[Nursing home rehabilitation, functional independence and quality of life: a pilot study of somatic nursing home rehabilitation patients].

In a pilot study of 18 patients the relation between nursing home rehabilitation, functional independence and quality of life was examined. Furthermore, measurement instruments and study design were evaluated. Nursing home rehabilitation proved to be associated with (partially significant) improvement in functional independence and quality of life. Provided the inclusion of a control group and an observation period of adequate duration, study design and measurement instruments seemed to be appropriate for application in a multicenter study.