Distressing Symptoms and Disability Before and After Sentinel Health Events among Community-living Older Persons

Older adults living in the community often prioritize relief from distressing symptoms and maintaining independence, especially following serious health events such as hospitalization for critical illness or major surgery. Despite this, there remains a significant gap in understanding how symptom burden changes before and after these events, and how it influences disability—particularly among those with multiple chronic conditions or residing in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Existing research has not fully addressed how these vulnerable populations experience and recover from serious health events, leaving unanswered questions about effective strategies to improve their functional outcomes. This project investigates how distressing symptoms evolve in relation to disability among older persons after major health events, using comprehensive longitudinal data collected over more than two decades. By clarifying these relationships, the research aims to generate evidence that can guide the development of targeted palliative care interventions. The significance of this work lies in its potential to inform approaches that reduce symptoms and enhance function for highly vulnerable groups, ultimately broadening access to palliative care beyond traditional hospital settings and improving quality of life for older adults.