Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2026
07:27
Exergaming in Older People Living with HIV Improves Balance, Mobility and Ameliorates Some Aspects of Frailty
Published on: October 6, 2016
Home-Based Intervention to Prevent Functional Decline in (Pre)frail Older Adults: The PromeTheus Randomized
Kilian Rapp1, Corinna Nerz1, Tim Fleiner2,3,4
1Department of Clinical Gerontology, Robert-Bosch-Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany.
Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle
|May 14, 2026
Summary
The PromeTheus program improved physical functioning and frailty status in older adults but did not impact life-space mobility or falls. Participants with lower baseline physical capacity showed greater benefits.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine
- Public Health and Health Services Research
- Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy
Background:
- Older adults with (pre)frailty are at high risk for declines in physical functioning, mobility, and independence.
- Limited evidence exists for frailty interventions integrated within primary healthcare structures.
- The PromeTheus trial addresses this gap by evaluating a home-based, multifactorial intervention for (pre)frail older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of the PromeTheus home-based, multifactorial, interdisciplinary intervention.
- To prevent functional and mobility decline in community-dwelling (pre)frail older adults.
- To evaluate impacts on physical functioning, life-space mobility, frailty status, physical capacity, and fall rates.
Main Methods:
- A multicentre, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial involving 385 community-dwelling (pre)frail older adults (≥70 years).
- Intervention group (IG) received a 12-month program including home-based exercise and optional counseling; control group (CG) received usual care.
- Primary outcomes: Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument Function Component (LLFDI-FC) and Life-Space Assessment (LSA). Secondary outcomes included frailty status, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and fall rates.
Main Results:
- The IG showed significant improvements in LLFDI-FC (p<0.05), frailty status (p<0.05), and SPPB (p<0.05) compared to the CG at 12 months.
- No significant differences were found between groups for LSA or fall rates (p>0.05).
- Exploratory analysis indicated greater benefits for participants with lower baseline physical capacity (SPPB ≤6 points).
Conclusions:
- The PromeTheus program positively impacted physical functioning, frailty status, and physical capacity in (pre)frail older adults.
- The intervention did not significantly improve life-space mobility or reduce fall rates.
- Individuals with lower baseline physical function appear to benefit most from this home-based intervention.
