Níos Fearr Le Chéile/Together is Better: ICPOP Case Review of Intervention for an Older Carer of a Referred Patient

Abstract Background The Integrated Care Programme for Older Persons (ICPOP) aims to implement integrated services and care pathways for older adults with complex health and social care needs. The aim is to place patients at the center of their healthcare decision making and to support them to live well in their homes and communities. A Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), which is the gold standard for the management of frailty in older persons, is carried out on all referred patients at the initial home visit. It is often as an ICPOP assessor delves deeply into the family unit that frailty makers such as decreased mobility, declining cognition, poor appetite, polypharmacy is identified in the non-referred cohabitating person who is also over 65 years of age (Potier et al., 2018). Methods The purpose of this poster is to demonstrate how a holistic approach to care within a household led to the incidental finding of frailty in a family carer who was also an older adult. This case review will illustrate how the referral of one half of a married couple led to opportunistic multi-disciplinary intervention for the second person. Following discussion, at MDT level, of both the referred patient and their spouse, a request for a formal referral to ICPOP for the second person was made to the GP, as it is a referral criteria for ICPOP referrals. Results ICPOP intervention ultimately led to home supports being put in place for both parties along with medical reviews, rationalisation of medications and assistive technology supports, this enabled both patients to live well and safely at home. Conclusion A comprehensive geriatric assessment using a holistic approach resulted in intervention for both parties with a positive outcome for the entire family.