Three-month follow up of patients discharged from a geriatric day hospital.

Objective: To determine if mobility and functional status of patients attending a geriatric day hospital are maintained three months after discharge.

Design: Prospective, before-after, quasi-experimental design.

Participants: Community-dwelling elderly referred for comprehensive geriatric assessment and multidisciplinary management.

Methods: All patients who attended a geriatric day hospital for at least 5 visits and discharged between 1 August, 1999 and 1 March, 2000 were eligible (n = 41). Measurements were performed at admission, discharge and three months post-discharge. Data were analyzed using one way repeated measures ANOVA for parametric data and the Friedman-Chi square test for non-parametric data.

Outcome Measures: Barthel Index, Timed Up and Go Test, Berg Balance Scale, Mini-Mental Status Examination, Geriatric Depression Scale.

Results: From admission to discharge, significant improvements were seen in Timed Up and Go Test, Berg Balance Scale, and Geriatric Depression Scale (all P
Conclusion: No sustained improvements in mobility or functional status were seen at 3 months following discharge from a geriatric day hospital. Further studies exploring methods to delay progressive deterioration in multiple domains are necessary.