Older adults' perspectives on rehabilitation and recovery one year after a hip fracture - a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: In order to improve quality of care and recovery after hip fracture we need to include the perspectives of the individual older adults when evaluating different rehabilitation interventions. The aim of this study was therefore to explore older adults' experiences of their rehabilitation after a hip fracture and of the recovery process during the 12 months following the fracture. METHODS: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 older adults (70-91 years of age) who had participated in a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effects of early discharge followed by geriatric interdisciplinary home rehabilitation compared to in-hospital care according to a multifactorial rehabilitation program. Ten participants from each group were interviewed shortly after the one-year follow-up when the study was completed. Data were analysed with qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The analysis resulted in four themes: Moving towards recovery with the help of others; Getting to know a new me; Striving for independence despite obstacles; and Adapting to an altered but acceptable life. The participants emphasised the importance of having access to rehabilitation that was provided by skilled staff, and support from family members and friends for well-being and recovery. They experienced a change in their self-image but strove for independence despite struggling with complications and functional limitations and used adaptive strategies to find contentment in their lives. CONCLUSIONS: Rehabilitation interventions provided by competent health care professionals, as well as support from family members and friends, were emphasised as crucial for satisfactory recovery. Participants' experiences further highlight the importance of targeting both physical and psychological impacts after a hip fracture. To improve recovery, rehabilitation providers should customise future interventions to suit each individual´s wishes and needs and provide rehabilitation in various settings throughout the recovery process. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial is registered at Current Controlled Trials Ltd, ICRCTN 15738119 . Date of registration 16/06/2008, retrospectively registered.

Geriatric Interdisciplinary Home Rehabilitation After Hip Fracture in People with Dementia - A Subgroup Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: To investigate if the effects of geriatric interdisciplinary home rehabilitation after hip fracture were different among people with dementia compared to those without dementia and to describe the overall outcome after hip fracture in people with dementia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A post hoc subgroup analysis of a randomized controlled trial was conducted including 205 people with hip fracture, aged ≥70, living in ordinary housing or residential care facilities. Early discharge followed by individually designed interdisciplinary home rehabilitation for a maximum of 10 weeks was compared to in-hospital geriatric care according to a multifactorial rehabilitation program. Outcomes were hospital length of stay (LOS), readmissions, falls, mortality, performance in activities of daily living (ADL), and walking ability. RESULTS: Interdisciplinary home rehabilitation vs in-hospital care had comparable effects on falls and mortality between discharge and 12 months and on ADL and walking ability at 3 and 12 months regardless of whether the participants had dementia or not (P≥0.05 for all). Among participants with dementia, postoperative LOS was a median of 18 days (interquartile range [IQR] 14-30) in the home rehabilitation group vs 23 days (IQR 15-30) in the control group (P=0.254) with comparable numbers of readmissions after discharge. Dementia was associated with increased risk of falling (odds ratio [OR] 3.86; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.05-7.27; P<0.001) and increased mortality (OR 4.20; 95% CI 1.79-9.92, P=0.001) between discharge and 12 months and with greater dependence in ADL and walking at 3 and 12 months compared to participants without dementia (P<0.001 for all). CONCLUSION: The effects of geriatric interdisciplinary home rehabilitation vs in-hospital geriatric care did not differ in participants with and without dementia. However, the statistical power of this subgroup analysis was likely insufficient to detect differences between the groups. Dementia was associated with a substantial negative impact on the outcomes following the hip fracture. Our findings support offering interdisciplinary home rehabilitation after hip fracture to people with dementia.

