This program aims to recruit Allied Health Professionals (Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and/or Exercise Physiologists) to deliver a prescriptive program of physical therapy to residents of eligible Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF’s). The aim of the program is to combat the deconditioning of residents who reside in an RACF which experienced a lockdown as a result of a COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 (defined as a facility which had two or more cases of COVID-19 among its staff and /or residents).

Participating Allied Health Providers will undertake a program of work within their designated RACF/’s to administer, monitor and evaluate the impact of a prescribed program of physical therapy intervention. It is expected that measurements and data will be collected regarding baseline ability, ongoing interaction with the program and progress in defined outcomes as outlined by the Department of Health program.

The intended outcomes are:-

• An opportunity for Allied Health Practitioners (Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapist and Exercise Physiologists) to lead group therapy and contribute towards better health outcomes for RACF residents.
• An improvement in the physical functioning of those residents who resided in RACF’s which experienced an outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020
• An increase in access to allied health services for people living in RACFs who are at risk of deconditioning due to the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020.

The program deliverables will be composed of baseline discussions and measurements with allocated facility/ies and residents, the provision of a 26 week prescriptive program of Allied Health physical therapy intervention, plus ongoing and final evaluation measures as outlined in the full EOI.

Prospective providers will be required to complete the EOI evaluation criteria to provide information regarding their capacity and capability to deliver the program, including information on existing relationships with eligible RACFs, format of organisation including organisations size, existing clinical governance structures and data management approach and preparedness to deliver and assess this prescriptive group therapy program.