Community-based complex interventions to sustain independence in older people: Systematic review and network meta-analysis

In this project we plan to review findings from previous research studies (clinical trials) that have tested different community services for older people living at home, including people living with frailty.

We will combine information from the previous research studies to find out which community services are most effective. This will include new information on how services should be organised, which is crucial information for people who develop and provide services. This will help people who run the NHS and social care to decide precisely which services should be offered and who should get them. In turn this should help older people to live longer in their own homes with fewer problems.

Aim

To synthesise evidence on the effectiveness of community-based complex interventions to sustain independence for older people, including the effect of frailty and pre-frailty, and group interventions to identify the best configurations.

Research questions

  1. Do community-based complex interventions for older people increase living at home, independence and health-related quality of life?

  2. Do community-based complex interventions for older people reduce home care requirement, depression, loneliness, falls, hospitalisation, care home admission, costs and mortality?

  3. How should interventions be grouped for network meta-analysis (NMA)?

  4. What is the optimal configuration of community-based complex interventions for older people?

  5. Do intervention effects differ by frailty level (not frail; pre-frailty; frailty)?