Feasibility of Implementing an Older Adult Resistance Training Program in a Community Setting

The innovative OYO fitness gym device has the capacity to offer an inclusive resistance training experience for older adults, provided that the internal and external validity of the OYO exercise program is established. PURPOSE: Our purpose is to report the feasibility of implementing this 8-week program at a community senior center in a predominantly Spanish-speaking metropolitan area. METHODS: Feasibility is evaluated through measures of fidelity which include participant demographics, participant responsiveness, quality of delivery, adherence to the Program Manual, and pre-to-post changes in physical function. RESULTS: Twenty-three individuals consented for participation. Two participants completed the full 8-week program with an average class size of five participants. Among the two completers, there was a modest increase in upper body strength (arm curl pre-average=10, arm curl post-average=11.5). 87% of the exercise sessions were completed as planned with a high rate of following the training manual. CONCLUSIONS: Although participant retention declined, these results suggest the most integral parts of the OYO program were still primarily delivered according to the Program Manual. We recommend modifications to the research procedures to improve participant responsiveness in a community-setting.