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Home Care Aides can feasibly implement a resistance exercise program with clients receiving Home and Community Based Services
Home and Community Based services (HCBS) are provided as an alternative to nursing home care. Home Care Aides (HCAs) help clients with activities of daily living, but do not provide physical activity (PA). PA has substantial health benefits, however, programs are not widely disseminated to homebound older adults, who may need them most. We hypothesized that embedding a PA program within HCA services could reach this population. We tested the feasibility of training HCAs to lead a DVD-based resistance PA program with their clients. We used a randomized trial with a trained intervention group of HCAs (n=17) and a control group of HCAs (n=15) who provided usual care. Clients of trained HCAs completed usual care and the intervention (n=24) and clients of control group HCAs received usual care only (n=18). Outcomes were training session and program evaluations, satisfaction and fidelity rates, and HCA job satisfaction. We found that 100% of HCAs reported the training session successfully prepared them to lead the program. Program evaluation data indicated high levels of satisfaction for both clients (8.3 on 10 point scale) and HCAs (9.1 on 10 point scale). Both clients and HCAs (100%) stated this PA program should continue. Program fidelity was 97%. Clients (15/17) needed program modifications and 100% of HCAs were successful in making changes. Results: It is feasible to train HCAs to implement a PA program with their clients. This program is acceptable and practical suggesting it is an effective delivery mechanism to provide PA for older adults receiving HCBS.
Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Chronic disease management and prevention
Public health or related public policy
Learning Objectives:
Describe the role of Home Care Aides in administering a DVD-based resistance exercise program with their older adult clients.
Discuss the benefits of a DVD-based resistance exercise program for both older adult clients, Home Care Aides, and the client-Home Care Aide relationship.
Identify the implementation issues in offering a DVD-based resistance exercise program for Home and Community Based Services older adult recipients.
Keyword(s): Aging, Long-Term Care
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a physical therapist with a board certified specialty in geriatrics for 7 years. I am the principal investigator on a federally funded grant focusing on the implementation of a physical activity program for older adults. My teaching and research interests have been in the development of physical activity programming for older adults and caregiver training.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
