Addressee-oriented Mobility and Participation Promotion in Nursing Homes - A Mixed-methods Study on the Wishes and Needs of Nursing Home Residents

Background Nursing home residents often experience limitations of their participation due to physical and/or cognitive changes and contextual factors of the nursing home. Since mobility and participation are indicators of quality of life and self-determination high attention should be paid to maintaining mobility of nursing home residents. Exercise programs can have positive effects on health and physical performance of older people and reduce the risk of falling. An effective promotion of mobility requires that activity offers and exercise programs are targeted at the individual conditions and needs of those affected. Residents' wishes and needs regarding mobility are hardly known so far.Aim The perspective of nursing home residents on mobility and participation was examined. In addition, the extent of accordance between self-assessment of mobility and proxy-assessment through nurses and the actual mobility status was analysed.Method 10 interviews with nursing home residents were conducted. Data were analysed by structuring content analysis according to Kuckartz. The mobility assessment of residents' mobility status was carried out using the EBoMo-Questionnaire.Results Residents' wishes and needs regarding mobility and participation are very individual, but are rarely expressed to nursing home staff. The majority of respondents would like to have an interlocutor with same interests. It became clear that the daily routine depends on the extent of physical mobility. Most of the respondents, in turn, didn't correctly assess their mobility. An underestimation of mobility dominated both by residents themselves and by nurses.Conclusion It requires an awareness of the needs and perspectives of the residents in order to promote their participation and to provide them with adequate physical and mental support. Therefore, the regular assessment of the residents' abilities and wishes should be given a higher priority in order to an appropriate promotion of mobility and participation in everyday life.