Health-Promoting Interventions for Persons Aged 80 and Older Are Successful in the Short Term

A Randomized, three-armed, single-blind, controlled trial performed between November 2007 and May 2011, in Two urban districts of Gothenburg, Sweden. With four hundred fifty-nine communityliving adults aged 80 and older not dependent on the municipal home help service.

A preventive home visit or four weekly multiprofessional senior group meetings with one follow-up home visit. Change in frailty, self-rated health, and ADLs between baseline and 3-month follow-up.

Both interventions delayed deterioration of self-rated health (odds ratio (OR) = 1.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.12–3.54). Senior meetings were the most beneficial intervention for postponing dependence in ADLs (OR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.14–3.33). No effect on frailty could be demonstrated.

Health-promoting interventions made when older adults are at risk of becoming frail can delay deterioration in self-rated health and ADLs in the short term. A multiprofessional group intervention such as the senior meetings described seems to have a greater effect on delaying deterioration in ADLs than a single preventive home visit. Further research is needed to examine the outcome in the long term and in different contexts.