Quality of life in older adults: Benefits from the productive engagement in physical activity

Abstract

Background/objectiveProductive engagement can be a strategy to reduce stress and chaos. Physical activity, a basic type of productive activity, could benefit older adults. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore how productive engagement in physical activity may influence older adults in maintaining their health-related quality of life when they live in a long-term care facility.MethodsWe used purposive sampling to recruit 163 participants from 14 long-term care facilities in Taiwan. Data were collected through individual interviews with a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and independent t-test were used.ResultsThe result demonstrated that the preferred type of physical activities for the older adults was similar after the relocation. Older adults with increasing productive engagement in physical activity reported better scores of Mental Component Summary, social and emotional role functioning than those with decreasing productive engagement in physical activity.ConclusionOlder adults can have a positive perceived health-related quality of life by consistently or increasingly engaging in productive physical activity, especially when encountering a life event.

The importance of physical function as a clinical outcome: Assessment and enhancement

“…Yen and Lin introduced physical activity to older adults in a long-term care facility in Taiwan, showing significant QOL benefits. 107 Lavie and Milani compared older adults ≥70 years of age to younger patients <55 years in CR, finding those ≥70 years had significant improvement in QOL scores, even greater than in younger patients (20% vs 15%, P = .03). 108 Another study by Lavie and Milani showed QOL, pain, energy, physical function, well-being, general health, and mental health scores all significantly improved in cardiac patients who participated in CR, with similar benefits in patients ≥65 years and younger cohorts.…”

“…A rich literature demonstrates the links between QOL and physical activity. Yen and Lin introduced physical activity to older adults in a long‐term care facility in Taiwan, showing significant QOL benefits . Lavie and Milani compared older adults ≥70 years of age to younger patients <55 years in CR, finding those ≥70 years had significant improvement in QOL scores, even greater than in younger patients (20% vs 15%, P = .03) .…”

A Conceptual Guideline to Age-Friendly Outdoor Space Development in China: How Do Chinese Seniors Use the Urban Comprehensive Park? A Focus on Time, Place, and Activities

“…An engagement in moderate physical activities is proven to be the key element of achieving a healthy and active lifestyle which is promoted by active aging [4,5]. The benefits of physical activities include the enhancement of body balance, strength, and mental health [6][7][8]. The physical activities discussed in this paper include active activities and passive activities.…”

“…Many scholars have discovered that people's increase in age is inversely proportional to their physical activity levels. It is reported that most seniors globally are inactive [8,21,22]: 45% of Europeans aged around 60 are physically inactive [23]; only 20% of older females and 31% of older males are capable of achieving the 2 h and 30 min moderate physical activities per week suggested by WHO [24]. It is also pointed out that seniors tend to avoid or reduce their frequency of park visits [25,26].…”

“…It is also pointed out that seniors tend to avoid or reduce their frequency of park visits [25,26]. Therefore, seniors prefer doing passive activities at home instead of engaging with outdoor environments productively [8,27].…”