Multicomponent Physical Exercise Training in Multimorbid and Palliative Oldest Adults

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Physical Therapy
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Exercise is known to counteract aging and pathology symptoms.
• Research on exercise programs for multimorbid and/or palliative old patients (MPO-Ps) is scarce.
• MPO-Ps often have very low baseline fitness and initial exercise intolerance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the benefits of a multicomponent physical-cognitive training program for MPO-Ps.
• To assess the impact of supervised versus autonomous training phases on physical and cognitive function.

Main Methods:

• 17 MPO-Ps (mean age 81.59 ± 5.63 years) completed a >26-week home-based intervention.
• Training involved gradually distributed supervised, reduced supervision, and autonomous sessions.
• Assessed physical function (gait speed, strength, balance, agility), mental status (MMSE), and daily living autonomy (Barthel Index).

Main Results:

• MPO-Ps showed significant benefits in autonomy, lower-limb strength, and balance.
• Agility improvements were observed through categorical analyses of walking aid use.
• Most benefits were enhanced during the supervised training (ST) phase; gait speed and cognitive status were maintained during autonomous training.

Conclusions:

• Multicomponent physical-cognitive exercise, particularly with supervision, benefits MPO-Ps.
• The dual-tasking approach improved key functional outcomes in this vulnerable population.
• Further research with larger samples is needed to confirm safety and efficacy for MPO-Ps, including palliative patients.