Disabled Older Adults with Unmet Needs at Higher Risk of Hospital Readmission

​Older adults with disabilities that affect activities of daily living who do not have their specific needs met after a hospital discharge are at an increased risk of readmission, according to the results of a study published in the June 2013 issue of the Gerontologist. The study evaluated the experiences of 522 Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities regarding activities of daily living who responded to the 1994, 1999, or 2004 National Long-Term Care Surveys. For the analysis, tasks included bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and either getting out of bed or moving around a room. A respondent was considered to have a disability if they received help, required standby help, needed but did not receive help, or used equipment to complete the task. Respondents were considered to have an unmet need if they reported that they did not receive needed help, could have used more help, or had to wait to do a task because they did not have enough help.