Building Capacity for Frailty management in Regional Queensland Residential Aged Care Facilities
Role
Chief Investigator
Description
Virtually all older adults living within aged care are at risk of becoming or are currently frail, with increased risk of adverse health outcomes. The core treatments for frailty are good nutrition, medication optimisation, and robust exercise, which was recently evaluated in the novel Frailty Reduction via Implementation of Exercise, Nutrition and Deprescribing (FRIEND) trial. This trial developed comprehensive training resources for the aged care sector. This project aims to build capacity through dissemination of this training to aged care champions across regional Queensland facilities and support them to improve frailty care and client health within their facility. The project has two main project aims: 1. Disseminate FRIEND in an online and in-person, train-the-trainer model to build capacity of aged care champions and key regional, healthcare professionals 2. Support aged care champions to develop local facility training, and an organisational strategy for improving frailty care The study will involve two phases: 1. Pre/post evaluation of a train-the-trainer education intervention (FRIEND website modules and an intensive one-day course on frailty management). Five strategically located RACFs across North-West Queensland will nominate an aged care champion (i.e. senior staff member) by early September to complete website training and travel to Townsville for intensive training in Late October/Early November along with local healthcare professionals (e.g. nurses, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, social workers) working within aged care. 2. Involves evaluation of the champion-led local training implementation development of an organisational strategy to improve frailty care over a six-month period. The champion will identify key implementation/leadership staff and training needs to develop a 1–2-hour training webinar and develop an organisational strategy to improve frailty management in their facility
Date
01 Oct 2024 - 30 Jun 2025
Project Type
GRANT
Keywords
frailty;long-term care;exercise;nutrition;medication optimisation;RACF;translational
Funding Body
James Cook University
Amount
24623
Project Team
Nathan Dawes;Anthony Leicht;Kenji Doma;Natalie Lloyd;Chidi Njoku;Ines Zuchowski;Rebecca Lee