of patients between the hospital, geriatric rehabilitation facility and primary care organisations. A process evaluation was performed to assess the feasibility of this pathway. METHODS: The study design incorporated mixed methods. Feasibility was assessed thru if the pathway was implemented according to plan (fidelity and dose delivered), (b) if patients, informal caregivers and professionals were satisfied with the pathway (dose received) and (c) which barriers and facilitators influenced implementation (context). These components were derived from the theoretical framework of Saunders and colleagues. Data were collected using three structured face-to-face interviews with patients, self-administered questionnaires among informal caregivers, and group interviews with professionals. Furthermore, data were collected from the information transfer system in the hospital, patient files of the geriatric rehabilitation facility and minutes of evaluation meetings. RESULTS: In total, 113 patients, 37 informal caregivers and 19 healthcare professionals participated in this process evaluation. The pathway was considered largely feasible as two components were fully implemented according to plan and two components were largely implemented according to plan. The timing and quality of medical discharge summaries were not sufficiently implemented according to plan and professionals indicated that the triage instrument needed refinement. Healthcare professionals were satisfied with the implementation of the pathway and they indicated that due to improved collaboration, the quality of care provision improved. Although patients and informal caregivers were also satisfied with the care provision in the pathway, they indicated that the care organisations involved should pay more attention towards providing information about their treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This process evaluation showed that patients, informal caregivers and professionals are fairly satisfied with the care provision in the pathway and professionals reported that collaboration improved. Extra attention should be paid to the components in the pathway that were not implemented according to plan. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN90000867 Registered 7 April 2016.

Factors influencing home discharge after inpatient rehabilitation of older patients: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Although rehabilitation for older patients has the potential to improve function and prevent admission to nursing homes, returning home after discharge is not possible for all patients. Better understanding of patient factors related to discharge home may lead to more realistic rehabilitation goals, more targeted rehabilitation interventions and better preparation of both patient and informal caregiver for discharge. Various studies provided insight into factors related to home discharge after stroke rehabilitation, but we still lack insight into factors related to home discharge in non-stroke patients. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of factors influencing home discharge in older non-stroke patients admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation unit. METHODS: A systematic literature search was executed in the databases PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL and Web of Science to retrieve articles published between January 2000 and October 2015. The search focused on factors related to home discharge after rehabilitation for older patients. Studies were included if home discharge after rehabilitation was assessed as an outcome measure and if the non-stroke population was, on average, 65 years or older and admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation unit. RESULTS: Eighteen studies were included. The methodological quality was moderate to good in 15 studies. The factors significantly associated with home discharge are younger age, non-white ethnicity, being married, better functional and cognitive status, and the absence of depression. CONCLUSIONS: Because various factors are significantly associated with home discharge of older non-stroke patients after rehabilitation, we recommend assessing these factors at admission to the rehabilitation unit. Further research into the factors that lack sufficient evidence concerning their association with home discharge is recommended.

Risk-adjusted trend in national inpatient fall rates observed from 2011 to 2019 in acute care hospitals in Switzerland: a repeated multicentre cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate whether a significant trend regarding inpatient falls in Swiss acute care hospitals between 2011 and 2019 could be confirmed on a national level, and whether the trend persists after risk adjustment for patient-related fall risk factors. DESIGN: A secondary data analysis was conducted based on annual multicentre cross-sectional studies carried out between 2011 and 2019. SETTING: All Swiss acute care hospitals were obliged to participate in the surveys. Except for emergency departments, outpatient wards and recovery rooms, all wards were included. PARTICIPANTS: All inpatients aged 18 or older who had given their informed consent and whose data were complete and available were included. OUTCOME MEASURE: Whether a patient had fallen in the hospital was retrospectively determined on the survey day by asking patients the following question: Have you fallen in this institution in the last 30 days? RESULTS: Based on data from 110 892 patients from 222 Swiss hospitals, a national inpatient fall rate of 3.7% was determined over the 9 survey years. A significant linear decreasing trend (p=0.004) was observed using the Cochran-Armitage trend test. After adjusting for patient-related fall risk factors in a two-level random intercept logistic regression model, a significant non-linear decreasing trend was found at the national level. CONCLUSIONS: A significant decrease in fall rates in Swiss hospitals, indicating an improvement in the quality of care provided, could be confirmed both descriptively and after risk adjustment. However, the non-linear trend, that is, an initial decrease in inpatient falls that flattens out over time, also indicates a possible future increase in fall rates. Monitoring of falls in hospitals should be maintained at the national level. Risk adjustment accounts for the observed increase in patient-related fall risk factors in hospitals, thus promoting a fairer comparison of the quality of care provided over time.

