Stage 1 Review
Project Community Exercise Volunteers - Falls prevention (Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust) By Sibel Atlas
- Title Community Exercise Volunteers - Falls prevention (Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust)
- Setting Community
- Objective To ultimately reduce falls and fear of falling through improving balance, strength, mobility and coordination using a physiotherapy prescribed exercise program. Improving confidence / ability to do usual activities
Beneficiaries
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Families & Carers
Feeling reassured that their family member is getting the support they need at home
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Volunteers
Volunteer wellbeing is improved as a result of undertaking a meaningful role Volunteers developing a new and unique skillset that supports their personal & professional development.
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Organisation
Reduced A&E attendances and admissions due to falls. Increased take up of community services will decrease avoidable admissions Reduction in deconditioning whilst waiting to access rehab services or other community programmes.
Audiences
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Senior Leadership
Need to see evidence that the volunteer led community service is having a positive impact on patients and on demand for hospital services (reduction in A&E admissions and attendances due to falls).
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Patients / service users
See an improvement in their mobility, balance and coordination.
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Volunteers
Need to see evidence that their role is having an impact and is valued by the Trust.
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Donor / funder
Helpforce see evidence of impact and gather evidence to support scale and spread of initiative.
Review Design
Project Community Exercise Volunteers - Falls prevention (Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust) By Sibel Atlas
Outcome model
Data model
Data Collection Dashboard
Project Community Exercise Volunteers - Falls prevention (Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust) By Sibel Atlas
This project has now completed. Please navigate to the 'Evaluate' page.
Evaluation Dashboard
Project Community Exercise Volunteers - Falls prevention (Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust) By Sibel Atlas
Evaluation findings - November 2023
Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust ran an eight-week intervention in which trained volunteers visited patients' homes to deliver a rehabilitating exercise programme between November 2021 to January 2023. The aims of the service was to reduce deconditioning and the risk of falling post-discharge, increase social connectivity, and to improve quality of life for the elderly.
Evaluation findings show that the Falls Prevention Programme was effective in improving the functional fitness and health outcomes of elderly individuals who were risk of falls and are immediately discharged home from the hospital, with improved scores across all functional fitness tests and enhanced patient connections to local community services. However, further feedback is recommended around the difficulty of exercises and the impact on emotional wellbeing. Patients and volunteers appear satisfied with the programme and volunteers report a positive impact on their mental health.
