Effectiveness of Weekend Physiotherapy on Geriatric In-Patients’ Physical Function

PURPOSE: Hospital-associated disability (HAD) is significant among geriatric patients admitted to acute care hospitals. The objective of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of additional weekend physiotherapy on mobility impairments of high-risk older patients admitted to the acute medical unit. METHODS: A prospective, non-randomized controlled trial was conducted in one of the medical units in a northern Ontario hospital. A total of 41 patients were recruited using a consecutive sampling method and assigned to a control group (n = 19) and an experimental group (n = 22). The de Morton Mobility Index (DEMMI) and the Barthel Index (BI) were the outcome measures. RESULTS: A Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the group differences, and it showed that there was a statistically significant difference (p < .05) between the experimental and control groups on the DEMMI and the BI. CONCLUSION: Additional weekend physiotherapy significantly improves elderly patients’ physical function and gets them physically ready for discharge when medically stable. This may significantly reduce the alternate level of care for patients.