Post-COVID-19 recovery and geriatric rehabilitation care: a European inter-country comparative study.

PURPOSE: There is variation in organization of geriatric rehabilitation across Europe. The purpose of this study was to describe the selection criteria for referral to geriatric rehabilitation, care provided, and recovery trajectories of post-COVID-19 patients referred to geriatric rehabilitation in Europe. METHODS: This observational cohort study included 723 patients in 59 care facilities for geriatric rehabilitation across 10 countries. Patient data were collected from medical records on admission to geriatric rehabilitation (between September 2020 and October 2021), discharge, 6 weeks and 6 months follow-up. The primary and secondary outcomes were recovery in daily functioning (Barthel Index) and Quality of Life (EQ-5D-5L) from admission to discharge. These were examined using linear mixed models with two levels (measurements nested in patients) and country as an independent variable. Random intercept and random linear slope parameters were added when they improved model fit. A survey about organization of geriatric rehabilitation for post-COVID-19 patients was filled out by country coordinators and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inductive coding of answers to open questions. RESULTS: Patients had a mean age of 75.7 years old and 52.4% were male. Many countries used various combinations of the selection criteria, such as functional status, age, frailty, Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, comorbidities, and cognitive impairments. Most patients received physiotherapy (88.8%) and occupational therapy (69.7%), but there was substantial variance between countries in the percentages of patients that received protein or calorie enriched diets, oxygen therapy, and other treatment components. In all countries, patients showed recovery in daily functioning and quality of life, although there was variation in between countries in rate of recovery. Daily functioning seemed to increase most rapidly in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Russia. The steepest increases in quality of life were seen in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Spain. CONCLUSION: Post-COVID-19 patients showed recovery during geriatric rehabilitation, albeit at variable rates. The observed variation may be explained by the heterogeneity in selection criteria and care provided. This study highlights the need for harmonization of measurements in geriatric rehabilitation order to perform explanatory research and optimize geriatric rehabilitation throughout Europe to ensure optimal patient recovery.

How to Conduct International Geriatric Rehabilitation Research?

With an ageing global population and an increasing focus on aging in place, the number of people in need of geriatric rehabilitation (GR) is rapidly increasing. As current GR practice is very heterogenous, cross-country comparisons could allow us to learn from each other and optimise the effectiveness of GR. However, international GR research comes with many challenges. This article summarises the facilitators and barriers relating to the recruitment of rehabilitation centres, the inclusion of patients, and data collection, as experienced by experts in the field of international GR research. The three most important methodological recommendations for conducting cross-national collaborative research in the field of GR are (1) make use of existing (inter)national networks and social media to aid recruitment of GR centres; (2) clearly define the GR treatment, setting, and patient characteristics in the inclusion criteria; and (3) use a hierarchical study structure to communicate transparently and regularly with both national and local coordinators. International GR research would greatly benefit from the implementation of a core dataset in regular GR care. Therefore, future studies should focus on developing an international consensus regarding the outcomes and corresponding cross-culturally validated measurement instruments to be used during GR.

Nutritional Care Practices in Geriatric Rehabilitation Facilities across Europe: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Many patients in geriatric rehabilitation (GR) are physically frail at the time of admission and suffer from malnutrition and sarcopenia, which may worsen rehabilitation outcomes. This study aims to obtain insight into the current nutritional care practices in GR facilities across Europe. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire focused on nutritional care practices in GR was distributed across experts in EUGMS member countries. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: In total, 109 respondents working in 25 European countries participated, and the results showed that not all GR patients were screened and treated for malnutrition, and not all participants used (inter)national guidelines when performing nutritional care. The results also showed variations across European geographical areas related to screening and treatment of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and frailty. Even though the participants underlined the importance of dedicating time to nutritional care, they experienced barriers in its implementation, which were mostly due to a lack of resources. CONCLUSION: As malnutrition, sarcopenia, and frailty are often present in patients admitted to GR, in addition to being interrelated, it is recommended to develop an integrated approach to screening and treatment of all three clinical problems.

Potential of Electronic Medical Record Data for National Quality Measurement.

