The work Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise program for preventing functional decline in employees aged...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Occupational Health
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Workplace physical activity interventions (WPAIs) are underdeveloped for the growing older employee population.
• Low adherence to existing WPAIs stems from time constraints and motivation issues.
• Integrating exercises into daily work tasks offers a novel approach to prevent functional decline in older workers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the proof-of-concept of a novel workplace intervention (wLiFE55+) for older employees.
• To assess the feasibility, adherence, and acceptance of integrating functional exercises into the work environment.
• To measure pre-to-post changes in neuromotor function, strength, and physical activity.

Main Methods:

• A 4-week pre-post intervention study involving 17 older employees (mean age 59).
• Feasibility assessed via adherence, activity frequency, adverse events, and acceptance metrics.
• Neuromotor function (12-LBS, CBM), strength (60s Chair Stand Test), and physical activity (PA) were measured pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• High intervention adherence (100%) and good activity adherence (58%) were reported.
• No adverse events occurred, and acceptance of the wLiFE55+ program was high.
• Significant pre-to-post improvements were observed in neuromotor function (CBM, 12-LBS) and reductions in sedentary time.

Conclusions:

• The wLiFE55+ program is a feasible workplace intervention for older employees.
• The intervention shows potential to counteract age-related functional decline by improving neuromotor function and reducing sedentary behavior.
• Future research should focus on program adjustments to increase exercise frequency and conduct randomized controlled trials.