(1) Chairfast patients consistently had a higher pressure-sore frequency than bedfast patients of a similar degree of helplessness.
(2) The proportion of persons with bedfast condition, cognitive impairment, and abnormal behaviors did not appear to have a relationships to level of family support.
(3) Symptomatic urinary infections (12%) and lower respiratory infections (12%) were associated with bedfast status, and the latter with tracheostomy and lung disease.
(4) Nearly 13% sustained injuries, which tended to occur more frequently among disoriented and wheelchair or bedfast patients.
(5) Skin ulcers, urethral catheters, and bedfast status were markers for nursing home-acquired infection.
(6) Although a small minority of admissions become long-term bedfast inpatients this group require a disproportionate resource commitment.
(7) Among bedfast patients, 47% of women and 58% of men and, among patients with decubitus ulcers, 37% of women and 33% of men were using a urine collection device.
(8) Bedfast or chairfast patients were studied from admission to the selected hospital wards or community nursing areas for a period of a maximum of 6 weeks or until they were discharged from care, developed pressure sores, died or became mobile.
(9) There was wide variation in peak disability, ranging from ambulant with weakness (32%), through bedfast but without significant respiratory involvement (29%), to respiratory involvement requiring admission to an intensive care unit (38%).
(10) Sixty severe GBS patients (all bedfast, 22 ventilator dependent) were analyzed clinically and with standard electromyography and nerve conduction studies.
(11) Bedfast patients are cared for by spouses or daughters-in-law.
(12) Very good improvement in motor activity was obtained in 14 females (3 without kinesitherapy) and 7 males, indicating adequate walking and independence in activities of daily living after prolonged bedfastness.
(13) Reduction in the number of bedfast inpatients is more likely to be effected by changes in unit policy than by improvement in clinical practice.
(14) Use of three characteristics (ie skin ulcers, urethral catheters, bedfast status) to identify patients at risk for nursing home-acquired infections may allow targeted infection surveillance and prevention programs.
(15) Recent United States data indicate that 20% of individuals 85 years of age or over reside in nursing and personal care homes and that among these institutional residents 31% are bedfast, 11% are chairfast and 71% manifest evidence of senility.
(16) Many geriatric beds are occupied by bedfast patients.
(17) Recumbent anthropometric techniques and B-mode ultrasound may be applicable to measuring those greater than 80 y who have difficulty standing or are chair- or bedfast.