Table 1 Studies included in the review (Full length table is in Additional file 1)

Lazowski et al. 1999 [25]

Strength, balance, flexibility and mobility training

4 months

45-min sessions, thrice a week

Residents in long term care incl. Those with dementia (N = 96)

Completed: N = 68 (N = 71%), from those, attendance to exercise units averaged 86% for the FFLTC and 79% for the ROM classes

• Seated motion exercises not challenging enough

• Lack of space

• Timing of exercise during other activities

• Self-paced exercise tailored to the level of abilities

• Smaller classes of (3–5 people), more volunteers to assist

Rolland et al. 2007 [5]

Walk, strength, balance and flexibility training

12 months

1 h session

twice a week

Residents of nursing homes with AD (N = 67 experimental group; N = 67 control group)

Recruited in total N = 134

residents

Of the 110 exercisers who completed the study (84%), mean rate of attendance

was 33.2 ± 25.5% of the 88 sessions

• Behavior disorders (40%)

• Unwillingness to continue (35%)

• Acute disease (15%)

• Relationship between the therapist and participants

• Quality of care

Galik et al. 2009 [21]

Functional activities and exercise for older people with dementia

Not described

Nursing home residents with dementia

Recruited: N = 7

Not reported

• Behavioral issues (anxiety, agitation)

• Medication

• Communication breakdown

• Fear of injury

• Understanding interests and values of residents

• Self-paced activities

• Availability of staff

• Families involved

Resnick et al. 2009 [22]

Self-efficacy based care intervention classes

6 weeks

Residents of nursing homes total N-486

(N = 256 experimental treatment group vs. N = 231 control group)

At 4 months follow up: N = 413

At 12 months follow up N = 326

After 12 months N = 168 in treatment group (66%), N = 158 control group (68%)

• Understaffing/low levels of staffing

• Self-efficacy based motivation

• Joining exercise for residents

Frandin et al. 2009 [8]

Individually tailored activities

12 weeks

93 min a week

Personalised activity programme

Nursing home residents (N = 322), 170 intervention group, 152 control,

At 3 months follow up: N = 266 residents

At 6 months follow up: N = 241 residents

After 3 months N = 143 intervention group (84%) vs. N = 123 control (81%) group, drop out: 27 intervention group vs. 29 control group

• Time specific nature of intervention

• Inability to continue exercise themselves

• Illness and hospital admissions

• Intervention that supports personal skills, self-confidence

• Personalized goals

• Constant support

• Supervised PA

Finnegan et al. 2015 [13]

Group exercise sessions including walking and dancing

12 months

twice a week

Nursing home residents incl. People with CI (N = 428)

302 subjects out of 428 completed the study (71%),

attendance rate for group exercises was 54,2%

• Depression and frailty

• Lack of staff

• Socio-economic status

• Perception of exercise benefits

• Presence of a dedicated staff

• Enjoyment and social engagement

Fleiner et al. 2015 [24]

Strength and endurance program

2 weeks

4 - day structuring sessions each 40 min

People with dementia hospitalized in a hospital, targeted (N = 130)

Not reported

• Necessity of exercise session organization according to hospital routines

• Flexible exercise schedules that consider mood variations and actual motivation

Olsen et al. 2015 [23]

Balance and strength exercise

Small groups

Individually adapted

Supervised

10 weeks

3 sessions a week

50–60 min each

8 nursing home residents with dementia (N = 12)

Completed: N = 8

On average 77% attendance rate, ranging from 47% (2 subjects) to 100% (1 subject)

• Functional limitations

• Nursing home routines

• Challenging and enjoyable exercise

• Voluntary participation

• Instructor skills, engagement, relationship to clients

Tobiasson et al. 2015 [26]

Exergames (videogaming with exercise)

3 h 2–3 times a week

12 months

3 h, 2–3 times a week

Residents of dementia special care units (N = 22)

Not reported

• Caregivers’ participation limited

• Design issues - handling the video game systems

• Enjoyment from playing games and competition

• Embedding activity in care giver routine