Introduction
Occupational therapy is important to improve participation and quality of life for people living in residential aged care through occupation-based practice. Despite this, occupational therapy is not used to its full scope and potential. The Enhancing Allied Health for Older People trial (EAHOP) aimed to assess the feasibility and impact of embedding a multidisciplinary allied health model, including occupational therapy, in residential aged care.
Method
A mixed-methods intervention study was conducted with 36 residents at a nursing home in Australia. Data were collected for goals using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and for implementation regarding median therapy minutes per resident, service occasions, and interventions delivered. Qualitative data were collected from residents, families, staff, and students, and analysed using qualitative content analysis.
Results
Residents received a median of 895 minutes of occupational therapy and 203 minutes from allied health assistants. Satisfaction increased by 2.3 points and performance by 2 points on the COPM reflecting clinically significant improvements in occupational performance. Commonly provided interventions included activity and cognitive engagement (67%), equipment support (56%), and environmental modification (52%). Qualitative data reinforced these findings, highlighting the positive impact of the service on the health and wellbeing of the residents and identifying opportunities to overcome implementation challenges.
Conclusion
The EAHOP trial showed that delivering comprehensive occupational therapy within a multidisciplinary framework is both feasible and effective in residential aged care. The impact on residents’ lives underscores the need to broaden access to occupational therapy in these settings.