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Background Mobility problems experienced by elderly people with a dementia are associated with falls, fractures and admission to long-term care. A hospital respite care admission is therefore often seen as an opportunity to provide physiotherapy treatment. Aim To find whether elderly people with a dementia and a mobility problem show a greater improvement in mobility skills if given physiotherapy treatment than if given non-physical activities intervention during a hospital respite admission. Method A controlled randomized multicentre trial with independent blinded assessment. The Southampton Mobility Assessment (mobility score) and Two Minute Walking Test (distance walked) were undertaken at the beginning and end of the study admission and beginning of the next respite admission. Following the first assessment, participants were randomized to either physiotherapy or activities. Results Eighty-one participants, from 12 clinical centres, with a mean age of 81.9 years and CAPE I/O score of 2. During the study admission there was a non-significant trend for a lower reduction in mobility score of the physiotherapy group (Mann-Whitney; p =0.614) and a non-significant trend for greater decrease in distance walked in the activities group (t -test; p =0.325). Discussion The results of this trial do not support the positive changes demonstrated elsewhere. However, changes in respite care during the early stages of this trial may have produced differences between the sample for this trial and that for the pilot study. This trial was therefore underpowered. Conclusion This trial suggests that future research needs to change the focus from clinical settings to presentations. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]