Adherence
An 8-week live online exercise program delivered by qualified professionals significantly reduces depressive symptoms and improves life-space mobility in community-dwelling older adults (65-80 years) compared to a waitlist control.
If you are over 65, a live, online exercise class led by a professional can significantly boost your mood and independence. Look for programs that offer live interaction (not just videos) and have qualified instructors who can modify exercises for your specific needs. Consistency (3x/week for 8 weeks) is key to seeing these mental and physical benefits.
Following the intervention, participants in the ACTIVE group reported reduced symptoms of depression (ACTIVE: pre = 4.2 ± 2.5; post = 2.2 ± 1.9; CON: pre = 3.5 ± 2.1, post = 3.5 ± 2.1; p <0.001) and improved life-space mobility (ACTIVE: pre = 62.4 ± 14.7; post = 71.8 ± 16.0; CON: pre = 65.1 ± 19.0, post = 63.6 ± 22.0; p = 0.003) compared to waitlist control participants.
Why this rating
Pilot RCT with small sample size (n=32), no blinding, and short duration, though it uses validated measures and a control group.
Source
A live online exercise program for older adults improves depression and life-space mobility: A mixed-methods pilot randomized controlled trial
Giulia Coletta et al. · PLoS ONE · 2024
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0312992
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