Effects of a continuum of care intervention on frail elders’ self-rated health, experiences of security/safety and symptoms: A randomised controlled trial
Sammanfattning
We aimed to evaluate effects of the intervention on self-rated health, experiences of security/safety and symptoms. A nonblinded
controlled trial was performed with participants randomised to either the intervention group or a control group, with
follow-ups at 3, 6 and 12 months. The intervention involved collaboration between a nurse with geriatric competence at the
emergency department, the hospital wards and a multi-professional team for care and rehabilitation of older adults, with a case
manager from the municipality as the hub. Older people who sought care at the emergency department at Sahlgrenska
University Hospital/Mo¨lndal and who were discharged to their own homes in the Mo¨lndal municipality were asked to participate.
Inclusion criteria were age 80 years and older, or 65 to 79 years with at least one chronic disease and dependency in at
least one activity of daily living. Analyses were conducted on the basis of the intention-to-treat principle. Outcome measures
were self-rated health, experiences of security/safety and symptoms. These were analysed using Svensson’s method. Of 161
participants, 76 were allocated to the control group and 85 to the intervention group. Positive effects of the intervention were
observed for frail older adult’s symptoms and self-rated health.