Executive Function Moderates Functional Outcomes of Engagement Strategies During Rehabilitation in Older Adults

Objective: This study examined cognitive, affective, and medical impairments and their impact on rehabilitation approaches for improving functional outcome after hospitalization in older adults. Design: A secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial in 229 adults 65 yrs or older admitted to two skilled nursing facilities undergoing rehabilitation services was conducted. Patients were randomized to receive physical and occupational therapy by therapists trained in systematic approaches to engage patients, called Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation, or standard of care. The outcome of interest was functional improvement, defined as Barthel Index at discharge (controlling for Barthel Index upon admission). This study analyzed the relationship of measures of cognition, depression, and medical comorbidities as predictors of functional outcome and as moderators interacting with treatment group. Results: Clock drawing score moderated treatment effect size; the functional improvement of Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation over standard of care therapy reduced with increasing executive impairment. In contrast, general cognitive abilities, depression, medical comorbidities, and readiness for rehabilitation were neither predictors nor moderators of functional improvement. Conclusions: For older adults undergoing rehabilitation, greater functional improvement with the motivational techniques of Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation was contingent on patients having intact executive function. Given that executive function impairments are common in rehabilitation populations, new strategies are needed to improve treatment outcomes in physical/occupational therapy.

Automated summary

This study found that greater functional improvement in older adults undergoing rehabilitation with Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation was more significant when executive function was intact, while general cognitive abilities, depression, medical comorbidities, and readiness for rehabilitation were neither predictors nor moderators of functional improvement.