Home healthcare following a hospital stay is key for diabetic seniors, according to a new report by Rutgers University.
The study of more than 786,000 Medicare beneficiaries with a diabetes-related hospital admission found the risk of readmission was 1.28 times higher among those who did not receive home healthcare when they went home.
“Timely home health care can improve outcomes in older adults following diabetes-related hospitalizations, but we found persistent racial/ethnic disparities exist in who was referred to home health care and who ended up receiving services within the critical first days,” Olga F. Jarrín Montaner, an assistant professor at Rutgers School of Nursing and Rutgers Institute for Health, Healthcare Policy, and Aging Research, said.
The researchers found that Hispanic and Native American patients were significantly less likely to be referred to home healthcare than white patients. They also found racial and ethnic minorities often received delayed services or no services within the first two weeks of a hospital release compared to non-Hispanic whites.
Researchers attributed some of the disparities in home healthcare services to cultural beliefs and practices, language barriers, health literacy and other communication needs of older adults and caregivers.
The researchers emphasized the need for discharge planning that includes ensuring that patients and their families understand the value of home healthcare and get necessary assistance in navigating any structural barriers.
