GET UP, GET DRESSED, GET MOVING First national 60-day challenge in acute hospitals in Ireland
ABOVE: Staff of Kavanagh Ward in St James’ Hospital in their pyjamas to highlight the vulnerability of patients when they are in their pyjamas. Photo: Brid Ryan, Senior Clinical Photographer, St James’s Hospital.
T
he Get up Get dressed Get moving (GuGdGm) challenge is an initiative that will be taking place in a number of hospitals throughout Ireland between October 4th and December 3rd 2021. Each of the participating hospitals has nominated a ward/wards that will be involved in encouraging older people to get up, dressed and to get moving during their hospital stay. Each hospital has also identified a control ward, where no GuGdGm intervention will be introduced to facilitate comparison of data.
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Get up Get dressed Get moving
Why are we doing it?
During a hospital stay older adults can spend 97% of their day lying or sitting down. These reduced activity levels can have a serious impact on the quality of life of the older person. Each day spent immobile is associated with loss of muscle strength, which in a vulnerable person can be the difference between being able to climb the stairs or being able to get up off the toilet independently. It can actually make the 18 | HEALTH MATTERS WINTER 2021
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CHALLENGE, search Get up Get dressed Get moving, on hse.ie and #GUGDGM2021 on Twitter.
difference in their ability to be discharged back home or in having to go to long term care facilities. What are the benefits?
During the 60-day challenge all members of the multi-disciplinary team will be supporting the older person to increase their levels of functional activity. And the benefits of simply becoming more active include less risk of: • Getting an infection. • Losing mobility and agility. • Losing fitness and strength. • Developing pressure sores. • Having a fall. One of the significant risk factors for falls is inappropriate footwear, which can include slippers. Therefore if the older person is encouraged to bring in appropriate clothing and footwear they will be at less risk of falls while mobilising. Also we know when people are dressed healthcare professionals are more likely to notice their ability, rather than see them in the ‘sick role’ and so plan for their discharge.
