The Walk-For Intervention Effect on Patients’ Outcomes at Discharge and 1-Month Post-Discharge

For hospitalized older adults, every day of immobility is associated with short- and long-term functional decline. To examine the effect of WALK-FOR, in-hospital mobility program, on post-hospitalization outcomes we conducted a quasi-experimental pre-post two-group comparative study in internal-medical units. Premorbid, discharge and 1-month post-discharge basic-function and mobility were assessed in intervention (N=173) and control (N=177) groups. All participants (75.1 ± 7 years old) wore accelerometers to assess in-hospital mobility. Patients in the intervention group were encouraged to walk more than 900 steps/day and hospital-units specific challenges toward patients’ mobility were addressed. The intervention increased significantly the number of patients walking more than 900 steps/day (83.6% vs 58.7%, p<.000). In a multilevel analysis, controlling for intervening factors, the intervention group’s functional decline was significantly lower than in the control group on discharge and 1-month post-discharge. Similar trend was observed in community-mobility outcome. WALK-FOR intervention has the potential to reduce post-hospitalization functional decline.