Managing frailty in an Irish primary care setting: a qualitative study of perspectives of healthcare professionals and frail older patients.

Objectives: Little is known about the views of key stakeholders on frailty in Primary Care in Ireland. The aim of this study was to explore the views of Irish healthcare professionals and patients on frailty and its management in Primary Care. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Seventeen healthcare professionals and three patients were recruited using purposive sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews which were analysed thematically. Results: Three themes were identified: (i) Perceptions of Frailty (ii) Current Management of Frailty and (iii) Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in Primary Care. The results demonstrated variability in perspectives on frailty. Healthcare professionals described a fragmented service often delivering substandard care to frail older patients. The general consensus was that frailty management required an adequately resourced Primary Care service. Support for frailty screening and Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment was evident while the suitability of the current pathway for patients requiring assessment was questioned. Conclusion: This study highlights an absence of a shared and complete understanding of frailty among healthcare professionals and a fragmented model of care for community-dwelling frail older patients. Based on these findings, inter-professional training, investment in Primary Care, the development of a frailty pathway and an interface service is recommended.</p

sj-docx-1-cre-10.1177_02692155241235338 - Supplemental material for ‘If he thought that I was going to go and hurt myself, he had another thing coming’: Treatment experiences of those with large to massive rotator cuff tears and the perspectives of healthcare practitioners

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-cre-10.1177_02692155241235338 for ‘If he thought that I was going to go and hurt myself, he had another thing coming’: Treatment experiences of those with large to massive rotator cuff tears and the perspectives of healthcare practitioners by Kathryn Fahy, Rose Galvin, Jeremy Lewis and Karen McCreesh in Clinical Rehabilitation</p

sj-docx-2-cre-10.1177_02692155241235338 - Supplemental material for ‘If he thought that I was going to go and hurt myself, he had another thing coming’: Treatment experiences of those with large to massive rotator cuff tears and the perspectives of healthcare practitioners

Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-cre-10.1177_02692155241235338 for ‘If he thought that I was going to go and hurt myself, he had another thing coming’: Treatment experiences of those with large to massive rotator cuff tears and the perspectives of healthcare practitioners by Kathryn Fahy, Rose Galvin, Jeremy Lewis and Karen McCreesh in Clinical Rehabilitation</p

A randomised controlled trial evaluating the effect of an individual auditory cueing device on freezing and gait speed in people with Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder resulting from a degeneration of dopamine producing cells in the substantia nigra. Clinical symptoms typically affect gait pattern and motor performance. Evidence suggests that the use of individual auditory cueing devices may be used effectively for the management of gait and freezing in people with Parkinson's disease. The primary aim of the randomised controlled trial is to evaluate the effect of an individual auditory cueing device on freezing and gait speed in people with Parkinson's disease. METHODS: A prospective multi-centre randomised cross over design trial will be conducted. Forty-seven subjects will be randomised into either Group A or Group B, each with a control and intervention phase. Baseline measurements will be recorded using the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire as the primary outcome measure and 3 secondary outcome measures, the 10 m Walk Test, Timed "Up & Go" Test and the Modified Falls Efficacy Scale. Assessments are taken 3-times over a 3-week period. A follow-up assessment will be completed after three months. A secondary aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of such a device on the quality of life of people with Parkinson's disease using a qualitative methodology. CONCLUSION: The Apple iPod-Shuffle and similar devices provide a cost effective and an innovative platform for integration of individual auditory cueing devices into clinical, social and home environments and are shown to have immediate effect on gait, with improvements in walking speed, stride length and freezing. It is evident that individual auditory cueing devices are of benefit to people with Parkinson's disease and the aim of this randomised controlled trial is to maximise the benefits by allowing the individual to use devices in both a clinical and social setting, with minimal disruption to their daily routine

Additional file 1 of A qualitative study examining young peoples’ perceptions and adherence to COVID-19 public health guidelines in Ireland

Additional file 1: Appendix: Table 1. Participant Table

Rehabilitation of cognitive deficits poststroke: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials of non-pharmacological interventions

Introduction Stroke is among the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Poststroke cognitive impairment is a common sequela of stroke. The burden of cognitive impairment poststroke has significant impacts on the individual poststroke, their family and wider society. Despite the prevalence and associated burden of poststroke cognitive impairment, the optimal approach to rehabilitate cognitive deficits poststroke has yet to be established. A range of conservative interventions for cognitive impairment poststroke exist including self-efficacy training, physical activity interventions, neuropsychological interventions, electronic interventions, music therapy and occupational therapies. This systematic review aims to explore the totality of evidence with regard to non-pharmacological rehabilitation interventions wherein the primary or secondary aim is to improve cognitive function in individuals poststroke. Methods and analysis A systematic review of randomised controlled trials which investigate the effectiveness of interventions wherein the primary or secondary aim is to improve cognitive function in individuals poststroke will be conducted (August 2019). The following electronic databases will be searched: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, CENTRAL and PsycInfo. Reference lists of all identified studies will be reviewed to identify additional studies for inclusion. Titles and abstracts will be screened independently by two review authors for inclusion and exclusion. Any disagreement regarding inclusion will be resolved by discussion or by referral to a third assessor if necessary. Methodological quality will be assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomised Controlled Trials. Meta-analyses will be performed if studies are sufficiently homogeneous. The review will be reported in accordance to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Ethics and dissemination As this systematic review will collect secondary data only, ethical approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated through presentations and peer-reviewe

