HOW AGING RELATED FRAILTY WILL INFLUENCE THE QUALITY OF CARE RESULTS FROM A 15-YEAR-OLD PEOPLE IN GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN

• Published in: International journal for quality in health care 1990-09, Vol.2 (3-4), p.403-409
• Main Author: Svanborg, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: long-term care; normal aging; preventive/postponing measures; Quality of care
• ISSN: 1353-4505; 1464-3677
• DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/2.3-4.403

The report exemplifies how aging in itself, frailty, and morbidity influence need of quality of care in the age interval 70–85 according to results obtained at the study of representative samples of elderly in Gothenburg, Sweden. A significant proportion of the elderly in the age interval 70–79 were lacking symptoms due to definable disease, which made possible studies of “normal aging” and a differentiation of manifestations of aging from symptoms of disease in the elderly. Usage of such knowledge is essential for the improvement of quality of care. The trainability of older people was generally good. Much more can be done to reactivate the older patient after episodes of acute disease. “Long-term care” should be considered as programs differentiated according to the need; shorter more active or longerforms of “long-term care.” Many frail elderly need longer periods of reactivation than available in hospitals. Certain risk factors precipitate into functional decline only when we are old. Preventive/postponing measures are relevant also for the elderly.