An interventional study of Multicomponent Exercise Program in Hospitalization, Aged 65 Years or Older and Activities of Daily Living, sponsored by Taichung Veterans General Hospital. Completed at 1 site in Taiwan. Open to participants aged 65 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-09-05.
Sponsored by Taichung Veterans General Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a structured exercise program on physical function, psychological well-being, quality of life, and spiritual well-being in hospitalized older adults. A total of 100 inpatients aged 65 years or older were assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group participated in a multicomponent exercise program during hospitalization, including resistance training, stretching, and walking, while the control group received routine care. Assessments were performed before and after the intervention using physical performance tests, questionnaires, and well-being scales. The goal is to determine whether such a program can improve mobility, daily living independence, mood, and overall well-being in older patients during hospitalization.
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.
8,057 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression; 1,641 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 100 is above the median of 84 across 6,720 interventional studies indexed under Depression.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Participants received a structured exercise program during hospitalization, including resistance training, stretching, and walking, delivered five times per week for 30 minutes per session.
Behavioral: Multicomponent Exercise Program
Participants received usual hospital care without additional structured exercise intervention.
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.
Timed Up and Go (TUG)
Assesses mobility and balance by timing the participant as they rise from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn, walk back, and sit down. Time recorded in seconds; shorter times indicate better performance.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 2 of hospitalization) and at discharge (within 24 hours prior to hospital discharge, average length of stay 10 days)
6-meter walk test (6MWT)
6-meter walk test (6MWT), which measured gait speed, with speeds \<1.0 m/s suggesting reduced independence
Time frame: Baseline (Day 2 of hospitalization) and at discharge (within 24 hours prior to hospital discharge, average length of stay 10 days)
Functional Reach Test (FRT)
Assesses dynamic balance by measuring the maximum forward reach distance beyond arm's length while standing, in centimeters. A reach \<15 cm indicates higher fall risk.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 2 of hospitalization) and at discharge (within 24 hours prior to hospital discharge, average length of stay 10 days)
Handgrip strength (HGS)
Measures maximal grip force using a handheld dynamometer, recorded in kilograms. Cut-offs: \<26 kg (men) and \<18 kg (women) indicate sarcopenia.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 2 of hospitalization) and at discharge (within 24 hours prior to hospital discharge, average length of stay 10 days)
Barthel Index (BI)
Assesses independence in activities of daily living (ADL) on a scale of 0-100; higher scores indicate better function.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 2 of hospitalization) and at discharge (within 24 hours prior to hospital discharge, average length of stay 10 days)
5-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-5)
Self-report questionnaire assessing depressive symptoms. Scores ≥2 suggest probable depression.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 2 of hospitalization) and at discharge (within 24 hours prior to hospital discharge, average length of stay 10 days)
EuroQol 5-Dimension 3-Level (EQ-5D-3L)
Assesses five health domains (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression) on three severity levels.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 2 of hospitalization) and at discharge (within 24 hours prior to hospital discharge, average length of stay 10 days)
EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS)
Self-rated health status from 0 (worst imaginable) to 100 (best imaginable).
Time frame: Baseline (Day 2 of hospitalization) and at discharge (within 24 hours prior to hospital discharge, average length of stay 10 days)
Spiritual Index of Well-Being (SIWB)
12-item questionnaire with two subscales (self-efficacy and life scheme), scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Higher scores reflect poorer spiritual well-being.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 2 of hospitalization) and at discharge (within 24 hours prior to hospital discharge, average length of stay 10 days)
Plan to share: Yes — De-identified individual participant data (IPD) underlying the published results, including baseline characteristics and all primary and secondary outcome measures, will be shared. A data dictionary will be provided to describe variable definitions. Data will be available upon reasonable request after publication.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Sap
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Taichung Veterans General Hospital