The Effects of an Exercise Program using a Resident Volunteer as a Lay Health Leader for Elders' Physical Fitness, Cognitive Function, Depression, and Quality of Life

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine an exercise program using a lay health leader for elderly participants. The test covered physical fitness (grip strength, static balance and complex movement abilities), depression, cognitive function and quality of life. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent control group pre-post design was employed. The participants were 62 elders from an institution for the aged, of whom 30 were included in the experimental group and 32 in the control group. The exercise program using a resident volunteer as a lay health leader was run three times a week for 12 weeks. The collected data were analyzed by chi2 test, t-test, paired t-test, and ANCOVA with SPSS/WIN 19.0. RESULTS: After the program, left grip strength (F=1.77, p<.001), right grip strength (F=9.97, p<.001), static balance (F=2.79, p<.001), ability to move complex (F=1.76, p<.001), depression (F=7.66, p<.001), the cognitive function (F=8.39, p<.001) and quality of life (F=1.08, p<.001) in the experimental group were significantly better than those in the control group. CONCLUSION: Study findings indicated that using a resident volunteer as a lay health leader was effective. It can be recommended as a public health resource and for consistent and comfortable education for the elderly in communities.