Is there a relationship between ‘getting up and dressed’ and functional and physical outcomes in geriatric rehabilitation inpatients? A quasi-experimental study

Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate the physical and functional outcomes of the ‘Ending Pyjama Paralysis’ intervention in an inpatient geriatric rehabilitation unit.

Design

Quasi-experimental mixed-methods design nested within the ‘REStORing health of acutely unwell adulTs’ (RESORT) prospective, observational, longitudinal cohort of geriatric rehabilitation inpatients study.

Setting

Geriatric rehabilitation wards in a major metropolitan public hospital between June 2019 and March 2020.

Intervention

The ‘Ending Pyjama Paralysis’ movement originated in the UK. Its aim was to encourage patients to ‘Get up, Get dressed and Get moving’ to reduce hospital-associated functional decline. However, the physical and functional benefits of this campaign have not yet been evaluated. The ‘Ending Pyjama Paralysis’ was adopted as an integrated intervention on two out of four geriatric rehabilitation wards. The two control wards received usual care.

Main Measures

Physical measures included the Short Physical Performance Battery, and functional measures included the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living and Lawton and Brody’s Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, which were completed on admission and discharge. A linear mixed-effects model was used to analyse the results.

Results

A total of 833 admissions were included in this study. Of these, 512 patients were in the control group, and 321 were in the intervention group. There were no significant differences in both physical and functional measures between the intervention and control groups.

Conclusion

The ‘Ending Pyjama Paralysis’ campaign did not result in enhanced functional or physical benefits in geriatric rehabilitation inpatients in this setting when applied in addition to usual care.