Home Time Following Emergency Department Visits Among People With Dementia

Among veterans with dementia, what are the patterns of home time—days outside of care settings—after an emergency department (ED) visit, and what factors are associated with variation?In this cohort study including 51 707 veterans, ED admission (vs discharge) disposition was associated with the largest decrease in home time, and admitted patients experienced substantial health care use following the initial care episode. Frailty, being unhoused, being unmarried, and depression were associated with decreased home time.The findings suggest home time offers a patient-centered measure of post-ED quality of life, but refinements are needed to account for the initial disposition.

Corresponding Author: Justine Seidenfeld, MD, MHs, Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, 411 W Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701 (justine.seidenfeld@va.gov).

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