The Water Exercise Improves Health-Related Quality of Life of Frail Elderly People at Day Service Facility

• Published in: Quality of life research Vol. 16; no. 10; pp. 1577 - 1585
• Main Authors: Sato, Daisuke, Kaneda, Koichi, Wakabayashi, Hitoshi, Nomura, Takeo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Springer 01.12.2007; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Control groups; Day Care, Medical; Disabilities; Exercise; Exercise - psychology; Exertion; Female; Geriatric nursing; Health Status; Health Surveys; Humans; Japan; Male; Older adults; Older people; Psychoeducational intervention; Quality of Life; Sports training; Water; Water quality; Japan
• ISSN: 0962-9343; 1573-2649
• DOI: 10.1007/s11136-007-9269-2

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of water exercise at a day service facility and the effects of water exercise frequency on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Methods Participants (n = 30) were randomly separated into three groups: two indicating exercise frequency, at once-weekly or twice-weekly, and a control group. Onehour exercise intervention sessions were carried out once or twice a week, accordingly, for 24 weeks. The water exercise session comprised a warm-up on land, activities of daily living (ADL) exercises, stretching, strength training, and relaxation in water. HRQL was evaluated using the Medical Outcomes Survey Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire, and ADL disability was assessed using the Functional Independence Measure. Results Significant differences were found between preand 6 months in both the once-and twice-weekly groups in HRQL (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found among pre-, 3 months, and 6 months. The effect size between the once and twice groups was moderate in both the physical component summary (0.72) and mental component summary (0.75) at 3 months. ADL disability shows significant correlation with HRQL. Conclusion Water exercise intervention at a day service facility improved participants' HRQL for 6 months by improving exercise habits and ADL disability. Furthermore, the HRQL change differed according to exercise frequency: twice-weekly exercise showed more rapid improvement than once-weekly.