Physiother Theory Pract
November 2024
Introduction: Dementia is a leading cause of disability. Physiotherapists play a crucial role in caring for people with dementia. However, previous research has found that physiotherapists have low knowledge and confidence working with people with dementia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: What are the core capabilities physiotherapists need to deliver quality care when working with people with dementia and their families/caregivers?
Design: A three-round modified e-Delphi study.
Participants: Panel members were physiotherapists experienced in working with people with dementia and/or educating and/or researching in the dementia field.
Methods: A steering group (16 international physiotherapists and a consumer) developed a draft framework including 129 core capabilities across 5 domains for panel members to rate their appropriateness for inclusion as a core capability to provide high quality care to people with dementia and their caregivers/families.
Background/objectives: Rehabilitation helps reduce disability in dementia. The Australian National Dementia Action Plan identifies a gap in clear treatment pathways post-diagnosis, affecting the quality of life for those with dementia. This study assessed the impact of a one-day dementia training course and follow-up on GPs' and practice nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and confidence regarding dementia rehabilitation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Dual-task walking performance is an early marker of dementia. However, there is uncertainty about which measure of the dual-task test is a better marker. The objective of this study was to determine which dual-task measure best differentiates between normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: People with dementia of all ages have a human right to equal access to quality health care. Despite evidence regarding its effectiveness, many people living with dementia are unable to access rehabilitation for promoting function and quality of life. Conducted in Australia, this study was designed to (1) explore barriers to access to dementia rehabilitation and (2) identify solutions that improve access to rehabilitation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aims to address and improve the low physical activity levels among people with mild dementia by implementing a novel shared decision-making and motivational support program, named "Changing the Focus". It will utilise a pre-post mixed methods approach, aiming to recruit 60 community living older people with mild dementia and their care-partners. The shared decision-making process will involve the person living with dementia, their care-partner, and a research therapist, using a purpose-designed discussion tool including factors such as preferred physical activities, health status, local opportunities and program accessibility.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDual decline in gait and cognition is associated with an increased risk of dementia, with combined gait and memory decline exhibiting the strongest association. To better understand the underlying pathology, we investigated the associations of baseline brain structure with dual decliners using three serial gait speed and cognitive assessments in memory, processing speed-attention, and verbal fluency. Participants (n=267) were categorized based on annual decline in gait speed and cognitive measures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Motor dysfunction is an important feature of early-stage dementia. Gait provides a non-invasive biomarker across the dementia continuum. Gait speed and rhythm aid risk stratification of incident dementia in subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) and are associated with cognitive domains in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Women and those with younger onset Parkinson's Disease (YOPD) are typically diagnosed later and face unique situations and challenges. This essay aims to raise awareness of the difficulties in diagnosing YOPD and the need for a personalised approach to care for women with YOPD.
Methods: Two professional women with YOPD (academic physiotherapist and practicing dentist) and a female neurologist (clinician academic) came together to write a narrative essay on their personal experience and perspectives in relation to women and YOPD.
Objectives: Exploring (1) pre-exercise and acute movement-evoked pain (AMEP) during an outdoor walking program in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA); and (2) comparing baseline physical performance and AMEP flares initiated by walking between participants with either a higher or lower attendance rate.
Methods: Individuals with knee OA were prescribed a 24-week walking program, including one unsupervised walk and two supervised walk classes per week. Participants self-reported knee pain on a numerical rating scale (NRS; 0-10) before and after each supervised class.
Objectives: Determine the feasibility of allied health assistant (AHA) management of people with hip fracture an acute hospital.
Design: Assessor-blind, parallel, feasibility randomised controlled trial with qualitative component.
Setting: Acute orthopaedic ward.
Purpose: People with dementia often experience poor outcomes in hospital and prolonged lengths of stay. They are sometimes labelled as having "poor rehabilitation potential". This study aimed to understand the inpatient rehabilitation experiences of people with dementia or cognitive impairment, and their support people, to inform future work to improve rehabilitation access and outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to evaluate effective treatment strategies for laboratory waste with an initial pH of 1.0, containing Cr, Mn, Co, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Hg, and Pb ions, focusing on flocculation, precipitation, and adsorption techniques. The study utilized microparticles derived from Moringa oleifera seed husks (MS), cryogels of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and hybrid cryogels combining CMC and MS (CMC-MS25 and CMC-MS50) as adsorbents.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStructured health system-based programs, such as cardiac rehabilitation, may reduce the risk of recurrent stroke. This study aimed to co-design and evaluate a structured program of rehabilitation, developed based on insights from focus groups involving stroke survivors and health professionals. Conducted in Tasmania, Australia in 2019, the 7-week program comprised one hour of group exercise and one hour of education each week.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Building healthcare service and health professionals' capacity and capability to rapidly translate research evidence into health practice is critical to the effectiveness and sustainability of healthcare systems. This review scoped the literature describing programmes to build knowledge translation capacity and capability in health professionals and healthcare services, and the evidence supporting these.
Methods: This scoping review was undertaken using the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology.
Objectives: To 1) explore physiotherapy students' experience in caring for people with dementia; 2) develop a rich understanding of their perceived preparedness to work with people with dementia upon graduation; and 3) identify opportunities to improve dementia education from the perspectives of students.
Design: A qualitative study comprised of semi-structured interviews via web conferencing software. Thematic analysis was undertaken, with themes/subthemes derived and a qualitative framework generated.
Introduction: People with dementia who receive home care have low levels of physical activity participation.
Objectives: To evaluate and refine a co-designed exercise program for home care clients with dementia, led by trained care support workers.
Methods: An action research cycle whereby support workers, clients and carers (each n = 26) from the "Safe Functional Home Exercise" feasibility study were invited to complete an evaluation survey.
Introduction: Key to improving outcomes for patients with multimorbidity is increasing mobility through prescription of a physical activity programme, but this can be difficult to achieve in acute hospital settings. One approach that would assist physiotherapists to increase levels of physical activity is delegation of rehabilitation to allied health assistants. We aim to conduct a randomised controlled trial to determine the feasibility of an allied health assistant providing daily inpatient mobility rehabilitation for patients with multimorbidity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Virtual emergency services have been proposed as an alternative service model to conventional in-person emergency department attendance.
Methods: Twenty participants were interviewed: 10 emergency medicine physicians, 4 health care consumers, and 6 other health care professionals. Conventional content analysis was performed on the interview transcriptions to identify perceived strengths and weaknesses of the VED, and barriers and facilitators to scaling-up the VED.
Aims/hypothesis: To determine whether health literacy is associated with an index diabetes-related foot ulcer (DFU).
Methods: The SHELLED Study is a 4-year prospective study of people with diabetes aged over 40 with no history of DFU. The primary outcome was development of a first foot ulcer.
Upper limb motor function is a potential new biomarker of cognitive impairment and may aid discrimination from healthy ageing. However, it remains unclear which assessments to use. This study aimed to explore what methods have been used and to describe associations between upper limb function and cognitive impairment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe examined the longitudinal associations of accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary time with leg muscle strength (LMS), balance, and falls in middle-aged women. This was a 5-year cohort study among 308 women aged 36-56 years. We used linear mixed-effects models to examine associations of baseline and change in accelerometer-measured sedentary time, light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with baseline and 5-year change in LMS and balance (timed up and go test [TUG], functional reach test [FRT], lateral reach test [LRT], and step test [ST]), and negative binomial/Poisson and log-binomial regression as appropriate to assess associations with falls after 5-year follow-up.
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