隨著老年人口比率的攀升，老人因罹患慢性疾病而住院的比率也逐漸提升，目前住院病患中有高
達27％為65歲以上老年人。研究顯示，有高達30％至60％的老年住院患者，出院後出現功能衰
退的現象。本文主要透過文獻發現住院老人有六項功能衰退的確認危險因子，包括高齡、活動功
能障礙 （ADL、IADL、上下肢活動受限、活動能力差、失能） 、認知障礙、疾病 （診斷、憂鬱、尿失禁） 、住院 （住院天數、先前住院次數）以及人口學特性 （體重過重、低收入、機構住民） 。在功能衰退的照護措施上，可以運用跨專業老人照護模式、營造親善老人醫療環境以及施行運動計畫等。由於健康照護成本日趨高昂，健康照護者若能即時掌握住院老人發生功能衰退的危險特性，並早期介入與防範，以期降低失能的危險。

The number of elderly patients in hospitals rises as a country’s population ages. In Taiwan, roughly 27% of hospitalized patients are elderly. Previous studies have reported that 30% to 60% of hospital-
ized elderly patient experienced functional decline following discharge. This article reviews references on the predictors of functional decline in hospitalized elderly. Six predictors are summarized, includ-
ing, senility, daily activity disturbance (activity of daily living, preadmission disability in instrument activity of daily life), cognitive impairment, diseases (diagnosis, depression, incontinence), and hospi-talization (length of hospital stay, prior hospital utilization, and demographic characteristics [e.g., high body mass, low income, institutional resident]). Nursing interventions that have been shown to help moderate functional decline in elderly patients include the multidiscipline care model, creating an el-der-friendly environment, and facilitating exercise programs. As healthcare costs are so high, the need to decrease negative outcomes in personal health is a pressing issue. Thus, identifying hospitalized elderly at risk and providing intervention to prevent disabilities is an important mission of healthcare providers.