Home rehabilitation after hip fracture. A randomized controlled study on balance confidence, physical function and everyday activities.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether home rehabilitation can improve balance confidence, physical function and daily activity level compared to conventional care in the early phase after hip fracture.

DESIGN: A randomized controlled study.

SETTING: Geriatric rehabilitation clinic.

SUBJECTS: One hundred and two community-dwelling elderly people.

INTERVENTIONS: A geriatric, multiprofessional home rehabilitation programme focused on supported discharge, independence in daily activities, and enhancing physical activity and confidence in performing daily activities was compared with conventional care in which no structured rehabilitation after discharge was included.

MAIN MEASURES: Falls efficacy, degree of dependency and frequency in daily activities, habitual physical activity and basic functional performance.

RESULTS: When comparing status one month after discharge with baseline, the home rehabilitation group showed a higher degree of recovery in self-care (P<0.0001), mobility (P = 0.002), locomotion (P = 0.0036) and domestic activities (P = 0.0098), as well as larger increase in balance confidence on stairs (P = 0.0018) and instrumental activities (mean increase home rehabilitation 19.7 and conventional care 7.1, P<0.0001) compared with the conventional care group. At one month, a majority of the home rehabilitation participants (88%) took outdoor walks, compared with less than half (46%) of the conventional care group (P<0.001) and were also more independent in outdoor activities (P = 0.0014).

CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that home rehabilitation, focused on supported discharge and enhancing self-efficacy, improves balance confidence, independence and physical activity in community-dwelling older adults in the early phase after hip fracture.