A new practice of active ageing: Adapted physical activity (APA) before and during the pandemic
About this good practice
“Salute in Movimento” (Health in Motion) is a service that carries out a series of personalised functional assessments of disabled and elderly people, with the aim of improving the physical and psychological conditions. APA, Adapted Physical Activity is a practice implemented within the above-mentioned Service to elderly people. The objective of APA is to educate to movement in a socialising way. The idea is that movement is considered as an element of prevention, habilitation and maintenance of good psychophysical conditions. In addition, APA has proved to be necessary for patients with chronic degenerative problems or with acute illnesses.
APA eligibility and admission process involve a series of steps: the eligibility of each new patient is ascertained by a medical examination and by a kinesiologist. Further periodic evaluations are carried out every 3 months and the data collected is uploaded into a software. The isolation and the restrictions due to SARS COV 2 virus hindered normal daily activities (walking, taking the stairs, etc.) and the socialising activities experienced. The staff remotely administered adapted exercises and movement routines ("Health Pills") both individually and collectively.
For the frail elderly, caregivers were trained to work remotely.
For people inside Nursing homes, several APAs were activated for specific separate and isolated groups; operators and kinesiologists could only access these groups with protective equipment.
Resources needed
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Evidence of success
The Good Practice implemented by the Fondazione Istituto Sacra Famiglia ONLUS, activated before the emergence of the COVID 19 Pandemic and continued during the various waves, enabled a virtuous path of active ageing in terms of movement intended as an element of prevention, habilitation and maintenance of good psycho-physical conditions.
Potential for learning or transfer
The lessons learned could be summarized as follows:
• Improving psycho-physical functions through dedicated service to the elderly and disabled and constant monitoring of progress/problems.
• Ascertaining the eligibility of patients through an innovative method of adapted physical activity.
• Readjusting the provision of physical training with digital tools to cope with pandemic restrictions.
• Remote administering of healthy movement routines to address restrictions and maintain contact and closeness with the elderly isolated due to the pandemic.
Further information
Good practice owner
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