Measuring Activity of Old People in Residential Care

Abstract

A handbook was written to instruct researchers and health and social services staff how to carry out sensitive yet quick, simple, and inexpensive measures of engagement in activity by old people in residential care. The handbook was tested experimentally to demonstrate that researchers and staff could observe engagement reliably, using only the written instructions. High levels of the interobserver agreement were attained by subjects with little or no previous experience in direct observation, showing that the handbook was sufficient for training researchers and staff in the use of the measure. Some limitations of the handbook are discussed.