Sense of Control in Frail Older Persons

The proposed study seeks to explore the lived experience of control and wellbeing of older people diagnosed with frailty within the care service provision in southern England.

In the study, the researcher will talk with older people diagnosed with frailty and the professionals that provide care to them. The researcher is interested in understanding participants' experiences of a sense of control and how health and social care services affect this experience.

Although research has shown that rehabilitation can be effective in maintaining physical activity often frail older people do not wish to take up the rehabilitation services provided. Research in this area has been dominated by health care professionals' views about frailty and how services should be provided. Services could be improved by learning from the first-hand experiences of older people living with frailty and what they feel increases their level of control and wellbeing within their service use. The factors which increase their sense of control and wellbeing can then be built into future service development, inform care policies, and provide new understanding for future research to develop services which are more attractive and relevant for older frail people.

All persons aged 65 years and over, with a diagnosis of frailty will be eligible to take part in one to one interviews with the researcher. From the interviews principles underpinning good practice which enhances the sense of control and wellbeing in older people's lives and within the services received will be identified. These will be shared with professional care providers including nurses, doctors, and physiotherapists who routinely work with frail older people to gain insights into how these principles can be integrated into practice and developed in policy and future service development. The findings will, therefore, help to develop services which ensure that they are supportive and increase a sense of control in life rather than getting in the way of this.

The study is expected to last 12 months and up to 30 participants (20 older people and 10 Hospital staff) will be recruited to take part in the study.