During clinical rotations as a nursing student, I have observed many of the problems discussed in "Functional Decline in Hospitalized Older Adults" (A New Look at the Old, January). Because of hospitals' focus on treating acute illness, as well as the larger number of patients per nurse and the increased range and complexity of their comorbidities, a nurse often has less time to spend with each patient for walking or other forms of exercise. A decline in function can prove just as devastating as many other conditions in hospitalized older adults. When more providers know what they can do to help prevent functional decline, care will improve.

Sarah Creech

Provincetown, MA