Hospital at Home: Physical activity in older patients V.2
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Older adult physical activity and functional change in Hospital at Home care settings
IRAS ID
295240
Contact name
Dawn Skelton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Glasgow Caledonian University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 1 days
Research summary
Being hospitalised can result in a loss of function and muscle mass in older adults, often resulting in difficulties performing their usual daily activities when they are discharged. This loss is caused in part by high levels of inactivity in hospital. The hospital environment can be restrictive with many physical, structural and clinical barriers to movement. 'Hospital at Home' (HAH) programmes, where patients receive hospital-level care in their own homes, may lessen the risk of functional decline by allowing the patient to continue to carry out their usual daily activities. There are, however, very few studies that have objectively measured the activity of HAH patients.
The aim of the proposed prospective observational longitudinal study is to measure the amount of physical activity and functional change that occurs in older adults during hospitalisation in a HAH treatment setting.
The study will recruit 59 adults aged 60+ years hospitalised within the NHS Lanarkshire HAH service for a medical condition who are able to provide informed consent. Participants will wear an activity monitor (Activpal accelerometer) from recruitment until discharge (or up to 7 days). Their physical and functional ability will be also be assessed at recruitment and discharge using the Short Physical Performance Battery and the Barthel Index respectively. They will be given a survey to evaluate their experience and will be followed up by telephone at 3 months to assess their ongoing functional ability and report any adverse outcomes.
This information may help clinicians decide the best treatment environment for patients to preserve their independence and reduce the risk of fuction loss.
Funding: NHS Lanarkshire/Glasgow Caledonian University PhD studentship
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/PR/1256
Date of REC Opinion
29 Sep 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion