Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Jul 13;58(4):779-788.
doi: 10.1093/geront/gnx101.

Promoting Seniors' Health With Home Care Aides: A Pilot

Naoko Muramatsu  1   2 , Lijuan Yin  1   2 , Michael L Berbaum  2 , David X Marquez  2   3 , Donald A Jurivich  4 , Joseph P Zanoni  1 , Katya Y Cruz Madrid  5 , Surrey M Walton  2   6
Affiliations

Promoting Seniors' Health With Home Care Aides: A Pilot

Naoko Muramatsu et al. Gerontologist. .

Abstract

Purpose: Regular physical activity (PA) benefits older adults. However, frail older adults lack opportunities to be physically active. This pilot study aimed to test and enhance the feasibility of a PA program delivered by home care aides (HCAs) for community-dwelling older adults in a Medicaid-funded home care setting and to generate preliminary efficacy and cost data.

Design and methods: HCAs were trained to deliver a brief motivational enhancement and three chair-bound movements to motivate their older clients to do PA daily and to help maintain their independence in the community. Mixed methods were used to evaluate clients' function and health before and after the 4-month intervention.

Results: Clients' daily activity function and health outcomes (physical fitness, self-rated health, pain interference, and fear of falling) improved significantly. The program was well-received by clients (N = 54) and their HCAs (N = 46) as indicated by high retention rates among client participants (93%) and remarks provided by clients.

Implications: Building PA into the everyday care of older adults and the routine work of HCAs is feasible. The intervention has the potential for further implementation and dissemination.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flow diagram of home care clients recruitment and retention in Promoting Seniors’ Health with Home Care Aides: A Pilot.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Bandura A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory.Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
    1. Bauman A., Merom D., Bull F. C., Buchner D. M., & Fiatarone Singh M. A (2016). Updating the evidence for physical activity: Summative reviews of the epidemiological evidence, prevalence, and interventions to promote “active aging”. Gerontologist, 56 (Suppl. 2), S268–280. doi:10.1093/geront/gnw031 - PubMed
    1. Bherer L., Erickson K. I., & Liu-Ambrose T (2013). A review of the effects of physical activity and exercise on cognitive and brain functions in older adults. Journal of Aging Research, 2013, 657508. doi:10.1155/2013/657508 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Brownson R. C., Colditz G. A., & Proctor E. K (Eds.). (2012). Dissemination and implementation research in health: Translating science to practice (1st ed.).New York: Oxford University Press.
    1. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2016). Occupations with the most job growth Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_104.htm

Publication types