Effects of Geriatric Interdisciplinary Home Rehabilitation on Independence in Activities of Daily Living in Older People With Hip Fracture: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of early discharge followed by geriatric interdisciplinary home rehabilitation for older people with hip fracture on independence in activities of daily living (ADL) compared with inhospital geriatric care according to a multifactorial rehabilitation program. DESIGN: Planned analysis of a randomized controlled trial with 3- and 12-month follow-ups. SETTING: Geriatric ward, ordinary housing, and residential care facilities. PARTICIPANTS: Of 466 people screened for eligibility, participants (N=205) with acute hip fracture, aged 70 years or older, including those with cognitive impairment and those living in residential care facilities, were randomized to intervention or control groups. INTERVENTION: Individually designed interdisciplinary home rehabilitation for a maximum of 10 weeks. The intervention aimed at early hospital discharge and focused on prevention of falls, independence in daily activities, and walking ability indoors and outdoors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Independence in ADL was measured using the Barthel ADL Index, and the ADL Staircase including the Katz ADL Index during hospital stay (prefracture performance) and at the follow-up visits in the participants' homes. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in ADL performance between the groups, and they recovered their prefracture level of independence in personal and instrumental ADL comparably. At 12 months, 33 (41.3%) in the intervention group vs 33 (41.8%) in the control group (P=.99) had regained or improved their prefracture ADL performance according to the Barthel ADL Index, and 27 (37.0%) vs 36 (48.6%) according to the ADL Staircase (P=.207). CONCLUSIONS: In older people with hip fracture, early discharge followed by geriatric interdisciplinary home rehabilitation resulted in a comparable recovery of independence in ADL at 3 and 12 months as inhospital geriatric care and rehabilitation.

Effects of geriatric interdisciplinary home rehabilitation on complications and readmissions after hip fracture: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE:: This pre-planned secondary analysis of geriatric interdisciplinary home rehabilitation, which was initially found to shorten the postoperative length of stay in hospital for older individuals following hip fracture, investigated whether such rehabilitation reduced the numbers of complications, readmissions, and total days spent in hospital after discharge during a 12-month follow-up period compared with conventional geriatric care and rehabilitation. DESIGN:: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING:: Geriatric department, participants' residential care facilities, and ordinary housing. SUBJECTS:: Individuals aged ⩾70 years with acute hip fracture ( n = 205) were included. INTERVENTION:: Geriatric interdisciplinary home rehabilitation was individually designed and aimed at early discharge with the intention to prevent, detect, and treat complications after discharge. MAIN MEASURES:: Complications, readmissions, and days spent in hospital were registered from patients' digital records and interviews conducted during hospitalization and at 3- and 12-month follow-up visits. RESULTS:: No significant difference in outcomes was observed. Between discharge and the 12-month follow-up, among participants in the geriatric interdisciplinary home rehabilitation group ( n = 106) and control group ( n = 93), 57 (53.8%) and 44 (47.3%) had complications ( P = 0.443), 46 (43.4%) and 38 (40.9%) fell ( P = 0.828), and 38 (35.8%) and 27 (29.0%) were readmitted to hospital ( P = 0.383); the median total days spent in hospital were 11.5 and 11.0 ( P = 0.353), respectively. CONCLUSION:: Geriatric interdisciplinary home rehabilitation for older individuals following hip fracture resulted in similar proportions of complications, readmissions, and total days spent in hospital after discharge compared with conventional geriatric care and rehabilitation.

Co-morbidities, complications and causes of death among people with femoral neck fracture - a three-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: The poor outcome after a hip fracture is not fully understood. The aim of the study was to describe the prevalence of co-morbidities, complications and causes of death and to investigate factors that are able to predict mortality in old people with femoral neck fracture. METHODS: Data was obtained from a randomized, controlled trial with a 3-year follow-up at Umeå University Hospital, Sweden, which included 199 consecutive patients with femoral neck fracture, aged ≥70 years. The participants were assessed during hospitalization and in their homes 4, 12 and 36 months after surgery. Medical records and death certificates were analysed. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis revealed that cancer, dependence in P-ADL (Personal Activities of Daily Living), cardiovascular disease, dementia at baseline or pulmonary emboli or cardiac failure during hospitalization were all independent predictors of 3-year mortality. Seventy-nine out of 199 participants (40 %) died within 3 years. Cardiovascular events (24 %), dementia (23 %), hip-fracture (19 %) and cancer (13 %) were the most common primary causes of death. In total, 136 participants suffered at least one urinary tract infection; 114 suffered 542 falls and 37 sustained 56 new fractures, including 13 hip fractures, during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Old people with femoral neck fracture have multiple co-morbidities and suffer numerous complications. Thus randomized intervention studies should focus on prevention of complications that might be avoidable such as infections, heart diseases, falls and fractures.

