Effects of Exercise Interventions on Physical Performance and Activities of Daily Living in Oldest-Old and Frail Older Adults: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

This review examined and compared the effects of exercise interventions using portable exercise equipment on muscle strength, balance, and ability to perform activities of daily living in the oldest-old and frail. We also examined the differences in the intervention characteristics between these two groups. The CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases were searched using specific text words and MeSH for randomized controlled trials published from 2000 to 2021, which involved exercise interventions for either oldest-old (≥75 yrs) or physically frail (reduced muscular strength, endurance, and physiological function) older adults. A total of 76 articles were included in this review, in which 61 studies involved oldest-old adults and 15 studies examined frail adults. Subgroup reviews of community dwelling and institutionalized adults were performed. The empirical evidence suggests that single-component and multicomponent exercise interventions produced positive effects for both older adult groups on muscle strength and balance, respectively. The effects of multicomponent interventions on muscular strength could be dependent on the number of exercise components per session. The effects of exercises on activities of daily living enhancement were less clear. We advocate for single intervention resistance training in all oldest-old and frail seniors to improve strength, if compliance to exercise duration is an issue.