Increasing physical activity for older adults in hospitals

PIVOT Trial: Promoting Increased Physical Activity in Hospitalised Older Adults With Trained Volunteers: An Implementation Feasibility Study

Not applicable Interventional University of Southampton · NCT06017934

This study is testing whether training volunteers to help older adults exercise in hospitals can improve their strength and quality of life while they are being treated.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment225 (estimated)
Ages65 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of Southampton Academic / other
Locations2 sites (Frimley, Surrey and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT06017934 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

The PIVOT study aims to assess the feasibility of training volunteers to deliver exercise support to hospitalized older adults to combat hospital-associated deconditioning. This multicenter feasibility study will involve three hospitals of varying sizes and will utilize both quantitative and qualitative measures to evaluate the intervention's acceptance and its impact on patients' health and functional outcomes. A total of 180 patients will be recruited, with half receiving the volunteer-led intervention and half serving as a control group. The study seeks to determine if this approach can improve quality of life and muscle strength among older adults during their hospital stay.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are older adults aged 65 years and above who are admitted to an acute hospital and can provide informed consent.

Not a fit: Patients with severe cognitive impairments or those receiving end-of-life care may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this intervention could significantly enhance the health and quality of life for hospitalized older adults by preventing deconditioning.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown that training volunteers to engage with older adults in hospital settings is feasible and well-received, indicating potential for success in this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

Patients

* Adults aged 65 years and above
* Able to provide written informed consent

Volunteers

* Adults aged 18 years and above
* Completed the generic clearance and training with the hospital voluntary services
* Able to provide written informed consent
* Able to communicate fluently enough in English. Fluent English is required to ensure the intervention content can be delivered clearly and thus safely to participants.

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients

* Anyone with a severe cognitive impairment (MoCA less than 10)
* Patients isolated for infection control reasons
* Patients receiving end of life care

Volunteers

* Volunteers that are unable to safely complete the exercises included in the intervention will be excluded from the study.

Where this trial is running

Frimley, Surrey and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Hospital-associated DeconditioningPhysical activityHospital-associated deconditioningSedentary behaviourPhysical inactivityVolunteer-ledFeasibilityImplementation
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.