Exercise and Nutritional Intervention for Deconditioned Older Adults

In this study we will evaluate whether the addition of a formal lower extremity resistance exercise training program and/or a nutritional supplement will improve the functional recovery of older adult veterans participating in a geriatric rehabilitation program for deconditioning. Specifically, subjects admitted to a geriatric inpatient rehabilitation program with a diagnosis of deconditioning will be randomly assigned to one of four groups; 1) Control/standard rehabilitation program, 2) Standard rehabilitation plus resistance exercise twice per week, 3) Standard rehabilitation plus a daily nutritional supplement, 4) Standard rehabilitation plus the resistance exercise and the nutritional supplement. Subjects will participate in each program for 12 weeks. At the beginning and end of the study we will measure lower extremity strength, walking speed, and overall function (using the standardized Functional Independence Measure), and compare the changes in each group.