Examination of the Critical Assessments Necessary in the Practice of Visiting Rehabilitation to Understand the Condition of the Elderly Requiring Care

• Published in: Rigaku ryoho kagaku Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 569 - 576
• Main Authors: HIRANO, Yasuyuki, IZAWA, Kazuhiro P., TATARA, Katuyoshi, KAWAMA, Kennosuke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese; English
• Published: The Society of Physical Therapy Science 2015
• Subjects: assessment; understanding the medical condition; visiting rehabilitation
• ISSN: 1341-1667; 2434-2807
• DOI: 10.1589/rika.30.569

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to clarify the importance of the assessment visiting rehabilitation workers make to understand the medical condition of elderly patients. [Subjects] The subjects were 335 visiting rehabilitation workers across the whole of Japan. [Methods] A questionnaire was mailed to 540 visiting rehabilitation facilities, and replies were considered according to subjects’ job category and years of experience. [Results] Knowledge of the patient’s vital signs, such as blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rates, and temperature, as well as history of falls, and level of consciousness were important for visiting rehabilitation workers. However, findings of abdominal auscultation, cardiac apex beat palpation, and electrocardiogram changes were not considered important. Moreover, subjects’ job categories and years of experience influenced the results. [Conclusion] Although visiting rehabilitation workers regularly meet patients with internal diseases, it was clear that they had little knowledge or experience in assessing the internal diseases of their patients.