Effects of 1 Year of Lifestyle Intervention on Institutionalized Older Adults

Abstract

The socio-economic and health consequences of our ageing population are well documented, with older adults living in long-term care facilities amongst the frailest possessing specific and significant healthcare and social care needs. These needs may be exacerbated through the sedentary behaviour which is prevalent within care home settings. Reducing sedentary time can reduce the risk of many diseases and improve functional health, implying that improvements in health may be gained by simply helping older adults substitute time spent sitting with time spent standing or in light-intensity ambulation. This study identified the impact of 1 year of lifestyle intervention in a group of older adults living in a long-term care setting in Italy. One hundred and eleven older adults (mean age, 82.37 years; SD = 10.55 years) participated in the study. Sixty-nine older adults were in the intervention group (35 without severe cognitive decline and 34 with dementia) and 42 older adults were in the control group. Data on physical functioning, basic activities of daily living (BADL) and mood were collected 4 times, before, during (every four months) and after the 1 year of intervention. The lifestyle intervention focused on improving the amount of time spent every week in active behaviour and physical activity (minimum 150 min of weekly activities). All participants completed the training program and no adverse events, related to the program, occurred. The intervention group showed steady and significant improvements in physical functioning and a stable situation in BADL and mood following the intervention in older adults with and without dementia, whilst the control group exhibited a significant decline over time. These results suggest that engagement in a physical activity intervention may benefit care home residents with and without dementia both physically and mentally, leading to improved social care and a reduced burden on healthcare services.

Systematic Review of the Effects of Exercise and Physical Activity on the Gut Microbiome of Older Adults

“…PA/exercise might be a way to improve the gut microbiome during ageing since it influences several organs, cells, and tissues, and involves several molecular pathways. Previous studies have shown that PA/exercise have several benefits during the ageing process such as improvements in cognitive function [ 55 , 56 ], promotion of cardiovascular health [ 57 ] and improvements in the musculoskeletal system [ 58 , 59 , 60 ], making it a precious tool to counteract the age-associated changes that occur in those systems. Besides the benefits mentioned previously, recent studies [ 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 ] on the effects of exercise on the gut microbiome of older people have suggested that exercise might beneficially affect its composition and even reverse some age-associated taxonomical changes, ultimately leading towards healthy ageing.…”

Are Gyms a Feasible Setting for Exercise Training Interventions in Patients with Cardiovascular Risk Factors? An Italian 10-Years Cross-Sectional Survey Comparison

“…The first assumption is that gym users represent an active and health-oriented subset of the general population leading to beneficial adaptations on CV risk factors. Even when compared in terms of age and gender, gyms are frequented by a selected active population, which therefore cares more about health issues, treats risk factors more carefully and generally recognizes a preventive and therapeutic role of PA and exercise [ 31 , 32 ]. The intrinsic role of regularly performed PA that has a strong impact on reducing all CV risk factors should be added to this fact.…”

Exercise Guidelines to Counteract Physical Deconditioning in Long-Term Care Facilities: What to Do and How to Do It?

“…43 In another study, participants in a 1-year intervention showed a reduction in symptoms of depression and an improvement in balance, upper limb strength, and basic ADLs compared with the control group. 47 Finally, 12 weeks of daily supervised, individualized training improved balance, physical activity levels, and transfers in LTC residents compared with the control group. 40 However, it is important to mention that one of the main barriers to implementing a daily exercise intervention in LTC is a lack of support and staff.…”