The Functional Autonomy Measurement System (SMAF): a measure of functional change with rehabilitation

The Functional Autonomy Measurement System (SMAF) is an instrument developed for the measurement of needs of the elderly and the handicapped. As this study shows, it can be used to demonstrate progress during rehabilitation. Of the 94 patients admitted and discharged from a 22 bed acute/rehabilitation ward for the elderly, 78 were discharged home or to their original accommodation, 7 died in hospital and 9 were transferred to a continuing care ward or a nursing home. The mean total score (admission vs. discharge: 18.06 vs. 9.18, P < 0.0001) as well as the score for subsections of Activities of Daily Living (ADL) (admission vs. discharge: 15.69 vs. 8.15, P < 0.0001), Communication (admission vs. discharge: 1.01 vs. 0.5, P < 0.0001) and Mental Function (admission vs. discharge: 1.29 vs. 0.64, P < 0.0001) showed significant improvement in the 78 patients who were discharged back to their original accommodation. Patients who died or required placement into a continuing care bed or nursing home showed no change in mean scores with treatment. The inter-observer agreement between two nurses and a doctor showed that the minor modifications to SMAF did not significantly affect the instrument.