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Aims: The study compared the effects of a patient and carer empowerment programme and conventional hip fracture protocol on hip fractures related knowledge, activity of daily living (ADL) independence, fall efficacy on ADL; and application frequency of adapted ADL skills in individuals with hip fracture. Methodology: 134 participants were recruited with 63 and 71 participants allocated to Patient and Carer Empowerment Programme (PCEP) and conventional hip fracture protocol respectively. Paired t-test was used to compare the pre-post scores of hip fracture knowledge test, Functional Independence Measures-motor scores, Lawton Instrumental ADL scales and Chinese version of Fall Efficacy Scales within groups. Independent t-test was used to compare the outcome measures and application frequency of adapted ADL skills between groups. Results: It showed that both groups have improvement on hip fracture related knowledge, ADL, instrumental ADL independence and fall efficacy on ADL (P<0.05). However, the participants who underwent the PCEP were found to apply adapted ADL skills more frequently. Conclusion: It appears that participants who underwent the PCEP were more ready to build up habit on adapted ADL skills use. Further studies to investigate carers’ stress and hands-on caregiving skills after the programme were recommended.

The objectives of study were to identify longitudinal ADL profiles and to investigate profiles characteristics of participants in stroke rehabilitation programme. 496 stroke rehabilitation records in one year were retrieved. Patients' demographics, admission scores of Cantonese version of Mini-mental State Examination and line cancellation test were retrieved. Chinese version of the Modified Barthel Index (MBI-C) records for the first four successive weeks were also obtained for cluster analysis. Four functional profiles were yielded after cluster analysis. Repeated measures ANOVA showed that Profile 1 (n = 168) with oldest age, lowest baseline MBI-C and line cancellation test scores had improvement only at the last two measurement points (p < 0.001). Profile 4 (n = 100) with youngest age and highest baseline MBI-C showed progress for the first two assessment points then slowing down progressively, while the other two profiles showed improvement on all measurement points (p < 0.001) but with different baseline MBI-C and increments. One-way ANOVA further revealed significant differences in demographics, cognitive-perceptual and receptive speech functions among the profiles. The present study revealed different recovery potential among people with stroke. The higher the initial ADL performance, younger age and the absence of unilateral neglect appeared to relate to better functional recovery.

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