A great deal of attention has been paid to the quality of life in the population of thesenior citizens due to the increased number of long term life expectancy. A regularexercise has been reported as effective in the health promotion of the senior citizens.
In this study, the principal investigator developed an exercise program for the senior citizens which could be educated and managed by nursing staff. This kind approach may support the need of exercise program on regular base via the social organization, which may mean the intentional change of life style. The exercise program consisted of exercise, health education, and a direct nursing care.
A quasi-experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of excercise program on health of the elderly in senior citizen´s center. Independent variable was a 9 weeks exercise program. Dependent variables were: 1) physical health [e.g. physical fitness(cardiopulmonary endurance, back muscle strength, grip strength, muscular tolerance, flexibility and body fat proportion), physiologic parameters(blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and blood glucose), and perceived physical health status; 2) mental health measured by depression score; and 3) cognitive perception of exercise measured by usefulness and self-efficacy.
A total of 37 subjects was randomly assigned into either the control group (without the exercise program: n=18) or the intervention group(with the exercise program: n=19). The results of the study analyzed using a SAS, were as follows:
1) In physical fitness of physical health, there was a significant improvement in cardiopulmonary tolerance, back muscle strength, muscular tolerance and flexibility in the intervention group, compared to the control group, while no difference in grip strength and body fat proportion. The exercise program resulted in decreases in blood pressure, pulse, respiration and blood glucose within normal range and improvement of perceived physical health status in the intervention group.
2) There was a slight increase of mental health(depression score) in the intervention group compared to the control group, but without statistical significance.
3) There was a significant improvement in cognitive perception of exercise(e.g. usefulness and self-efficacy) in the intervention group, compared to the control group.
It was concluded that the exercise program employed in this study was appropriate for women senior citizens and had a positive effect on health in general.
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