Enhancing Allied Health for Older People in Residential Care. The EAOP (RC) Trial: the role of allied health assistants

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety received numerous submissions identifying unmet needs of people living in residential aged care, including physical, social, cognitive, and communication needs. The EAOP (RC) Trial has been funded to implement and evaluate evidence-based allied health interventions for people living in residential aged care specifically related to frailty, preventing falls and maintaining engagement.  
 
Allied health has an essential role in meeting the challenges associated with falls prevention, addressing frailty and keeping residents engaged in meaningful activities. An integrated transdisciplinary model of care has the potential to provide a cost effective and person-centred approach to enhancing the health and wellbeing of people living in residential aged care. Allied health assistants are well positioned to work with a range of health professionals to implement evidence-based care.   

In this webinar, Claire Pearce provided background to the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) funded trial and presented information from the literature on the role of allied health assistants in residential aged care. 

The workshop provided an opportunity for allied health assistants, allied health professionals and aged care providers to remain up to date with the evidence pertaining to allied health aged care and to consider opportunities for enhancing allied health services to a population who the Royal Commission into Aged Care recognised as being significantly under serviced.  

Attendees gained an:  

• Understanding of the benefits of an interdisciplinary allied health model of care in residential aged care  

• Understanding of the role of allied health assistants in this model of care; and

• Up to date information on the trial progress