Pilot Testing of a Multicomponent Home Care Intervention for Older Adults With Heart Failure

• DOI: 10.1097/jcn.0b013e3181da2f79
• Publication Date: 2013-07-04T02:51:32Z
• Authors: Colleen Delaney; Beka Apostolidis
• Keywords: Depression

In Brief Background: Heart failure (HF) has clinically significant psychological and physical consequences for older persons, hospitalization HF is frequent costly to the Medicare program. As most common primary home care diagnosis, there a critical need develop services that improve heath-related outcomes this population. The aim of pilot study was develop, implement, test initial feasibility potential efficacy Home-Care Education, Assessment, Remote-Monitoring, Therapeutic Activities (HEART) trial, nurse-directed multicomponent intervention. Observed were quality life (QOL), depressive symptoms, 90-day hospitalization. Methods: Twenty-four patients with diagnosis assigned intervention (n = 12) or control group according geographical location in large multibranch Medicare-certified health agency. Intervention received 8 structured nurse education visits using evidence-based protocols designed previous trials teach self-management prevent/reduce depression, as well telemonitoring system. Control usual telemonitoring. Quality assessed Minnesota Living With Failure questionnaire. Depressive symptoms assed Patient Health Questionnaire 9 at baseline end point. Results: Study instrumentation found be feasible effective. Examination enrollment data led reevaluation eligibility criteria. Patients participating HEART demonstrated significantly improved QOL (F 8.99, P .007) reduced 35.10, .001) comparison There trend toward lower hospital readmission rates (16% vs 25%), but not statistically significant. Conclusion: This suggests full-scale trial feasible. ((F (P pati/ents