On this page
About the project
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is highly prevalent among older adults aged 65+ in New Brunswick. Older adults living with both T2DM and frailty experience an accelerated decline in their physical functioning. Consequently, this can lead to reduced independence and increased healthcare costs. To increase physical function in older adults with T2DM and frailty, the pilot project introduced a 16-week elastic band resistance training and diabetes education program. The program was delivered twice a week under the supervision of an exercise specialist and a Certified Diabetes Educator. The first session consisted of both diabetes management education and resistance training, while the second session involved only resistance training using resistance bands. The main goal of the project was to assess the impact of elastic band resistance training and diabetes education on physical function (balance, walking speed, and sit-to-stand test) and HbA1c (average blood sugar level) of individuals living with both T2DM and frailty. 203 older adults, including 115 women and 88 men participated in the project.
Conclusions and lessons learned
- Overall, the 16-week elastic band resistance training and diabetes education program significantly improved physical function and HbA1c in older adults.
- Findings also highlighted significant improvements in frailty status among older adults.
Recommendations
Build strong relationships with the community to increase enrollment.
To learn more read the complete project findings (PDF 154 KB)