Can regular seated exercise classes in care homes reduce the risk of falls and help improve resident satisfaction?

Introduction

Falls, boredom and unhappiness are issues faced by residents in UK carehomes. A 6-week exercise programme was hypothesised as a strategy to combat these issues.

Method

 6-week seated exercise programme was devised and delivered at a local carehome. Two sessions were created using modified strength based exercises to activate all major muscle groups. Each session was delivered three times. Outcome measures included a qualitative survey completed before and after the intervention, time to stand TTS (seconds) and falls data.

Results

Before the programme, 10% (n=1) were unhappy, 40% (n=4) were content, 30% (n=3) were happy, 20% (n=2) were very happy. This improved to 30% (n=3) feeling happy and 70% (n=7) very happy.

Before, 50% (n=5) reported feeling bored and 50% (n=5) not bored. This improved to an 100% (n=10) not bored response.

Before, 10% (n=1) felt very strong, 30% (n=3) felt strong, 30% (n=3) felt neutral and 30% (n=3) felt weak. This improved to 50% (n=5) of participants feeling very strong and 50% (n=5) feeling strong.

TTS improved from 12.49 seconds prior to intervention to 2.66 seconds. 

One fall was reported in the carehome in the four weeks before the intervention compared to zero falls in the same period after the intervention.  

Conclusion

The 6-week programme was enjoyed by facilitator and participants alike. The qualitative data reflected this with reduced boredom and improved overall happiness.  No statistical significance could be drawn from the small data set. However,  zero falls in the 4 weeks following the intervention is a positive outcome. For longevity of the project, a leaflet was created with the exercise sessions in, to allow the carehome staff to continue this initiative.