Monitoring of Physical Frailty in Older People: an Innovative System Supporting Self-Management and Care
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Abstract
Introduction
Frailty is an increasing problem in aging societies. Interventions that delay frailty or prevent its adverse outcomes could diminish the burden placed on frail individuals, informal care, care professionals and the care system. The aim of this project is to develop and evaluate an innovative system for monitoring physical frailty indicators in community-dwelling elderly people. The system gives feedback to the user regarding functional status and alerts the user and/or caregivers if a change in the indicators occurs to support the user in self-management with regard to physical functioning. It also enables monitoring of the development over time. In this way, the adverse outcomes of frailty can be postponed or prevented and care can be tuned to the needs related to changes in functional status (reactive care).
Methods and materials
The project consists of three phases. Phase one concerns the development of the monitoring system: a bathroom scale measuring weight and balance, a grip-ball measuring muscle strength of the hand, and an accelerometer measuring physical activity and gait.
In phase, a feedback- and advisory programme will be established that generates feedback to the user regarding physical activity and related to personal goals. The feedback system supports the self-management of the user in order to decrease or postpone frailty-related adverse effects. Elderly people will be intensively involved in the development process (consumer panel) with regard to feasibility and acceptability to enhance using the technology. The system will be tested in small scale pilot studies.
Phase three is an evaluation study in 50 older persons with early stage frailty symptoms. These patients will be approached through the outpatient fall clinic of Orbis Medical Centre, and they will use the system during 12 months, regularly supported by a physiotherapist.
Results
The study started in January 2010. In the presentation, the technology and the study approach will be presented, and preliminary results will be shown.
Conclusion
The study is ongoing. The evaluation will be directed to technical functioning of the system in daily practice, usability for the target group, and the added value of the system for the elderly, their informal caregivers and the care professionals. Also, the relation of the data provided by the system and outcome measures of functional status will be studied.
Frailty is an increasing problem in aging societies. Interventions that delay frailty or prevent its adverse outcomes could diminish the burden placed on frail individuals, informal care, care professionals and the care system. The aim of this project is to develop and evaluate an innovative system for monitoring physical frailty indicators in community-dwelling elderly people. The system gives feedback to the user regarding functional status and alerts the user and/or caregivers if a change in the indicators occurs to support the user in self-management with regard to physical functioning. It also enables monitoring of the development over time. In this way, the adverse outcomes of frailty can be postponed or prevented and care can be tuned to the needs related to changes in functional status (reactive care).
Methods and materials
The project consists of three phases. Phase one concerns the development of the monitoring system: a bathroom scale measuring weight and balance, a grip-ball measuring muscle strength of the hand, and an accelerometer measuring physical activity and gait.
In phase, a feedback- and advisory programme will be established that generates feedback to the user regarding physical activity and related to personal goals. The feedback system supports the self-management of the user in order to decrease or postpone frailty-related adverse effects. Elderly people will be intensively involved in the development process (consumer panel) with regard to feasibility and acceptability to enhance using the technology. The system will be tested in small scale pilot studies.
Phase three is an evaluation study in 50 older persons with early stage frailty symptoms. These patients will be approached through the outpatient fall clinic of Orbis Medical Centre, and they will use the system during 12 months, regularly supported by a physiotherapist.
Results
The study started in January 2010. In the presentation, the technology and the study approach will be presented, and preliminary results will be shown.
Conclusion
The study is ongoing. The evaluation will be directed to technical functioning of the system in daily practice, usability for the target group, and the added value of the system for the elderly, their informal caregivers and the care professionals. Also, the relation of the data provided by the system and outcome measures of functional status will be studied.
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