Mobility of Vulnerable Elders (MOVE): Translating Knowledge to Health Care Aides in Long-term Care Facilities

Summary

Almost 90 percent of residents living in long-term care facilities have some type of mobility limitation, which worsens quickly once they move into a long-term care facility. This means that they cannot easily walk or move around in their day-to-day lives and this can have serious consequences for their general health and well-being. Researchers have shown that exercise can help the mobility of even the oldest of adults but elderly residents in long-term care facilities still commonly sit or lie in bed for long periods of time, in many cases for most of their waking hours. The purpose of this research is to study the effect of a simple physical activity on the mobility and quality of life of residents in long-term care facilities. Researchers will introduce a sit-to-stand activity to health care aides which will become part of their daily routine with residents. The basic sit-to-stand movement is already a part of the daily activities that health care aides do with residents. Specifically, health care aides will ask residents to repeat the sit-to-stand activity at mealtimes, when using the toilet, and on other occasions of daily activity. An important part of this research is to find out how well the activity preserves the ability of residents to stay mobile and also to examine how this will improve their quality of life in the home. The MOVE study will demonstrate whether it is possible to delay the loss of mobility in long-term care residents by incorporating the sit-to-stand activity into the regular practice of health care aides.

Conditions

• Mobility Limitation

Interventions

OTHER

Sit-to-Stand Activity

Health care aides will be expected to prompt residents to repeatedly stand up and sit down on four occasions throughout the day (twice on each of the day and evening shifts). The number of repetitions on each occasion will vary according to residents' ability and fatigue. The sit-to-stand activity is to be integrated into usual care routines such as when entering the dining room at mealtimes, while toileting, and on other occasions of regular activity. The timing and location will be at the discretion of the health care aide.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• CapitalCare Continuing Care

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Extendicare

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Good Samaritan Society

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Shepherd's Care Foundation

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• University of Alberta

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Susan Slaughter, RN, PhD · University of Alberta

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2011-08-31

Primary Completion

2013-02-28

Completion

2013-06-30

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations