ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Social isolation and low levels of
physical activity are strong
drivers for
frailty, which is linked to poor
health outcomes and transition to
long-term care.
Frailty is multifactorial, and thus an integrated approach is needed to maintain older
adults'
health and well-being. Intergenerational programs represent a novel multifactorial approach to target
frailty,
social isolation and physical decline but these have not yet been rigorously tested in
Australia. Here, we present the results of our
pilot study which aimed to test the feasibility of a 10-week intergenerational program between older
adults and
preschool children.
METHODS:
A non-randomised wait-listed controlled trial was conducted. Participants were allocated to either the intervention or wait-list
control group. The intervention group received 10 weekly 2-h intergenerational sessions led by trained
child educators; the
control group continued with their usual routine and received their intergenerational program after the 10-week control period. All participants were assessed at baseline and 10 weeks. The primary outcome was the feasibility and acceptability of the program including
measures of recruitment eligibility, adherence and effective
data collection across the multiple domains important for
frailty, including functional mobility and balance,
grip strength,
cognitive function,
mood,
social engagement,
quality of life and concerns about
falling.
RESULTS:
Nineteen
adults were included, with nine in the intervention and ten in the
control group. A total of 42% of older
adults screened were eligible, 75% of participants were present at each intervention session and the overall attrition rate was 21% (n = 4). The reasons for participant absence were primarily
health-related. Missing data was minimal for the majority of assessments but more apparent for the
cognitive testing where completion rates ranged from 53 to 79% for baseline tests and 73 to 100% for those
who received follow-up testing.
CONCLUSIONS:
The high program
compliance and low attrition show that a 10-week intergenerational program embedded in the local
community, designed for
community-living older
adults and
preschool children, is feasible and acceptable to older
adults. Our next trial
will test the
efficacy of intergenerational programs in this setting.