Background: Nursing home residents engage in lower levels of physical activity, primarily remaining seated or lying down, except for routine activities of daily living (ADLs). Since ADLs, particularly toileting, require effort. This study investigated the relationship between physical activity and toileting activity during the daytime among older nursing home residents.
Methods: The study involved 30 participants, including a group of healthy community-dwelling older individuals and two groups of nursing home residents with independent and non-independent toileting behavior, respectively. The physical activity of participants was measured with an accelerometer, and estimated metabolic equivalents, duration, and amount of physical activity were calculated.
Results: The amount of physical activity associated with toileting was significantly higher in the independent and non-independent groups than in the community group. Moreover, the amount of non-sedentary physical activity associated with toileting positively affected the amount of non-sedentary physical activity during the daytime. These findings suggest that toileting activity can contribute significantly to the physical activity of older nursing home residents.
Conclusion: Interventions focusing on improving toileting behavior among nursing home residents may positively impact overall physical activity and functional abilities.
Keywords: Elimination; Nursing homes; Older adults; Physical activity; Sedentary; Self care.