Factors associated with change in activities of daily living performance in home health care patients with diabetes.

Older adults with diabetes are at risk for impairments in activities of daily living (ADL) performance. Home health (HH) services help patients regain their ability to perform ADLs following hospitalization, but there may be disparities in ADL improvement. We aimed to identify factors associated with change in ADL performance from the start of HH care to discharge in HH patients with diabetes age ≥65. This secondary analysis used Outcome and Assessment Information Set-D data collected by a HH agency. The sample (n = 1350) had a mean age of 76.3 (SD 7.3). Black/African American race and bowel incontinence/ostomy were associated with less ADL improvement. The following factors were associated with greater ADL improvement: having a caregiver who needed training/support, surgical wounds, pain that interfered with activity, confusion, and better scores in prior functioning. Overall, most patients improved their ADL performance while receiving HH care, but there are disparities that should be addressed.

Risk factors for inpatient facility admission among home health care patients with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Home health care (HHC) patients with diabetes are at high risk for inpatient admissions. PURPOSE: To identify variables associated with inpatient admissions among adults age ≥50 with diabetes receiving HHC in the community and in assisted living (AL). METHODS: Retrospective HHC data (collected October 2021 to March 2022 in the Southern United States) from the Outcome and Assessment Information Set D were analyzed with logistic regression (n = 5,308 patients). DISCUSSION: The inpatient admission rate was 29.5%. For community-dwelling patients, multiple hospitalizations, depression, limited cognitive function, decreased activities of daily living (ADL) performance, and unhealed pressure ulcer or injury ≥stage 2 were significantly associated with inpatient admission. For those in AL, multiple prior hospitalizations and decreased ability to perform ADLs were associated with inpatient admission. CONCLUSION: Understanding risk factors for inpatient admissions among patients with diabetes can support the identification of at-risk patients and inform interventions.