Forskningsartikler

Background/Objectives: The annual incidence of falls is high in older adults with impaired cognitive function and dementia, and injuries have a detrimental effect on disability-adjusted life-years and public health spending. In this registry-based study, fall incidence and characteristics of the fallers were explored in a large population with cognitive impairment.
Methods: NorCog, “The Norwegian Registry of Persons Assessed for Cognitive Symptoms”, is a national research and quality registry with a biomaterial collection. This study included 9525 persons from the registry who had answered the question about falls. Fall incidence was studied, and the characteristics of fallers and non-fallers were compared.
Results: The annual fall incidence was 3774/9525 (39.6%). The incidence varied between types of dementia, from 22.4% in persons with the debut of Alzheimer’s disease before 65 years of age to 55.3% in persons with vascular dementia and with increasing degrees of cognitive impairment. A wide range of personal characteristics, symptoms, signs, laboratory tests, and physical, psychological, and cognitive tests differed between fallers and non-fallers, most in disfavour of the fallers. Age, reduced Personal Activities of Daily Living, reduced gait speed, delayed recall, use of a walking aid, and depression were independent predictors of falls.
Conclusions: Among cognitively impaired persons with a history of falls, frailty was an independent predictor of falls. Neither the type of dementia nor the degree of cognitive impairment were independent predictors of falls. Prevention of frailty by physical training and social activity may be important in mitigating fall risk among older adults with impaired cognition.

Per G. Farup, Knut Hestad and Knut Engedal

Samandrag
Hensikt: Å undersøkje fysioterapeutar sine erfaringar med å rekruttere, lære opp og rettleie frivillige instruktørar som skal ha ansvar for å leie Sterk og stødig-treningsgrupper som ein del av kommunen sitt fallførebyggande tilbod til heimebuande eldre.

Metode: Fire individuelle djupneintervju med fysioterapeutar tilsett i ulike kommunar vart analysert med systematisk tekstkondensering.

Funn: Fem tema vart funne: (1) Ei naturleg rolle som skapar variasjon i arbeidskvardagen, (2) Rekruttering – ei ny rolle, (3) Frivillige som brubyggjarar for kunnskapsformidling, (4) Kontinuerleg rettleiing for å sikre riktig dosering og (5) Sterk og stødig for målgruppa?

Studien syner at opplærings- og rettleiingsrolla i Sterk og stødig vart opplevd som naturleg, og prega av tryggheit, kompetanse og ei positiv haldning til å arbeide førebyggande med målgruppa. Frivillige instruktørar fungerte som kunnskapsformidlarar om trening og fallførebygging til gruppedeltakarane. Å rekruttere eigna frivillige instruktørar var essensielt for både treningseffekt og drift av tilbodet, men var også ressurskrevjande for fysioterapeutane. Synet på å inkludere deltakarar utanfor målgruppa varierte.

Konklusjon: Fysioterapeutane opplever at arbeidsoppgåver knytt til Sterk og stødig integrerast naturleg inn i eiga rolle. Trass krevjande rekrutteringsarbeid, vert samarbeidet med frivillige gruppeinstruktørar ein viktig ressurs i det fallførebyggande arbeidet. Å finne gode løysingar knytte til rekrutteringsarbeid er sentralt.

Ane Brekke, Bård Erik Bogen, Ingebjørg Kyrdalen & Lill Anette Juvik

Abstract:

Objective: What are the core capabilities physiotherapists need to deliver quality care when working with people with dementia and their families/caregivers?

Design: A three-round modified e-Delphi study.

Participants: Panel members were physiotherapists experienced in working with people with dementia and/or educating and/or researching in the dementia field.

Methods: A steering group (16 international physiotherapists and a consumer) developed a draft framework including 129 core capabilities across 5 domains for panel members to rate their appropriateness for inclusion as a core capability to provide high quality care to people with dementia and their caregivers/families. The RAND/UCLA method was used to assess consensus.

Results: Thirty-five physiotherapists from 11 countries participated in Round 1, 31 (89%) in Round 2 and 28 (80% of Round 1) in Round 3. All core capabilities were rated appropriate for inclusion in each round. Panel members recommended wording refinements across the rounds and suggested 51 core capabilities for consideration. Three rounds were needed to reach consensus, resulting in 137 core capabilities rated appropriate for inclusion across 5 domains: 1) Knowledge and understanding, n = 36; 2) Assessment, n = 39; 3) Management, interventions and prevention n = 40; 4) Communication, therapeutic relationship and person-centred care, n = 17; and 5) Physiotherapists self-management and improvement, n = 5.

Conclusions: This e-Delphi study outlines the core capabilities physiotherapists need to provide high quality care to people with dementia and their families/caregivers. These core capabilities can be used by physiotherapists to help identify knowledge/skill gaps, as well as by educators to improve their training of undergraduate and postgraduate students, and clinicians.

Morag E Taylor, Karen Sverdrup, Julie Ries, Erik Rosendahl, Gro Gujord Tangen, Elisabeth Telenius, Katherine Lawler, Keith Hill, Annika Toots, Hans Hobbelen, Vanina Dal Bello-Haas, Abi Hall, Susan W Hunter, Victoria A Goodwin, Julie Whitney, Michele L Callisaya