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. 2023 Nov 8;13(11):913. doi: 10.3390/bs13110913

Table 4.

Overview of factors influencing PA participation in people with dementia based on implementation- and opinion-based studies, with new factors printed in bold. Within the themes, the factors are ordered by number of studies that identified the factors.

Barriers Motivators Facilitators
Intrapersonal level
Physical or Mental Health
Physical health:Mental health:
  • Problems with cognition; attention, memory and confusion [54,56,62,63]

  • Lack of motivation [50,51,62]

  • Disruptive behaviour PwD [35,62]

  • Emotional barriers (fear) [51,63]

  • Depressive symptoms and negative feelings [64]

  • Low sense of efficacy PwD (or caregiver) [55]

  • Lack of confidence at home [55]

  • Mental well-being [41]

  • Perceived/experienced physical benefits [35,41,50,52,55,56,57,58,61,65]

  • Improve or maintain physical function/physical well-being [35,63,66]

  • Expectation/belief in possible physical benefits [54,56]

  • Meaningful purpose of PA [56,63]

  • (Awareness of) diagnosis [66]

Physical health:
  • Adapt exercises to physical capabilities/PwD’ needs [51,55,58,60,61,63]

Mental health:
  • Strategies to overcome memory problems (memory aids) [35,53,55,56]

  • Mental strategy [35,63]

  • Behavioural problem solving [61]

Individual preferences
  • Negative perception/dislike of specific PA [52,55]

  • Boredom or lack of enthusiasm [53]

  • Not enjoying PA [54]

  • Lack of accommodating PA (to preferences) [52]

  • Difficulty finding appropriate activities [50]

  • Dislike of structured exercise [65]

  • Enjoyment of PA [57,66,67]

  • Positive (past) association/experience with PA [41,56,64]

  • Using preferred or familiar activities/hobbies [53,58]

  • Sense of commitment [54]

  • Assist with research [65]

  • PwD chooses PA [53]

  • Activities related to everyday life [60]

  • Minimize caregiver burden [65]

  • Desire and need to go outdoors [63]

  • Individual tailoring/personalized PA [41]

Interpersonal level
General support from informal caregiver, family or health professional
  • Caregiver factors (burden, doubts) [50,62,64,65]

  • Concerns regarding safety [41,62]

  • Caregiver and PwD not living together [54]

  • Lack of practical and emotional support [56]

  • Lack of guidance [55]

  • Forced/no freedom [64]

  • Relationship dynamics [41]

  • Perceived disruptive behaviours by family [62]

  • Doing it together with caregiver [54]

  • Sense of commitment [65]

  • Relationship with dog [35]

  • Caregiver/family support/dyadic approach [41,54,55,56,60,62,65,66]

  • Advice, feedback and support experts [50,54,56,58,65]

  • Quality/trained of instructor/staff [52,55,58,62]

  • Trusting relationship trainer, PwD and caregiver [50,62]

  • Practical strategies [35,63]

  • Educating caregiver and PwD [61,62]

  • Positive feedback/environment [55]

  • Attitude of the spouse towards PA [66]

  • Positive experience of spouse [66]

  • Community walking groups [64]

  • Volunteer walking guides [64]

  • Dog walking [64]

Support from staff in nursing homes
  • Understaffing [58,59]

  • Limited time for personalized care [58]

  • Staff doubts [58]

  • Benefits for staff [57,58]

  • Staff prepared to deliver PA [58,59]

Social identification
  • Lack of understanding by other people [64]

  • Social participation/connectedness [41,50,55]

  • Being with people in the same situation [66,67]

  • Networking [62]

Community level
Structural and organizational factors
  • Limited organized activities [50,62]

  • Practical reasons (time, location) [52,66]

  • Competing commitments (activities, holiday) [54]

  • Obtain collaboration from care practitioner for medical clearance [62]

  • Lack of resources, space/storage/time [67]

  • Logistical barriers: transportation [66]

  • Strict timing of walks [57]

  • Amount of content delivered [55]

  • Armrests of chairs [60]

  • Costs [52]

  • Collaboration between experts [50]

  • Difficulty transferring dyads to expert [50]

  • Understanding protocol [61]

  • Adhering to time schedule [61]

  • Development of habit/daily routine [35,54,56,64]

  • Intervention accommodation [60]

  • Instruction methods [53,58,60]

  • Program characteristics [51,52,65]

  • Individual supervision [60]

  • Low-cost opportunity PA [50]

  • Tele-health is easy to use [67]

  • Providing transportation [62]

  • Exercise recording [65]

  • Slow introduction of new activities [64]

  • Norms and public health recommendations [63]

  • Support for AAA agencies [61]

Physical environment
  • Environment (weather, inaccessible, not safe) [41,57,63,64]

  • Difficulty finding the way [35]

  • Being away from home [65]

  • Avoidance strategies (walking in well-known areas) [63]

  • Safe environment [41]

Opinion-based factors were copied from Van Alphen, Hortobágyi and van Heuvelen [37]. New barriers, facilitators and motivators from this review are presented in bold. Abbreviations: AAAs = Area Agencies on Aging; PwD = people with dementia.