Elderly Patients in the Acute Care Hospital:

Elderly patients can remain in acute care hospitals for protracted periods of time waiting for transfer to long-term care facilities. Because such patients no longer require acute care services, hospitals often fail to provide programs for them and staff may experience them as inappropriate. This study provides a descriptive understanding of these patients and examines factors associated with length of stay. Although differences were found between patients who were discharged in 6 months or less and those who remained in hospitals longer than 6 months, no significant differences were found among patients who remained for varying lengths of time beyond 6 months. Impact of long stay on patients and families is explored and implications for social work practice and discharge planning are examined.