The Health of Community-Residing Elderly Study: Effectiveness of Health in Movement, an Adapted Physical Activity Program, in Improving Psychophysical Performance in Community-Residing Older Adults

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between cognitive function and an Adapted Physical Activity (APA) program in community-residing older adults. The study was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The final study sample was 60 adults who received either APA plus cognitive training (experimental group, n=34) or APA alone (comparison group, n=26) for 75 minutes per session twice weekly for 12 weeks. A test battery to evaluate executive function and cognitive skills was performed before (baseline) and after the intervention. Significant differences in motor and cognitive performance were observed between the two groups at the final assessment. The experimental group was noted to have improved mobility, physical performance, and pain symptoms, as well as cognitive competencies in the domains typically affected by cognitive decline with advancing age such as memory, orientation, and fine motor skills.