Living Independence Through Functional Training

Living Independence Through Functional Training (LIFT): Feasibility of Hybrid Task-Oriented Resistance Exercise Following Home Health Discharge

The purpose of the research is to evaluate the feasibility and benefits of a six-week hybrid task-oriented resistance exercise program for older adults who have been recently discharged from home health care.

Inclusion Criteria:

• between the ages of 65 and 90 years
• community-dwelling
• live within a 50-mile radius of the study site with wireless connectivity in the area
• mobility limitations as indicated by self-reported of using a mobility aid or having unsteady gait or walking slower than before
• cognitive decline as indicated by a score < 12 on Mini MoCA Version 2.1
• a care partner or adult family member living in the home or nearby
• willing to wear an activity tracker during the study period

Exclusion Criteria:

• plan to receive skilled rehabilitation services
• plan to move away outside the study area in two months
• reside in an assisted living or long-term care facility or plan to relocate to such a facility in the next three months
• severe vision or hearing loss that impedes activity performance or communication
• unable to stand or walk even with a mobility aid
• unable to follow a one-step command or carry on a conversation over the phone
• unable to commit to the six-week exercise program
• contradictions to resistance exercise, such as the end-stage heart failure
• a terminal disease or on hospice care
• a neurological condition affecting motor skills
• not able to provide consent.