BackgroundThe protective, custodial, task-oriented care provided in residential aged care facilitates decreases health and wellbeing of residents. The aim of the study was to conduct a feasibility study of LifeFul – a 12 month reablement program in residential aged care.MethodsLifeFul was developed based on systematic reviews of reablement and staff behaviour change in residential aged care, and in consultation with aged care providers, consumers and clinicians. LifeFul includes: engaging and supporting facility leaders to facilitate organisational change, procedural changes including dedicated rostering, assigning each resident a ‘focus’ carer and focusing on the psychosocial care of residents part of handovers and staff training. The study was conducted in three Australian residential aged care facilities. A pre-post mixed methods design was used to evaluate recruitment and retention, fidelity and adherence, acceptability, enablers and barriers and suitability of outcome measures for the program.ResultsEighty of 146 residents agreed to participate at baseline and 69 of these were followed up at 12 months. One hundred and four of 157 staff participated at baseline and 85 of 123 who were still working at the facilities participated at 12 months. Staff perceived the program to be acceptable, barriers included having insufficient time, having insufficient staff, negative attitudes, misunderstanding new procedures, and lack of sufficient leadership support. Quantitative data were promising in regards to residents’ depression symptoms, functioning and social care related quality of life.ConclusionIt is feasible to deliver and evaluate LifeFul. The program could be improved through increased leadership training and support, and by focusing efforts on residents having a ‘best week’ rather than on completing a document each handover.Trial registrationRegistered prospectively on 22nd January 2016 on ANZCTR369802.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12877-018-0822-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

IntroductionIncidence of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is projected to rise 276% in 2030, and psychological distress affects up to 42% of people with knee osteoarthritis undergoing TKA, with demonstrated detrimental effects on postoperative outcomes. Few studies have assessed psychological treatment in people awaiting TKA, and these have been psychologist-delivered treatments. No evidence exists regarding psychologically-informed interventions delivered by health professionals currently embedded in TKA clinical pathways. The primary aim of this pilot study is to explore the safety, acceptability and feasibility of the Knee Osteoarthritis Management with Physiotherapy informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (KOMPACT) approach in people awaiting TKA.Methods and analysis51 community-dwelling adults scheduled for a primary TKA at two hospitals will be recruited to this pilot, mixed-methods, prospective randomised controlled trial with assessor blinding. Participants will be randomised in a 1:2 ratio to either usual care (education class) or usual care plus KOMPACT (2 hours 20 min of preoperative physiotherapy informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). Our primary outcome measures are safety (length of stay, complications and psychological health after KOMPACT), acceptability (treatment credibility and qualitative data) and feasibility (recruitment, retention and intervention fidelity) of the KOMPACT approach. Secondary outcomes include health service outcomes, patient-reported physical and psychological outcomes, and physical performance measures. Quantitative data collection was conducted at baseline, 1–2 weeks before TKA, 6 weeks after TKA and 6 months after TKA. Qualitative data collection is 1–2 weeks before TKA. Data analysis will take a quantitative-led approach with triangulation after thematic analysis of the qualitative data.Ethics and disseminationThis study has full ethics approval (HREC/18/WMEAD/440). Results from this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at local and international conferences.Trial registration numberAustralia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618001867280p).