Assessing the feasibility and impact of specially adapted exercise interventions, aimed at improving the multi-dimensional health and functional capacity of frail geriatric hospital inpatients: protocol for a feasibility study

Abstract

BackgroundFrailty is a common and clinically significant condition in older adults, predominantly due to its association with adverse health outcomes such as hospitalisation, disability and mortality. Exercise interventions have been shown to be a beneficial treatment for frailty. However, more high-quality studies are needed to assess the feasibility and impact of these interventions in frail geriatric populations within different settings, and their impact on broader aspects of health and well-being.Methods and analysisThis study will use a 2-week, interventional, independent measures research design in order to assess the feasibility and impact of two specially adapted exercise training interventions (a specially adapted resistance training intervention, and Move It Or Lose It: an established community-based exercise intervention for older adults) aimed at improving the multidimensional health and functional capacity of frail geriatric hospital inpatients.Ethics and disseminationThis study has received a favourable ethical opinion by the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Research Ethics Committee and sponsorship by the University of Birmingham after review by the sponsors research governance office. The findings will be disseminated through publication in open access scientific journals, public engagement events, online via social media, conference presentations and directly to study participants on request.Trial registration number NCT03141866

Combined Chair-Based Exercises Improve Functional Fitness, Mental Well-Being, Salivary Steroid Balance, and Anti-microbial Activity in Pre-frail Older Women

“…Taking the physical limitations of frail (and pre-frail) older individuals, exercise adaptations and special training protocols have been suggested ( Doody et al, 2019 ; Grimmer et al, 2019 ). Among many adapted protocols, chair-seated exercises have gained much interest nowadays since it imposes an autonomous resistance effort concomitantly avoiding risks of injuries and high impact on the articulations of practitioners ( Rathleff et al, 2017 ; Furtado et al, 2020 ).…”

Feasibility of reducing frailty components in older adults with Alzheimer's dementia: a randomized controlled home-based exercise trial (AD-HOMEX)

“…Due to the lack of a diagnostic consensus for frailty, several instruments have been used for this assessment in clinical trials (Cameron et al, 2013;Tarazona-Santabalbina et al, 2016;Losa-Reyna et al, 2019;Aas et al, 2020;Arrieta et al, 2019;Hsieh et al, 2019;Doody et al, 2019). The present study used two common instruments.…”

Covid-19 and Social Distancing of the Elderly: The Importance of Physical Exercise

“…Thus, it is a method that contributes to the maintenance and improvement of the physical, mental health, and quality of life of elderly people during the period of social distancing caused by the pandemic of COVID-19. It is also important to highlight during this practice the preventive measures against COVID-19 infection [112].…”