Mobility of Vulnerable Elders Study: Effect of the Sit-to-stand Activity on Mobility, Function, and Quality of Life

Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the effect of the sit-to-stand activity on the mobility, function, and health-related quality of life of nursing home residents with dementia.

Design: A longitudinal quasi-experimental intervention study with intervention and control groups.

Setting: The study was conducted in 7 nursing homes (4 intervention; 3 control) in Edmonton, Canada.

Participants: Eligible residents had a diagnosis of dementia and were able to transfer independently, or with the assistance of 1 person.

Intervention: Health care aides prompted residents to repeat the sit-to-stand activity daily during care routines on day and evening shifts.

Measurements: Mobility was measured using the 30-second sit-to-stand test and the time to complete one sit-to-stand. Function (Functional Independence Measure), health status (Health Utilities Index Mark 2 & 3) and disease-specific quality of life (Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease instrument) were also measured. Outcome measures were collected at baseline, and at 3 and 6 months. The covariates cognition, depression, and medical instability were derived from the Resident Assessment Instrument Minimum Data Set (Version 2.0), and the facility context covariate was measured using the Alberta Context Tool.

Results: A total of 111 residents completed the 6-month trial (56 intervention; 55 control). Residents in the intervention facilities maintained mobility, as measured by the time to complete one sit-to-stand (P = .01), and experienced a slower functional decline, as measured by the Functional Independence Measure (P = .01), from baseline to 6 months compared with residents in the control facilities, after adjusting for age, sex, cognition, depression, medical instability, and context.

Conclusions: Maintaining the ability to transfer using the sit-to-stand activity is a promising means of optimizing the mobility and function for residents with dementia in nursing homes.