scholarly journals Effects of a Physical Exercise Program on Physiological, Psychological, and Physical Function of Older Adults in Rural Areas

Author(s):  
Sunmi Kim ◽  
Eun-Jee Lee ◽  
Hyeon-Ok Kim

With the increase in the older population, there is a concern for health in older adults. This study aimed to develop a physical exercise program that combined walking and gymnastics for older adults residing in rural areas and to evaluate its effect on their physiological and psychological health and physical function. A quasi-experimental design was adopted. Participants were aged 65 years or older, with 94 and 130 participants in the experimental and control group, respectively. The program was implemented for seven months, from April–October 2016. Walking and gymnastics were performed once a week each, for about 60 and 50 min, respectively. Data were analyzed using the Chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact test, independent t-test, or Mann–Whitney U test. Results revealed that the experimental group participants displayed improved waist circumference (t = 1.70, p = 0.045), body mass index (U = 4691.00, p = 0.002), depressive symptoms (t = −2.94, p = 0.002), upper limb strength (t = 2.27, p = 0.012), and lower limb strength (t = 3.86, p < 0.001). Therefore, it can be presumed that the physical exercise program was effective and beneficial for older adults living in rural areas. This program is expected to contribute to maintaining and improving their health if implemented regularly in the future.

Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 244
Author(s):  
Hyuk Joon Kim ◽  
Hye Young Kim ◽  
Youngran Yang ◽  
Eun Ko

Studies have been conducted on the development of healthcare programs for older adults in rural areas, not only in Asia but also in Europe and the United States. However, these reports have been limited by largely non-comprehensive results, lack of demand surveys, or programs with no systematic development. The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated healthcare program for rural older adults and investigate the effects of the program. A nonequivalent control group pretest–posttest design was used. Subjects were aged over 65 and lived in the rural community. The integrated healthcare program involved 12 three-hour sessions over 12 weeks. Compared with the control group, the experimental group demonstrated significant differences in both upper extremities strengths (t = 2.74, p = 0.008; t = 2.03, p = 0.047), static balance (z = −2.38, p = 0.017), dynamic balance (t = −4.82, p < 0.001), loneliness (t = −3.02, p = 0.003), and role self-efficacy (t = 2.39, p = 0.020), but no differences for ego integration (t = 1.51, p = 0.137). To improve physical, mental, and social health of the rural older adults, we developed an integrated healthcare program. The program improved physical functions, loneliness, and role self-efficiency of the rural older adults. Therefore, it is recommended that healthcare professionals actively apply this program in primary healthcare institutes and elsewhere.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
fenglan wang ◽  
Xiaoli Zhang ◽  
Xiao Tong ◽  
Min Zhang ◽  
Fengmei Xing ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundExercise is recommended as a core treatment for individuals with KOA. However, the optimal exercise program to promote long-term compliance for KOA patients is not clear. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of the combination exercise program (quadriceps strengthening exercises (QSE) plus Baduanjin qigong) versus QSE alone on older adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). MethodsA two-arm, quasi-experimental trial with repeated measurements was used. As a cluster randomized trial, participants from one community center were assigned to combination exercise group while participants from the other center were assigned to QSE group. We assessed pain intensity, physical function, self-efficacy, and HRQoL with standardized instruments at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Results87 participants with KOA who aged above 60 completed the study. Over the 6 months, There were significant time by group interaction effects on pain intensity (F = 44.419, p < 0.001), physical function (F = 46.904, p < 0.001) and self-efficacy (F = 49.754, p < 0.001), as well as in the physical component summary (F = 15.205, p < 0.001) and mental component summary of SF-12 (F = 19.205, p < 0.001), with the combination exercise group exhibiting significantly greater improvements in all outcomes than QSE group. ConclusionsCombination exercise treatment is more effective than QSE for relieving pain, increasing physical functioning, and improving self-efficacy, and quality of life in community-dwelling KOA older adults. Also, it could promote long-term compliance for KOA community patients.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trails Registry number ChiCTR2000033387 (retrospectively registered). Registered 30 May 2020


