Admission and discharge mobility of frail hospitalized older adults

Abstract

Functional decline during hospitalization is an important clinical problem with potential longlasting undesirable outcomes in frail elders. However, little is known about the change in mobility during hospitalization and the association with discharge status. A Mobility Classification Tool has been developed that categorizes progression of patients' in-hospital mobility using a 5-point scale. The validity and clinical usefulness of this tool was evaluated in a sample of 60 frail older adults hospitalized for medical illness. The tool allows nurses to assess, quantify, and communicate mobility levels and changes in mobility more accurately.