Life-balance self-management programme for community-based older adults living with chronic disease: a feasibility study

Rationale, aims and objectives: Health management strategies are aimed at promoting self-management, healthy lifestyle choices to improve health status and quality of life while addressing cost-effectiveness in health services. We aimed to develop a Life-balance Self-management Programme (LBSP) to test whether taking a trans-diagnostic approach to education combined with presenting mindfulness concepts would enhance self-management with older people with at least one long term condition. This study aimed to test the feasibility of the LBSP in terms of its recruitment strategies, suitability of data collection tools and procedures and if it was acceptable to those receiving it via surveys. Methods: The study utilized a descriptive pre/post-test intervention design . Participants sought were community-based older adults (aged 65+) living with at least one long-term condition and resident in Canterbury, New Zealand. The data analysis was descriptive, correlation between baseline and follow-up were determined. Results: Participants (n=10) reported that they had learnt from the intervention, had adjusted approaches for healthier living and improved self-managing skills. Nil attrition supported the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. A high correlation was found between measures taken at baseline and at 3 month post-intervention, suggesting meaningful change could be detected within a modest sample size. Conclusion The LBSP, based on empirical and theoretical knowledge, is feasible for trans-diagnostic groups of community-based older adults living with chronic disease. A larger intervention study is planned to test quality of life and functioning as the main outcomes of the programme promoting self-management and to adequately assess effectiveness