Additional file 1 of Early supported discharge for older adults admitted to hospital after orthopaedic surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Supplementary Material

A qualitative evidence synthesis exploring people after stroke, family members, carers and healthcare professionals' experiences of early supported discharge (ESD) after stroke

Objective: Early supported discharge (ESD) after stroke has been shown to generate significant cost savings and reduce both hospital length of stay, and long-term dependency. This study aimed to systematically review and synthesise qualitative studies of the experiences and views of ESD from the perspective of people after stroke, their family members, carers and healthcare professionals. Method: A systematic search of eleven databases; CINAHL, PubMed Central, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Sage, Academic Search Complete, Directory of Open Access Journal, The Cochrane Library, PsycARTICLES and SCOPUS, was conducted from 1995 to January 2022. Qualitative or mixed methods studies that included qualitative findings on the perspectives or experiences of people after stroke, family members, carers and healthcare professionals of an ESD service were included. The protocol was registered with the Prospero database (Registration: CRD42020135197). The methodological quality of studies was assessed using the 10-item CASP checklist for qualitative studies. Results were synthesised using Thomas and Harden's three step approach for thematic synthesis. Results: Fourteen studies were included and five key themes were identified (1) ESD eases the transition home, but not to community services, (2) the home environment enhances rehabilitation, (3) organisational, and interprofessional factors are critical to the success of ESD, (4) ESD is experienced as a goal-focused and collaborative process, and (5) unmet needs persisted despite ESD. Conclusion: The findings of this qualitative evidence synthesis highlight that experiences of ESD were largely very positive. The transition from ESD to community services was deemed to be problematic and other unmet needs such as information needs, and carer support require further investigation.</p

Healthcare professionals' experiences of delivering a stroke Early Supported Discharge service - an example from Ireland

Objective: To explore healthcare professionals' experiences of the development and delivery of Early Supported Discharge for people after stroke, including experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: Qualitative descriptive study using one-to-one semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Setting: Nine Early Supported Discharge service sites in Ireland. Participants: Purposive sampling identified 16 healthcare professionals. Results: Five key themes were identified (1) Un-coordinated development of services, (2) Staff shortages limit the potential of Early Supported Discharge, (3) Limited utilisation of telerehabilitation post COVID-19 pandemic, (4) Families need information and support, and (5) Early Supported Discharge involves collaboration with people after stroke and their families. Conclusions: Findings highlight how Early Supported Discharge services adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic and how gaps in the service impacts on service delivery. Practice implications include the need to address staff recruitment and retention issues to prevent service shortages and ensure consistent access to psychology services. Early Supported Discharge services should continue to work closely with families and address their information and support needs. Future research on how telerehabilitation can optimally be deployed and the impact of therapy assistants in Early Supported Discharge is needed.</p

Effectiveness of interventions to support the transition home after acute stroke: a protocol for a systematic review [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

Background Despite advances in the quality of acute stroke management, there are gaps in knowledge about effective support interventions to better manage the transition of care to home for patients with this complex condition. The goal of this systematic review is to explore the literature around support interventions available for patients as they navigate from acute hospital, rehabilitation or early supported discharge (ESD) services to independent living at home; and to establish if, in comparison with usual care or other comparative active interventions, support services offered to patients as they transition from acute hospital, inpatient rehabilitation/ESD to home, can achieve better patient and / or process outcomes. Protocol In June 2021, we will carry out, on electronic peer-reviewed databases, a comprehensive literature search based on a pre-defined search strategy, developed and conducted in collaboration with an Information Specialist. In an effort to identify all published trials we will perform citation tracking of included studies, check reference lists of relevant articles, review grey literature, and extend our search to google scholar. We will include randomised controlled trials (including cluster and quasi-randomisation) recruiting stroke patients transitioning to home, to receive either usual care or any support intervention designed to improve outcomes after stroke. The primary clinical outcome will be functional status. Two review authors will scrutinise trials, categorise them on their eligibility, and extract data. We will analyse the results for all trials and perform meta-analyses where possible. We will assess risk of bias for the included trials and use GRADE to assess the quality of the body of evidence. Patient and public involvement (PPI) engaged in the development of the research questions, and will participate in co-design of a strategy for dissemination of findings. Conclusions: The findings from this review will be used to identify knowledge gaps to direct future research<br