Seated Physical Activity in Ageing

"Determining the Feasibility of Chair-based Physical Activity Interventions, Aimed at Improving Various Aspects of Health and Wellbeing in Geriatric Populations With Pre-existing Frailty, Within a Hospital Ward Setting"

This trial will take the form of a feasibility study; designed to assess the feasibility of a proposed future clinical trial in this setting. This proposed future clinical trial is proposed to assess the impact of physical activity, in the form of specialised chair based physical activity interventions, on the physiological, psychological, cognitive, social and emotional health, and functional capacity of geriatric populations with pre-existing frailty within a clinical hospital ward setting; recognising health as a holistic concept incorporating a multitude of inter-related dimensions. This feasibility study is single-centre (taking place in the Harborne Ward of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Temporary residents within the Harborne 'living lab' ward of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
• ≥ 65 years of age
• Frail according to the Fried Frailty criteria: meeting at least three of the five characteristics of frailty (Fried et al. 2001)
• Have the capacity to speak and read in English
• Anticipated by their care team to remain on the ward for approximately 14 days post enrolment into the study. This will be advised by the patient's care team.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Currently taking part in any other clinical trial which could potentially have an impact upon or influences the findings of the current study
• Currently terminally ill with life expectancy which is less than the duration of the study's interventions
• Severe sensory impairment which would profoundly impact on their capacity to undergo the interventions, even once appropriate adaptations have been made.