Ollonqvist Kirsi, Aaltonen Tuula, Karppi Sirkka-Liisa, Hinkka Katariina, Pöntinen Seppo
Department of Sociology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Health Soc Care Community. 2008 Mar;16(2):115-25. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2524.2007.00733.x.
The AGE study is a national randomised, long-term, multicentre research project aimed at comparing a new network-based rehabilitation programme with the use of standard health and social services. The use of home help services is associated with increasing age, living alone and having difficulties with activities of daily living. During a rehabilitation intervention the elderly participants' need for care can be assessed. The focus of this paper is to investigate the possible effects of the network-based rehabilitation programme on the use of informal and formal support among home-dwelling elderly at a high risk of long-term institutionalisation. The randomised controlled trial with a 12-month follow-up was implemented in 7 rehabilitation centres and 41 municipalities in Finland. The participants were recruited between January and October 2002. A total of 708 home-dwelling persons aged 65 years or older with progressively decreasing functional capacity and at the risk of being institutionalised within 2 years participated. Persons with acute or progressive diseases or poor cognitive capacity (Mini Mental State Examination<18 points), and those who had participated in any inpatient rehabilitation during the preceding 5 years, were excluded. Participants were randomly allocated to the intervention group (n=343) or to the control group (n=365). The intervention consisted of a network-based rehabilitation programme specifically designed for frail elderly people. Main outcome measures included the help received from relatives and municipal or private services. The use of municipal services increased more in the intervention group (P<0.05) than in the control group. Support from relatives decreased in the control group. The rehabilitees' ability to manage with daily activities decreased and they received additional help; hence, in this respect the rehabilitation model seems successful. A longer follow-up within the still ongoing AGE study is needed to verify whether the programme actually can delay long-term care.
“老年护理与康复”（AGE）研究是一项全国性随机、长期、多中心研究项目，旨在将一项基于网络的新康复计划与标准健康和社会服务的使用情况进行比较。居家护理服务的使用与年龄增长、独居以及日常生活活动困难有关。在康复干预期间，可以评估老年参与者的护理需求。本文的重点是调查基于网络的康复计划对长期入住机构风险较高的居家老年人使用非正式和正式支持的可能影响。在芬兰的7个康复中心和41个城市实施了为期12个月随访的随机对照试验。参与者于2002年1月至10月招募。共有708名65岁及以上、功能能力逐渐下降且有在2年内入住机构风险的居家者参与。患有急性或进行性疾病、认知能力差（简易精神状态检查表得分<18分）以及在过去5年内参加过任何住院康复的人员被排除。参与者被随机分配到干预组（n = 343）或对照组（n = 365）。干预措施包括专门为体弱老年人设计的基于网络的康复计划。主要结局指标包括从亲属以及市政或私人服务获得的帮助。干预组使用市政服务的增加幅度（P<0.05）大于对照组。对照组中亲属提供的支持减少。康复者进行日常活动的能力下降，他们获得了额外帮助；因此，在这方面康复模式似乎是成功的。需要在仍在进行的“老年护理与康复”研究中进行更长时间的随访，以验证该计划是否真的可以延迟长期护理。
