Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-8bljj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-03T01:27:17.723Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effects of a physical activity programme on the psychological wellbeing of older people in a residential care facility: an experimental study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 January 2010

SILVIA CIAIRANO ,
MONICA EMMA LIUBICICH  and
EMANUELA RABAGLIETTI
SILVIA CIAIRANO*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. Motor Science Research Center, University School of Motor and Sport Science, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
MONICA EMMA LIUBICICH
Affiliation:
Motor Science Research Center, University School of Motor and Sport Science, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
EMANUELA RABAGLIETTI
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
*
Address for correspondence: Silvia Ciairano, Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Via Verdi 10, Torino10124, Italy E-mail: ciairano@psych.unito.it
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This experimental study aimed to analyse the effects of an aerobic activity intervention delivered by specially trained instructors to a sample of Italian older people living in a residential care facility. We assessed intervention effects on general health perception, perception that one's health represents a limitation for moderate and heavy physical activity, and positive and negative self-perception. The 36-item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) was administered at pre-test and post-test to a sample of 22 older people (ten in the control group and 12 in the intervention group) of both genders with an average age of 80.6 years. The findings showed that: (a) the perception that one's health can limit moderate and heavy physical activity decreased significantly in the older people belonging to the intervention group between pre- and post-test, while it increased in the control group; (b) positive self-perception was found to be stable in the intervention group, while it decreased in the control group; and (c) there was no interaction between group and time with respect to both general health perception and negative self-perception. The exercise programme seemed to have a particularly positive effect on older people's beliefs about their ability to master successfully the activities of daily living such as walking and moving objects.

