Researchers at ARC South London are carrying out a feasibility test for an intervention designed to target sedentary behaviours and physical inactivity among nursing home residents with, or at risk of, sarcopenia.
Sarcopenia is the thinning and weakening of muscles that often occurs as a person ages. Sedentary behaviour has been found to contribute significantly to sarcopenia when combined with physical inactivity.
Sarcopenia is a strong predictor of a range of adverse clinical outcomes, such as falls, fractures, cognitive impairment and mortality. It is therefore an important public health concern, particularly relevant to those living in nursing homes, where the prevalence of sarcopenia is 38%, as opposed to 10% among other community-dwelling older adults worldwide [1].
This project will focus on addressing sedentary behaviour and physical inactivity among nursing home residents, contributing to the alleviation of sarcopenia progression.
Led by Yihan Mo, a researcher from the ARC South London’s palliative and end of life care theme, the team will develop and evaluate a multicomponent tailored intervention to target physical inactivity and sedentary behaviours. The intervention will be tested in nursing homes in Changsha city, Hunan Province, central China.
A multicomponent tailored intervention refers to a customised approach that involves multiple strategies designed to address specific needs of a particular population or individual. In this study, a multicomponent tailored intervention might include personalised exercise programmes, motivational support, environmental modifications, and staff training, all customised to the residents' abilities and needs.
The aim of this study is to develop an intervention that may reduce the overall burden of chronic diseases in nursing home residents, leading to improved health outcomes and quality of life, and reduced healthcare costs.
The intervention will be developed based on systematic reviews of previous research into the association between sedentary behaviour and sarcopenia, and sarcopenia interventions in long-term care facilities. Qualitative interviews will also be carried out with nursing home residents and staff, exploring their experiences of and preferences around sarcopenia interventions.
The developed intervention will be then provided by staff to nursing home residents. Both quantitative measurement and qualitative interviews will be conducted to assess the intervention delivery, acceptability and feasibility.
The researchers are working with managers, registered nurses and health care assistants in Chinese urban nursing homes.
A separate patient and public involvement (PPI) advisory committee, consisting of non-participant members (including family members, registered nurses, experts and researchers in geriatrics), will actively contribute to the study. The committee will participate in regular consultations, conducted either in person or online, in formats ranging from one-to-one discussions to small group meetings. Their input will provide valuable insights and suggestions on study design, ensuring the research is relevant and sensitive to the needs of elderly residents.
Additionally, the PPI committee will play a critical role in overseeing the implementation process, identifying potential barriers or facilitators, and assisting in the dissemination of findings by offering feedback on the accessibility and relevance of study outcomes for both practitioners and the public.
This project is funded by the King's College London-China Scholarship Council. It began in October 2021 and is expected to complete in October 2025.
Read more about the palliative and end of life care research at ARC South London.
Read the systematic review of sarcopenia interventions in long-term care facilities targeting sedentary behaviour and physical inactivity.