National quality measurements with risk-adjusted provider comparison in health care nowadays usually require administrative or clinically measured data. However, both data sources have their limitations. Due to the digitalisation of institutions and the resulting switch to electronic medical records, the question arises as to whether these data can be made usable for risk-adjusted quality comparisons from both a content and a technical point of view. We found that most of the relevant information can be exported with little effort from the electronic medical records. In using this data source an even more sophisticated operationalization of the data of interest is needed.

Improving health and social care services for slum-dwelling older adults: Perspectives of health professionals.

Background: Besides confronting the challenges of a growing older population, developing countries are dealing with limited resources and infrastructure, to ensure good health and social care services. One of these developing countries facing these challenges is Ghana. The healthcare system in Ghana currently does not have specialized geriatric services and is funded through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), private insurance companies and an out-of-pocket expenditure system. Social care services are important in improving Quality of Life (QoL) as it helps in building and strengthening relationships while also keeping slum-dwelling older adults active. There are various challenges with the health and social care of older adults in slums and practical ways to improve these have not been explored among the providers of this care. Aims: This study, therefore, aimed to explore (1) the views of health professionals on older slum-dwelling adults' health and social care needs, access, and use, and (2) recommendations for improving access to health and social care services among slum-dwelling older adults. Method: A qualitative exploratory descriptive approach was used among health professionals by conducting a focus group discussion (FGD) and interviews. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data from each participant. Results: A total of 27 participants took part in the study. In the analysis of transcripts, 3 themes and 14 subthemes were conceptualized. Financial difficulties, queueing issues, distance to health facilities, health illiteracy and negative attitude of health professionals were identified as some barriers to the utilization of formal healthcare services. Social care services were described as non-existent, not structured, and having limited resources to cater for attendants. The health professionals also provided recommendations for improvement. Conclusion: Health professionals in this study discussed barriers to access and use of health and social care services. Addressing these barriers is essential to improve the use of formal health and social care services and diminish health inequity among older adults.

In the Eye of the Storm: A Quantitative and Qualitative Account of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Dutch Home Healthcare.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected healthcare delivery across the world. However, little is known about COVID-19's impact on home healthcare (HHC) services. Our study aimed to: (1) describe the changes in volume and intensity of HHC services and the crisis management policies implemented; (2) understand the responses and the experiences of HHC staff and clients. We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed methods study. First, retrospective client data (N = 43,495) from four Dutch HHC organizations was analyzed. Second, four focus group interviews were conducted for the strategic, tactical, operational, and client levels of the four HHC organizations. Our results showed that both the supply of and demand for Dutch HHC decreased considerably, especially during the first wave (March-June 2020). This was due to factors such as fear of infection, anticipation of a high demand for COVID-19-related care from the hospital sector, and lack of personal protective equipment. The top-down management style initially applied made way for a more bottom-up approach in the second wave (July 2020-January 2021). Experiences vary between levels and waves. HHC organizations need more responsive protocols to prevent such radical scaling-back of HHC in future crises, and interventions to help HHC professionals cope with crisis situations.

Management of post-acute COVID-19 patients in geriatric rehabilitation: EuGMS guidance.

PURPOSE: To describe a guidance on the management of post-acute COVID 19 patients in geriatric rehabilitation. METHODS: The guidance is based on guidelines for post-acute COVID-19 geriatric rehabilitation developed in the Netherlands, updated with recent insights from literature, related guidance from other countries and disciplines, and combined with experiences from experts in countries participating in the Geriatric Rehabilitation Special Interest Group of the European Geriatric Medicine Society. RESULTS: This guidance for post-acute COVID-19 rehabilitation is divided into a section addressing general recommendations for geriatric rehabilitation and a section addressing specific processes and procedures. The Sect. "General recommendations for geriatric rehabilitation" addresses: (1) general requirements for post-acute COVID-19 rehabilitation and (2) critical aspects for quality assurance during COVID-19 pandemic. The Sect. "Specific processes and procedures", addresses the following topics: (1) patient selection; (2) admission; (3) treatment; (4) discharge; and (5) follow-up and monitoring. CONCLUSION: Providing tailored geriatric rehabilitation treatment to post-acute COVID-19 patients is a challenge for which the guidance is designed to provide support. There is a strong need for additional evidence on COVID-19 geriatric rehabilitation including developing an understanding of risk profiles of older patients living with frailty to develop individualised treatment regimes. The present guidance will be regularly updated based on additional evidence from practice and research.