Long-term Effect of a One-time Intervention to Improve the Assessment Ability of Visiting Rehabilitation Workers

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effect of improving the assessment ability of visiting rehabilitation workers relative to their awareness of changes in the medical condition of elderly patients requiring care.

Method: We conducted a one-time intervention comprising lectures, practical skills, and group work on “whole-body management of internal disabilities” and “assessment of findings related to daily activities of living” for 33 visiting rehabilitation workers. Long-term intervention effects were evaluated based on such factors as clinical assessment knowledge and degree of improvement, awareness of change of disease state, and subjective assessment evaluation. These evaluations were made before the intervention and 6 months and 1 year after the intervention.

Result: The degree of knowledge and frequency of implementation of the “assessment of findings related to daily activities of living” at the 6-month and one-year time points after the intervention improved. In addition, the number of experiences of awareness of changes in the condition of the patient increased, and subjective assessment ability also improved.

Conclusion: This one-time intervention improved the knowledge of the visiting rehabilitation workers regarding their ability to assess and subjectively evaluate their elderly patients.