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Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the process and cost of delivering a physical therapist–guided synchronous telehealth exercise program appropriate for older adults with functional limitations. Such programs may help alleviate some of the detrimental impacts of social distancing and quarantine on older adults at-risk of decline. Methods Data were derived from the feasibility arm of a parent study, which piloted the telehealth program for 36 sessions with 1 participant. The steps involved in each phase (ie, development, delivery) were documented, along with participant and program provider considerations for each step. Time-driven activity-based costing was used to track all costs over the course of the study. Costs were categorized as program development or delivery and estimated per session and per participant. Results A list of the steps and the participant and provider considerations involved in developing and delivering a synchronous telehealth exercise program for older adults with functional impairments was developed. Resources used, fixed and variable costs, per-session cost estimates, and total cost per person were reported. Two potential measures of the “value proposition” of this type of intervention were also reported. Per-session cost of $158 appeared to be a feasible business case, especially if the physical therapist to trained assistant personnel mix could be improved. Conclusions The findings provide insight into the process and costs of developing and delivering telehealth exercise programs for older adults with functional impairments. The information presented may provide a “blue print” for developing and implementing new telehealth programs or for transitioning in-person services to telehealth delivery during periods of social distancing and quarantine. Impact As movement experts, physical therapists are uniquely positioned to play an important role in the current COVID-19 pandemic and to help individuals who are at risk of functional decline during periods of social distancing and quarantine. Lessons learned from this study’s experience can provide guidance on the process and cost of developing and delivering a telehealth exercise program for older adults with functional impairments. The findings also can inform new telehealth programs, as well as assist in transitioning in-person care to a telehealth format in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Approximately 14.0% of Medicare beneficiaries are readmitted to a hospital within 30-days of home health admission. Individuals with dementia account for 30% of all home health care admissions and are at high-risk for rehospitalizations. Our primary objective was to determine the association between dementia severity at admission to home health and 30-day potentially preventable readmissions (PPR) during home health care. A secondary objective was to develop a dementia severity category from OASIS items based on the Functional Assessment Staging Tool (FAST). Retrospective cohort study of 124,119 Medicare beneficiaries receiving home health (7/2013 – 6/2015) and diagnosed with dementia (ICD-9 codes). The primary outcome was 30-day PPR during home health. The predictor variable of dementia severity was categorized into six levels (non-affected to severe). The overall rate of 30-day PPR was 7.6% (95% CI 7.4, 7.7) but varied by patient and health care utilization characteristics. After adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, patients classified as stage 6 and stage 7 had 1.36 (95% CI 1.28, 1.45) and 1.90 (95% CI 1.59, 2.26) times higher odds to experience a 30-day PPR compared to patients classified as stage 1-2. Dementia severity in the later stages is associated with increased risk for PPR. Development of a dementia severity category based on OASIS items and the FAST is feasible. Future research is needed to determine effective strategies for decreasing PPR during home health for individuals with severe dementia. Future research is needed to validate the proposed dementia severity categories used in this study.

Approximately 14.0% of Medicare beneficiaries are readmitted to a hospital within 30-days of home health admission. Individuals with dementia account for 30% of all home health care admissions and are at high-risk for rehospitalizations. Our primary objective was to determine the association between functional status and social support at admission to home health and 30-day potentially preventable readmissions (PPR) during home health care. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 124,119 Medicare beneficiaries receiving home health (7/2013 – 6/2015) and diagnosed with dementia (ICD-9 codes). Approximately 65% of participants were over the age of 81, 61% were female, and 80% were Caucasian. The primary outcome was 30-day PPR during home health. OASIS items were used to create mobility, self-care, social support, and cognition categories. The overall rate of 30-day PPR was 7.6% (95% CI: 7.4-7.7) but varied by patient and health care utilization characteristics. After adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, the odds ratios (OR) for the most dependent score quartile versus the most independent was 1.68(1.56,1.80 95% CI) for mobility, 1.78 (95% CI: 1.66- 1.91) for self-care, and 1.10(95%CI: 1.03-1.17) for social support. The OR for impaired versus intact cognition was 1.12 (95% CI: 1.05-1.20). Impaired functional and cognitive status as well as limited social support at admission to home health care are associated with increased risk of PPR for individuals with dementia. Future research is needed to determine if strategies targeted at mobility and self-care can decrease PPR during home health for individuals with severe dementia.