Dr. Marie-Jeanne Kergoat, a researcher at the Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l’île de Montréal, CCSMTL), has been awarded a grant from the Programme du fonds – Combat la COVID-19 of the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Medicine.
Dr. Kergoat is also a full professor in the Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties at the Faculty of Medicine of the Université de Montréal and head of the Department of Specialized Medicine at the Institut Universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal of the CCSMTL.
His project is entitled “Preventing deconditioning in frail seniors followed at the Ambulatory Geriatric Centre: implementation of a distance adapted physical activity program via the PACE tool”. It will be carried out in collaboration with Dr. Mylène Aubertin-Leheudre of the CRIUGM and Dr. Thien Tuong Minh Vu, a geriatrician at the CHUM and an associate at the IUGM.
Deconditioning is defined as a decline in physical and mental abilities associated with a loss of physical activity. Isolation and restrictions related to COVID-19 have exacerbated this important problem, given that two-thirds of Quebec seniors report being inactive and sedentary. Although physical activity is a means of preventing deconditioning, the lack of professional resources does not allow for an effective fight against deconditioning. In addition, physicians are limited in their ability to prescribe a physical activity program tailored to the older adult. The PACE tool helps to meet this need by determining the mobility profile of the senior and prescribing one of the 35 physical activity programs on a daily basis, in order to fight against deconditioning and loss of autonomy in frail elderly people.