## 2 Materials and Methods
### Exercise Intervention  
According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) [11], the exercise regimen matched the frequency, intensity, type, and time (FITT) guidelines [23; 24]. The exercise intervention was scheduled for three morning sessions each week, in accordance with FITT principles. An experienced exercise physiologist with extensive training in adult and senior exercise prescription watched all sessions, offering exercise adaptations and encouragement, as well as monitoring exercise intensity with validated measures such as the talk test and Borg scale [25; 26]. The exercise physiologist distributed the scales to each participant immediately after each component and at the end of each training session. Resistance, cardiorespiratory, balance, agility, and flexibility training were included in the exercise intervention, with sessions lasting 45-60 min. Exercise sessions were held on weekday mornings in a day-off-day sequence, based on the interests of the participants. Because of the large number of participants, two groups were formed for safety reasons. To provide participants with a diversity of stimuli, three unique sessions were devised and implemented. Details of the exercise protocol can be seen elsewhere [17]. During the training sessions, participants engaged in a warm-up lasting 5-8 min that included slow walking, dynamic stretching exercises, and dual-task activities. The cardiorespiratory fitness activities lasted between 15-20 min and included walking, jogging, aerodance, and dance exercises. The walking exercise involved taking steps on tippy toes, on heels, and with a knee-raising gait around a predefined circuit. Similarly, the jogging exercise was performed around a circuit, with participants increasing their hip and knee flexion with increased pace. Aerodance involved rhythm-based exercises to the beat of the music, while dance exercises were performed in pairs according to music tempo. Participants were given the opportunity to choose their preferred music. Two workouts were selected, each lasting at least 8-10 min, with one session comprising walking and aerodance activities, another session comprising jogging and dance exercises, and the third session comprising walking and dance exercises. The cardiorespiratory training sessions were structured such that participants completed different activities in each of three sessions. The intensity of these sessions began at a moderate level and increased to a moderate-to-vigorous level after 12 weeks. Resistance exercise lasted between 15 and 30 min, and involved the use of bodyweight, ankle weights, rubber bands, and dumbbell equipment. The chosen exercises targeted key muscle groups, and each session included four different exercises. In one session, participants performed chair squats, seated arm abduction and adduction, arm curls, and shoulder shrugs using dumbbells. In another session, participants performed seated single-leg extension and flexion with ankle weights, arm flexion and extension with dumbbells, and peck deck with rubber bands. Rest times between sets in the circuit ranged from 40 to 60 s. During the third session, the participants performed standing calf raises, arm curls with a shoulder press, and seated rows with dumbbells. The intensity of the resistance training was increased from light-to-moderate intensity (5-6 points on the Borg Scale) to moderate intensity (6-7 points on the Borg Scale) after eight weeks to allow for optimal adaptation and execution of the workout. The participants began with one set of 8 repetitions and gradually progressed to three sets of 12-15 repetitions. The exercise physiologist would instruct the participants to perform 3 more repetitions if they could complete 12 repetitions with light-intensity effort. For 5-8 min, the participants engaged in static and dynamic balance training using wooden sticks, softballs, and balloons. Throwing and/or catching softballs, as well as single-leg static and dynamic activities with bats and balloons, were used for balance training.