Physiotherapists´ experiences with older adults´ rehabilitation trajectory after hip fracture: A qualitative study in Western Norway

ABSTRACT

Background

Norway reports the highest prevalence of hip fractures in the world. Physiotherapists play a key-role in rehabilitation.

Purpose

To explore physiotherapists’ experiences with rehabilitation trajectories of older adults after hip fracture across levels of care in Norway.

Methods

A case-study design combined interviews and group-discussions with 22 physiotherapists in four hospitals and 12 primary health care settings in urban and rural municipalities in 2016 and 2018. A thematic content analysis was applied.

Results

The physiotherapists viewed the rehabilitation trajectory after hip fracture as fragmented and poorly suited for patients with complex needs. Early hospital discharge, multiple transfers and insufficient staffing, put patients at risk of not receiving adequate services. Most at risk were patients with cognitive impairment. The physiotherapists’ role and influence during the patients’ rehabilitation course varied, depending on the health-care level. They viewed that current reforms and structural conditions limited the quality of geriatric care and the prioritization of patients with dementia, who risked getting no rehabilitation at all.

Conclusion

An orthogeriatric, person-centered approach to rehabilitation after hip fracture seems beneficial. A focus on cognitive impairment is needed requiring investment and professional skills’ development. Political, economic, and organizational interventions should secure that, geriatric patients receive necessary rehabilitation services.

KEYWORDS:

• Hip fracture
• physiotherapists’ experiences
• rehabilitation trajectory
• elderly
• dementia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

No fund