The new Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders, or LIFE study, will look at whether structured physical activity can prevent or delay major movement disability in older adults.
The University of Florida will receive $29.5 million in federal stimulus funds over the next two years from the National Institute on Aging to begin the six-year study. When the study is completed, NIA funding is expected to total more than $60 million, according to a Chicago Tribune report.
While studies have shown that regular exercise improves physical performance, little is known about whether exercise can help prevent major mobility issues, which is defined as the inability to walk a quarter of a mile, or four blocks.
Staving off disability can help older adults maintain their physical independence and enhance the quality of their later years.
“We all know that physical activity is good for our health, but the definitive evidence whether it can prevent disability in older people – whether you can prevent them from being unable to walk – is lacking,” said principal investigator Marco Pahor, M.D, director of the University of Florida Institute on Aging.
The University of Florida is the coordinating center and a field site for the LIFE study, with field sites also located at other universities. Recruitment will begin in early 2010.
The study primarily seeks to gauge whether there are long-term effects of physical activity interventions on major mobility disability. Additionally, investigators will examine the effects of physical activity on cognitive function, serious fall injuries, disability in basic activities of daily living, cardiovascular events, and hospitalization and nursing home admission. They also will look at quality-of-life measures, such as depression symptoms, sleep quality, stress and satisfaction with life.
As stated before, any physical activity is great for our bodies, especially as we become aged. As this study is conducted over the next six years, everyone needs to do their part in caring for the current generation of elderly, keeping them in shape so they can live out the rest of their lives in their independence. A very viable option is a caregiver to motivate and enjoy activities with; Home Instead Senior Care provides just that.
Home Instead Senior Care will provide outstanding caregivers to help your loved one with personal care, incidental travel, companionship, medication, reminders, light housekeeping, and even meal preparation. To learn more, call 248-203-2273 or visit www.homeinstead.com. Home Instead Senior Care is the world’s trusted source of in-home non-commercial personal care and companionship for seniors. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. And remember, to us, it’s personal.
Read the Chicago Tribune article online.
