J Gerontol Nurs
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Discharge planning for elderly patients.
The complex chronic health problems and functional limitations common in the elderly population place them at risk for complicated hospitalizations and discharge planning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a discharge planning protocol in identifying elderly patients' home care needs. The sample in this quasiexperimental study consisted of 507 hospitalized patients age 65 years or older. ⋯ This information about the home care of elderly patients after hospitalization supports the need for comprehensive functional assessment as part of discharge planning. This study also suggests that the nurse/social worker team can provide effective screening and discharge planning coordination of home care. Physician involvement and effective communication networks must be in place.