# The design and development of a home-based rehabilitation programme for those recovering after an episode of delirium

## TL;DR

This paper describes the development of RecoverED, a home-based rehabilitation program for people recovering from delirium, designed to support long-term recovery and improve outcomes.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a novel, theory-based, home-based rehabilitation intervention for delirium recovery called RecoverED.

## Key findings

- RecoverED is a 12-week, multicomponent program combining cognitive, physical, and psychosocial elements.
- The intervention was developed using stakeholder input and a realist-informed approach to guide its design.
- A feasibility trial and qualitative process evaluation are underway to assess the program's potential for broader implementation.

## Abstract

Delirium, closely linked to increasing age and frailty, is a growing concern in the aging population, yet there is little understanding about how to support recovery for individuals and their carers. This paper details the design and development of RecoverED, a home-based rehabilitation intervention for delirium recovery.

A realist-informed approach was used to develop a programme theory and logic model for RecoverED. A rapid realist review had identified strategies for delirium recovery, followed by interviews with stakeholders (older adults, carers, and professionals), and an expert panel discussion. The intervention was then developed based on the refined programme theory of what had worked to improve recovery from delirium, for whom, and in what context.

The RecoverED intervention, described using the TIDieR checklist, was a complex, multicomponent, 12 week home-based programme delivered by a multidisciplinary team in up to 10 sessions. The intervention comprised cognitive, physical, and psychosocial components. An intervention manual and training programme had been developed to support delivery teams.

The RecoverED intervention was being evaluated in a multi-centre feasibility trial with a qualitative process evaluation. This paper describes theory-based rehabilitation interventions for long-term delirium recovery. Further research through a randomised controlled trial is needed to assess its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness before broader implementation.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-025-13614-8.