Increase of Help at Activities of Daily Life Given to Frail Elderly With Chronic Heart Failure in a Nursing Home

It is unknown whether chronic heart failure (CHF) is associated with activities of daily life (ADL) functioning in nursing home residents; therefore, we studied that association. One hundred and three residents were screened on age, sex, comorbidity, and CHF. ADL dependence and ADL help were scored with the use of minimal data set (MDS) items of the Resident Assistant Instrument. Logistic multivariate regressions of ADL dependence and ADL help were performed with age, sex, CHF, and comorbidity as independent variables. Of the participants (age 78 ± 11 years), 24 (23%) had CHF. CHF was associated with ADL help (OR 4.68 and p = 0.015) after multivariable adjustment. CHF is associated with an increase of ADL help given to nursing home residents. CHF is of importance to both residents (loss of autonomy and life satisfaction) and organizations (workforce planning).