Fun Exercise Intervention for Older Adults to Improve Intrinsic Capacity and Motivation

The FEXO (Fun Exercise for Older Adults) program is a 14-week, multicomponent, recreational exercise intervention designed to enhance intrinsic capacity, motivation, and adherence in community-dwelling older adults. Participants engage in three non-consecutive, supervised group sessions per week (maximum instructor-to-participant ratio 1:15), each lasting approximately 60 minutes. The program begins with a two-week familiarization phase followed by three progressive phases (4 weeks each), with exercise intensity, repetitions, and resistance levels adjusted based on functional performance assessed by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB).

The OTAGO Exercise Program is a structured, evidence-based intervention developed to improve lower-limb strength and balance and reduce fall risk in older adults. In this study, participants in the control group will complete three non-consecutive, supervised sessions per week for a total duration of 14 weeks. Sessions will be delivered in group settings under the supervision of a licensed physiotherapist. The program includes individualized strength training for the lower extremities, progressive balance exercises, and walking routines. Although originally designed as a home-based program, in this trial it will be implemented in indoor, climate-controlled, non-slip-floor facilities provided by local institutions. The OTAGO protocol does not include recreational, cognitive, or playful components, serving instead as a standard, structured intervention against which the FEXO program will be compared.