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Urquiza ◽  
Iñaki Echeverria ◽  
Ariadna Besga ◽  
Maria Amasene ◽  
Idoia Labayen ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Older patients often experience a decline in physical function and cognitive status after hospitalization. Although interventions involving physical exercise are effective in improving functional performance, participation in physical exercise interventions among older individuals is low. We aimed to identify factors that contribute to exercise refusal among post-hospitalized older patients.METHODS: A cross-sectional study of recruitment data from a randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 495 hospitalized people ≥70 years old. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained from the Basque Public Health System database. We determined physical function with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), nutritional status with the Mini-Nutritional Assessment, frailty according to the Fried phenotype criteria, and cognitive function with the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ). Student’s t, Mann-Whitney U, or chi-squared tests were applied for bivariate analysis. Parameters significantly associated with participation were introduced in a logistic multivariate regression model.RESULTS: Among the analyzed patients, 88.8% declined participation in the physical exercise program. Multivariate regression revealed that older age (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.07 - 1.19), poor nutritional status (OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.69 - 0.95), and reduced home accessibility (OR: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.08 - 0.94) were predictors of participation refusal. Moreover, patients who declined participation had worse performance on the SPPB (P < 0.05) and its tests of balance, leg strength, and walking speed (P < 0.05). No differences were found between groups in other variables. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms low participation of older adults in a post-hospitalization physical exercise program. Non-participation was associated with increased age, poor nutritional status, and reduced home accessibility. Our findings support the need for intervention design that accounts for these factors to increase older patient participation in beneficial exercise programs.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12619000093189 (retrospectively registered): Registered January 22, 2019.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S734-S734
Author(s):  
Hsinyi Hsiao ◽  
Chiu-Tien Hsu ◽  
Lei Chen ◽  
Jinli Wu ◽  
Pao-Sheng Chang ◽  
...  

Abstract To promote environmental sustainability and mitigate climate change that causes numerous families to suffer from natural disasters, a group of older residents’ volunteer to recycle usable materials by setting up recycling stations in their communities and transform recycled bottles into eco-friendly blankets for disaster survivors globally. This study examined long-term effects of the peer-led Tzu Chi Recycling Program (TCRP) on older adults’ compassion, psychological and physiological well-being. Using a quasi-experimental design, 1-year longitudinal data were collected from older adults at recycling stations (intervention group n = 36) and community centers (control group n = 36) in rural areas in Southern Taiwan. Findings from two-way repeated analysis of variance show that TCRP significantly improved older adults’ self-compassion, compassion for others, depression, hostility, happiness, and hypertension. Older adults built resilience through environmental volunteering in the TCRP as an environmental sustainability model for health promotion and social good


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Urquiza ◽  
Iñaki Echeverria ◽  
Ariadna Besga ◽  
Maria Amasene ◽  
Idoia Labayen ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Older patients often experience a decline in physical function and cognitive status after hospitalization. Although interventions involving physical exercise are effective in improving functional performance, participation in physical exercise interventions among older individuals is low. We aimed to identify factors that contribute to exercise refusal among post-hospitalized older patients.METHODS: A cross-sectional study of recruitment data from a randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 495 hospitalized people ≥70 years old. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained from the Basque Public Health System database. We determined physical function with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), nutritional status with the Mini-Nutritional Assessment, frailty according to the Fried phenotype criteria, and cognitive function with the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ). Student’s t, Mann-Whitney U, or chi-squared tests were applied for bivariate analysis. Parameters significantly associated with participation were introduced in a logistic multivariate regression model.RESULTS: Among the analyzed patients, 88.8% declined participation in the physical exercise program. Multivariate regression revealed that older age (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.07 - 1.19), poor nutritional status (OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.69 - 0.95), and reduced home accessibility (OR: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.08 - 0.94) were predictors of participation refusal. Moreover, patients who declined participation had worse performance on the SPPB (P < 0.05) and its tests of balance, leg strength, and walking speed (P < 0.05). No differences were found between groups in other variables. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms low participation of older adults in a post-hospitalization physical exercise program. Non-participation was associated with increased age, poor nutritional status, and reduced home accessibility. Our findings support the need for intervention design that accounts for these factors to increase older patient participation in beneficial exercise programs.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12619000093189 (retrospectively registered): Registered January 22, 2019.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Urquiza ◽  
Iñaki Echeverria ◽  
Ariadna Besga ◽  
Maria Amasene ◽  
Idoia Labayen ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Older patients often experience a decline in physical function and cognitive status after hospitalization. Although interventions involving physical exercise are effective in improving functional performance, participation in physical exercise interventions among older individuals is low. We aimed to identify factors that contribute to exercise refusal among post-hospitalized older patients.METHODS: A cross-sectional study of recruitment data from a randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 495 hospitalized people ≥70 years old. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained from the Basque Public Health System database. We determined physical function with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), nutritional status with the Mini-Nutritional Assessment, frailty according to the Fried phenotype criteria, and cognitive function with the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ). Student’s t, Mann-Whitney U, or chi-squared tests were applied for bivariate analysis. Parameters significantly associated with participation were introduced in a logistic multivariate regression model.RESULTS: Among the analyzed patients, 88.8% declined participation in the physical exercise program. Multivariate regression revealed that older age (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.07 - 1.19), poor nutritional status (OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.69 - 0.95), and reduced home accessibility (OR: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.08 - 0.94) were predictors of participation refusal. Moreover, patients who declined participation had worse performance on the SPPB (P < 0.05) and its tests of balance, leg strength, and walking speed (P < 0.05). No differences were found between groups in other variables. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms low participation of older adults in a post-hospitalization physical exercise program. Non-participation was associated with increased age, poor nutritional status, and reduced home accessibility. Our findings support the need for intervention design that accounts for these factors to increase older patient participation in beneficial exercise programs.


