Volunteer-led physical activity interventions to improve health outcomes for community-dwelling older people: a systematic review
Volunteer-led physical activity interventions to improve health outcomes for community-dwelling older people: a systematic review
Background: physical activity (PA) is important for older people to maintain functional independence and healthy ageing. There is strong evidence to support the benefits of physical activity interventions on the health outcomes of older adults. Nonetheless, innovative approaches are needed to ensure that these interventions are practical and sustainable.
Aim: this systematic review explores the effectiveness of volunteer-led PA interventions in improving health outcomes for community-dwelling older people.
Methods: five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PEDro, Cochrane library) were systematically searched for studies using trained volunteers to deliver PA interventions for community-dwelling older people aged ≥ 65 years. Meta-analysis was not conducted due to included study heterogeneity.
Results: twelve papers describing eight studies (five papers reported different outcomes from the same study) were included in the review. All eight studies included strength and balance exercises and frequency of PA ranged from weekly to three times a week. Volunteer-led exercises led to improvements in functional status measured using the short physical performance battery, timed up and go test, Barthel Index, single leg stand, step touch test, chair stand test, and functional reach. Frailty status identified by grip strength measurement or the use of long-term care insurance improved with volunteer-led exercises. Interventions led to improvement in fear of falls and maintained or improved the quality of life. The impact on PA levels were mixed.
Conclusion: limited evidence suggests that volunteer-led PA interventions that include resistance exercise training, can improve outcomes of community-dwelling older adults including functional status, frailty status, and reduction in fear of falls. More high-quality RCTs are needed to investigate the effects of volunteer-led PA interventions among older people.
Exercise, Health outcomes, Older adults, Physical activity, Volunteer
Lim, Stephen
dd2bfbd7-7f74-4365-b77e-9989f6408ddc
Cox, Natalie
dfdfbc5f-41b8-4329-a4b5-87b6e93aa09e
Tan, Qian Yue
d7fc366c-dc13-4e7e-b520-8ec88da54094
Ibrahim, Kinda
54f027ad-0599-4dd4-bdbf-b9307841a294
Roberts, Helen
5ea688b1-ef7a-4173-9da0-26290e18f253
Lim, Stephen
dd2bfbd7-7f74-4365-b77e-9989f6408ddc
Cox, Natalie
dfdfbc5f-41b8-4329-a4b5-87b6e93aa09e
Tan, Qian Yue
d7fc366c-dc13-4e7e-b520-8ec88da54094
Ibrahim, Kinda
54f027ad-0599-4dd4-bdbf-b9307841a294
Roberts, Helen
5ea688b1-ef7a-4173-9da0-26290e18f253
Lim, Stephen, Cox, Natalie, Tan, Qian Yue, Ibrahim, Kinda and Roberts, Helen
(2020)
Volunteer-led physical activity interventions to improve health outcomes for community-dwelling older people: a systematic review.
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research.
(doi:10.1007/s40520-020-01556-6).
Abstract
Background: physical activity (PA) is important for older people to maintain functional independence and healthy ageing. There is strong evidence to support the benefits of physical activity interventions on the health outcomes of older adults. Nonetheless, innovative approaches are needed to ensure that these interventions are practical and sustainable.
Aim: this systematic review explores the effectiveness of volunteer-led PA interventions in improving health outcomes for community-dwelling older people.
Methods: five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PEDro, Cochrane library) were systematically searched for studies using trained volunteers to deliver PA interventions for community-dwelling older people aged ≥ 65 years. Meta-analysis was not conducted due to included study heterogeneity.
Results: twelve papers describing eight studies (five papers reported different outcomes from the same study) were included in the review. All eight studies included strength and balance exercises and frequency of PA ranged from weekly to three times a week. Volunteer-led exercises led to improvements in functional status measured using the short physical performance battery, timed up and go test, Barthel Index, single leg stand, step touch test, chair stand test, and functional reach. Frailty status identified by grip strength measurement or the use of long-term care insurance improved with volunteer-led exercises. Interventions led to improvement in fear of falls and maintained or improved the quality of life. The impact on PA levels were mixed.
Conclusion: limited evidence suggests that volunteer-led PA interventions that include resistance exercise training, can improve outcomes of community-dwelling older adults including functional status, frailty status, and reduction in fear of falls. More high-quality RCTs are needed to investigate the effects of volunteer-led PA interventions among older people.
Text
Final accepted manuscript
- Accepted Manuscript
Text
s40520-020-01556-6
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 4 April 2020
e-pub ahead of print date: 30 April 2020
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
SEL and QYT are supported by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) clinical academic training scheme. NJC and HCR are supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust. SEL, KI and HCR are supported by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Wessex. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute of Health Research or the Department of Health and Social care.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, The Author(s).
Keywords:
Exercise, Health outcomes, Older adults, Physical activity, Volunteer
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 439369
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/439369
ISSN: 1594-0667
PURE UUID: a9b43798-d80c-4f4c-8847-54f4f900dbc8
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 20 Apr 2020 16:30
Last modified: 10 Apr 2024 04:05
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Natalie Cox
Author:
Qian Yue Tan
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics