Rehabilitation intervention to improve Recovery after an Episode of Delirium in adults over 65 years (RecoverED): a multicentre, single-arm feasibility study in NHS acute hospitals in the UK

OBJECTIVES: To test a theory-informed, person-centred rehabilitation intervention for older adults following a hospital admission complicated by delirium, developed in line with the Medical Research Council framework for complex interventions, to determine whether: (a) the intervention is acceptable to individuals with delirium and (b) a definitive trial and parallel economic evaluation of the intervention are feasible. DESIGN: Multicentre, single-arm feasibility study. PARTICIPANTS: 19 patient (aged >65 years old) and carer pairs were recruited from six National Health Service acute hospitals across the UK. INTERVENTION: Home-based rehabilitation programme designed to support recovery after hospital discharge, addressing cognitive, physical, physiological and psychosocial needs. Delivered by a trained team of occupational therapists, physiotherapists and rehabilitation support workers, the intervention included a comprehensive home assessment, collaborative goal setting, up to 10 personalised sessions over 12 weeks and the use of a recovery record to guide progress, education and psychosocial support. OUTCOME MEASURES: Examined aspects of feasibility including eligibility, recruitment, data collection, attrition, acceptability of the rehabilitation intervention and potential to calculate cost-effectiveness. RESULTS: In total, 419 patients were identified as having delirium and 36 met the full eligibility. 19 patient and carer pairs agreed to participate in the study (consent rate 53%; 95% CI 35% to 70%) with 13 participants going on to start the intervention (68%; 95% CI 43% to 87%) and 10 participants completing final follow-up (53%; 95% CI 29% to 76%). Baseline assessments were conducted either during hospitalisation or postdischarge, with initial assessments occurring a mean of 18 days (SD=13.0) postdischarge, and 77% completed within 14 days. Participants completed a mean of eight sessions (SD=2.9). 19 participants completed the primary outcome at baseline, while 10 participants completed it at 6-month follow-up. The economic evaluation indicated a total cost of £1249.29 per participant, covering assessments, intervention sessions and training costs. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention showed feasibility among older adults recovering from delirium, as evidenced by the trial processes for participants who entered the study. However, recruitment challenges indicate a need for better strategies and further research through a definitive randomised controlled trial to demonstrate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN15676570.