Page 102 - Petelin, Ana, and Šarabon, Nejc. 2018. Eds. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Znanstvena monografija / Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 102
avje starostnikov | health of the elderly 102 Non-acute care is aimed primarily for the elderly population, who no
longer needs diagnostic procedures, but rather the improvement in
self-care. The purpose of the study was to determine what influence the
length of hospitalization in non-acute care.
The treatment of elderly usually takes longer than the treatment of active
population, and with aging the need for hospitalization is increasing due to de-
terioration of chronic diseases (Peternelj, 2013). Older people often suffer from
a number of diseases, including geriatric syndromes with multiple aetiologies.
Signs and symptoms vary according to the individual and are often atypical, so
patients visit different hospitals, and at the same time receive numerous screen-
ing and recipe tests (Arai et al., 2012).
In hospitals, 60 % of adults who are admitted are older than 65 years.
Hospitalization due to disease in the age group of 85 years lasts on average 10.84
days (National Institute of Public Health [NIJZ], 2014), 8.1 days for men, and
for the same age group of women on average 9.7 days (Skela Savič, Zurc and
Hvalič Touzery [Skela Savič], 2010). Long hospitalization in high age has an
overall impact on the quality of the elderly life and represents an increased risk
of re-hospitalization and accommodation in institutional care (Nazarko, 2012).
Treatment of the elderly is prolonged; the complications of the underly-
ing disease and invasive interventions are more frequent and slow down the re-
covery (Poredoš, 2004; Toth, 2009). The hospitalization frequently leads to a
functional decline or to a partial or complete dependence (Boyd et al., 2008),
requiering the provision of social assistance (Toth, 2009). In elderly who is not
capable of self-care, several aspects must be considered before discharge from
the hospital. The most important are his health status and the need for care
(Lavtižar and Kramar, 2012).
An effective non-acute treatment in that age group should be ensured
by appropriate programs in which the maintenance and improvement of the
quality of life should be emphasized. Early focus on non-acute nursing care
and rehabilitation can improve the outcome and positively affect the ability to
perform daily life activities (Neyens et al., 2009). Patient classification system
identifies the complexity of required health care for each patient. The core con-
cepts are: (1) hygiene, (2) mobility, (3) food intake, (4) medicines, (5) supervi-
sion. These concepts embrace a 4-tiered scale and assign the patient to one of
four categories (Klančnik-Gruden et al., 2013). Nursing diagnoses enable a reli-
able assessment of patient care needs (Klančnik et al., 2015) aimed at improving
health and restoring autonomy. The goal of planning, in cooperation with the
patient and his relatives, is to achieve higher level of life quality.
University Medical Centre Ljubljana opened non-acute care department
with 33 beds in 2011 and immediately faced referral requests above its limits.
This study is an attempt to examine the parameters that influence hospital
length of stay at this department.
longer needs diagnostic procedures, but rather the improvement in
self-care. The purpose of the study was to determine what influence the
length of hospitalization in non-acute care.
The treatment of elderly usually takes longer than the treatment of active
population, and with aging the need for hospitalization is increasing due to de-
terioration of chronic diseases (Peternelj, 2013). Older people often suffer from
a number of diseases, including geriatric syndromes with multiple aetiologies.
Signs and symptoms vary according to the individual and are often atypical, so
patients visit different hospitals, and at the same time receive numerous screen-
ing and recipe tests (Arai et al., 2012).
In hospitals, 60 % of adults who are admitted are older than 65 years.
Hospitalization due to disease in the age group of 85 years lasts on average 10.84
days (National Institute of Public Health [NIJZ], 2014), 8.1 days for men, and
for the same age group of women on average 9.7 days (Skela Savič, Zurc and
Hvalič Touzery [Skela Savič], 2010). Long hospitalization in high age has an
overall impact on the quality of the elderly life and represents an increased risk
of re-hospitalization and accommodation in institutional care (Nazarko, 2012).
Treatment of the elderly is prolonged; the complications of the underly-
ing disease and invasive interventions are more frequent and slow down the re-
covery (Poredoš, 2004; Toth, 2009). The hospitalization frequently leads to a
functional decline or to a partial or complete dependence (Boyd et al., 2008),
requiering the provision of social assistance (Toth, 2009). In elderly who is not
capable of self-care, several aspects must be considered before discharge from
the hospital. The most important are his health status and the need for care
(Lavtižar and Kramar, 2012).
An effective non-acute treatment in that age group should be ensured
by appropriate programs in which the maintenance and improvement of the
quality of life should be emphasized. Early focus on non-acute nursing care
and rehabilitation can improve the outcome and positively affect the ability to
perform daily life activities (Neyens et al., 2009). Patient classification system
identifies the complexity of required health care for each patient. The core con-
cepts are: (1) hygiene, (2) mobility, (3) food intake, (4) medicines, (5) supervi-
sion. These concepts embrace a 4-tiered scale and assign the patient to one of
four categories (Klančnik-Gruden et al., 2013). Nursing diagnoses enable a reli-
able assessment of patient care needs (Klančnik et al., 2015) aimed at improving
health and restoring autonomy. The goal of planning, in cooperation with the
patient and his relatives, is to achieve higher level of life quality.
University Medical Centre Ljubljana opened non-acute care department
with 33 beds in 2011 and immediately faced referral requests above its limits.
This study is an attempt to examine the parameters that influence hospital
length of stay at this department.
