Co-designing integrated social services and healthcare: development and evaluation of a new working method for residential aged care

Research problem and specific questionsIntegrated social services and healthcare can improve the health and well-being of older persons, but there is a lack of working methods for such integration in residential aged care.

Our previous research illustrates a lack of collaboration between social service and healthcare staff, which could lead to unfulfilled needs among persons living in residential aged care facilities.

The aim with this project is therefore to co-design and evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness and relevance of a new working method for integrated residential aged care, addressing four research questions:How can a working method be co-designed to effectively integrate social services and healthcare in residential aged care?How feasible is the working method and the evaluation design?What effect does the working method have on older persons’ well-being, self-rated health, neuropsychiatric symptoms and quality of the care environment?How relevant is the working method for persons living in residential aged care facilities, relatives, social service and healthcare staff?Data and methodThe project comprises two phases and involves persons living in residential aged care facilities, relatives, social service and healthcare staff, and managers: One co-design phase with focus groups and workshops (study 1) and one co-refine phase with four studies; a feasibility trial on the working method and evaluation design (study 2), a randomised controlled trial to evaluate effectiveness (study 3) and photo-elicitation interviews and focus groups to evaluate relevance (study 4 and 5).Societal relevance and utilisationDesigned to enhance resource utilisation and meaningful change in social services and healthcare in residential aged care, the project has been developed with and will be conducted in collaboration with the target groups.

The co-design approach seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice, generating both scientific and societal value by fostering innovation and best practices to address older persons’ complex needs.Plan for project realisationThe project is designed as a four-year project conducted by a project group with vast expertise in social service and healthcare research and that is very well-equipped to reach out to the target groups.

Collaboration with participants and a reference group with societal representatives is a core feature of the project that has been anchored with decision makers in residential aged care.