Effect of home-based rehabilitation on activities of daily living and gait in older adults with heart failure at risk for falling: A retrospective cohort study

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe improvement in activities of daily living (ADL) and gait speed, and associated factors in subjects receiving home-based rehabilitation after hospital admission for heart failure. Methods: A total of 1,055 patients (mean age 82 ± 8 years SD) receiving post-admission home care services for heart failure. Subjects were included if they were referred for home-care rehabilitation after inpatient admission with ICD-9 code indicating heart failure at inpatient discharge, primary home care, or co-morbid diagnosis on admission Outcome and Assessment Information Set version-C (OASIS-C). Change in total ADL score was described and adjusted for significant baseline factors/covariates using a generalized linear model. Factors predictive of exceeding the ADL score Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) were identified with multiple variable logistic regression. Results: Mean change in total ADL score from admission to discharge was 1.6 ± 1.2, the mean change for gait speed was 0.17 ± 0.21 m/s, and the minimum detectable change (MDC) (1.3) was exceeded by 57% of subjects. Improvement in mean ADL score was significantly predicted by age, baseline total ADL score, baseline gait speed score, cognitive-behavioral status, and living situation (R² = 42%). Conclusions: Patients with heart failure receiving home-based rehabilitation services make significant improvements in ADL function and gait performance. Greater ADL improvements are associated with younger age, faster gait speed at baseline, and greater impairment of baseline ADL scores. Age, baseline gait speed, and ADL composite score are significantly related to making a change beyond measurement error in ADL change score.

KEYWORDS:

• ADL
• gait speed
• heart failure
• home-based rehabilitation

Acknowledgment

We acknowledge the contributions and support of Genitiva health services Inc. We also would like to thank Dr. Charlotte Weaver for her suggestions on our manuscript. The material was presented at Combined sections meeting (CSM) in Indianapolis, IN 2015, which organized by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.