Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Homecare After Hip Surgery in Seniors Increases Survival Rate, Study Finds

Homecare After Hip Surgery in Seniors Increases Survival Rate, Study Finds
ScienceDaily (Aug. 16, 2010) — Seniors who received home care after discharge from hospital for partial hip surgery (hemiarthroplasty) were 43% less likely to die in the three months following the procedure, found a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). However, less than 16% of elderly patients discharged home after partial hip surgery in the study group received home care.
The study looked at 11,326 men and women aged 65 and older in Quebec who had partial hip surgery between 1997 and 2004. Those who were discharged with home care support were younger, more likely to have been treated in a teaching hospital and lower volume hospitals, and to have stayed more than 7 days in hospital. They were also more likely to have a trial fibrillation and acute renal failure. Men were at higher risk of death compared to women and those who stayed longer in hospital had increased survival rates.
"Comorbidity, with the exception of a trial fibrillation and acute renal failure, did not seem to influence the likelihood of receiving home care after discharge," writes Dr. Elham Rahme, researcher in epidemiology at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre with coauthors. "This indicates perhaps that receiving this care may depend on availability, rather than need of the service."
A report published by the Canadian Institute for Health Information shows that Quebec is the Canadian province that spends the least on home services but has the highest number of home care requests.
The authors conclude that their findings that homecare affects survival rates "has significant public health implications and requires further investigation."


Story Source:
The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Canadian Medical Association Journal, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100816122134.htm

Friday, August 13, 2010

Caregivers: Making the transition from hospital to home easier

By (ARA)

(ARA) - Coming home from the hospital or other care setting after an illness or surgery can be worrisome for both patients and the friends and family members who care for them. Planning ahead can make the process much easier. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has advice that is useful to the millions of Americans who are actively involved in caregiving. Through its caregiver initiative, Ask Medicare, CMS recommends the following steps to prepare for a transition:

* Plan ahead: You can - and should - start thinking about the discharge process well in advance, even as early as at the time of admission. CMS has a helpful checklist of key points in its "Planning for Your Discharge" guide, available at the "Medicare Basics" link on the home page of the Ask Medicare website at www.medicare.gov/caregivers. This checklist will help you prepare for the next steps in care.

* Get ready for new responsibilities: Talk to hospital staff about what you will need to do at home, who will show you how to properly carry out any new tasks you will be taking on, such as administering medication, using medical equipment, changing bandages or giving shots.

* Make needed changes to your home: You might need to rearrange your home to have room for items such as a hospital bed, walker or a wheelchair. You might need to consider installing a ramp in place of stairs - be sure to ask the hospital staff what will be needed. You should also remove area rugs and other items that may cause falls and group electrical cords together with ties or clips to keep them clear of high-traffic areas.

* Prepare for extra costs: The person you are caring for may need new medical services or medicines after coming home. Medicare may cover some of these costs, but not all. You can learn about services and care that are covered by Medicare at the "Help With Billing" and "Is It Covered?" links at the Ask Medicare home page.

* Keep a list of key contacts: Put contact information for doctors, pharmacists, home care agency staff and others involved in the care process where you can easily find them.

* Don't be afraid to ask for help: If you're overwhelmed, don't hesitate to ask a friend or family member to lend a hand. If paid home health services are needed, you can learn more about home health services in the "Medicare and Home Health Care" booklet, which is also accessible at the Ask Medicare home page.

It's also important to keep a file of resources on hand and to bookmark useful web sites, including Ask Medicare, the United Hospital Fund's "Next Step in Care" initiative at www.nextstepincare.org and AARP's caregiving site at www.aarp.org/caregivers. More information can be accessed through www.healthcare.gov, a new web portal offered by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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