Impact Assessment of the Jockey Club REACH & Map Program for Hard-to-reach Older Adults

Impact Assessment of the Jockey Club REACH & Map Program for Hard-to-reach Older Adults in the Community: A Target Trial Emulation

The goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of the Reach-and-Map project on increasing functional capacity to optimize the functional ability of the vulnerable group of "Hard-to-Reach" older adults through increase the compatibility between their intrinsic capacity and environment.

The overall aim of this project is to conduct a comprehensive impact assessment of the Jockey Club (JC) Reach & Map Program, utilizing a framework based on the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Impact Assessment. The study will evaluate how the program influences health outcomes among hard-to-reach older adults by assessing changes in key health determinants. The findings will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders to inform future policy setting and service planning, and long-term monitoring will be undertaken to evaluate the extent to which the impact assessment influences decision-making in aged care service development.

The primary focus of the evaluation is on the functional abilities of older adults, including physical, cognitive, psychological, and social functioning. The assessment will also cover core outcomes such as quality of life, frailty, and health service use, alongside person-centered measures like loneliness and mental health. Given the diverse services received by beneficiaries, the study will account for structural and social health determinants-such as age, gender, socio-economic status, and chronic disease burden-as covariates in the analysis. In addition, the project will explore the broader effects of the JC Reach & Map Program on aged care service utilization and document both the experiences of service recipients and stakeholders involved.

Specifically, the study objectives are: (1) to evaluate the impact of the JC Reach & Map Program on frailty, quality of life, and health service use among hard-to-reach older adults, focusing on physical, cognitive, psychological, and social functions; (2) to explore the engagement experiences and perceptions of older adults regarding the services received, and their impact on well-being, community engagement, and social integration; and (3) to explore the experiences of service stakeholders in reaching and working with this population, as well as to gather their insights on ideal service models and policies for hard-to-reach older adults.

Inclusion Criteria:

• age > 60
• able to participate in the impact assessment as evidence by a test score of > 6 on the Abbreviated Mental Test
• has the functional ability to engage in the digital intervention
• able to communicate with the researcher

Exclusion Criteria:

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