Physical Activity Intervention for Older Family Carers

Summary

The goal of this pilot trial is to learn whether a six-month physical activity program tailored for older family caregivers can be successfully delivered and whether participants are willing and able to take part in it. The study will also explore possible effects of the programme on physical activity, physical function, health, and well-being.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Can enough participants be recruited to the study?
* Do participants adhere to the study and complete follow-up assessments?
* How often do participants take part in the program activities?
* How acceptable and useful do participants find the program?
* What are the possible effects of the programme on physical activity, health, and wellbeing.

Researchers will compare the physical activity program with a control group that receives health information and education about healthy ageing.

Participants will:

* Complete health, physical functioning, and questionnaire assessments at the beginning of the study, after 6 months, and after 12 months
* Wear an activity monitor on their wrist for 7 days and nights at the beginning of the study and after 6 months
* Will be randomly assigned to either a six-month physical activity program designed for older family caregivers, or a control group that receives health information and education about healthy ageing.
* If assigned to the physical activity program, participants will take part in weekly group-based and remote exercise sessions for 6 months.
* Provide feedback about their experiences of the program

Conditions

• Feasibility Studies
• Physical Activity and Wellbeing

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Physical activity intervention for older family caregivers

The intervention consists of a six-month physical activity program designed for older family caregivers. The program combines weekly supervised group-based exercise sessions and weekly remotely delivered exercise sessions. Exercise sessions include strength, balance, functional, and light-to-moderate intensity aerobic activities and are adapted to participants' functional abilities. Participants receive individualized goal-setting and motivational support at the beginning of the program. The intervention also includes brief guided relaxation exercises and thematic content related to healthy ageing, recovery, musculoskeletal health, physical activity, and well-being. The program is designed to support regular physical activity while accommodating caregiving responsibilities and potential barriers to participation.

BEHAVIORAL

Health education

General health advice provided at baseline and referral to a web-based educational programme

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Karolinska Institutet

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Eastern Finland

  collaborator OTHER

• Tampere University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-06-15

Primary Completion

2027-08-31

Completion

2027-08-31

Countries

• Finland

Study Locations