Effects of Geriatric Interdisciplinary Home Rehabilitation on Walking Ability and Length of Hospital Stay After Hip Fracture: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if Geriatric Interdisciplinary Home Rehabilitation could improve walking ability for older people with hip fracture compared with conventional geriatric care and rehabilitation. A secondary aim was to investigate the postoperative length of hospital stay (LOS). DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Geriatric ward, ordinary housing, and residential care facilities. PARTICIPANTS: People operated on for a hip fracture (n = 205), aged 70 or older, including those with cognitive impairment, and living in the north of Sweden. INTERVENTION: Home rehabilitation with the aim of early hospital discharge that was individually designed and carried out by an interdisciplinary team for a maximum of 10 weeks. Special priority was given to prevention of falls, independence in daily activities, and walking ability both indoors and outdoors. MEASUREMENTS: Walking ability and the use of walking device was assessed in an interview during the hospital stay. These assessments were repeated along with gait speed measurements at 3- and 12-month follow-up. The length of the hospital stay after the hip fracture was recorded. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in walking ability, use of walking device, and gait speed at the 3- and 12-month follow-up between the groups. At 12 months, 56.3% of the intervention group and 57.7% of the control group had regained or improved their prefracture walking ability. The median postoperative LOS in the geriatric ward was 6 days shorter for the intervention group (P = .003). CONCLUSION: Participants receiving Geriatric Interdisciplinary Home Rehabilitation regained walking ability in the short- and long-term similar to those receiving conventional geriatric care and rehabilitation according to a multifactorial rehabilitation program. The intervention group had a significantly shorter postoperative LOS in the hospital.

Symptom profile of postoperative delirium in patients with and without dementia.

This study compares the symptom profile of patients with postoperative delirium after femoral neck fracture surgery in those with and without dementia. In this study, 129 patients of age ≥70 years (mean age ±SD, 86±6 yr, 72% women) with postoperative delirium, were included. Delirium and dementia were diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) criteria. Of the 129 patients with delirium, 54 (42%) had a dementia disorder. Patients with delirium superimposed on dementia more often had any hyperactive and pure emotional delirium. Communication difficulties and symptoms such as restlessness/agitation, aggressive behavior, and irritability were more commonly found in the dementia group. In contrast, patients with delirium but without dementia were more often diagnosed with pure hypoactive and any psychotic delirium. The symptom profile of postoperative delirium varies according to whether it occurs in patients with or without dementia. This may indicate that postoperative delirium among patients with hip fracture differs based on the presence or absence of dementia.

"The balancing act"--licensed practical nurse experiences of falls and fall prevention: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Falls are common in old age and may have serious consequences. There are many strategies to predict and prevent falls from occurring in long-term care and hospitals. The aim of this study was to describe licensed practical nurse experiences of predicting and preventing further falls when working with patients who had experienced a fall-related fracture. Licensed practical nurses are the main caretakers that work most closely with the patients. METHODS: A qualitative study of focus groups interviews and field observations was done. 15 licensed practical nurses from a rehabilitation ward and an acute ward in a hospital in northern Sweden were interviewed. Content was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The result of the licensed practical nurse thoughts and experiences about risk of falling and fall prevention work is represented in one theme, "the balancing act". The theme includes three categories: "the right to decide", "the constant watch", and "the ongoing negotiation" as well as nine subcategories. The analysis showed similarities and differences between rehabilitation and acute wards. At both wards it was a core strategy in the licensed practical nurse work to always be ready and to pay attention to patients' appearance and behavior. At the rehabilitation ward, it was an explicit working task to judge the patients' risk of falling and to be active to prevent falls. At the acute ward, the words "risk of falling" were not used and fall prevention were not discussed; instead the licensed practical nurses used for example "dizzy and pale". The results also indicated differences in components that facilitate workplace learning and knowledge transfer. CONCLUSIONS: Differences between the wards are most probably rooted in organizational differences. When it is expected by the leadership, licensed practical nurses can express patient risk of falling, share their observations with others, and take actions to prevent falls. The climate and the structure of the ward are essential if licensed practical nurses are to be encouraged to routinely consider risk of falling and implement risk reduction strategies.

