[Postoperative care following hip fracture in a hospital or a psychogeriatric nursing home? A comparative study of short or long-stay demented hospitalized elderly].

In this article the question under discussion is, whether a short stay in hospital, for an inmate of a psychogeriatric nursing home with a hip-fracture, shows better results for mortality, morbidity and mobility than a long stay. Two matched groups, of 27 inmates each, have been compared retrospectively. The first remained in hospital for a week or more (long stay), the second for a period of less than a week (short stay). There was no significant difference in mortality risk between both groups. There were less urinary infections in the short-stay group and one month after the operation mobility was better. Decubitus, wound infection and bronchopneumonia appeared equally frequent. The results justify to continue the policy in this nursing home. More research in other nursing homes is pleaded.