title: A Nordic multi-center study on physical and daily activities for residents in nursing home settings: design of a randomized, controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nursing home residents constitute a frail, multi-diseased and heterogeneous group. As physical activity is essential for the preservation of function, personalized training and activities are of great importance. The main objective of this study was to describe the influence of an individually tailored intervention program, in a nursing home setting, on physical capacity, degree of dependence in Activities of Daily Living (ADL), long-term participation in physical and/or daily activities, and self-rated wellbeing. The aim of the present work is to describe the overall design of the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nursing homes in Sweden, Norway and Denmark were involved, and 322 residents were randomized to either Intervention or Control groups. The intervention lasted for three months and consisted of physical and daily activities, led by physiotherapists and occupational therapists, and was built on their evaluations and on the goals expressed by each resident. Tests of muscle strength, mobility, balance function and confidence, ADL, level of physical activity, wellbeing and cognitive function were performed at baseline, directly after the intervention period and three months later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  They will be presented in articles to follow.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although it is a great challenge to carry out an intervention study directed toward such a frail population, it is of great interest to find out whether individually tailored and enhanced activities can lead to decreased dependence in ADL and increased wellbeing.
authors: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Stockholm, Sweden. kerstin.frandin@ki.se
authors: Kerstin
authors: K
authors: Frändin
authors: Lena
authors: L
authors: Borell
authors: Helena
authors: H
authors: Grönstedt
authors: Astrid
authors: A
authors: Bergland
authors: Jorunn L
authors: JL
authors: Helbostad
authors: Lis
authors: L
authors: Puggaard
authors: Mette
authors: M
authors: Andresen
authors: Randi
authors: R
authors: Granbo
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Hellström
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003718:Denmark; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D009664:Norway; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden