A co-design process to develop personalized mobility programming for individuals with mobility impairments

Front. Rehabil. Sci., 2024 · DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2024.1336549 · Published: November 20, 2024

Patient Experience Neurorehabilitation Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

Individuals with neurological conditions may experience challenges to their mobility, requiring tailored programs. The process to personalize treatments has not been well described. Co-design methods may be a way to be transparent about intervention development to meet the needs of persons with mobility impairments. This paper describes a co-design process to facilitate the development of personalized mobility programming for persons with mobility impairments. This involves working groups and individual sessions with key interest groups to develop personalized mobility programming based on needs and preferences. The current paper provides a guideline for future work that aims to develop programming that is personalized to the needs of the persons with mobility impairments due to various neurological conditions. The strengths of this approach include the collaborative nature of the program development.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

14 participants (n = 6 persons with lived experience, n = 4 research team members, n = 2 physiotherapists, n = 2 occupational therapists, n = 1 registered kinesiologist)

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The co-design process led to the development of four personalized mobility programs: cognitive cardio class, functional strength class, mobility circuit group, and an open gym.
2
Participants also discussed the onboarding process, emphasizing the need for medical clearance and consideration of attendant requirements and falls risk.
3
Key aspects of personalization included flexible class options (virtual, in-person, asynchronous), varied class timings, and participant feedback mechanisms.

Research Summary

This paper describes a co-design process used to develop personalized mobility programming (PMP) for individuals with mobility impairments, using an adaptive intervention design approach and integrated knowledge translation (iKT) principles. The process involved working groups and individual sessions with persons with lived experience (PWLE), fitness instructors, clinicians, researchers, and students to develop and refine four mobility programs. The co-design approach resulted in a set of PMP that address a range of mobility needs and include key personalization variables, such as flexible class options, participant feedback mechanisms, and individualized goal tracking.

Practical Implications

Guideline for future work

Provides a model for developing personalized mobility programs through co-design, emphasizing the importance of transparent personalization processes.

Applicable to other interventions

The co-design process described is likely applicable to the development of other interventions that include personalization and tailoring.

Promotes meaningful engagement

Offers insights into promoting meaningful engagement of stakeholders in research program development.

Study Limitations

1
Logistical challenges, mainly involving the scheduling of the working groups.
2
Potential limitations of facilitating group discussions (e.g., managing differing personalities).
3
Lack of evaluation of meaningful engagement of working group members.

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Patient Experience