Key summary pointsAim The consensus statement about core principles and future priorities of geriatric rehabilitation has the aim to help healthcare providers which need strategies to support older... Show moreKey summary pointsAim The consensus statement about core principles and future priorities of geriatric rehabilitation has the aim to help healthcare providers which need strategies to support older people who have experienced functional decline. Findings Geriatric rehabilitation is now defined in a way that is compatible with existing service models across Europe. Message This consensus statement can provide a starting point for further development of geriatric rehabilitation.Purpose In response to the growing recognition of geriatric rehabilitation and to support healthcare providers which need strategies to support older people with frailty who have experienced functional decline, we developed a consensus statement about core principles and future priorities for geriatric rehabilitation. Methods We used a three-stage approach to establish consensus-preparation, consensus and review. Results The consensus statement is grouped under 11 headings from (1) "Definition of GR" to (11) "Effective strategies to develop GR in Europe", which define geriatric rehabilitation in a way that is compatible with existing service models across Europe. Additionally future goals around research and education are highlighted. Conclusion The definitions of the consensus statement can provide a starting point for those wishing to further develop geriatric rehabilitation in their jurisdiction and help to develop strategic alliances with other specialties, serving as a basis for a pan-European approach to geriatric rehabilitation. Show less
The rate of adverse health outcomes 90 days after an emergency department (ED) visit is high for older patients.A comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) can effectively identify patients at... Show moreThe rate of adverse health outcomes 90 days after an emergency department (ED) visit is high for older patients.A comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) can effectively identify patients at highest risk and improve outcomes. Unfortunately, the fast-paced environment and the medical condition of the acutely ill older patient make it virtually impossible to perform a CGA in all patients in the ED. Therefore, it was the aim of the present thesis to develop a screening instrument for the ED setting to identify older patients at high risk for adverse health outcomes, in order to target them for future interventions to preserve their independency and quality of life. In a multicenter prospective cohort study a total of 2629 older ED patients were included with a mean age of 79 years old. After 90 days 805 patients (30.6%) experienced functional decline or mortality. A new screeninginstrument to identify older ED patients at risk for adverse health outcomes was developed and validated: the APOP screener. The APOP screener adequately identifies older ED patients at highest risk for functional decline or mortality and is promising for clinical use. Show less
