The Effects of Using a Low-Cost and Easily Accessible Exercise Toolkit Incorporated to the Governmental Health Program on Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

The Community Care Station (CCS) service was initiated by the Taiwanese government as a part of its elderly social services programs. This study aimed to investigate the effects of using an inexpensive exercise toolkit, containing a stick, theraband, sandbag and a small ball, led by a physical therapist among community-dwelling older adults participating in CCS. A total of 90 participants (aged 77.0 ± 6.8 years) were recruited and divided into an intervention group (n = 45) and a comparison group (n = 45). The intervention group regularly participated in a health promotion program with the exercise toolkit for approximately 90 min per twice-weekly session for 3 months, and the comparison group maintained their usual CCS activity program. Both groups were assessed before and after the 3-month intervention period. Outcome measures included the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), one-leg stance, functional reach (FR), Timed Up and Go (TUG), and 10 m walk tests; 83 participants completed the study. No significant between-group differences were found at baseline in general characteristics or outcome variables. After 3 months, the intervention group showed the significant group x time interaction effects in SPPB, one-leg stance, FR, TUG and 10 m walk tests compared to the comparison group (p < 0.05).; A structured group-based health promotion program using a low-cost exercise toolkit could be effective in improving the physical performances, balance, and walking ability of community-dwelling older adults receiving CCS program services. Furthermore, the comparison group maintained most of their physical performances, even showing significant progress on FR.

Effects of a 24-Week Low-Cost Multicomponent Exercise Program on Health-Related Functional Fitness in the Community-Dwelling Aged and Older Adults

“…On other occasions, exercise programs are structured to rely on high-cost resistance and cardiorespiratory machines (i.e., treadmills), which is not ecologically feasible, as funds are limited. Community exercise programs supervised by exercise physiologists for aged adults and older, using low-cost equipment like that used in their daily activities (e.g., dumbbells, which are similar to small packages) could be an opportunity to promote functional fitness [ 10 ]. Thus, the search for reliable long-term and low-cost exercise interventions is warranted for the purpose of increasing physical and functional fitness among those aged adults intending to be physically active [ 11 ].…”

“…This could be associated with the fact that authors may assume that other researchers are familiar with the general exercise protocols and only include essential details for the specific study. Additionally, various studies have tested exercise intervention exclusively in the elderly, excluding those that are transitioning to this age phase [ 9 , 10 ]. This gap should be tested as a means to provide the validity of the same exercise program for both older adults and those approaching this age group.…”

Effectiveness of Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Centers for Improving Physical Fitness for Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…The characteristics of the included studies are presented in Table 1 . One study was conducted in Israel [ 67 ], four in Korea [ 60 , 62 , 70 , 78 ], four in Japan [ 31 , 61 , 66 , 69 ], and 20 in China [ 34 - 36 , 59 , 63 - 65 , 68 , 72 , 73 , 75 - 77 , 79 - 81 , 83 - 86 ]. There were 16 RCTs [ 34 - 36 , 62 , 67 - 70 , 74 , 76 - 81 , 86 ], and 13 quasi-experimental studies [ 31 , 59 - 61 , 63 - 66 , 72 , 73 , 75 , 82 , 83 ].…”

“…One study was conducted in Israel [ 67 ], four in Korea [ 60 , 62 , 70 , 78 ], four in Japan [ 31 , 61 , 66 , 69 ], and 20 in China [ 34 - 36 , 59 , 63 - 65 , 68 , 72 , 73 , 75 - 77 , 79 - 81 , 83 - 86 ]. There were 16 RCTs [ 34 - 36 , 62 , 67 - 70 , 74 , 76 - 81 , 86 ], and 13 quasi-experimental studies [ 31 , 59 - 61 , 63 - 66 , 72 , 73 , 75 , 82 , 83 ]. The mean sample size of all included studies was n=198 and the mean age of all participants was 71.65±6.34 years.…”

A Proposed Method of Converting Gait Speed and TUG Test in Older Subjects

“…Previous studies showed mean and median values of TUG and gait speed or used Pearson and Spearman correlations between the two measures [21][22][23]42]. Herman et al found normal distribution of TUG results in 265 healthy older adults.…”