Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 European Geriatric Medicine https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-020-00363-6 RESEARCH PAPER A two‑year multicenter point prevalence study of older patients with hip fractures admitted to rehabilitation units in Italy Valentina Guerzoni 1  · Alessandro Lanzoni 1  · Christian Pozzi 2,3  · Matteo Paci 4  · Roberto Gatti 5  · Maria Grazia Benedetti 6  · Simona Gentile 3,4  · Marco Trabucchi 8,9  · Giuseppe Bellelli 9  · Alessandro Morandi 3,7,10,11 Received: 9 November 2019 / Accepted: 9 July 2020 © European Geriatric Medicine Society 2020 Key summary points Aim To study the characteristics of older patients with hip fracture admitted to rehabilitation units in Italy with a specific focus on geriatric syndromes and the rehabilitation process. Findings Of 615 patients included almost half of the patients lived alone before the hip fracture. Most of the falls happened at home. Clinicians identified geriatric syndromes including delirium, dementia, and depression in a significant number of patients. We found a relatively low involvement of the multiprofessional team in the rehabilitation process. Message This two-year multicenter point prevalence study allowed the collection of data on a relatively large sample of older patients with hip fracture showing the possible current limitations in the management of geriatric syndromes in this frail population Abstract Purpose To date in Italy we do not have sufficient information on the rehabilitation process of older patients with hip fractures especially in the context of dementia. The main aims of the study were to gather information on the characteristics of older patients with hip fracture admitted to rehabilitation units with a specific focus on geriatric syndromes and the rehabilitation process. Methods A national multi-center “point prevalence study” was conducted in Italy over two index days in 2017 and 2018. All patients aged 70 years and older hospitalized on the index day in Rehabilitation Units after a hip fracture were eligible. Results A total of 615 patients were included. Most of the hospitals involved were from northern Italy, to a lesser extent from central and from southern Italy. The mean age was 83.08 ± 7.9 years. Almost half of the patients lived alone before the hip fracture. Most of the falls happened at home and while walking. The prevalence of delirium, dementia and malnutrition was 9.1%, 36.6%, and 19.3%, respectively. Antidepressants were prescribed in 27% of the population. The multidisciplinary team was activated as follows: occupational therapist in 18.9% of the cases, psychologists in 14.5%, social workers in 15.3%, and speech therapists in 6.5%. * Alessandro Morandi morandi.alessandro@gmail.com 1 NODAIA Unit, Villa Igea, Modena, Italy 2 University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), Manno, Switzerland 3 Geriatric Research Group, Brescia, Italy 4 Unit of Functional Rehabilitation, Azienda USL, Toscana Centro, Firenze, Italy 5 Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele and Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Italy 6 Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit IRCCS-Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy 7 Department of Rehabilitation and Aged Care Hospital Ancelle, Fondazione Teresa Camplani, Cremona, Italy 8 Italian Psychogeriatric Association, Brescia, Italy 9 Department of Health Science, University of Milano-Bicocca and Geriatric Clinic, S. Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy 10 Institute of Research and Parc Sanitari Pere Virgili, Barcelona, Spain 11 Rehabilitation Hospital Ancelle Di Cremona (Italy), Via Aselli 14, 26100 Cremona, CR, Italy