Influence of personalised citizen assistance for social participation (APIC) on health, social participation, and life satisfaction: Perspectives from older adults and attendants.
Janie Gobeil, Marie-France Dubois, Mélanie Levasseur
PMID 39949142WHAT IT FOUND
Attendants perceived improvements in older adults' mental health and life satisfaction, but self-reported scores showed no significant changes.
Social participation varied widely, with some increasing activities and others decreasing them. The intervention did not significantly improve physical health or overall life satisfaction.
Key findings
01Attendants reported positive influences on mental health and life satisfaction, but older adults' self-reported scores showed no statistically significant improvements.
02Social participation scores varied significantly among individuals, with some increasing and others decreasing their activity frequency, and no overall significant change.
03Attendants observed that physical health remained stable for most participants, often limited by existing disabilities or new health issues during the intervention.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small (12 dyads), limiting generalizability. The quantitative component lacked a control group, making it difficult to attribute changes to the intervention. Attendants' perceptions may be biased by their involvement in the intervention and social desirability. The study did not include older adults' perspectives in the qualitative interviews. Significant variability in individual outcomes was observed, with some participants deteriorating while others improved.
Declared interests
The authors declared no competing interests. The study was supported by non-U.S. government funding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret attendants' positive perceptions as evidence of clinical efficacy. The quantitative data showed no significant improvements in health, social participation, or life satisfaction, and the small sample size limits the reliability of these findings.