2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Leyton ◽  
Marco Batista ◽  
Susana Lobato ◽  
Mª Isabel Aspano ◽  
Ruth Jiménez

AbstractThe objective of this study was to analyse the effectiveness of two intervention programs: a physical exercise program with strategies to support the three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness); and a physical exercise program with nutritional education in order to improve the lifestyles of adult and elderly women who practiced functional maintenance. The Self-Determination Theory was applied as the theoretical framework. A sample of 135 women aged between 40 and 88 years (59.66 ± 10.76) who enrolled in a 12-week functional maintenance program and attended 24 exercise classes took part in the study. A quasi-experimental study was performed where strategies to support the three basic psychological needs were applied to one group and strategies for the improvement of eating habits were applied to the other group. No strategy was applied to the control group. The main results showed an improvement in experimental groups I and II when compared to the control group regarding the variables of autonomy, competence, intrinsic regulation, identified regulation, introjected regulation, external regulation and eating habits, after the application of the intervention programs. The conclusion is that both intervention programs were successful with this project’s participants and that it is crucial to promote such intervention programs in functional maintenance classes, as they foster healthy lifestyles among participants.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 452-465
Author(s):  
Karim Korchi ◽  
Frédéric Noé ◽  
Noëlle Bru ◽  
Thierry Paillard

Increasing somatosensory information from the foot by exercising barefoot can potentially optimize the effectiveness of physical exercise interventions on falls prevention in the older adults. This pilot study was then undertaken to explore the effects of increased somatosensory information from the foot by exercising barefoot on balance, gait, and plantar cutaneous sensitivity in institutionalized older adults involved in multimodal exercise intervention. Participants were assigned to three groups: a control group which did not perform any physical exercise and two groups in which they were involved in a multimodal exercise program performed barefoot or shod. Postural, gait, and plantar cutaneous sensitivity parameters were collected. The results showed that the exercise program produced larger effects on balance and plantar cutaneous sensitivity when exercises were performed barefoot, without any noticeable effect on gait. Hence, barefoot exercising could be a relevant means to optimize the fall-prevention exercise programs in institutionalized older adults.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Urquiza ◽  
Iñaki Echeverria ◽  
Ariadna Besga ◽  
María Amasene ◽  
Idoia Labayen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Older patients often experience a decline in physical function and cognitive status after hospitalization. Although interventions involving physical exercise are effective in improving functional performance, participation in physical exercise interventions among older individuals is low. We aimed to identify factors that contribute to exercise refusal among post-hospitalized older patients. Methods A cross-sectional study of recruitment data from a randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 495 hospitalized people ≥70 years old. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained from the Basque Public Health System database. We determined physical function with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), nutritional status with the Mini-Nutritional Assessment, frailty according to the Fried phenotype criteria, and cognitive function with the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ). Student’s t, Mann-Whitney U, or chi-squared tests were applied for bivariate analysis. Parameters significantly associated with participation were introduced in a logistic multivariate regression model. Results Among the analyzed patients, 88.8% declined participation in the physical exercise program. Multivariate regression revealed that older age (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.07–1.19), poor nutritional status (OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.69–0.95), and reduced home accessibility (OR: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.08–0.94) were predictors of participation refusal. Moreover, patients who declined participation had worse performance on the SPPB (P < 0.05) and its tests of balance, leg strength, and walking speed (P < 0.05). No differences were found between groups in other variables. Conclusions This study confirms low participation of older adults in a post-hospitalization physical exercise program. Non-participation was associated with increased age, poor nutritional status, and reduced home accessibility. Our findings support the need for intervention design that accounts for these factors to increase older patient participation in beneficial exercise programs. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12619000093189, (date: January 22, 2019, retrospectively registered).


1999 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Peel ◽  
Carolyn Utsey ◽  
Jan MacGregor

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an 8-week supervised exercise program on physiological measurements during treadmill walking, muscle strength, functional performance, and health status in older adults limited in physical function. Twenty-four participants were randomly assigned to an exercise group (EG, N = 13) or a control group (CG, N = 11), and were evaluated before and after the exercise program (EG) or 8-week period (CG). Evaluations included a progressive treadmill lest, strength testing, the Physical Performance Test (PPT), and the SF-36 Health Survey. The exercise program consisted of 3 sessions per week of brisk walking and strengthening exercises. The EG demonstrated increases in cardiorespiratory fitness and increases in treadmill walking time. The EG also demonstrated increases in force production in 3 of the 6 muscle groups that were tested. Both the EG and CG demonstrated improvements in PPT scores and in 2 health concepts on the SF-36 Health Survey.


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