Factors Affecting Discharge to Home of Geriatric Health Services Users

:An Analysis of Physical Conditions and the Contents of Care Received

Abstract

Japan’s long-term care insurance system, which was put in place in 2000, is roughly divided into at-home care services and facility services. Facility services comprise three types: special nursing homes, geriatric health service facilities, and medical care facilities. To obtain useful findings for the promotion of discharge to home, this study analyzed the discharge-related data of a geriatric health services facility promoting home care. On examining the 52-month data (from 2012) of 541 users discharged from the facility, the energy intake was shown to most markedly influence the feasibility of discharge to home, followed by the duration of the time spent out of bed and nocturnal incontinence rate. The importance of mealtime assistance and necessity of prolonging the duration of the time spent out of bed by supporting diurnal arousal and independent urination during the night-time were also suggested as effective approaches to promote discharge to home.