Telehealth-Supported Discharge Programme for Frail Older Adults

Summary

This pilot clinical trial aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a telehealth-supported discharge programme on physical and mental health outcomes, and healthcare utilization among community-dwelling older adults with frailty after hospital discharge.

The objectives are:

1. To determine the feasibility and acceptability of the programme by assessing participant recruitment, retention, adherence rates, and satisfaction;
2. To evaluate the preliminary effects of the programme on a) physical health outcomes (e.g., physical fitness, activities of daily living), b) mental health outcomes (e.g., depressive symptoms, perceived social support, quality of life, subjective well-being), and c) healthcare utilization (e.g., emergency department visits, hospital readmissions); and
3. To identify perceived barriers and facilitators of the programme and evaluate the acceptability and usability of gerontechnology activity sensors and pedometers for monitoring activity levels.

Community-dwelling older adults 65 years with frailty (N=50) will be recruited through a local hospital. Participants will be randomized to either the intervention or control group. The 12-week telehealth discharge support programme consists of weekly reablement-focused sessions integrating gerontechnology activity sensors and pedometers to enhance physical and mental health outcomes. Both groups will continue to receive usual care.

Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize participant data. Effect sizes will be calculated to estimate the effects of the intervention on the outcomes. Qualitative data will be analyzed using thematic analysis.

Conditions

• Frailty

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Telehealth discharge support programme

The 12-week telehealth-supported discharge programme consists of weekly one hour virtual sessions consisting of didactic and experiential activities to support recovery after hospital discharge. Sessions focus on improving physical activity and mobility through home-based exercises, strengthening self-management skills related to frailty, promoting mental resilience and well-being, and providing opportunities for peer interaction and social support. Additionally, one activity sensor will be installed in the homes of participants within the intervention group to monitor and evaluate their physical activity levels and patterns over time. The advanced smart home activity sensors, equipped with AI capabilities, will enable remote monitoring of daily activity patterns among participants. A pedometer will also be provided to participants as a motivational tool to reduce sedentary behaviour.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• United Christian Hospital

  collaborator OTHER

• Chinese University of Hong Kong

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-04-01

Primary Completion

2027-03-31

Completion

2027-03-31

Countries

• Hong Kong

Study Locations