Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 European Geriatric Medicine https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-020-00321-2 RESEARCH PAPER A cohort study of the efects of multidisciplinary in‑patient primary care in older adults Martin Gronbech Jorgensen 1  · Maria Rodrigo‑Domingo 2  · Stig Andersen 1,3  · Johannes Riis 1,3  · Dorthe Bruun Jakobsen 4  · Mikkel Lerche 4  · Hanne Hostrup 5  · Jane Andreasen 6,7 Received: 28 November 2019 / Accepted: 2 April 2020 © European Geriatric Medicine Society 2020 Key summary points Aim To evaluate to the efects of a multifactorial, multidisciplinary in-patient municipality intervention on functioning, need-of-care, and quality of life in functionally declining older adults. Findings Following the intervention, patients had increased quality of life, which remained at the post-intervention level even after 6 months. Further, participants had lower need-of-care and increased performance in physical function tests. Message A well-structured multifactorial and multidisciplinary in-patient intervention may lead to long-term clinically relevant improvements in functionally declining older adults. Abstract Purpose To evaluate short and long-term efects of a multifactorial and multidisciplinary in-patient municipality intervention including training of activities of daily living, cardiovascular exercise, resistance training and social activities on quality-of- life, need-of-care, and physical function in older adults at risk of further functional decline. Method A cohort study including data collected rigorously during 3.5 years at an in-patient municipality rehabilitation center in Aalborg, Denmark. Patients received a multifactorial and multidisciplinary intervention. Outcomes were quality-of-life (EQ5D), weekly need-of-care hours, and test of physical functioning (sit-to-stand, 6-min walking test, tandem balance). Results Data was collected from 532 patients (63.3% women). The median [5; 95 percentiles] age was 79 [55; 92] years with a length-of-stay of 21 [8; 55] days. The mean (95% CI) EQ5D index score showed a clinically relevant improvement from admission 0.46 (0.44; 0.48) to discharge 0.69 (0.67; 0.71) and there was no decline 6-month postdischarge 0.67 (0.64; 0.70). The weekly need-of-care decreased signifcantly by 7.2 (6.6, 7.9) h from a mean of 9.8 h before admission to 2.6 h 6-month postdischarge. Sit-to-stand improved from 6.3 (6.0; 6.7) to 9.3 (8.9; 9.6) repetitions, 6-min walking test from 147 (138; 156) to 217 (207; 227) m, and tandem balance from 20.7 (19.8; 21.6) to 25.2 (24.8; 26.2) s. Conclusion Our results were remarkable and highlight that a well-structured multifactorial and interdisciplinary intervention with a clear aim and inclusion criteria related to functional decline may lead to long-term clinically relevant improvements in functionally declining older adults. Future studies should, however, explore similar interventions in comparable populations preferably in randomized controlled designs. * Johannes Riis johannes0408@live.dk 1 Department of Geriatric and Internal Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital, Hobrovej 18, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark 2 Department of Psychiatry, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark 3 Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark 4 Unit of Quality and Innovation, Department of Care for the Elderly and Disabled, Aalborg Municipality, Aalborg, Denmark 5 Rehabilitation Center Aalborg (Mou), Aalborg, Denmark 6 Department of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark 7 Public Health and Epidemiology Group, Department of Health, Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark