Walking versions of sports are designed to improve accessibility for older adults and help to combat the age-related decline in physical activity and sports participation. Walking cricket is a new sport that has been suggested to anecdotally benefit psychological health and social well-being, but to date, there has been no research to support this. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the perceived health benefits and reasons for participation in walking cricket. Focus groups were conducted with two walking cricket clubs in West Yorkshire, England, involving 20 participants with a mean age of 72 years. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Two overarching themes were constructed that captured the reasons for and meanings of participation along with the perceived health benefits of walking cricket. These were walking cricket as a strategy to aid aging well: health and competence and belonging, identity, and sustaining participation in walking cricket. The perceived benefits included increased confidence, enhanced social connections, improved physical health, and opportunities for continued personal development, with these benefits shaped by the inclusive and accommodating ethos of walking cricket. The findings from this research are the first to highlight the embodied meanings of walking cricket participation, offering novel insight into its potential to support psychological health and social well-being in later life. This shows promise for the incorporation of walking cricket in social prescribing initiatives that aim to improve social well-being and increase physical activity among older adults.
Background/Objectives : The aim of this study was to compare postural control (PC) during activities of daily living between trained individuals with Parkinson’s disease and healthy individuals who practiced physical exercise and those who did not. Methods : This is a case-control study, in which 105 individuals were assigned to groups: 35 individuals with Parkinson’s disease who underwent neurofunctional physiotherapy (GDP-T), 35 healthy individuals who practiced exercise (G-EX), and 35 healthy individuals who did not practice exercise (G-NEX). The Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale was used to assess participants. PC was assessed by posturography in the following conditions: (a) bipedal position, (b) feeding task, (c) getting dressed task, and (d) executive function task. The parameters evaluated were center of pressure (COP) area (in square centimeters), amplitude (in centimeters), and anteroposterior and mediolateral speed (in centimeters per second). Results : GDP-T showed less balance confidence than the other groups. There was no significant difference between the groups in the bipedal position. G-NEX showed a greater COP area, amplitude, and speed of movement (anteroposterior and mediolateral) compared with G-EX and GDP-T in the functional tasks. G-EX showed a smaller COP area in the getting dressed task and greater speed in executive function compared with GDP-T. Conclusion : The PC of GDP-T was similar to that of G-EX, although its balance confidence was lower. G-NEX showed greater variation in the COP parameters for the variables analyzed in all tasks. Significance/Implications : Regular exercise has been shown to overcome the clinical characteristics of Parkinson’s disease and provide a positive PC response to specialized training in both typical and atypical aging.
Introduction : Falls are the most common injury-related reason older Australians (aged 65 years and older) are admitted to hospital. Once admitted, older adults often engage in low levels of physical activity. Objectives : The primary objective of this study was to provide a descriptive analysis of activity levels of older adults admitted to the hospital under the acute aged-care team due to sustaining a fall. Secondary objectives were to (a) examine activity levels based on the day of the week (weekday/weekend) and room occupancy type (alone/shared) and (b) describe the physiotherapy input received. Methods : An observational, cross-sectional study that utilized behavior mapping. Along with basic demographics and physical ability, detailed activity data were collected, analyzed, and presented descriptively. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Mann–Whitney U test were used to compare activity levels by day of the week and room occupancy type, respectively. Results : Participants ( n = 26) had a mean age of 85.2 ( SD 7.1) years and 58% were female. Participants spent most of their time in the hospital alone (57%), sitting (65%) in their room/bed space (90%), not engaged in any purposeful activity (49%). The most common physiotherapy intervention observed regardless of ward location was mobility practice, with a greater range of physiotherapy interventions observed on the outlier wards. Conclusion : Older adults that have fallen and are hospitalized spend the majority of their time as inpatients not engaged in purposeful activity and receive limited physiotherapy input. Future research needs to identify modifiable factors to help encourage purposeful activity in the acute aged-care setting.
Background and Objective : Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been investigated as a potential intervention to counteract age-related declines in cognitive and physical performance. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of HBOT on these domains in older adults. Methods : A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD420251122497). A comprehensive search from inception to November 2025 was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar to identify studies evaluating HBOT in individuals aged ≥50 years. Eligible studies assessed cognitive and/or physical outcomes using validated measures, adverse events when reported, and risk of bias was evaluated using the modified Downs and Black checklist. Results : Seven studies with 502 participants aged 51–85 years met the inclusion criteria. HBOT protocols varied in pressure (2.0–2.2 absolute atmospheres), duration (60–90 min), and frequency (five to six sessions/week). Two high-quality studies in healthy older adults reported significant improvements in global cognition, attention, executive function, and processing speed as well as enhanced aerobic capacity and pulmonary function. In clinical populations including Parkinson’s disease, cerebral small vessel disease, and vascular dementia, moderate-quality studies reported that HBOT combined with pharmacological treatments yielded greater cognitive gains than monotherapy. Physical improvements in these groups were mainly inferred from quality of life and symptom scores. Four studies reported HBOT-related adverse events, which were generally mild and self-limiting. Follow-up intervals ranged from 1 to 4 weeks to ≈12 weeks, limiting conclusions about durability of effects. Conclusion : HBOT may improve cognitive performance in both healthy and clinical older adults and may offer modest benefits for physical performance, although physical improvements were sometimes inferred from functional or indirect measures. However, these findings remain preliminary given the limited number of studies, protocol heterogeneity, and moderate methodological quality. Reported adverse events were generally mild. Implications : HBOT may offer a novel therapeutic option to enhance cognitive performance and potentially improve physical and functional outcomes in older adults thereby supporting healthier aging and greater independence in daily life.
Background : Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults is associated with cognitive decline, reduced independence, and lower quality of life. Early multidimensional interventions may help slow this progression. Objective : This study examined the short-term effects of an 8-week Multicomponent Community-Based Intervention Program, integrating physical exercise, creative arts, and psychoeducation on cognitive function, physical performance, and psychosocial well-being in older adults with MCI. Methods : A single-group experimental study included 29 older adults diagnosed with MCI. Multi-Community-Based Intervention Program involved weekly or biweekly 5-hr sessions led by a multidisciplinary team of physiotherapists, a gerontologist, a geriatrician, and other experts. The program comprised: (1) exercise workshops (music-based exercise, exergaming, Pilates, Nordic walking, dance therapy, cognitive and exercises); (2) art-based workshops (calligraphy, soap/candle making, and culinary arts); and (3) educational sessions on caregiving, fall prevention, assistive technology, and community resources. Cognitive performance was assessed via Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment, physical fitness via handgrip strength and flexibility, physical activity via metabolic equivalent scores and calories burned, and psychosocial well-being via CASP-19 and qualitative interviews. Results : Significant improvements were observed in Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores ( p = .036), flexibility ( p = .021), and physical activity ( p < .05). Quality of life scores improved, though not statistically significant. Interviews indicated enhanced emotional satisfaction, social engagement, and motivation to continue activities. Conclusion : Multi-Community-Based Intervention Program is a feasible and beneficial approach for supporting cognitive, physical, and psychosocial health in older adults with MCI. Significance/Implications : Community-based, multidomain interventions integrating physical, cognitive, and psychosocial components may promote functional independence and quality of life, highlighting the potential for scalable preventive strategies in aging populations.
