Comparison of the Functional Status, Psychosocial Aspects and Discharge Locations of Geriatric Patients Before and After Inpatient Geriatric Rehabilitation

NCT07131865 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 2025-00382EKOS 25/028
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 753
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Due to demographic change in Switzerland, the proportion of older people in the population is expected to increase. It is therefore important that people in old age remain in the best of health and maintain their independence for a long time. To this end, the investigators would like to demonstrate the effectiveness of inpatient geriatric rehabilitation at the Valens clinics. This will be done by comparing independence, quality of life, physical and mental health, mobility and hand strength on admission and discharge.

Conditions

Weak; Senile; Old Age; Debility; Movement Disorders; Quality of Life; Sarcopenia

Keywords

Rehabilitation; Geriatrics; Effectiveness; Frailty

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (7)

• Classification of diagnosis into internal medicine, neurological, or orthopedic/surgical categories

  Number of participants with diagnoses are divided into 3 groups: internal medicine, neurology and orthopedic/surgical. The diagnoses are determined and documented at hospital admission based on prior clinical assessments, laboratory results, and imaging studies. They are classified into one of three categories: Internal medicine (e.g., cardiovascular, respiratory diseases), Neurological (e.g., stroke, neuropathies) or Orthopedic/surgical (e.g., fractures, joint disorders). This classification reflects the patient's primary diagnosis at the time of study enrollment.

  At baseline (upon hospital admission and study enrollment)

• Cumulative Health Rating Scale (CIRS)

  The Cumulative Illness Rating Scale is a tool used to measure the overall burden of chronic illnesses across multiple organ systems. Each system is rated from 0 (no problem) to 4 (severe problem), and the scores are added up to reflect a patient's total morbidity. It is commonly used in geriatrics to assess multimorbidity and help predict health outcomes.

  At baseline (upon hospital admission and study enrollment)

• Functional Independence Measure (FIM)

  The FIM assesses how independently a person can perform daily activities. It uses an 18-item scale covering motor and cognitive tasks, each rated from 1 (total assistance needed) to 7 (complete independence). The total score reflects the level of disability and the amount of assistance required for daily living. Higher scores mean greater independence.

  At baseline (upon hospital admission and study enrollment) and at discharge from the clinic after a stay of approx. 21 days

• Health-related quality of life (EQ5D-5VAS)

  The EQ-5D-5VAS is a brief, standardized questionnaire for measuring health-related quality of life. It consists of two parts Descriptive system: Assesses five dimensions-mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression-each with five levels of severity, allowing patients to describe their health state precisely and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS): Patients rate their overall health on a scale from 0 (worst imaginable health) to 100 (best imaginable health), providing a quantitative self-assessment

  At baseline (upon hospital admission and study enrollment) and at discharge from the clinic after a stay of approx. 21 days

• Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System - (PROMIS-10)

  It is a short, 10-item questionnaire that measures subjective physical and mental health from the patient's perspective. It covers areas like physical function, pain, fatigue, emotional distress and social health. It helps researchers understand how the patients are feeling in terms of both body and mind. Higher scores indicate better health.

  At baseline (upon hospital admission and study enrollment) and at discharge from the clinic after a stay of approx. 21 days

• Timed Up and Go Test (TUG)

  The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is a simple test for assessing mobility and balance. The person stands up from a chair, walks three meters, turns around, walks back, and sits down again. The time required to complete the task is measured.

  At baseline (upon hospital admission and study enrollment) and at discharge from the clinic after a stay of approx. 21 days

• Grip strength measured by the Jamar Hand Dynamometer

  The Jamar Hand Dynamometer is a standardized instrument used to measure grip strength, which reflects the maximum force exerted by the hand muscles during a squeeze. The grip strength is an important functional outcome and indicator of overall muscle strength and physical health. It is a reliable, non-invasive, and easy-to-administer test that provides valuable information about the participant's muscular strength and functional status. Participants will be asked to squeeze the dynamometer handle with maximum effort for a few seconds. The device will record the force applied, reported in kilograms.

  At baseline (upon hospital admission and study enrollment) and at discharge from the clinic after a stay of approx. 21 days

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Age of participants

  At baseline (upon hospital admission and study enrollment)

• Gender of participants

  At baseline (upon hospital admission and study enrollment)

• Marital status of participants

  At baseline (upon hospital admission and study enrollment)

• Place of residence of participants

  At baseline (upon hospital admission and study enrollment)

• Length of hospital stay

  From the beginning of the study (at hospitalization and admission to the study) until discharge from the clinic after a stay of approx. 21 days

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Age greater than 65 years Presence of multimorbidity

You may qualify if:

• All patients who were treated as inpatients at the Kliniken Valens Geriatric Rehabilitation according to ICF criteria between 2020 and 2023 will be included.
• Signed the general consent for the further use of their health-related data for research, version 1.2, dated November 18, 2019.

You may not qualify if:

• No written consent was provided.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Bern: lead

Study Sites (1)

Kliniken Valens, Rehazentrum Walenstadtberg

Walenstadtberg, St.Gallen, 8881, Switzerland

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Asthenia; Frailty; Movement Disorders; Sarcopenia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Pathologic Processes; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Muscular Atrophy; Neuromuscular Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Atrophy; Pathological Conditions, Anatomical

Study Officials

• Prof. Dr. Stefan Bachmann, Prof. Dr. med.

  University of Bern, Kliniken Valens

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 12, 2025
• First Posted: August 20, 2025
• Study Start: January 1, 2020
• Primary Completion: December 31, 2023
• Study Completion: December 31, 2023
• Last Updated: August 20, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Locations

CH (1)