Promoting the Physical Activity of Older Adults in Institutional Long-Term Care: A Mixed-Method Case Study.
Noora Narsakka, Riitta Suhonen, Johanna Finskas and 1 others
PMID 41246871WHAT IT FOUND
In one long-term care unit, residents averaged 1.27 hours of light activity daily.
Organised physical activity accounted for 7 minutes, about 7% of total. Nurses promoted activity mainly during daily care.
Key findings
01Residents averaged 1.27 hours of activity per day, and only one resident had moderate or vigorous activity.
02Organised physical activities accounted for 7 minutes per resident per day, about 7% of total activity.
03Nurses promoted residents' activity primarily during activities of daily living.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was one long-term care unit, so the findings may not match other units. Only 13 residents were measured, and the study did not test whether any promotion strategy changed activity. The thigh tracker could not capture activity made mainly with the upper body. Some activities may not have been recorded in patient records. Residents' own experiences were not explored. Staff perspectives came from a small group, and nurses described time pressure, so generalising to all staff is unsafe.
Declared interests
No author declared a conflict of interest. One author, Johanna Finskas, was a research assistant and was employed by the organisation where the study was done. The study was funded by Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, TYKS Foundation and Betania Foundation.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these activity levels as proof that a specific promotion strategy works. The study describes one long-term care unit before changes and has no comparison group or tested intervention.