Exploring physical activity experiences of community-dwelling oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity: A qualitative study.
Irene López-Novis, Elena Marques-Sule, Pallav Deka and 3 others
PMID 39152567WHAT IT FOUND
Oldest-old adults with multiple chronic conditions described pain, tiredness, cold weather and caregiving as reducing activity.
Fear after falls led them to stop activities. Companions, home adaptations, aids and tailored activities were described as supporting safety, confidence or activity.
Key findings
01Participants said pain and tiredness from chronic conditions reduced their motivation to be physically active.
02Most participants highlighted fear of falling as a main factor preventing activity, and it led them to give up activities they had enjoyed.
03Participants felt more confident when someone was with them and safer when their home was adapted.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Thirty-three were invited; nine could not be contacted and five declined. Nineteen took part. The study excluded people with cognitive impairment or speech difficulties, so it says nothing about those patients. Interviews were done by phone and only once, which may have missed non-verbal information and limited depth. Advanced age and phone communication may have made the accounts harder to understand. Findings are experiences and themes, not evidence that any intervention changes physical activity. Results come from Spain and cannot be generalized to other countries or health systems.
Declared interests
The article says the study was part of a research project associated with the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. It does not report a commercial sponsor or author conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that tailored activities, home adaptations, aids or companionship increase physical activity. The study asked 19 people about their experiences and did not test an intervention.