Effectiveness of Exercise Intervention on Physical Function, Psychological Health, Quality of Life, and Spiritual Well-Being in Hospitalized Older Patients

This single-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a structured exercise program on multiple dimensions of health in hospitalized older adults. Eligible participants were adults aged ≥65 years, admitted from the emergency department to two internal medicine wards in a teaching hospital in central Taiwan, able to communicate, capable of standing and walking (with or without assistive devices), and willing to participate in the program.

Participants in the intervention group received a structured, multicomponent exercise program consisting of resistance training, stretching, and walking. The program began on the second day of hospitalization and continued until discharge, with a frequency of five sessions per week. Each session lasted approximately 30 minutes, including about 20 minutes of resistance and stretching exercises targeting major muscle groups through functional movements (e.g., sit-to-stand, leg flexion-extension) and flexibility exercises for the upper arms, back, and posterior legs, performed in 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. Each session also incorporated approximately 10 minutes of walking, with intensity adjusted according to individual tolerance. All sessions were supervised by trained nurses or physical therapists to ensure correct performance and safety.

The control group received routine inpatient care without structured exercise.

Primary outcomes included measures of physical function (Timed Up and Go test, 6-meter walk test, Functional Reach Test, Handgrip strength, and Barthel Index) and psychological health (5-item Geriatric Depression Scale). Secondary outcomes included quality of life (EQ-5D-3L, EQ Visual Analogue Scale) and spiritual well-being (Spiritual Index of Well-Being). All assessments were conducted at baseline (admission) and before discharge by trained assessors blinded to group allocation.

The study aimed to determine whether implementing a structured exercise program during hospitalization could improve multidimensional health outcomes, and to provide evidence for integrating holistic, non-pharmacological interventions into geriatric inpatient care.

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥ 65 years
• Able to communicate
• Capable of standing and walking (with or without assistive devices)
• Willing to participate in both the study and the exercise intervention

Exclusion criteria

• Impaired consciousness
• Acute inflammatory conditions (e.g., gout, acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, heart failure)
• Physician-ordered activity restrictions at admission
• Diagnosed psychiatric disorders or history of epilepsy
• Severe disability requiring total assistance in daily life