Physical Activity Programming for Older Adults in Assisted Living: Residents' Perspectives.
Katelyn E Webster, Julia S Seng, Nancy A Gallagher and 5 others
PMID 35775102WHAT IT FOUND
Assisted living residents wanted physical activity programs to be shorter, group-based, safe and adaptable.
They preferred framing goals as adding light activity rather than reducing sitting, and found chair-only classes too easy.
Key findings
01Residents said the proposed 16-week program and 1.5-2-hour sessions were too long; a 12-week version was better received, and residents were used to activities lasting 1 hour or less.
02Twelve residents felt emphasizing increasing light physical activity by 30 minutes would be more motivating than focusing on decreasing sedentary behavior.
03Residents worried about balance, falls and injury during activity and said supervision or help would be needed to keep others safe.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Qualitative interviews did not test the intervention, so they provide no evidence that it changes activity or sedentary behavior. The four facilities were similar in support and activities, so findings may not apply to other assisted living settings. Volunteers may have been more active and have higher physical function than residents who did not take part. Residents were asked about a proposed program, not a program they had completed, so preferences may not match later behavior. Participants had to be able to engage without a wheelchair or motorized scooter and score at least 3 on the Mini-Cog, so it says little about residents who need more mobility support or have greater cognitive impairment.
Declared interests
The supplied metadata lists NIH extramural research support; the article text does not provide an author conflict-of-interest declaration.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these resident preferences as evidence that the proposed program increases activity or reduces sitting. The study interviewed 20 residents about a planned intervention and did not test the intervention or measure outcomes.