Feasibility and Benefits of Group Based Exercise in Residential Aged Care Adults
Condition: Geriatric Disorder; Sarcopenia
MeSH terms: Sarcopenia
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study is a pilot study (feasibility and acceptability study), which will compare
      feasibility and efficacy outcomes between a 12-week Exercise Program and control group in RAC
      residents.
    

Detailed description: 
      Study Design and Recruitment This study compared the delivery feasibility and outcomes of a
      12-week combined resistance and weight bearing exercise programme which the investigators
      named the GrACE programme. Participant recruitment and assessment occurred over a five-month
      period.

      The RAC was approached about participation via email and telephone follow-up. Potential
      participants were identified at a meeting with the facility Service Manager. Participants
      were screened via the inclusion criteria at the meeting with the Service Manager and a
      Registered Nurse, and written consent was attained prior to participation. Following an
      explanation of the procedures, purposes, benefits and associated risks of the study,
      participants had the opportunity to ask questions. A total of 37 older RAC adults provided
      written informed consent for the study. The exercise group contained 20 participants and the
      control group 17 participants. Ethical approval to conduct this study was attained from Bond
      University's Human Ethics Research Committee (RO 1823).

      Intervention: the GrACE programme Previous work by our group trialled a successful exercise
      programme in respite day care that could promise benefits to those in RAC (HenwoodWooding &
      de Souza 2013). In brief, the GrACE programme included a number of targeted weight-bearing
      exercises (using body weight and dumbbells) and a range of seated, non-resisted upper- and
      lower-body dynamic and reaching movements. While developed for respite care older adults, the
      programme was slightly modified for the RAC setting; initially using reduced range of motion
      and resistance, and an extended conditioning/familiarisation phase. The conditioning phase
      lasted for three weeks in which technique was emphasised without using any weights or
      additional resistance. The focus of this technique of the conditioning phase was to develop
      the correct technique and minimise the potential for any delayed onset muscle soreness or
      adverse effects. After concluding the conditioning phase, participants were able to use light
      dumbbells (often starting with 0.5kg) increasing to heavier dumbbells (up to 4kg) with their
      increasing capacity over the course of the programme. Participants performed the exercises
      twice per week for 12 weeks. Training sessions lasted approximately 45 minutes, were
      separated by at least 48 hours and were delivered by an allied health professional
      experienced working with RAC adults.

      Control Group All subjects assigned to the control group were given the option to engage in
      other activities that were offered by the facility during the 12-week intervention period.
      Activities were facility specific, and included Zumba Gold aerobic exercise and walking,
      however no specific resistance exercises were offered.

      Data Collection Reasons for refusal (non-consent) to participate were recorded (Henwood
      2014). All muscle function outcome measures in this study have been previously validated for
      use with older adults, and their protocols reported elsewhere (Henwood, Wooding & de Souza
      2013; Sterke et al. 2012). Assessments were completed one-on-one with each participant.
      During muscle function measures assessments, participants were encouraged to rest as needed
      and given verbal support and encouragement to reduce any potential burden to the participant.
    

Intervention name(s): Exercise; Control
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): to determine the feasibility of the GrACE (Group Aged Care Exercise) programme in RAC, with the secondary objective of measuring the programme benefits on gait speed, sit to stand and handgrip strength.; to compare with the GrACE (Group Aged Care Exercise) programme in RAC, as well as the secondary objective of measuring the programme benefits on gait speed, sit to stand and handgrip strength against the intervention group
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Keywords: exercise; older adults; physical performance