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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04627493

Improving Physical Activity and Mobility Via Live Online Exercise Sessions for Older Adults

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly resulted in an increased level of personal anxiety, reduced access to support services, and as a secondary complication, increased physical inactivity. Older people appear to be at higher risk of several secondary complications and long-term negative health outcomes. These complications include declines in physical health and mobility, social isolation, and worsening mental health. There is strong evidence in older persons that supports the role of exercise and physical activity in: the alleviation of strength and mobility declines, reducing anxiety and depression, and alleviating cognitive declines. Exercise-based intervention trials have also been shown to reduce social isolation and loneliness. This study will compare an online exercise program delivered via Zoom and a waitlist control group in healthy older persons.

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Key information

Conditions

Aging Behavior Motor Activity

Age range

65 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Ivor Wynne Centre

Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8, Canada

About this study

This study will examine the impacts of an online exercise program in healthy older persons compared to a waitlist control group. Briefly, participants (healthy persons, age 65-80 years old) will participate in an online group exercise program (designed to meet Canada's Physical Activity Guidelines) via Zoom delivered by Registered Kinesiologists and Physiotherapists for a total of 8 weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to the exercise group or the waitlist control group. Participants' will undergo assessments of physical activity, life-space mobility, nutrition, loneliness, depression, and anxiety at baseline, end of study, and 8-weeks following the end of the intervention.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Exclusion criteria

  • Experience any physical conditions which may prevent them from engaging in moderate-intensity physical activity including using assistive walking devices (e.g. cane or walker), or injuries;
  • Have a history of neuromuscular conditions or muscle wasting diseases;
  • Are currently participating in physical activity, ≥150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week;
  • Are not eligible to participate in regular physical activity according to the Canadian Society Exercise Physiology Get Active Questionnaire;
  • Do not have access to the internet at home via a personal smartphone, tablet (e.g., iPad), or computer.

Treatment and study plan

Online exercise

Behavioral

Participants will participate in an online exercise program on Zoom delivered by Registered Kinesiologists and Physiotherapists three times a week.

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in physical activity

    Time frame: Baseline, post intervention, 8-week follow-up

    7 day steps and activity-related energy expenditure

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in life-space mobility score

    Time frame: Baseline, post intervention, 8-week follow-up

    The University of Alabama Life Space Assessment, UA-LSA, will be used to assess participants life-space mobility score. It is a global marker of older adults' physical and community mobility and it has been shown to relate to objectively-measured step counts.

  2. Change in nutrition

    Time frame: Baseline, post intervention, 8-week follow-up

    The Screen II (Seniors in the Community Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition) will be used to determine whether individuals have a potential nutritional problem or are at risk of developing one and identifies those who need further nutrition assessment and treatment.

  3. Change in feelings of loneliness

    Time frame: Baseline, post intervention, 8-week follow-up

    The 11-item Revised University of California Los Angeles loneliness scale (R-UCLA) will be used to assess participants' feelings of loneliness.

  4. Change in the Geriatric Depression Scale score

    Time frame: Baseline, post intervention, 8-week follow-up

    The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) contains 15 items that measure the intensity of depressive symptoms on a dichotomous scale (yes or no). The total score ranges from 0 to 15. Higher scores indicate higher levels of depressive symptoms.

  5. Change in the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory score

    Time frame: Baseline, post intervention, 8-week follow-up

    The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) contains 20 items that measure the intensity of anxious symptoms on a dichotomous scale (agree or disagree). The total score ranges from 0 to 20. A score of 10 or over is associated with the presence of a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

  6. Program Feasibility

    Time frame: Throughout the participant's intervention period (0-8 weeks)

    Program feasibility will be evaluated by: 1) program adherence/attendance in the online exercise program for participants in the intervention group; and 2) program satisfaction/acceptability questionnaire at the end of each online exercise class for all participants in the intervention group.

  7. Participants experiences and perceptions

    Time frame: 1-60 days post intervention

    Participants' experiences and perceptions of exercise and our online exercise program. This will be collected through qualitative data: semi-structured one-on-one interviews conducted with each participant who completes the online exercise program.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

McMaster University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Improving Physical Activity and Mobility, During a Pandemic, Via Live Online Exercise Sessions for Older Persons: a Pilot RCT

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Nov 13, 2020
Registry last updated
Sep 13, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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