Successful Community Discharge Among Older Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury Admitted to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities.

The study used data from 2011 to 2015, during which the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was used. The FIM has since been replaced by Section GG, so the specific score thresholds may not apply directly to current assessments. The sample was limited to Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries in trauma centers with burn beds, which may not represent patients in smaller hospitals or those with Medicare Advantage. The study did not include information on pre-injury functional status, which could influence both the likelihood of injury and the rehabilitation outcome. The model identified associations but did not prove causation; living alone is a proxy for social support, but the study did not measure the actual support received.

The study was approved by the Brown University Institutional Review Board, which waived informed consent. No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest are declared in the provided text.

Do not assume that severe brain injury automatically prevents a return home. The study found that markers of acute injury severity, such as Glasgow Coma Scale scores and intensive care admission, were not associated with successful discharge, whereas functional status and social support were.