A multidisciplinary intervention program improved the outcome after hip fracture for people with dementia--subgroup analyses of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: People with cognitive impairment and dementia have a poor outcome after a hip fracture surgery, about 30-50% of all those who sustain a hip fracture have dementia. Therefore the aim was to investigate whether a multidisciplinary postoperative intervention program could reduce postoperative complications and improve functional recovery among people with dementia. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial with subgroup analyses among patients with dementia. Sixty-four patients with femoral neck fracture, aged ≥70 years at Umeå University Hospital, Sweden. The intervention consisted of staff education, individualized care planning and rehabilitation, active prevention, detection and treatment of postoperative complications, especially delirium. The staff worked in teams to apply comprehensive geriatric assessment, management and rehabilitation, including a follow-up at 4 months postoperatively. The control group followed conventional postoperative routines. RESULTS: There were fewer postoperative complications in the intervention group such as urinary tract infections, p=0.001; nutritional problems, p=0.025; postoperative delirium, p=0.002; falls, p=0.006. At 4 months a larger proportion in the intervention group had regained their previous independent indoor walking ability performance, p=0.005. At 12 months a larger proportion in the intervention group had regained the activities of daily living (ADL) performance level they had before the fracture, p=0.027. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that patients with dementia who suffer a hip fracture can benefit from multidisciplinary geriatric assessment and rehabilitation and should not be excluded from rehabilitation programs.

Applicability and effects of physical exercise on physical and cognitive functions and activities of daily living among people with dementia: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: : The aim of this study was to systematically review the applicability (attendance, achieved intensity, adverse events) and effects of physical exercise on physical functions, cognitive functions, and activities of daily living among people with dementia. DESIGN: : Randomized controlled trials were identified in PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, and the Cochrane Library on August 30 and September 1, 2010, according to predefined inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently extracted predetermined data and assessed methodologic quality. RESULTS: : A qualitative analysis was performed, including ten studies. Most participants were people with Alzheimer disease in residential care facilities. Four studies reached "moderate" methodologic quality, and six reached "low." The studies of moderate quality evaluated the effects of combined functional weight-bearing exercise, combined functional and nonfunctional exercise, and walking exercise. CONCLUSIONS: : Among older people with Alzheimer disease in residential care facilities, combined functional weight-bearing exercise seems applicable for use regarding attendance and adverse events, and there is some evidence that exercise improves walking performance and reduces the decline in activities of daily living. Furthermore, there is some evidence that walking exercise performed individually reduces decline in walking performance, but adverse events need to be evaluated. Among older people with various types of dementia disorders who are staying in a hospital, there is some evidence that combined functional and nonfunctional exercise over 2 wks has no effect on mobility. It seems important that the interventions last for at least a few months and that the exercises are task-specific and are intended to challenge the individual's physical capacity. Among older people with unspecified dementia disorders in residential care facilities, there is some evidence that walking exercise performed at a self-selected speed has no effect on cognitive functions. Whether physical exercise can improve cognitive functions among people with dementia remains unclear because studies evaluating this have either been of low methodologic quality or used an intervention of presumably insufficient intensity. There is a need for more studies of high methodologic quality, especially among people with dementia disorders other than Alzheimer disease.

Mental status and surgical methods in patients with femoral neck fracture.

BACKGROUND: About one third of hip-fractured patients have dementia and thus may have difficulties adhering to postoperative instructions. Hip replacement is the most common treatment when a femoral neck fracture is displaced in healthy older people, whereas for those with dementia and other severe comorbidities, internal fixation (IF) is generally recommended. PURPOSE: To evaluate complications, functional outcome, and mortality for both surgical methods, IF and hemiarthroplasty (HAP), in older patients suffering from femoral neck fracture with or without dementia. SAMPLE: One hundred eighty patients, aged 70 years or older, who were operated on using IF (n = 69) in undisplaced femoral neck fracture and HAP (n = 111) if the fractures were displaced. DATA COLLECTION: Mental state was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination and Organic Brain Syndrome scale, and dementia and delirium were diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) criteria. Outcomes of mortality, complications, functional ability, and quality of life were measured. FINDINGS: There was no difference in complications or mortality at 4 months and 1 year for the IF or HAP groups. Patients with and without dementia, operated on with HAP, had a better functional outcome after 1 year than those operated on with IF. The result of this study indicates that dementia per se is not a reason for disqualifying those patients from the most appropriate surgical method.

