Table 1. Baseline characteristics of participants.
| Characteristics | Total n = 186 |
Exercise n = 93 |
Social activity n = 93 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 85.1 ± 7.1 | 84.4 ± 6.2 | 85.9 ± 7.8 |
| Female | 141 (75.8) | 70 (75.3) | 71 (76.3) |
| Previous exerciser | 135 (72.6) | 72 (77.4) | 63 (67.7) |
| Dementia type: | |||
| Alzheimer | 67 (36.0) | 34 (36.6) | 33 (35.5) |
| Vascular | 77 (41.4) | 36 (38.7) | 41 (44.1) |
| Other | 27 (14.5) | 15 (16.1) | 12 (12.9) |
| Mixed Alzheimer/vascular | 15 (8.1) | 8 (8.6) | 7 (7.5) |
| Diagnoses and medical conditions | |||
| Depressive disorders | 107 (57.5) | 53 (57) | 54 (58.1) |
| Delirium, previous week | 102 (54.8) | 48 (51.6) | 54 (58.1) |
| Previous stroke | 57 (30.6) | 33 (35.5) | 24 (25.8) |
| Heart failure | 56 (30.1) | 24 (25.8) | 32 (24.4) |
| Previous hip fracture | 53 (28.5) | 28 (30.1) | 25 (26.9) |
| Angina pectoris | 49 (26.3) | 21 (22.6) | 28 (30.1) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 29 (15.6) | 18 (19.4) | 11 (11.8) |
| Rheumatic disease | 28 (15.1) | 14 (15.1) | 14 (15.1) |
| Chronic lung disease | 39 (21.0) | 20 (21.5) | 19 (20.4) |
| Osteoarthritis | 61 (32.8) | 35 (37.6) | 26 (28.0) |
| Vision impairment | 26 (14.0) | 10 (10.8) | 16 (17.2) |
| Hearing impairment | 32 (17.2) | 12 (12.9) | 20 (21.5) |
| Prescribed medications | |||
| Analgesics | 112 (60.2) | 55 (59.1) | 57 (61.3) |
| Antidepressants | 102 (54.8) | 58 (62.4) | 44 (47.3)* |
| Benzodiazepine | 40 (21.5) | 19 (20.4) | 21 (22.6) |
| Diuretics | 88 (47.3) | 41 (44.1) | 47 (50.5) |
| Anti-dementia drugs | 47 (25.3) | 28 (30.1) | 19 (20.4) |
| Number of medications | 8.3 ± 3.8 | 8.4 ± 4.0 | 8.2 ± 3.7 |
| Assessments | |||
| MMSE (range 0–30) | 14.9 ± 3.5 | 15.4 ± 3.4 | 14.4 ± 3.5 |
| Barthel ADL Index (range 0–20) | 10.8 ± 4.4 | 10.7 ± 4.5 | 11.0 ± 4.4 |
| BBS (range 0–56) | 28.9 ± 14.5 | 28.6 ± 14.3 | 29.3 ± 14.7 |
| Gait speed over 4 m, m/s, n = 185 | 0.45 ± 0.2 | 0.45 ± 0.2 | 0.45 ± 0.2 |
| NPI (range 0–144) | 14.8 ± 3.2 | 15.2 ± 15.8 | 14.4 ± 12.6 |
| GDS -15 (range 0–15), n = 185 | 3.8 ± 3.2 | 4.0 ± 3.4 | 3.6 ± 2.9 |
| MNA (range 0–30), n = 185 | 21.1 ± 2.7 | 21.3 ± 2.8 | 20.9 ± 2.6 |
| Self-reported good health | 119 (64.0) | 60 (64.5) | 59 (63.4) |
| Perceived loneliness | 104 (55.9) | 50 (53.8) | 54 (58.1) |
Values are expressed as n (%) or mean ± standard deviation. Numbers reported after assessment measures indicate numbers of measures available when values were missing. For the BBS, MMSE, Barthel ADL Index, and MNA, higher scores indicate better status. For the GDS-15 and NPI, lower scores indicate better status.
*p = 0.04, difference between groups.
MMSE = Mini-Mental State Examination; ADL = activities of daily living; BBS = Berg Balance Scale; NPI = Neuropsychiatric Inventory; GDS-15 = 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale; MNA = Mini Nutritional Assessment.