41 From Ward to Classroom: Service Evaluation of Education to Increase Awareness of Frailty and Resilience and Encourage Greater Physical Activity

• Published in: Age and ageing 2019-09, Vol.48 (Supplement_3), p.iii17-iii65
• Main Authors: Travers, John, Romero-Ortuno, Roman, Lyons, Declan, Cooney, Marie-Therese
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Classrooms; Delayed; Discharge; Exercise; Females; Frailty; Health education; Hospitals; Initiatives; Medical screening; Nurses; Patient education; Physical activity; Physical fitness; Physical training; Physicians; Quality control; Quality management; Resilience; Translation
• ISSN: 0002-0729; 1468-2834
• DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afz103.24

Background Our hospital routinely offers a weekly group discussion session for inpatients on aspects of ageing as part of an ‘evergreen programme’ (EP) of health education. Topics are varied and facilitated by a doctor in an informal, open forum. Feedback from nurses, doctors and patients suggested that the EP was lacking in emphasis on the benefits of exercise to improve the levels of physical activity among inpatients. As part of a local quality improvement (QI) initiative, the EP set out to incorporate the provision of patient education on the reported benefits of strength exercises in delaying and reversing frailty. Here we describe the development of this QI initiative and its evaluation. Methods New health education content was added to an EP group discussion to address four key aspects of frailty, namely: definition, risks, screening and interventions. The Socratic health education method was used in the next weekly group discussion (e.g., what does frailty mean to you? What are the consequences? How would you measure frailty? What if it could be delayed or reversed?). An exercise leaflet was provided and strength exercises were demonstrated. Results 18 of 27 over-65-year-old patients attended the group discussion, mean age 75, 11 female (61%). 2 participants were interested in doing strength exercises at the start of the session (11%, 0 female) when asked. Most participants had not been aware that strength exercises can delay and reverse frailty. 14 participants (78%, 8 female) declared interest in doing strength exercises at the end. Interested participants used the exercise leaflet for independent exercise in hospital and brought it home on discharge. Conclusion The EP at our hospital has been improved to include greater emphasis on the benefits of strength exercises in delaying and reversing frailty. QI initiatives can allow translation of research evidence into patient education.