Postoperative delirium in old patients with femoral neck fracture: a randomized intervention study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Delirium is a common postoperative complication in elderly patients which has a serious impact on outcome in terms of morbidity and costs. We examined whether a postoperative multi-factorial intervention program can reduce delirium and improve outcome in patients with femoral neck fractures. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-nine patients, aged 70 years and over (mean age+/-SD, 82+/-6, 74% women), were randomly assigned to postoperative care in a specialized geriatric ward or a conventional orthopedic ward. The intervention consisted of staff education focusing on the assessment, prevention and treatment of delirium and associated complications. The staff worked as a team, applying comprehensive geriatric assessment, management and rehabilitation. Patients were assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination and the Organic Brain Syndrome Scale, and delirium was diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria. RESULTS: The number of days of postoperative delirium among intervention patients was fewer (5.0+/-7.1 days vs 10.2+/-13.3 days, p=0.009) compared with controls. A lower proportion of intervention patients were delirious postoperatively than controls (56/102, 54.9% vs 73/97, 75.3%, p=0.003). Eighteen percent in the intervention ward and 52% of controls were delirious after the seventh postoperative day (p<0.001). Intervention patients suffered from fewer complications, such as decubitus ulcers, urinary tract infections, nutritional complications, sleeping problems and falls, than controls. Total postoperative hospitalization was shorter in the intervention ward (28.0+/-17.9 days vs 38.0+/-40.6 days, p=0.028). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with postoperative delirium can be successfully treated, resulting in fewer days of delirium, fewer other complications, and shorter length of hospitalization.

Improved performance in activities of daily living and mobility after a multidisciplinary postoperative rehabilitation in older people with femoral neck fracture: a randomized controlled trial with 1-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short- and long-term effects of a multidisciplinary postoperative rehabilitation programme in patients with femoral neck fracture. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: A randomized controlled trial in patients (n = 199) with femoral neck fracture, aged >or= 70 years. METHODS: The primary outcomes were: living conditions, walking ability and activities of daily living performance on discharge, 4 and 12 months postoperatively. The intervention consisted of staff education, individualized care planning and rehabilitation, active prevention, detection and treatment of postoperative complications. The staff worked in teams to apply comprehensive geriatric assessment, management and rehabilitation. A geriatric team assessed those in the intervention group 4 months postoperatively, in order to detect and treat any complications. The control group followed conventional postoperative routines. RESULTS: Despite shorter hospitalization, significantly more people from the intervention group had regained independence in personal activities of daily living performance at the 4- and 12-month follow-ups; odds ratios (95% confidence interval (CI) ) 2.51 (1.00-6.30) and 3.49 (1.31-9.23), respectively. More patients in the intervention group had also regained the ability to walk independently indoors without walking aids by the end of the study period, odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 3.01 (1.18-7.61). CONCLUSION: A multidisciplinary postoperative intervention programme enhances activities of daily living performance and mobility after hip fracture, from both a short-term and long-term perspective.

Malnutrition in hip fracture patients: an intervention study.

AIMS: To investigate whether a nutritional intervention in older women and men with femoral neck fracture had an effect on postoperative complications during hospitalization and on nutritional status at a four-month follow-up. METHODS: The design was a randomized controlled trial. The present study sample consisted of 157 patients aged 70 years and above with femoral neck fracture. The nutritional intervention included, among other things, a nutritional journal to detect nutrition deficiencies and protein-enriched meals for at least four days postoperatively. Further, at least two nutritional and protein drinks were served each day during the whole hospitalization and other factors that would influence the patient's nutrition were also considered and dealt with. Postoperative complications were registered and patients were assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scale, including body mass index (BMI), on admission and at a four-month follow-up. RESULTS: Malnutrition was common and low MNA scores were associated with postoperative complications such as delirium and decubitus ulcers. There were significantly fewer days of delirium in the intervention group, seven patients in the intervention group developed decubitus ulcers vs. 14 patients in the control group and the total length of hospitalization was shorter. There were no detectable significant improvements regarding nutritional parameters between the intervention and the control group at the four-month follow-up but men improved their mean BMI, body weight and MNA scores in both the intervention and the control groups while women deteriorated in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition was common among older people with hip fractures admitted to hospital. The nutritional intervention might have contributed to the patients suffering fewer days with delirium, fewer decubitus ulcers and shorter hospitalization but did not improve the long-term nutritional status, at least not in women. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This nutritional intervention, which was included in a multifactorial multidisciplinary intervention, is inexpensive and relatively easy to implement. It has significant effects on complications but no long-term effect on nutritional parameters, at least not in women.

Using a virtual reality system to study balance and walking in a virtual outdoor environment: a pilot study.

Falls and fall-related injuries are a major problem for elderly persons. Most falls occur during walking and turning, and the risk of falling increases when attention is diverted to something besides walking. It is often difficult to standardize methods for testing balance and fall tendency in a clinically relevant setting. We describe the development of a system using a virtual environment (VE) to assess how attention demanding and unexpected events influence a person's capacity to control balance and movement. The hardware in the system consists of a head-mounted display (HMD), a magnetic tracker system, and two SGI computers. The software consists of the image generation of the VE and the management and visualization of motion tracking data. In a preliminary pilot study eight subjects (age 23-80) participated. Each subject walked on a normal floor and was visually presented a familiar outdoor environment in the HMD. They were exposed to different unexpected events, such as a virtual snowfall and tilting of the VE. Disturbances of balance and walking patterns such as changes in speed, stride length and balance reactions like slipping were observed. Two subjects experienced symptoms of cyber sickness with a SSQ score above 25 points. Walking with sensors only did not affect walking time, but in VE the subjects generally walked more slowly. Virtual tilting of the environment had an impact on balance performance during walking. This effect was not observed while the test subjects were walking in a virtual snowfall. The model needs further development but may hold a potential for clinical use.

Inpatient falls and injuries in older patients treated for femoral neck fracture.

A prospective inpatient study was performed at the Orthopedic and Geriatric Departments at the Umeå University Hospital, Sweden, to study inpatient falls, fall-related injuries, and risk factors for falls following femoral neck fracture surgery. Ninety-seven patients with femoral neck fracture aged 70 years or older were included, background characteristics, falls, injuries, and other postoperative complications were assessed and registered during the hospitalization. There were 60 postoperative falls among 26/97 patients (27%). The postoperative fall event rate was 16.3/1000 Days (95% CI 12.2-20.4). Thirty two percent of the falls resulted in injuries, 25% minor, and 7% serious ones. In multiple regression analyses, delirium after Day 7, HRR 4.62 (95% CI 1.24-16.37), male sex 3.92 (1.58-9.73), and sleeping disturbances 3.49 (1.24-9.86), were associated with inpatient falls. Forty-five percent of the patients were delirious the day they fell. Intervention programs, including prevention and treatment of delirium and sleeping disturbances, as well as better supervision of male patients, could be possible fall prevention strategies. Improvement of the quality of care and rehabilitation, with the focus on fall prevention based on these results, should be implemented in postoperative care of older people.

Daily life among the oldest old with and without previous hip fractures.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe the oldest old, with and without previous hip fracture with regard to their ability to perform personal and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL); home adaptations received; possession of assistive devices; perceived health and morale. A random sample drawn from the population of 85-year-olds, all 90-year-olds and all > or =95-year-olds (n =253) in Umeå, a city in northern Sweden, were examined. Data obtained from assessments and interviews carried out in the participants' homes, as well as data from medical charts, were analysed. Those with an earlier hip fracture (n = 58) had more difficulties in performing both personal and instrumental ADLs than those without (n = 195) but regarding individual home adaptations and the possession of assistive devices for personal care, no differences were detected between the groups. Self-perceived health and morale were equally good in both groups. The conclusion drawn is that lifelong consequences, in the form of reduced abilities to perform ADLs and wheelchair dependency are common among the oldest old after a hip fracture. Therefore, trials concerning the effects of more extensive and prolonged rehabilitation following hip fracture would be of great interest