Elderly Heart Failure Patients Face Poorer Outcomes if Nursing Home Care Needed

Elderly heart failure patients who need skilled nursing care after discharge from the hospital face a higher risk of poor outcomes and even death, according to the American Heart Association.


Researchers from the University of Colorado-Denver School of Medicine analyzed data from 15,459 Medicare patients, with an average age of 80, who were discharged from the hospital after three or more days of treatment for heart failure.

  • Approximately 14% of the seniors discharged to skilled nursing care facilities died within 30 days after hospitalization.
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  • Four percent of those discharged to their homes died within a month.
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  • Within a month of discharge, 27% of the study participants were re-admitted to the hospital.
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  • Twenty-four percent of those discharged to their homes were re-admitted to the hospital, researchers found.

Moral of the story – rehab at home if at all possible with skilled in-home care to help you.