Effects of Exercise, Cognitive Training, and Their Combination in Institutionalized Older Adults

University of Salamanca

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Mobility and Independence; Aging; Institutionalized Older Adults; Well-being/Quality of Life; Cognitive Abilities

Treatments: Behavioral: Cognitive Stimulation Program; Behavioral: Combined Physical Exercise and Cognitive Stimulation; Behavioral: Physical Exercise Program

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07082504

1379

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if physical exercise, cognitive stimulation, or a combination of both can improve mobility, cognitive function, and psychosocial well-being in institutionalized older adults aged 65 and older. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does physical exercise improve strength, flexibility, balance, and mobility?
• Does cognitive stimulation improve executive function and mental state?
• Does combining both interventions provide greater benefits than either intervention alone?

Researchers will compare the physical exercise group, the cognitive stimulation group, and the combined group to a control group that receives no active intervention to see which approach leads to the most improvement.

Participants will:

• Take part in either physical exercise, cognitive stimulation, or both, 3 times per week for 12 weeks
• Complete assessments before the intervention, after 12 weeks, and again after 6 months
• Answer questionnaires and perform physical and cognitive tests to measure changes in health and well-being

Enrollment: 140 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Individuals of both sexes.
• Age 65 years or older.
• Retired.
• Institutionalized for more than three months.
• Provide informed consent and agree to participate.

Exclusion criteria

• Lack of cooperation or cognitive capacity to participate.
• Diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
• Presence of acute medical conditions.
• Physical or cognitive impairments that prevent completion of study procedures.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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140 participants in 4 patient groups

Physical Exercise Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will engage in moderate-intensity physical exercise sessions 3 times per week for 12 weeks (150 minutes per week), including balance, strength, and functional mobility exercises led by physiotherapists.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Physical Exercise Program

Cognitive Stimulation Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will attend 3 weekly sessions for 12 weeks, involving activities such as memory games, problem-solving tasks, orientation exercises, and attention training, led by a psychologist and a social educator.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cognitive Stimulation Program

Combined Intervention Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive both the physical exercise and cognitive stimulation programs simultaneously, with the same weekly frequency and duration as the individual interventions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Combined Physical Exercise and Cognitive Stimulation

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will continue their usual routines without structured physical or cognitive interventions. They will receive standard care provided by the institution.