A pilot exploration of the effect of designated Function Focused Care on mobility, functional dependence and falls frequency in Dutch nursing home residents

In recent years, there has been a gradual change in nursing home care from care providers doing as many things as possible for residents to a philosophy where patients are encouraged to become more involved in their care and activities of daily living. Function Focused Care (FFC) is a methodology to stimulate the involvement of residents on a daily basis that has shown to be safe and effective in improving ADL-functioning. We implemented FFC in four nursing homes with 53 residents. This first pilot project in Dutch nursing homes has replicated the finding that FFC inspires functional independence, but also revealed a reduction in the number of falls among fallers. •The first pilot study of Function Focused Care in Dutch nursing homes showed a successful and positive implementation of the care philosophy.•The implementation leads to decreases in fall incident as well as reported functional dependence.•The effects were not instantly noticed by all those involved and became more pronounced over time.