Grant: Catalyst Grant: Pilot Projects in Aging

Older persons spend most of their time in bed during hospitalization. For an older person with complex chronic disease, just a few days in bed can lead to rapid functional decline. Functional decline can endanger a person's recovery, ability to perform basic daily activities, and return home to the community. Although early activity is the most effective way to prevent functional decline, it has not been found acceptable to older hospitalized adults. Older persons' acceptance of early activity can be increased by tailoring the treatment to their preferences. This study is the first phase in the development of two early activity rehabilitation treatments to prevent functional decline in older adults with complex chronic disease. We will invite 60 older adults admitted for a medical illness at 2 hospitals to tell us what they think about our early rehabilitation treatments, which treatment they prefer, and the reasons for their preference. We will also invite about 6 - 8 nurses and physiotherapists from each hospital to tell us what they think about the treatments and what they would need to help older adults participate in the treatments. We will use the results to refine the treatments so that acutely ill older adults with complex chronic disease can participate in the treatments and have good outcomes during hospitalization.