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A program to reduce fatigue in convalescing elderly adults.

Sherry Robinson·Charlene Vollmer·Brenda Hermes
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Abstract

This study is an examination of the influence of a fatigue reduction program on the level of fatigue experienced by elderly individuals convalescing in subacute units after lower extremity injury, surgery, or weakness. Fifty participants with a mean age of 81 were divided into two groups of 25 participants. The experimental group received a fatigue reduction program consisting of planned rest periods after bathing and therapy; high-protein, high-carbohydrate liquid supplement; and a 3-minute back rub at bedtime. Each participant's level of fatigue was tested soon after admission and 1 week later, and data were analyzed using the paired t test. The difference between the change in pre-test and post-test scores of the two groups was significant in all three measures of fatigue. The experimental group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in fatigue. The outcomes reinforced the value of nursing interventions that have been an integral component of nursing care from its beginning: promoting nutrition, alternating periods of activity and rest, and including a back rub in evening care.

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AgedAged, 80 and overConvalescenceDietary CarbohydratesDietary ProteinsFatigueGeriatric NursingHumansLeg InjuriesNursing AssessmentRestSurgical Procedures, OperativeTreatment OutcomeJournal Article

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Sherry Robinson, Charlene Vollmer, Brenda Hermes. 2003. A program to reduce fatigue in convalescing elderly adults.. https://doi.org/10.3928/0098-9134-20030501-09

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