Table 2.
Top three carer outcomes and top three side effects of physical activity from the perspective of carers and professionals
| Sum of ranking positions from all participants (n = 75) | Final overall ranking position | Definition, as in the glossary made available to participants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top three carer outcomes in lay terminology | |||
| Carer feeling positive and satisfied | 228 | 1 | Carers feeling positive about the person living with dementia being active, improving and having a fulfilling time. Carers feeling proud of the person living with dementia and seeing them doing activities they used to do in the past. Carer having better self-esteem. In the literature this was linked to confidence in their care abilities and carers’ satisfaction with the intervention |
| Carer improving wellbeing | 230 | 2 | Carer wellbeing and quality of life. Carer having fun |
| Making the lives of carers easier | 319 | 3 | Physical activity may reduce the burden of care in the long-term by: maintaining functional independence of the person with dementia and finding the person living with dementia more agreeable to tasks, lightening the workload that need to be done by the carer; carer accessing support from professionals; and carer experiencing less challenging behaviour, including less sundowning from the person living with dementia. In the short-term, carers’ lives can be made easier by giving the carer a break; time and space to themselves or some respite, while the person with dementia is involved in physical activity and needing less input from the carer |
| Top three side effects of activity | |||
| Becoming agitated and confused | 319 | 1 | Becoming challenging, frustrated, rude or overstimulated during physical activity. Refusing to go back into a care setting after an activity in a different environment. In some cases, activities with these effects were considered not appropriate for the person living with dementia and are often interrupted |
| Falling over | 400 | 2 | Sustaining falls or increasing falls risk by being active. Sustaining injuries after a fall (e.g. fractures) and having to attend emergency care because of falls. Being about to fall, but being able to save oneself. Increasing fear of falling and reduced confidence in walking due to fear of a fall |
| Feeling discomfort and pain | 419 | 3 | Includes joint pain, muscle soreness or stiffness after exercising. Complaining of pain or experiencing physical discomfort during physical activity. Not being able to be as active as usual in the day(s) after the activity |