YMCA HBB Partnership with Hamilton Health Sciences highlighted in 2023-24 Research Impact Report
03-07-2024
Study aims to help older adults age in place
“Through exercise programs like the one developed for this study, we may be able to help older adults live safely at home instead of entering long-term care.” – Dr. George Ioannidis
Pam and Dave Edgcumbe’s plans for their golden years include living independently in their Binbrook home for as long as possible.
Staying healthy is key to making that goal a reality, says Pam, 73. For Dave, also in his 70s, this includes morning workouts seven days a week at the YMCA. For Pam, it means improving her fitness level and finding more time for regular exercise. So when Pam learned about the OPTIMAL Fitness study, developed by the Geras Centre for Aging Research, in partnership with the YMCA and Upper James Physio, she was quick to sign up. Geras is a part of Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) and is affiliated with McMaster University.
The study is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Hamilton Academic Health Sciences Organization, and consists of 10 four-month sessions taking place over the next two years.
As older adults age, they may notice that it’s harder to do everyday tasks like getting dressed, climbing stairs or picking up laundry baskets, says Dr. Alexandra Papaioannou, the study’s lead, and executive director of Geras. “But frailty and mobility challenges are often reversible, which is why this study is so potentially impactful for supporting older adults who want to age in place.”
In Canada, 1.2 million people are over the age of 65 and living with frailty or mobility challenges, adds Dr. George Ioannidis, deputy director for Geras. “It’s never too late to start making positive changes.”
Study participants are divided into three groups: a control group and two other Study aims to help older adults age in place groups receiving different levels of additional exercise and nutritional support.
“We’re comparing these three groups to see which one does the best in terms of improving mobility and reducing frailty,” says Ioannidis. When the study wraps up in two years, it will have involved 324 people in total.
Pam was concerned about falls before joining the study but feels much more confident now. “The classes really helped me to improve my balance,” she says. “My energy level is much higher too.”
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