Enhancing existing formal home support to improve and maintain functional status in older adults: A feasibility study on the implementation of the Care to Move (CTM) programme

Ireland has an increasing ageing population and this has created the need for better and more integrated health and social care services. The benefits of physical activity for all ages are widely known. Physical activity programmes have been shown to improve older adults’ health and well-being and reduce falls, enabling the older adult to live independently and maintain their functional status. However, there is a lack of high quality research around physical activity in the person’s own home when they are transitioning to frailty and receiving home care services. This study will look at the feasibility of providing a novel approach to promote movement and empower older people to move more during packages of care and everyday living. Both the physiotherapist and the home care support worker will work together to help the older person to be more physically active at home. The study will look at the feasibility of introducing the Care to Move (CTM) programme, and more importantly - how much older people like it. This will include people’s experiences and opinions of the programme - described as qualitative research. We will also look at how CTM could be delivered to older people at home, and what it costs, this is important information for those who plan services.

Award Date

20 April 2018

Award Value

€119,952.00

Principal Investigator

Professor Frances Horgan

Host Institution

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Scheme

Applied Partnership Awards