BACKGROUND: This study attempts to determine whether a program focused on improving literacy in daily living is effective in preventing physical frailty, and to compare standard treatments for physical frailty. METHODS: This study was designed as a pilot intervention study involving two groups. Twenty-five older adults aged 65 to 85 in Ward A, Tokyo, were randomly assigned to the literacy group or the exercise group on a regional basis and were given a 60- to 90-minute program twice a month, eight times over four months. The literacy group mainly used video materials to monitor learning, and the exercise group used a multifactor exercise program. RESULTS: The LSI-Z, GAS-L, Maximum 5 m walking time, and TUG tests showed the main effects before and after the intervention in both groups (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). The WHOQOL26, Maximum 5 m walking time, and TUG tests also showed the main effects across both groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both programs, when implemented independently, showed specific effects on subjective well-being, occupational performance, and physical fitness. However, QOL and physical fitness were significantly higher in the exercise group than in the literacy group. These results should be considered with caution because of the limited sample size of this pilot study.

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