Frail Older Adults
Conditions
Keywords
frailty, older adult, hospital, exercise, randomised control trial, functional decline
Brief summary
This study will help to determine whether frail older medical inpatients will benefit from targeted exercise sessions performed twice daily while in hospital. Half of the patients will complete targeted strengthening, balance and endurance exercises and the other half, stretching and relaxation exercises. The exercise sessions will be assisted and supported by a senior physiotherapist.
Detailed description
It is well known that older medical patients can experience functional decline following an acute hospital admission and this can persist for up to three months. The targeted exercises are designed to prevent this functional decline by maintaining the patients' strength, balance and endurance. To counterbalance the considerable time spent with the physiotherapy services in the intervention arm, the control group will receive stretches and relaxation exercises. Patients' length of stay is the primary outcome measure. Their physical performance and quality of life at discharge and at 3 months post discharge and their readmission rates are the secondary outcome measures.
Interventions
OTHERIntervention exercise
Twice daily, individual, targeted, strengthening, balance and endurance exercises for the duration of the hospital stay, prescribed and delivered by a senior physiotherapist.
OTHERSham Exercise
Twice daily stretching and relaxation exercises for the duration of the hospital stay, by a senior physiotherapist.
Sponsors
University College Cork
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* medical patients * anticipated length of stay greater than 2 days * planned for discharge home * mobility aid and /or assistance required on admission
Exclusion criteria
* contraindications to exercise * unable to follow commands in the English language * unable to exercise with the assistance of one person only * when active palliative care is required * when full isolation for containment of a contagious infection is required
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Length of Stay | At time of discharge from hospital (an expected average of 8 days post admission) | Patients length of hospital stay is recorded at the time of discharge from electronic admissions data |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Performance | At time of discharge from hospital (an expected average of 8 days post admission); and again at 3 months post discharge | The Short Physical Performance Battery will be completed, which includes a timed 4 m walk. Patients can score 0-12; scoring higher with better physical performance. |
| Quality of Life | At time of discharge from hospital (an expected average of 8 days post admission); and again at 3 months post discharge | The EQ5D-5L will be completed by the patient. |
| Re-admission Rate | From the time of hospital discharge to 3 months post discharge | The number of admissions within 3 months following the index admission will be recorded from hospital electronic records |
Countries
Ireland
Outcome results
None listed