Analysis of exercise programs in assisted living facilities - a cross-sectional study

This study aimed to describe exercise programs in assisted living facilities (ALFs) across 12 facilities (totally 1167 residents at the time) in an urban area of the United States, involving 216 residents (18.51%, 216/1167) who were able to walk to the activity room with or without assistive devices. Data collected included participant demographics, activity director information, and exercise parameters. Among participants, 55% (119/216) used assistive devices such as walkers or canes, and only 16.8% (20/119) had their devices assessed by a healthcare profession with last 12 months. Activity directors had 2 to 12 years of experience with varied educational backgrounds. All facilities offered seated exercises, while four also included standing exercises. Exercise programs focused on a range of motion, some combined with resistance or functional training, occurring 3-5 times per week for 30-45 minutes. Despite differences in director's experience, most programs were low intensity, emphasizing flexibility and light resistance. The findings revealed a predominance of low-intensity regimens and indicated a need for better training for activity directors in moderate and high intensity aerobic and strengthening exercises, and need of encouraging for more residents to engage in physical activity.