Self-management support training for carers of older adults with osteoarthritis
Knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) causes joint pain that affects 1 in 2 adults aged over 60 years, with nearly 7 in 10 OA sufferers having more than one medical condition, resulting in complex health needs.
About the project
Our aim is to develop a training programme in personalised self-management support, for carers working in domiciliary and care home settings with older adults with OA and additional conditions. We want to achieve this so that older adults with joint pain and high and complex health needs feel confident and skilled to make the choices about everyday activities and create more opportunities for meaningful activity.
Social care receives over 1.3 million new requests for support each year from older adults. One of the most common problems experienced by older adults is joint pain from osteoarthritis (OA), affecting over 50% of individuals aged over 65, and 70% experiencing additional health conditions. This will contribute to loss of independence and wellbeing.
Working with Bridges Self-management, our aim is to develop a training programme in personalised self-management support, for carers working in domiciliary and care home settings with older adults with OA and family and friends of people living in these settings. Older adults with higher care needs are the group most in need of support to help manage their OA and additional conditions but are currently the least likely to be able to access support. Many older adults with OA living within these settings have different degrees of cognitive impairment and this is often seen as a barrier to self-manage without considerable support from carers.
The training developed in this project will aim to increase carers understanding of a model of personalised self-management support that becomes a ‘way of working’. Carers will develop their knowledge and skills to empower them to make key changes in the way they support individuals to make decisions and be involved in their care. We want to achieve this so that older adults with joint pain and high and complex health needs feel confident and skilled to make the choices about everyday activities and create more opportunities for meaningful activity.