Exploring Goal-Setting and Achievement Within Reablement: A Comparative Case Study of Three Countries

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Science
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Reablement programs are increasingly implemented globally, focusing on goal-setting and multidisciplinary collaboration.
• Practical application and user goal achievement in reablement remain unclear, hindering effective implementation.
• Healthcare professionals require better understanding to align reablement services with local contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate goal-setting and achievement within reablement services.
• To analyze the impact of goal-setting on multidisciplinary collaboration.
• To explore healthcare professionals' experiences with reablement in Norway, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative exploratory design.
• Three focus group interviews with 20 healthcare professionals (nursing and allied health).
• Purposive sampling based on gender, age, and educational level.

Main Results:

• Goal-setting is essential for understanding user motives and driving reablement.
• Goal-setting positively impacts multidisciplinary collaboration, fostering community, learning, job satisfaction, and task-shifting.
• Behavior change techniques, including self-reflection, are used to achieve user goals and shift perspectives.

Conclusions:

• Goal-setting is crucial for tailoring reablement programs and enhancing multidisciplinary collaboration.
• Effective collaboration relies on trust, shared vision, and expertise utilization.
• A cultural shift is needed for users, informal caregivers, and healthcare professionals to fully embrace reablement.