SEED PROJECT: Fishing for Rehabilitation

About the Project

Researcher Name: Aaron Arthur

People/organisations involved:

Metro South Health:
Aaron Arthur – Clinical Lead - Allied Health Assistant
Agnieszka Palak – Physiotherapist
Jacqueline Byrne -Research Officer
Shelley Ehlers – Allied Health Assistant

Griffith University/The Hopkins Centre:
Michael Norwood
Louise Gustafsson
Jessie Mitchell

For two and a half years ABI TRS has been trialling a customised one-on-one fishing therapy initiative for clients experiencing low mood, adjustment to injury difficulties and those experiencing limited engagement in traditional clinic or home-based rehabilitation. The program typically consists of between one and five sessions, each lasting two hours, and these are specifically designed to address the unique multidisciplinary therapeutic needs and goals of each client.

The fishing therapy initiative was piloted by 30 clients over a period of 2.5 years, during which clinicians observed several perceived health and wellbeing benefits including increased motivation, improved mood, greater engagement in traditional therapy, enhanced social interaction, and positive contributions toward achieving ABI TRS program objectives.

Aim and objective:

This project aims to explore and evaluate fishing's impact on health and wellbeing, therapy engagement, and goal achievement in ABI populations. It seeks to identify key effectiveness factors and explore and implement data collection methods to quantify the programs benefits, to validate the inclusion of fishing therapy within the ABI TRS 10-week community rehabilitation program.
This aligns with Hopkins Centre Program 2 – Enabling Technologies and Environments.

Therefore, we ask the following research questions:
RQ1: How does the fishing programme impact clients’ goal attainment, participation, and wellbeing?
RQ2: What strategies and resources are needed to promote the ABI TRS fishing program to clients prior to their hospital discharge?
RQ3: How can we encourage and support ongoing engagement with fishing after clients complete the program?

Ultimately, this quality improvement project will review the inclusion of fishing therapy within the ABI TRS 10-week community rehabilitation program and make recommendations for future inclusion if required. This research will be completed as a quality improvement project and will use qualitative and quantitative approaches. Quantitative data will explore research question 1 regarding efficacy of the intervention. Qualitative data will explore all research questions.

Phase 1:

Retrospective analysis of existing data from 30 clients. Existing standard clinical assessments explored goal attainment, wellbeing, participation, and health improvement at two timepoints pre and post program (start and end of ABI TRS) (EQ, MAYO, FIM, GAS goals).
Qualitative, basic content analyse of clinical notes exploring clinician observations and recorded client comments.

Phase 2:

Phase two involves resource building and dissemination. We will develop protocols and guidelines to establish fishing therapy as a standard component of ABI TRS; create promotional materials, including a flyer for BIRU for clients to receive prior to commencing the ABI TRS program; develop a ‘how to’ booklet which would cover topics such as recommended fishing locations, disability access considerations, tide information, tackle and bait suggestions, knot-tying techniques, fish species, bag limits and legal-size regulations, procedures for managing pest species, and safety precautions to be aware of, benefits of being in nature/blue green spaces and potential benefits to wellbeing (yet to be determined) . This is for dissemination to other ABI services, community support workers, and clients and family.

Expected outcomes and impact:

Identify therapeutic benefits and contributing components.
Develop formalise protocols and guidelines to establish fishing therapy as a standard component of ABI TRS.
Establish parameters for ongoing data collection.
Enhance goal setting for the intervention through a structured Goal Attainment Scale framework and referral process.
Determine staff training needs, resources, and equipment to sustain the fishing initiative within ABI TRS and following discharge.
Create promotional materials, including a flyer for BIRU for clients to receive prior to commencing the ABI TRS program.
Develop an informational Fishing Fact Sheet for the ABI TRS service promotion website.
Develop an accessible, easy-to-understand ‘how to’ booklet on how to initiate and sustain fishing activities after ABI TRS. This will be disseminated to other clients, ABI services, NDIS community support workers, family members, and friends.