Physical functioning: the mediating effect on ADLs and vitality in elderly living in residential care facilities. “Act on ageing”: a pilot study

The present study aims at verifying whether participation in a physical activity programme has positive effects on the daily life autonomy and vitality of elderly people living in residential care facilities by the mediation of their physical wellbeing. Fifty-one institutionalised individuals took part in the study. The control group included 11 people (84.26 ± 7.4 years), whereas the experimental group was made up of 40 people (85 ± 6.6 years). The experimental group was involved in a physical activity programme twice a week. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire, the Activities of Daily Living Scale, and the Tinetti Test were administered to the participants. The linear regression method as well as Sobel’s formula were used for the analysis. The results show that participation in a physical activity programme has positive effects on autonomy in bathing and on the participants’ sense of vitality due to the mediation of physical functioning. These results confirm the importance of physical activity for the elderly populations living in residential care facilities

Real and perceived physical functioning in Italian elderly population: associations with BADL and IADL

This study aimed to identify the key physical abilities (aerobic endurance, gait speed, balance, strength) and psychological variables associated with the level of basic (BADL) and instrumental (IADL) activities of daily living in an autonomous community-dwelling elderly population in Italy. 135 elderly people (63% women; mean age = 73.3, SD = 5.5) were included in the study. Stepwise regression was performed to verify the association between these variables and the level of BADL and IADL in the elderly participants. Results showed that balance (β = −0.21, p < 0.01) and perception of physical functioning (β = 0.32, p < 0.0001) were the key individual variables related to BADL scores, and IADL score was associated with perception of physical functioning (β = 0.30, p < 0.0001) and upper limb strength (β = 0.21, p < 0.05). The results demonstrate a relationship between physical functioning and ADL, both real physical functioning and perceived physical functioning

The role of working memory on dual-task cost during walking performance in childhood

This study examined the effect of a secondary motor task on walking ability, whether performance differed according to age and the possible relationship between cognitive abilities, specifically working memory, and dual-task costs in children with typical development. Fifty-three female children (mean age M = 10 \ub1 2 years), were divided into two different age groups: a young (7\u20139 years; n = 17) and an older group (10\u201313 years; n = 36). First, participants performed a Walking Test (WT) without additional tasks; afterward, they performed the same walking test while performing each of the following tasks: carrying (1) a glass of water, (2) a ball on a round tray and (3) the combination of both tasks (1) and (2). The Test of Memory and Learning were used to assess working memory. WTs under a dual-task condition generally produced worse results compared to a single-task condition [F(3,135) = 32.480, p &lt; 0.001]. No age-related difference was observed [F(1,45) = 0.497, p = 0.485]. Age, digit forward and backward, facial memory, and paired recall accounted altogether for 28.6% of variance in dual-task ability during WT while carrying a glass of water and a ball on a round tray. Specifically, facial memory significantly accounted for the variance of DTC in WTWT (\u3b2 = 120.381, p = 0.016). Moreover, a trend toward a statistical significance was observed for digit forward (\u3b2 = 120.275, p = 0.085). Results underlined that regardless of the age, a dual-task performance might affect walking performance depending on the required secondary task. Moreover, our results showed the association between working memory skills and dual-task cost in walking abilit

Physical activity and mobility function in elderly people living in residential care facilities. “Act on aging”: a pilot study

The present study aims at investigating the changes between pre-test and post-test in mobility function, balance, and gait after a physical activity program in a sample of elderly people. Forty-four individuals living in residential care facilities were recruited, with a mean age of 85 (SD = 6.6) in the control group and 84.26 (SD = 7.4) in the intervention group. We collected baseline and post-test measurements for the Tinetti Test. The findings showed that the physical activity intervention had a positive effect on physical functions. There was a statistically significant change between the means of the two groups over time; the intervention groups showed a stable condition with respect to overall mobility function, balance, and gait while the control group showed decreased performance at the post-test. These results underline that even in critical conditions, relatively simple training may promote a more positive adjustment to old age

Fear of falling and activities of daily living function: mediation effect of dual-task ability

Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the association between fear of falling (FOF), dual-task ability during a mobility task, and the activities of daily living (ADL) in a sample of older adults. Methods: Seventy-six older adults (mean age M = 70.87 ± 5.16 years) participated in the study. Data on FOF (using the Falls Self-Efficacy Scale-International), walking ability during both single- and dual-task performances and ADL were collected. Results: Mediation analysis demonstrated the mediation effect of dual-task ability (β = 0.238, p = 0.011) between FOF and ADL level (β = 0.559, p < 0.001). Moreover, significantly lower performances were observed during dual-task condition [F (2, 73) = 7.386, p < 0.001], and lower ADL levels were also found in older adults with FOF [F (2, 73) = 13.734, p < 0.001]. Conclusion: The study underlines the relationship between FOF, dual-task ability and ADL level. These results could be used to develop specific intervention programmes for successful ageing