Exercise –a key tool to maintain psycho-emotional well-being in the institutionalized older adults

Abstract

Literature states that physical activity increases blood circulation to the brain, improving mental health, maintaining emotional balance, and preventing mental depression, anxiety, panic attacks and memory loss in older adults. By adopting a daily physical activity regimen, negative effects caused by a sedentary life are reduced, ensuring good mental and physical health, especially to individuals in their senescence age, who are in social welfare homes. This study aimed to implement some physical activity models to be applied by the institutionalized older adults and identify potential positive effects on psycho-emotional well-being of those who have actively and consciously exercised, compared to those who preferred to carry out their daily routine within the facility. The study focused on the use of six types of exercise programs, i.e., three exercise programs aiming at the selective influencing of the locomotor system and three cardio training programs. Individuals were monitored via the emotional distress profile, and results showed that the difference between the two groups regarding their psycho-emotional and affective well-being was statistically significant (p<0.01) as calculated by the Mann-Whitney U test for two independent samples. In the final testing phase, the scores of the experimental group varied between 26 and 30, featuring subjects with optimal psycho-affective state, and all subjects from the control group reported a low emotional distress level. Apart from the movement’s physical benefits, older people also showed benefits on the mental and social well-being, which manifested by the participation in various activities, and their desire to communicate, express their feelings, and relate to those around them,; all those made them not to feel lonely anymore, which is a feeling quite pronounced at their age. To conclude, physical activity helps maintain mental tone and proper functioning of the organic systems, which ensure optimal body adaptation to physical strains and nervous tension.