Older Adults Living in Residential Care FacilitiesALIFENCT07835503
The Assisted Lifestyle-Intergrated Functional Exercise Program in Older Adults Living in Residential Care Facilities
A study testing ALIFE exercise program and OTAGO exercise program in people with Older Adults Living in Residential Care Facilities, run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
More than half of older adults living in care homes experience a fall each year, which can cause serious injuries, hospital visits, and a loss of independence. While balance and muscle-strengthening exercises help prevent falls, traditional exercise programs are often difficult for care home residents to maintain… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Older Adults Living in Residential Care Facilities
- What is being tested?
- ALIFE exercise program and OTAGO exercise program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 49 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 1 May 2025to 31 Jan 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 60 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Are at least 60 years old,
- Are permanently residing in care facilities,
- Are able to walk 10 meters with or without a walking aid independently,
- And their main caregiver (e.g., health and social care professionals working in the residential care facilities) can provide written consent.
Who cannot join
- Have a diagnosis of a terminal illness,
- Have participated in a structured balance or muscle strengthening program in the past 6 months,
- Are unsafe to participate in an exercise program due to any severe or unstable medical illness (e.g., advanced Parkinson's disease, acute exacerbation of knee osteoarthritis, and unstable angina), and
- Are unable to communicate due to severe visual or hearing impairment,
- Have a score below 10 in the Hong Kong version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, indicating that they have moderate to severe cognitive impairment.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Feasibility, Safety, Acceptability, and Effects of an Assisted Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise Program on Balance and Muscle Strength in Older Adults Living in Residential Care Facilities: a Feasibility Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
More than half of older adults living in care homes experience a fall each year, which can cause serious injuries, hospital visits, and a loss of independence. While balance and muscle-strengthening exercises help prevent falls, traditional exercise programs are often difficult for care home residents to maintain because they require set schedules and unfamiliar movements, especially for those experiencing cognitive problems.
To address this challenge, our 12-week study evaluated the Assisted Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise (ALIFE) program across six residential care homes. Rather than holding separate workout sessions, ALIFE weaves personalized balance and strengthening activities directly into daily routines-such as rising from a chair or practicing steady standing while grooming. Visiting physiotherapists tailored the movements to each resident's needs, while trained care home staff offered gentle reminders and encouragement throughout the program. The investigators compared ALIFE to a traditional structured Otago exercise program (OTAGO) to determine if this approach is feasible, safe, and enjoyable for residents.
The investigators expect this lifestyle-based exercise program to be safe, enjoyable, and more effective than the traditional exercise program at helping residents preserve their balance and muscle strength. If successful, it will provide care homes with a practical, low-cost way to turn everyday habits into health-promoting activities without needing expensive equipment. Ultimately, these findings could guide future clinical practice and larger studies aimed at helping older adults stay mobile, confident, and independent.
- Being tested
- ALIFE exercise program, OTAGO exercise program
- Keywords
- Feasibility, Accidental falls, Exercise, Residential facilities
- Medical subject headings
- Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
ALIFE exercise programBehavioural
Residents who will be assigned to the ALIFE exercise program will perform balance and muscle strengthening exercises together with associated daily activities for 12 weeks. Outreach physiotherapists will assess the daily routine of participants in the participating facilities. The physiotherapists will help participants to set realistic exercise goals, selecte appropriate balance and muscle strengthening exercises, and pair them with the preferred daily activities. Participants will be recommended to perform the exercises at least once per day whenever the opportunity arises during each day. Personal care workers in the facilities will serve as the facilitators who will provide positive encouragement and remind participants to perform the exercises.
OTAGO exercise programBehavioural
The OTAGO exercise program is a structured balance and muscle strengthening exercises tailored to the needs and ability of each participant. Based on the balance, muscle strengthen, and mobility levels of participants at baseline, the outreaching physiotherapists will select the appropriate balance and muscle strengthening exercises for participants. They recommend participants to perform the assigned exercises at least once per day. Participants will also be encouraged to walk every day at their usual speed with their walking aids (if any) as often as possible.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| ALIFE | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: ALIFE exercise program |
| OTAGO | Active comparator | Not described Receives: Behavioral: OTAGO exercise program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Retention rate
Proportion (%) of enrolled participants who completed the post-intervention assessment at 12 weeks.
Measured: 12 weeks
Adverse event counts
Number of adverse events reported by participants and interventionists throughout the 12 weeks
Measured: 12 weeks
Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES)
Physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES) scores at 6 weeks and 12 weeks. The PACES is an 8-item instrument scored on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), yielding a total score between 8 and 56. A higher score denotes greater exercise enjoyment.
Measured: 6 weeks and 12 weeks
Secondary outcomes (8)
Balance
Berg Balance Scale (BBS) - a 14-tem assessment tool evaluating static and dynamic balance. The score ranges from 0 to 56. A higher score indicates better balance.
Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Mobility
Timed Up and Go test
Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Lower limb muscle strength
30-second sit to stand test
Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Global cognition
Montreal Cognitive Assessment uses a maximum total score of 30 points distributed across 7 main cognitive categories. The range of score is 0 to 30. A higher score indicates better cognitive function.
Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Attention
Digit Span Test Forward
Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Working memory
Digit Span Test Backward
Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Fear of falling
Iconographical Falls Efficacy Scale - a 10-item assessment tool evaluating fear of falling in daily activities. The score ranges from 10 to 40. A higher score indicates great concern of falling.
Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Depressive symptoms
Geriatric Depression Scale - a 15-tem assessment tool evaluating depressive symptoms in older adults. The score ranges from 0 to 15. A higher score indicates higher level of depressive symptoms.
Measured: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted23 Sep 2026
- Study start1 May 2025
- Primary completion31 Jan 2026
- Study completion31 Jan 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Older Adults Living in Residential Care FacilitiesStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 49 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council Limited
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dr. Wayne Chan, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07835503
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HSEARS20250514004
- Acronym
- ALIFE
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 6 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 23 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Feasibility, Safety, Acceptability, and Effects of an Assisted Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise Program on Balance and Muscle Strength in Older Adults Living in Residential Care Facilities: a Feasibility Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07835503
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ALIFE / HSEARS20250514004
- Keywords
- Feasibility, Accidental falls, Exercise, Residential facilities
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 49 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council Limited
- Study start
- 1 May 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Jan 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 23 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
More than half of older adults living in care homes experience a fall each year, which can cause serious injuries, hospital visits, and a loss of independence. While balance and muscle-strengthening exercises help prevent falls, traditional exercise programs are often difficult for care home residents to maintain because they require set schedules and unfamiliar movements, especially for those experiencing cognitive problems.
To address this challenge, our 12-week study evaluated the Assisted Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise (ALIFE) program across six residential care homes. Rather than holding separate workout sessions, ALIFE weaves personalized balance and strengthening activities directly into daily routines-such as rising from a chair or practicing steady standing while grooming. Visiting physiotherapists tailored the movements to each resident's needs, while trained care home staff offered gentle reminders and encouragement throughout the program. The investigators compared ALIFE to a traditional structured Otago exercise program (OTAGO) to determine if this approach is feasible, safe, and enjoyable for residents.
The investigators expect this lifestyle-based exercise program to be safe, enjoyable, and more effective than the traditional exercise program at helping residents preserve their balance and muscle strength. If successful, it will provide care homes with a practical, low-cost way to turn everyday habits into health-promoting activities without needing expensive equipment. Ultimately, these findings could guide future clinical practice and larger studies aimed at helping older adults stay mobile, confident, and independent.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| ALIFE | Experimental | Behavioral: ALIFE exercise program |
| OTAGO | Active comparator | Behavioral: OTAGO exercise program |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 60 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Are at least 60 years old,
- Are permanently residing in care facilities,
- Are able to walk 10 meters with or without a walking aid independently,
- And their main caregiver (e.g., health and social care professionals working in the residential care facilities) can provide written consent.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Have a diagnosis of a terminal illness,
- Have participated in a structured balance or muscle strengthening program in the past 6 months,
- Are unsafe to participate in an exercise program due to any severe or unstable medical illness (e.g., advanced Parkinson's disease, acute exacerbation of knee osteoarthritis, and unstable angina), and
- Are unable to communicate due to severe visual or hearing impairment,
- Have a score below 10 in the Hong Kong version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, indicating that they have moderate to severe cognitive impairment.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| ALIFE exercise programResidents who will be assigned to the ALIFE exercise program will perform balance and muscle strengthening exercises together with associated daily activities for 12 weeks. Outreach physiotherapists will assess the daily routine of participants in the participating facilities. The physiotherapists will help participants to set realistic exercise goals, selecte appropriate balance and muscle strengthening exercises, and pair them with the preferred daily activities. Participants will be recommended to perform the exercises at least once per day whenever the opportunity arises during each day. Personal care workers in the facilities will serve as the facilitators who will provide positive encouragement and remind participants to perform the exercises. | Behavioural | ALIFE |
| OTAGO exercise programThe OTAGO exercise program is a structured balance and muscle strengthening exercises tailored to the needs and ability of each participant. Based on the balance, muscle strengthen, and mobility levels of participants at baseline, the outreaching physiotherapists will select the appropriate balance and muscle strengthening exercises for participants. They recommend participants to perform the assigned exercises at least once per day. Participants will also be encouraged to walk every day at their usual speed with their walking aids (if any) as often as possible. | Behavioural | OTAGO |
Primary outcome
Retention rate
Time frame: 12 weeks
Proportion (%) of enrolled participants who completed the post-intervention assessment at 12 weeks.
Adverse event counts
Time frame: 12 weeks
Number of adverse events reported by participants and interventionists throughout the 12 weeks
Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES)
Time frame: 6 weeks and 12 weeks
Physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES) scores at 6 weeks and 12 weeks. The PACES is an 8-item instrument scored on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), yielding a total score between 8 and 56. A higher score denotes greater exercise enjoyment.
8 secondary outcomes
Balance
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Mobility
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Lower limb muscle strength
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Global cognition
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Attention
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Working memory
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Fear of falling
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Depressive symptoms
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing ALIFE exercise program and OTAGO exercise program in people with Older Adults Living in Residential Care Facilities, run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University at 1 site in Hong Kong.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Retention rate (time frame: 12 weeks). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Sep 2026.