Background: Lack of mobility in the inpatient hospital setting hastens functional decline in elderly patients and is associated with increased risk of complications such as falls, delirium, venous thromboembolism (VTE), and skin breakdown. These adverse outcomes drive increased cost as patients spend additional time in both the acute and post-acute care settings. Physical activity is [...]

Background: Functional decline during hospitalization of older adults is well-recognized and potentially preventable.  Recent studies have suggested that clinically significant functional decline also affects hospitalized adults under 65 years of age, and that physical function is an important predictor of hospital readmissions. Despite the importance of function, we lack simple, efficient, and standardized measures to [...]

Background: Over 35 million patients are hospitalized annually in the United States, with patients experiencing functional deconditioning due to acute illness and hospital acquired limitations on their mobility such as bed rest orders and lack of timely assessment of their functional status. Other contributing factors include medical devices such as chest tubes, drains, IV lines, [...]