title: [Preventing dependency in elderly persons: randomized study in the community].
abstract: The number of elderly people aged > 85 years will double by the year 2020. Helping the elderly to live independently at home is a major challenge for society. Physical exercise and protein energy intake might both be effective in preventing dependency. This paper describes the organisation of an ongoing study aimed at evaluating the preventive effect of such measures, involving 102 elderly persons randomised into two groups, one receiving preventive measures but not the other. The study organisation was based on representatives and selected workers from associations involved in home assistance for elderly. Their role consisted in recruiting persons for participation in the trial, encouraging them to perform exercises and take dietary supplements, and notifying the research team of all health-related events. This organisation has reached its objectives, even though the supervision of the domestic workers needs to be improved. This network, comprising stable workers (14 years of work experience on average in this study) offers the potential for future research in the community to evaluate preventive measures.
authors.affiliation: CIC de Lyon, Hôpital Cardiologique, Bron, France. catherine.cornu@chu-lyon.fr
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cornu
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carré
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guetemme
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ravis
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thérond
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gueyffier
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonnefoy
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018576:Home Health Aides / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins