This Adminstrative Supplement to an existing grant was awarded at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shelter-in-place and social distancing policies in response to COVID-19 left older adults with cognitive impairment with few or no opportunities to continue physical activity in their community. Evidence suggests that limited or no physical activity may lead to an increased risk and potential worsening of chronic health conditions for this at-risk population.
There are few Internet-based exercise programs available to keep older adults active and healthy in the highly contagious COVID-19 environment. This project addressed this urgent public health need by developing and delivering a virtual exercise program at home through the Internet. This project contributed important information to prevention research by providing a safe, accessible, and effective exercise intervention for older adults with cognitive impairment that can be implemented both under current conditions and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.