Geriatric patients' unique hospital needs are garnering more attention as of late, and Cleveland Clinic has received $7.4 million from the National Institute on Aging to study bed rest versus mobility in hospitalized older adults.
Bed rest is common practice in hospitals but poses risks that include falls, delirium, venous thrombosis and skin breakdown to patients 65 and older, according to a Sept. 15 news release from Cleveland Clinic. Although many hospitals try to walk patients up to three times a day, the task falls to the wayside when nurses are short staffed.
The health system will measure mobility post-discharge in older patients who receive three supervised walks each day with a mobility technician versus those who receive normal care. Researchers will also use predictive modeling to determine which patients are most likely to benefit from the initiative and track overall costs, the release said.
The study will take place on Cleveland Clinic's main campus; at Fairview, Hillcrest and Marymount hospitals in Cleveland, Mayfield Heights and Garfield Heights, Ohio, respectively; as well as at Springfield, Mass.-based Baystate Medical Center.