Home Health & Hospice Week

A new study confirms what many home care providers could readily tell you -- the level of care a patient receives from an informal caregiver has an influence on rehospitalization rates."Increasing age, obesity, lower levels of cognitive functioning, and receiving less care from [an] informal caregiver are related to lower functional ability and may increase the possibility of rehospitalization," found a study published in the October-December issue of Advances in Nursing Science. "Being male, having a higher level of cognitive functioning, living alone, receiving more care from an informal caregiver, and receiving assistance other than activities of daily living are related to high functional ability and decreases the possibility of rehospitalization," says the study headed up by faculty from the University of Wisconsin-Mil-waukee's School of Nursing."The caregivers of these patients may benefit from additional resources to help them manage the tiring physical demands of their patients," suggests the study, at