Reablement in Residential Aged Care (Re-RAC): study protocol for a multi-center pragmatic randomized controlled open-label trial.

Background: Living in residential aged care (RAC) facilities can be passivating and negatively impact residents' well-being and quality of life. With a growing global population of older adults and an increasing number residing in RAC facilities, it is crucial to address these concerns. Person-centered reablement, which enhances activity and participation through tailored, multidisciplinary strategies, has shown promising results in home settings. However, its implementation in RAC facilities, especially in Sweden, requires further evaluation. This research project will examine whether the reablement intervention in RAC (Re-RAC) impacts activity performance and satisfaction, participation, quality of life, and well-being, in older adults living in RAC facilities. Additionally, the project will evaluate the health-economic effects of the intervention and explore potential associations with the outcomes. A further aim is to describe the experiences of both the participating older adults and RAC facility staff involved in Re-RAC.

Methods: This is a multi-center prospective pragmatic randomized controlled trial has two parallel groups comparing the Re-RAC intervention with usual care. A total of 86 participants are planned to be enrolled. The 8-week intervention will be evaluated using quantitative, qualitative, and health-economic methods. Data will be collected at baseline and after the intervention. Health-economic data will also be gathered 3 months before and after intervention. Primary outcomes are activity performance and satisfaction with performance captured using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure; secondary outcomes, i.e., health-related quality of life, psychological well-being, and physical activity levels will also be evaluated. Experiences of participants and staff will be captured through individual and focus-group interviews. Cost-effectiveness will be estimated by calculating the cost per quality-adjusted life year gained. Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics; qualitative data will be analyzed using thematic analysis and focus-group methodology.

Discussion: This study evaluates the Re-RAC intervention for older adults in RAC through a real-world pragmatic trial, examining activity performance, satisfaction, quality of life, well-being, and health outcomes for older adults in RAC facilities. The study also explores participant and staff experiences and evaluates cost-effectiveness. The results will offer valuable insights informing the future implementation and assessment of reablement interventions in RAC settings.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT06793501 . Registered on 20 January 2025.