Priority 5 from the Multiple Conditions in Later Life PSP

UNCERTAINTY: What is the most effective, cost effective and acceptable form of exercise therapy in different health and social care settings with older people with multiple conditions? How does exercise therapy affect outcomes in this population? (JLA PSP Priority 5)
Overall ranking 5
JLA question ID 0064/5
Explanatory note This question represents the synthesis of all original submissions concerning exercise therapy. Older people tended to ask questions about the safety of exercise. Face to face work revealed that older people also often thought that exercise was for younger people and they did not view exercise as having a pertinent role in their current lives. Carers frequently asked also about the safety of exercise, they also asked how they could encourage the older people they cared for into exercise and how to access to exercise programmes specifically designed for older people with multiple health conditions. Both carers and health professionals also asked whether exercise therapy in people over 80 would have any impact upon the health of the older person. However, health professionals tended to focus on what would be the most effective exercise, both in terms of the form of exercise and also the mode of delivery, and how older people could be encouraged into exercise. Some questions focussed on specific forms of exercise, i.e. yoga or Tai chi.
Evidence

None identified that applied directly to all conditions in the over 85s
Health Research Classification System category Generic Health Relevance
Extra information provided by this PSP
Original uncertainty examples

'Could an exercise program help my walking?' Older person. 'How many symptoms could be alleviated by exercise?' Health professional 'Does Tai Chi help patients?' Health professional 'There are so many words written about exercise being the answer for combating fatigue, stress, depression all of which hang around the elderly with or without health problems. Yoga, Pilates, etc may be fine for the fit and young but what is there for those who laid on the floor cannot get up? I can walk about my house , what on earth can the wheelchair bound do?' Older person
Submitted by All forms of respondent including patients, carers, health and social care professionals
PSP information
PSP unique ID 0064
PSP name Multiple Conditions in Later Life
Total number of uncertainties identified by this PSP. 97 (To see a full list of all uncertainties identified, please see the detailed spreadsheet held on the JLA website)
Date of priority setting workshop 24 April 2018