OBJECTIVE To explore the interactions concerning the frail and elderly patients having to do with discharge from acute hospital wards and their participation in medical decision-making. The views of the patients and the medical staff were both investigated. DESIGN A qualitative observational and interview study using the grounded theory. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS The setting was three hospit...

There is convincing evidence about the benefits of exercise training in community dwelling frailer older people, but little evidence that this intervention can be delivered in general practice. In this prospective cohort study in 14 general practices in north London we assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of a tailored exercise referral programme for frail elderly patients delivered withi...

The proportion of frail elderly people in the industrialized world is increasing. Respite care is a potentially important way of maintaining the quality of life for these people and their caregivers. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different models of community-based respite care for frail older people and their caregivers. To...

From around 50 years of age, the utilisation of hospital services begins to spiral upwards. In Australia patients over 65 years account for 46% of acute hospital bed days and 33% of hospital separations, although they represent only 12% of the total population. By 2051 the percentage of over-65s in the Australian population is projected to double. The largest increase will be in the over-85 gro...