Care needs and level of care difficulty related to hip fractures in geriatric populations during the post-discharge transition period.

The objective of this study was to understand the following: (1) the specific care needs of geriatric hip fracture patients; (2) the level of care difficulty during the transition period following discharge; and (3) the correlation amongst demographics, the physical function status of the elderly, and care needs. Purposive sampling was used, and a total of 71 hip fracture cases and their caregivers were selected. A survey was carried out to collect data just before discharge and one week following discharge. Statistical methods included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, one-way ANOVA, and a paired t-test. Results were as follows: Most geriatric patients depended upon care from family members before discharge, with an average physical function status score of 6.99 (0 to 18) that improved significantly after one week to 10.27; paired t = -7.956 (p < .000). The mean age of primary caregivers was 51.72 years old (SD = 14.05). Most caregivers (47, or 66.2%) were female. The relationship between elderly participants and their primary caregiver was predominantly that of husband and wife (22 people; 31.0%). Participant care needs identified included return visit assistance, awareness of safety at all times, assistance with cleaning and maintaining living quarters, and so on. Caring tasks that were identified as more difficult for the primary caregivers includes providing stair climbing assistance, emotional problems management assistance, walking training assistance, rehabilitation assistance, and emergency disease management assistance. The care needs of the elderly in this study and level of execution difficulty for caregivers was found to be negatively related to the physical function status of the elderly. The study results suggest that providing patient-related home care knowledge to primary caregivers prior to discharge from the hospital and enhancement of the social support system are both needed.