IRiS – Interprofessional Collaboration between Reablement stakeholders: a realist evaluation

Elderly care in the Netherlands faces growing pressure due to ageing, rising costs, and staff shortages. Reablement is a method of supporting older people to remain as independent as possible, which also fits within the policy of appropriate care. It is based on “doing with” rather than “caring for”. Reablement has already been applied by care organisations Mijzo and De Wever in Mid- and West-Brabant, both at home and in nursing homes. Although experiences are positive, it is still unclear exactly how and for whom reablement works best.

Aim

This 3-year study examines how interprofessional collaboration contributes to appropriate care, independence and the participation of older adults with complex needs in community and nursing home settings.

Approach

We will measure outcomes with questionnaires and gather experiences through interviews, focus groups and observations. The results will provide a practical guide to improve and scale up reablement and collaboration in elderly care.