Mobility and independent function are highly valued by older people and their whānau and are essential to wellbeing and health related quality of life. Aged Residential Care (ARC) is a vital part of our health system where over 50% of all individuals will stay for at least some of their lives. Some people will live in ARC for up to 5 years, or longer, and these years can be very meaningful.
These guidelines provide information for ARC managers on the physiotherapist’s roles in an ARC setting. They cover the importance of physiotherapy input in managing resident’s wellbeing, and a practical component around how to engage and run and effective physiotherapy service. They will also be used by older people and their whānau to allow them to understand how the provision of a robust physiotherapy service can improve their experience of ARC living.
Thank you to the physiotherapists who contributed to the writing of these guidelines on behalf of Older Adults Special Interest Group (OASIG):
- Jessie Snowdon
- Susan Kohut
- Barbra Rijnbende
- Jane Fairbairn
Thank you also to the following reviewers and organisations for their comments and contributions:
- Dr Lynne Taylor
- Professor Ngaire Kerse
- Professor Leigh Hale
- Rymans Healthcare
- Age Concern New Zealand
- Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand
- Age Friendly Aotearoa New Zealand
- HealthCERT
- Programme Manager, Health of Older People, TAS
A special thank you to 2021 AUT Fourth year physiotherapy students Megan MacLean and Tayla Thornton for their research paper Physiotherapy Utilisation in Aged Residential Care (currently unpublished), supervised by Susan Kohut, Senior Lecturer, School of Clinical Sciences, AUT.
Page updated April 2022