Balanced Lives for Care Homes Project
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Balanced Lives for Care Homes Project
IRAS ID
275154
Contact name
Fiona Verity
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Swansea University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 20 days
Research summary
The study is an mixed methods evaluation of the Balanced Lives Program for Care Homes which aims to improve physical, mental and social health and wellbeing of up to 270 older people in the Swansea Bay Health area. It is anticipated this will include 200 care home residents living in five care homes in the Bay Health area, and 70 older people living in the local community. The program is being delivered by the UK Charity Action For Elders. This project and the evaluation are funded by the Healthy and Active Fund (Welsh Govt., Public Health Wales and Sport Wales). The evaluation is being conducted by researchers at Swansea University.
The Program will run in five care homes in the area of Swansea served by Bay Health Cluster Network GP practices. In each of the 5 care homes a multi-component intervention, ‘Balanced Lives’, will be delivered. This intervention will see delivery of Health and Wellbeing Groups by a Physical Mobility Facilitator, A Social Host and a Community Ambassador. The weekly group sessions will involve a mixture of physical activity, facilitated conversations, information sharing and provision, and preventative health sessions.
Expected participant outcomes are.
a) Intermediary outcomes (during the 3 year period of the project): increased physical activity, increased social activity and increased use of communal space for community benefit) and;
b) Long term outcomes (up to 2 years post the project).
The purpose of the evaluation is to gauge whether and how the Balanced Lives for Care Homes Project has achieved its specified intermediary and long term outcomes. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods the evaluation will contribute to knowledge about the effectiveness of the Program; impact on participant’s health and wellbeing; families and communities, care home setting and for the local services in the Bay Health area of Swansea.REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
19/IEC08/0064
Date of REC Opinion
21 Feb 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion