Abstract
Background
There is little research into interventions to increase activity levels of hospitalised older adults.
Aims
To assess the feasibility of using a physical activity monitor (PAL2) in hospitalized older adults and the effect of group exercise on activity levels.
Methods
Participants were hospitalized, ambulant adults ≥ 65 years randomized to individual physical therapy alone or combined with a high intensity exercise group and wore the PAL2 for five consecutive days.
Results
Only 33% of eligible participants agreed to participate with 19/30 (63%) complete data sets obtained; physical activity levels were low regardless of intervention.
Conclusion
Acceptability of physical activity monitoring in hospitalized older adults was low and physical activity levels of those monitored was low across groups. To improve monitor compliance, future studies may consider excluding patients with specific comorbidities that impact on wear time, or selection of an alternative monitor.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the staff of Caulfield Hospital Aged Care wards for their support during the study and to all the patients who volunteered to be part of this study. They would also like to thank Michael Gorman for his support during the study.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study.
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Raymond, M.J., Winter, A., Jeffs, K.J. et al. Acceptability of physical activity monitoring in older adults undergoing inpatient rehabilitation. Aging Clin Exp Res 30, 1005–1010 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0857-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0857-x