Activities

The project is going to be implemented in 5 different phases:

Phase 1: Co-creation

A co-creation process is the most suitable methodology to develop a feasible programme tailored to the needs of the end-users. This first step will be informed by the existing scientific literature about lifestyle based training programmes for professionals working with older adults.

 Phase 2: initial training of the trainers

Once the co-creation phase has been finalized and the training course contents agreed upon, the research team along with the 4th year students will organize the initial training of the trainers to health and exercise professionals working with older adults in the community and long-term care settings. We will conduct a pilot training course among the partners in charge of each setting.

Phase 3: Implementation of the First Pilot Study

The first implementation will be organised in each participating country, to apply the first draft of the implementation protocol developed as a result of the co-creation phase.

Before recruiting the first subject for the pilot action in each site, the respective approval of the ethical committee will be required.

Phase 4: Evaluation of the first pilot

We will use mixed methods to assess the intervention feasibility and acceptability of the preliminary version of the JOIN4JOY programme.

The acceptability of the intervention will be assessed using two approaches: 1) the level of satisfaction through a 5-point Likert-type scale; 2) a group of participants will be convened to explore their views of how the programme can be improved.

Phase 5: Implementation of the Second Pilot  Study

After incorporating all findings and obtained feedback, an updated version of the intervention will be executed in all countries.

Phase 6: Cascade training

The Train the trainers’ methodology will be used to reach over 300 exercise and health care professionals working with older adults in the participating countries and beyond. 

Each partner will select, by launching a call that will be advertised on their website, social media, networks of contacts, and through sport, health and social welfare government departments, PA-related professionals who will participate in the Train the Trainers course and who will then be the organizers of the replication of the course (through Cascade Training) in their countries.

And in different Work Packages:

WP2: Training and communities of practice

• to integrate a service-learning methodology into Physical Therapy and Sport Sciences University degrees by offering students individual service opportunities (placements) with community settings and Residential Care Homes.
• to train health and sport professionals working with older people in the contexts of interest with specific knowledge and skills to implement and pilot the JOIN4JOY programme in the participant countries.
• to create a virtual community of practice (VCoP) to facilitate a learning room to create and share knowledge and promote interaction between participants, students, professionals and experts.
• to train health and sport professionals in the participating countries and beyond working with older people with specific knowledge and skills to implement and transfer the JOIN4JOY programme with the train the trainers methodology in order to trigger a cascade effect involving more actors and enhancing the replication.

WP3: JOIN4JOY programme in community-dwelling older adults

• to co-create the JOIN4JOY programme for community settings targeting older adults (65+) living in the community (JOIN4JOY-C) between/with older people (end-users), stakeholders (policy-makers, professionals), researchers, students focused on enjoyment and social interactions and with a social inclusion perspective.
• to implement the JOIN4JOY programme for community settings targeting older adults (65+) living in the community (JOIN4JOY-C) in three European countries with a social inclusion perspective.
• to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, satisfaction and impact of the JOIN4JOY-C programme specifically on enjoyment and social inclusion.

WP4: JOIN4JOY programme in Long-Term Care (LTC)

• to co-create the JOIN4JOY programme for community settings targeting older adults (65+) living in nursing homes (JOIN4JOY-LTC) between/with older people (end-users), stakeholders (policy-makers, professionals), researchers, students focused on enjoyment and social interactions and with a social inclusion perspective.
• to implement the JOIN4JOY programme for community settings targeting older adults (65+) living in nursing homes (JOIN4JOY-LTC) in three European countries with a social inclusion perspective.
• to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, satisfaction and impact of the JOIN4JOY-LTC programme specifically on enjoyment and social inclusion.