Describing the frail population assessed by an occupational therapist in the emergency department: A prospective cohort study

• Published in: New Zealand journal of occupational therapy Vol. 70; no. 2; pp. 19 - 27
• Main Authors: Murphy, Kym, Harper, Kristie, Williamson, Melinda, Jacques, Angela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wellington, NZ Occupational Therapy New Zealand Whakaora Ngangahau Aotearoa 01.09.2023; Occupational Therapy New Zealand Whakaora Ngangahau; New Zealand Association of Occupational Therapists
• Subjects: Activities of daily living; Chronic fatigue syndrome; Cognition & reasoning; Cohort analysis; Elder care; Emergency medical care; Fragility (Psychology); Frail elderly; Frail older people; Frailty; Geriatrics; Health aspects; Hospitals; Medical care; Medical tests; Methods; Occupational therapists; Occupational therapy; Older people; Patients; Professional ethics; Software; Therapeutics, Surgical; Therapists; Australia
• ISSN: 1171-0462

This study aimed to explore frailty in older adults attending a tertiary hospital emergency department. The primary outcome of this prospective observational cohort study was to establish the prevalence and severity of frailty using the Clinical Frailty Scale. Two hundred and eleven patients were included with 63% identified as frail. Secondary outcomes included discharge referrals, post-discharge contacts, emergency department re- presentations and hospital re-admissions. Frailty was significantly associated with cognitive impairment, mobility aid use, polypharmacy, in-home assistance and previous falls. Continued identification of frailty in the emergency department by occupational therapists and targeted service provision May improve outcomes for this population.