Keywords

physical activityolder peoplehealth and self-perceptionresidential caredaily functioning
Type
Articles
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 30 , Issue 4 , May 2010 , pp. 609 - 626
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Albright, A., Franz, M., Hornsby, G., Kriska, A., Marrero, D., Ullrich, I. and Verity, L. S. 2000. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and type 2 diabetes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 32, 7, 1345–60.Google ScholarPubMed
Associazione Italiana di Psicologia 1997. Codice Etico della ricerca psicologica [Ethical Code for Psychological Research]. Associazione Italiana di Psicologia, Rome. Available online at http://www.mopi.it/docs/cd/aipcode.pdf [Accessed 6 August 2009].Google Scholar
Astrand, P. O. 1992. Physical activity and fitness. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 55, 1231–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bandura, A. 1997. Self-efficacy: The Exercise of Control. Freeman, New York.Google Scholar
Bettio, F. and Plantenga, J. 2004. Comparing care regimes in Europe. Feminist Economics, 10, 1, 85–113.Google Scholar
Booth, M. L., Bauman, A., Owen, N. and Gore, C. J. 1997. Physical activity preferences, preferred sources of assistance and perceived barriers to increased activity among physically inactive Australians. Preventive Medicine, 26, 131–7.Google Scholar
Booth, M. L., Owen, N., Bauman, A., Clavisi, O. and Leslie, E. 2000. Social-cognitive and perceived environment influences associated with physical activity in older Australians. Preventive Medicine, 31, 15–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bravo, G., Gauthier, P., Roy, P. M., Payette, H., Dubois, M.-F., Harvey, M. and Gaulin, P. 1996 a. Comparison of a group- versus home-based exercise program in osteopenic women. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 4, 2, 151–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bravo, G., Gauthier, P., Roy, P. M., Payette, H., Gaulin, P., Harvey, M., Peloquin, L. and Dubois, M. F. 1996 b. Impact of a 12-month exercise program on the physical and psychological health of osteopenic women. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 44, 7, 756–62.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brown, D. R. 1992. Physical activity, ageing, and psychological well-being: an overview of the research. Canadian Journal of Sport Sciences, 17, 185–93.Google ScholarPubMed
Cantor, N. and Sanderson, C. A. 1999. Life task participation and well-being: the importance of taking part in daily life. In Kahneman, D., Diener, E. and Schwartz, N. (eds), Well-being: The Foundations of Hedonic Psychology. Russel Sage Foundation, New York, 230–43.Google Scholar
Ciairano, S., Musella, G., Gemelli, F., Liubicich, M., Rabaglietti, E. and Roggero, A. 2006. Progettazione degli interventi di promozione dell'attività motoria per gli anziani e formazione degli istruttori: punti di forza e criticità Planning of interventions to promote activity among older people and the introductory explanations: constructive and critical points. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia dello Sport, 1, 13–21.Google Scholar
Ciairano, S., Rabaglietti, E., De Martini, R. and Giletta, M. 2008. Elders and sense of coherence: the relationships with educational, professional and living conditions. Ageing & Society, 28, 1–17.Google Scholar
Costa, G., Migliardi, A. and Gnavi, R. 2006. Verso un profilo di salute [Towards a Profile of Health]. Servizio Centrale Comunicazione, Città di Torino, Turin, Italy.Google Scholar
Csikszentmihalyi, M. 1975. Beyond Boredom and Anxiety. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, California.Google Scholar
Daley, M. J. and Spinks, W. L. 2000. Exercise, mobility and aging. Sports Medicine, 29, 1–12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Evans, W. J. 1999. Exercise training guidelines for the elderly. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 31, 1, 12–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Folstein, M., Folstein, S. and McHugh, P. R. 1975. Mini-mental state: a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189–198.Google Scholar
Forbes, D. A. 2001. Enhancing mastery and sense of coherence. Geriatric Nursing, 22, 1, 29–32.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Galloway, M. T. and Jokl, P. 2000. Aging successfully: the importance of physical activity in maintaining health and function. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 8, 1, 37–44.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hayes, D. and Ross, C. E. 1986. Body and mind: the effect of exercise, overweight, and physical health on psychological well-being. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 27, 4, 387–400.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Howze, E. H., Smith, M. and DiGilio, D. A. 1989. Factors affecting the adoption of exercise behavior among sedentary older adults. Health Educational Research, 4, 2, 173–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kerschner, H. and Pegues, J. 1998. Productive aging: a quality of life agenda. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 98, 12, 1445–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lundberg, O. 1997. Childhood conditions, sense of coherence, social class and adult ill health: exploring their theoretical and empirical relations. Social Science and Medicine, 44, 6, 821–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McAuley, E. and Katula, J. 1998. Physical activity interventions in the elderly: influence on physical health and psychological function. In Shulz, R., Maddox, G. and Lawton, M. P. (eds), Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics. Volume 18, Springer, New York, 111–54.Google Scholar
McAuley, E., Marquez, D. X., Jerome, G. J., Blissmer, B. and Katula, J. 2002. Physical activity and physique anxiety in older adults: fitness, and efficacy influences. Aging & Mental Health, 6, 3, 222–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McAuley, E. and Rudolph, D. 1995. Physical activity, ageing, and psychological well being. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 3, 1, 67–98.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McMurdo, M. E. T. and Rennie, L. 1993. A controlled trial of exercise by residents of old people's house. Age and Ageing, 22, 11–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mihalko, S. L. and McAuley, E. 1996. Strength training effects on subjective well-being and physical function in the elderly. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 4, 56–68.Google Scholar
Mor, V., Murphy, J., Masterson-Allen, S., Willey, C., Razmpour, A., Jackson, M. E., Greer, D. and Katz, S. 1989. Risk of functional decline among well elders. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 42, 895–904.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morey, M. C., Pieper, C. F. and Cornoni-Huntley, J. 1998. Physical fitness and functional limitations in community-dwelling older adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 30, 5, 715–23.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) 2006. Annuario statistico italiano 2006. [Italian Statistical Yearbook 2006]. ISTAT, Rome. Available online at http://www.istat.it [Accessed 3 September 2007].Google Scholar
Netz, Y., Wu, M. J., Becker, B. J. and Tenenbaum, G. 2005. Physical activity and psychological well-being in advanced age: a meta-analysis of intervention studies. Psychology and Aging, 20, 2, 272–84.Google Scholar
O' Connor, P. J., Aenchbacher, L. E. 3rd and Dishman, R. K. 1993. Physical activity and depression in the elderly. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 1, 34–58.Google Scholar
Oishi, S., Diener, E., Suh, E. and Lucas, R. E. 1999. Value as a moderator in subjective well-being. Journal of Personality, 67, 157–84.Google Scholar
Owen, N. and Bauman, A. 1992. The descriptive epidemiology of a sedentary lifestyle in adult Australians. International Journal of Epidemiology, 21, 2, 305–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peppers, L. G. 1976. Patterns of leisure and adjustment to retirement. The Gerontologist, 16, 441–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Perrig-Chiello, P., Perrig, W. J., Ehrsam, R., Staehelin, H. B. and Krings, F. 1998. The effect of resistance training on well-being and memory in elderly volunteers. Age and Ageing, 27, 4, 469–75.Google Scholar
Rejeski, W. J., Brawley, L. R. and Shumaker, S. A. 1996. Physical activity and health-related quality of life. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 24, 1, 71–108.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rejeski, W. J., Ettinger, W. H. Jr, Martin, K. A. and Morgan, T. 1998. Treating disability in knee osteoarthritis with exercise therapy: a central role for self-efficacy and pain. Arthritis Care and Research, 11, 94–101.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rejeski, W. J. and Mihalko, S. L. 2001. Physical activity and quality of life in older adults. Journals of Gerontology, Series A, 56, 23–35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scheffer, A. C., Schuurmans, M. J., van Dijk, N., van der Hooft, T. and De Rooij, S. E. 2008. Fear of falling: measurement strategy, prevalence, risk factors and consequences among older persons. Age and Ageing, 37, 19–24.Google Scholar
Turner, E. E., Rejeski, W. J. and Brawley, L. R. 1997. Psychological benefits of physical activity are influenced by the social environment. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 19, 119–30.Google Scholar
van der Bij, A. K., Laurant, M. G. H. and Wensing, M. 2002. Effectiveness of physical activity interventions for older adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 22, 2, 120–33.Google Scholar
Ware, J. E. Jr and Sherbourne, C. D. 1992. The MOS 36-item short form health survey (SF-36). Conceptual frame-work and item selection. Medical Care, 30, 473–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
World Health Organisation 2002. Active Ageing: A Policy Framework. Ageing and Life Course Team, Noncommunicable Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Department, World Health Organisation, Geneva. Available online at http://www.euro.who.int/document/hea/eactagepolframe.pdf [Accessed 2 May 2005].Google Scholar
Yamashita, K., Iijima, K. and Kobayashi, S. 1999. Relationships among activities of daily living, apathy, and subjective well-being in elderly people living alone in a rural town. Gerontology, 45, 5, 279–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar