ABLE (Arts-Based Exercise Enhancing LongEvity)

ABLE (Arts-Based Exercise Enhancing LongEvity): Interactive, Arts-based Technology to Support Sustainable Exercise Participation in the Homes of Older Adults: Protocol for a Pre-post Pilot Feasibility Study

Older adults who are referred to home care physiotherapy often only get to see the physiotherapist three to five times and are expected to continue exercising on their own. We have developed an interactive technology called ABLE that helps older adults do exercise in their homes by making it fun and interactive. We want to see if we can help 25 older adults to exercise with ABLE for three months and if exercising with ABLE for three months changes older adults' strength and balance. A physiotherapist will visit the older adults three times in their homes and show them how to use ABLE and which exercises to do. We will measure older adults' strength and balance before and after using the program and ask them and their family members for feedback about using ABLE. The results of our study will help us decide if we can do a bigger study to test the effect of using ABLE in a larger group of older adults, and to see what effect ABLE might have on strength and balance. The study will also help us incorporate feedback from the older adults and their families to improve ABLE for the next study.

Inclusion Criteria:

• able to stand and walk independently with or without an assistive aid (e.g., walker, cane)
• may have a diagnosis of dementia or cognitive impairment (MoCA < 25, MMSE <24, Mini-Cog <3) if they have caregiver willing to assist with exercises and consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• have a diagnosis of dementia or cognitive impairment (MoCA < 25, MMSE <24, Mini-Cog <3) and have no family member to assist with exercises and consent
• documented absolute contraindications to exercise