Abstract:
Background: Physical function deterioration can occur rapidly for older adults who are discharged from intensive therapy. This problem has serious implications due to the amount and the high cost of medical care and potential health risks associated with decreased mobility. Move to Improve was a pilot quality improvement project that evaluated how effective an integrated restorative nursing intervention was at attaining or maintaining the highest physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of older adult Veterans who have transitioned from intense therapy to long term care.
Methods: A sample of ten geriatric Veterans were engaged in biweekly mobility group activities as well as issued activity trackers to increase engagement and collect mobility data. Pre-post test assessment using two subcomponents of the Barthel Index were used to measure mobility and transfer.
Results: Eight out of nine (89%) Veterans who completed the 6-week restorative intervention maintained or increased functional status.
Conclusion: The Move to Improve program effectively maintained functional status. The Veteran participants reported having no prior experience with wearable technology but use of the activity trackers engaged them in tracking their progress. The outcome of this quality improvement pilot project provides a foundation for future research.
