Effectiveness of a Remote Physical Activity Intervention in Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease and their...

Individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their caregivers often experience reduced physical activity (PA), diminished functional fitness, and heightened health risks. Remotely delivered PA interventions may offer scalable and accessible solutions. This study compared a 6-month, group-based dyadic PA program delivered via real-time group videoconferencing (RGV) with an enhanced usual care (EUC) condition on changes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and functional fitness among dyads consisting of individuals with ADRD and their caregivers.

Dyads were randomized to either the RGV or EUC arm. Both arms received wearable activity trackers and twice-monthly individualized support. The RGV group additionally participated in live, thrice-weekly group exercise sessions via videoconference. Outcomes included accelerometer-assessed MVPA and standardized measures of functional fitness.

Ninety-nine dyads enrolled, with 90% retention at 6 months. Mean session attendance in the RGV arm was 74% for individuals with ADRD and 69.5% for caregivers. Neither group significantly increased daily MVPA, and there were no significant between-group differences in changes in daily MVPA or sedentary time (all P > 0.05). However, significant within-group improvements occurred in upper-body strength (arm curls) and aerobic capacity (2-minute step test) for both individuals with ADRD and caregivers (all P < 0.05). Compared with EUC, the RGV group showed greater improvements in aerobic capacity among individuals with ADRD (β = 8.97, P = 0.04) and in both arm curls (β = 1.67, P = 0.02) and aerobic capacity (β = 11.3, P < 0.001) among caregivers.

Although MVPA did not increase in the RGV arm, both individuals with ADRD and caregivers demonstrated clinically meaningful gains in functional fitness, supporting the feasibility and benefit of remote dyadic PA programs.