Wiley, Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, S24(19), 2023
DOI: 10.1002/alz.082982
Full text: Unavailable
AbstractBackgroundTherapeutic exercise is commonly used by healthcare professionals to support people recovering from injury or illness. There is little guidance on how to personalise these standardised programmes for people living with dementia (PLWD). The Movement with Dementia resource was co‐designed by PLWD, exercise instructors and healthcare professionals to address this knowledge gap. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility and usability of implementing the Movement with Dementia shared decision‐making resource to assist prescribers and deliverers of therapeutic exercise interventions for PLWD.MethodA single site, non‐blinded feasibility study was conducted with an NHS community therapy team and their patients living with dementia. Eligibility criteria were people with a diagnosis of dementia, prescribed and undertaking an exercise programme as part of their care by the therapy team, able to provide consent and participate in the shared decision‐making process.Therapist participants undertook training (2‐hr session) on the Movement with Dementia resource and asked to use it during prescription and delivery of exercise with the patient participants, as part of their care episode. Questionnaires recorded demographic and usability information from all participants.ResultBetween January and March 2023 we recruited 9 therapist and 6 patient participants. Four physiotherapists (100% female; mean age = 39yrs) and six patient participants (50% female; mean age = 81yrs) completed the questionnaires. Patient participants had various dementia diagnoses (n = 1 AD, n = 3 VD, n = 1 LBD, n = 1 unsure), all were white‐British, and most lived with others (n = 4).None of the patient participants could recall using the resource, but 83% (n = 5) were still undergoing active care. All therapist participants were ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to recommend it but found the current material too ‘wordy’, both for themselves and PWLD. Whilst it reinforced knowledge and provided supportive ‘prompts’ for their approach, it was recommended for those with less experience treating PLWD.ConclusionThe co‐designed Movement with Dementia resource was successfully implemented into a clinical setting to support therapists prescribing and delivering exercise programmes for PLWD. Further refinement is required before wider evaluation and implementation. A focus on supporting therapists with less experience treating PLWD will direct future study.