The two models of service delivery were piloted and
evaluated. The pilot design consisted of a randomised
controlled trial (RCT) with one-third of participants
receiving extra care-aide time, one-third receiving
personal alarms and one-third receiving routine or
standard care. The intervention period was between 6
and 12 weeks depending on prognosis. Data collection
took place in 2010. Each participant completed a
questionnaire administered by a researcher pre- and
post-intervention.
Fifty-eight participants were randomised to one of
the three groups, with 20 in the standard care group, 19
in the personal alarm group and 19 in the care-aide
group. However, due to attrition, only 43 of the 58 participants
were able to complete the study, leaving 17 in the
standard care group, 14 in the personal alarm group and
12 in the care-aide group.
Design and recruitment
Ethical approval was provided by the Human Research
EthicsCommittees of Curtin University and Silver Chain.
‘Home alone’ participants were recruited from
patients receiving palliative care services from SCHCS.
Potential participants were identified from the Silver
Chain database if they were recorded as living alone and
not having a family carer. The study inclusion criteria
were: a cancer or non-cancer diagnosis requiring homebased
palliative care, living at home alone with no caregiver,
English speaking, not cognitively impaired
(guided by the clinical judgment of the nurse), does not
already have a personal alarm and has a home telephone
landline (necessary if randomised to the personal alarm
intervention).