Effect of Continuous Home-Visit Rehabilitation on Functioning of Discharged Frail Elderly

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to verify of the effect of continued home-visit rehabilitation on the functioning of frail elderly who had been discharged from acute beds. [Methods] Subjects were 31 frail elderly (27 women) aged 67 - 97 years old who had been discharged from acute beds. Home-visit rehabilitation was provided for them immediately after discharge. Body functions (20 items), activities (24 items), participation (2 items), and health status (2 items) were evaluated at the start of home-visit rehabilitation (baseline) and 3 months later by physiotherapists (PT). [Results] Compared to the functioning at baseline, 3 months later we found that 1) independence level of standing, walking, moving around inside and outside the home, going up and down of the stairs, 2) activity situation during daytime and frequency of going out, 3) mental functions and depression tendency, and 4) anxiety of falling had improved significantly. [Conclusion] The results show that home-visit rehabilitation provided continuously to the discharged elderly brought an excellent effect not only on improvement of activities of daily living (ADL) and amount of activity but also on mental function and depression tendency.