Aim: To examine the influence of exercises, including individual and collective exercises, on older adults with frail and prefrail.

Methods: We enrolled 21 older adults with pre-frail and frail (77.1±3.3 years, 90.5% women). The participants were randomly divided into 2 groups: an individual group (n=11) and a collective group (n=10). They performed exercises for 90 minutes once a week for 12 weeks. The individual groups underwent a multi-component exercise program that included strength training using a training machine. The collective group underwent a multi-component exercise program that included strength training in a chair. We evaluated body composition and physical and cognitive functions. These functions were compared before and after the intervention in each group, and the rates of change in the evaluated items were compared between the 2 groups.

Results: In the individual group, after the intervention, BMI (p=0.03) and fat mass (p<0.01) decreased, and the 5 Stand Test (p<0.01) and walking speed (p=0.02) improved. In the collective group, the intervention, 5 Stand Test (p<0.01) and information processing (p=0.03) improved after the intervention. Furthermore, the rate of improvement in the 5 Stand Test was higher in the individual group than in the collective group (p<0.01).

Conclusions: In the individual exercise group, the physical function improved and fat mass decreased. The cognitive function improved in the collective exercise group. These findings could serve as the basis for formulating an effective exercise program for frail older adults.