No place like home—the importance of home in older adult research

ComprehensiveGeriatricHospita l-at-Homeincreasesthedaysathomeinolderadultscomparedto bed-basedintermediatecare. Comprehensive geriatric assessment can be delivered using a hospital-at-home model. Assessing time spent at home can be a useful outcome measure in older adult research. Questions remain about the feasibility and efficacy of hospital at home for important groups, e.g.those in care homes.Inpatient hospital stays have become a cornerstone of medical care.The traditional hospital model was designed to provide reactive treatment during times of acute, reversible deteriorations in health.However, changes in societal demographics, clinical interventions and service user expectations have combined to create a context where the traditional hospital-bed-based model of care may no longer be fit for purpose.While the intention is therapeutic, admission to the acute hospital can be associated with multiple potential iatrogenic harms, including hospital-acquired infection, deconditioning and delirium [1].