None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The study followed the health outcomes of 124 Independent Living Unit residents aged 75 years or over and living alone to see if health assessments and early basic interventions had an impact on their health and well being. If required, interventions included health information, specialist referrals, and home help. Residents were linked to a community nurse, who provided low intensity case management by phone every three months. Half of the participants participated in the early intervention experimental model, while the remainder received their usual community care. At the end of the 12 month study period, those involved in the experiment had a higher level of satisfaction with community care, but more time was needed to see if there were other detectable health outcomes. We found previously unidentified needs among 66% of the experimental group, and throughout the course of the study most of those needs were resolved. However, no other benefits from the program were detected after one year in terms of health perception, functional ability, psychosocial status, health resource utilisation and mortality. This was consistent with many other similar studies.
Interventions
The intervention comprised of five major elements: 1) targeting before health and/or social crisis, and while community care needs were low; 2) linking clients with a community nurse; 3) comprehensive health assessments and identification of needs; 4) introduction of basic health care and community services and referrals if required; and 5) case management by three-monthly telephone contact. Assessments and case management were performed by experienced community care registered nurses, and case
The intervention comprised of five major elements: 1) targeting before health and/or social crisis, and while community care needs were low; 2) linking clients with a community nurse; 3) comprehensive health assessments and identification of needs; 4) introduction of basic health care and community services and referrals if required; and 5) case management by three-monthly telephone contact. Assessments and case management were performed by experienced community care registered nurses, and case management was performed for a one year period.
Sponsors
Queensland University of Technology
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
75 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1) 75 years of age or over 2) living alone 3) able to speak and understand English 4) able to use a telephone in their residence.
Exclusion criteria
1) community services related to Activities of Daily Living deficits, such as personal care.2) greater than two community services related to Instrumental Activities of Daily Living deficits 3) significant amounts of informal care (for instance a daughter performing most of the housework).
Outcome results
None listed