The therapists’ decision regarding ability to count was used clinically to determine which patient’s results were trusted and therefore documented. Therapists observed the patients counting their exercise repetitions during semi-supervised or group sessions for a short period, normally 1-2 minutes. GSK1120212 ic50 This was to determine if there was any obvious inaccuracy in the patient’s counting ability. Common inaccuracies are counting multiple times for each exercise, or inconsistent counting of each repetition of exercise, meaning that patients miss repetitions. This study aimed to reflect clinical practice. Therefore those patients who were obviously inaccurate

in counting were excluded from the study. Clinically, these individuals are

not asked to count their exercise independently. Instead therapists, therapy assistants, or family members tally exercise dosage. So, the focus of the study was whether those patients who seem able to count accurately and were left to count exercises independently for extended periods, were truly accurate when observed closely. The participants who were observed were chosen randomly from all patients admitted to the two rehabilitation units during the study period and who were judged by therapists to be able to count accurately (based on a short period of observation). Random selection was achieved using a random number generator on a computer. A research assistant who did not work clinically on the rehabilitation units completed selleck kinase inhibitor this process. This research assistant scheduled the observation sessions based on observer and inhibitors participant availability. When scheduling the sessions she ensured that the observer was not the participant’s treating therapist. Participants were unaware of their inclusion

in the study and did not know they were being observed. The treating therapists did not know the timing of observations 17-DMAG (Alvespimycin) HCl and were also unaware which aged care rehabilitation patients had been selected for the study. This was to ensure that increased therapist time was not devoted to the participant during the observation period. Prior to inclusion into the study, the treating physiotherapist collected eligible participants’ demographic data. The Mini-Mental State Examination was completed as part of usual practice on admission to each rehabilitation unit but two participants were unable to complete this test due to limited English language skills. The treating therapist also rated the participants’ level of disability with the Modified Rankin Scale. An observer, who was a physiotherapist but not the participant’s treating therapist, covertly counted each participant’s exercise repetitions via direct observation in the rehabilitation gymnasium.