Potential benefits of environmental volunteering programs of the health of older adults: a pilot study |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan;2. Department of Physical Therapy, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan;3. Department of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan;4. Department of Family Medicine, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan;5. Center for Aging and Health, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan;6. Department of Public Health, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan;1. Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Bergheimer Str. 20, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany;2. Laboratory of Movement Analysis and Measurement, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland;3. Department of Clinical Gerontology and Rehabilitation, Robert Bosch Hospital Stuttgart, Auerbachstr. 110, 70376, Stuttgart, Germany;4. Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 1, 7491, Trondheim, Norway;5. Department of Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering «Guglielmo Marconi», University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 2, 40136, Bologna, Italy;6. Department of Human Movement Sciences, @AgeAmsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands;7. Department of Medicine and Aged Care, @AgeMelbourne, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Centre for Medical Research Building, Victoria, 3010, Melbourne, Australia;8. Institute of Sports and Sports Sciences, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 700, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany;1. Institute of Health Sciences, Istanbul Okan University, 34394, Istanbul, Turkey;2. Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry, 34096, Istanbul, Turkey;3. Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Medical Program, 34096, Istanbul, Turkey;4. Biruni University, School of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry, 34020, Istanbul, Turkey;1. Metabolism, Nutrition, and Exercise Laboratory, Physical Education and Sport Center, Londrina State University, Londrina, PR, Brazil;2. Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristovão, SE, Brazil;3. Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Physical Education, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil;4. Federal Institute of Science and Technology of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil;5. Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal;1. Integrative Physiology Research Center, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia (UESB), Jequie, 45210-506, Bahia, Brazil;2. Research Group in Neuromuscular Physiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia (UESB), Jequie, 45210-506, Bahia, Brazil;3. Postgraduate Program in Nursing & Health, State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB), Jequie, 45210-506, Bahia, Brazil;4. Health Department, State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB), Jequie, Bahia, 45210-506, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | PurposeTo study the effects of participating in a 12-week environmental volunteering program on the physical performance of older adults across different age groupsMaterials and MethodsWe conducted a pretest–posttest pilot study with a single group. The intervention consisted of twice-weekly recycling activities and once-weekly rehabilitation exercise at community-based care centers. The recycling activities of the environmental volunteering program included sorting and handling paper products, plastics, and metals; disposing electronic products; and sorting clothes. The rehabilitation exercise program comprised a 90-min course for special needs and 30 min of health education. The evaluation tools were the handgrip strength, five-times-sit-to-stand test, sit-and-reach test, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and usual and fast gait speeds.ResultsIn total, 45 participants completed the program. After the program, the participants showed significantly great improvements compared to baseline in all outcome measures. We further divided these participants into two age subgroups [65–75 years (n = 31) and >75 years (n = 14)]. The 65–75-year subgroup only showed significant improvements in handgrip strength, TUG and usual gait speed. However, the >75-year subgroup showed significant improvements in all outcome measures.ConclusionsThis innovative environmental volunteering program conducted in a local Taiwanese community can be a sustainable and feasible model to improve physical performance in the participants, the subgroup aged >75 years in particular. It also provides a potential avenue for researchers and policymakers to address environmental and aging-related issues. |
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| Keywords: | Community-Based care center Environmental volunteerism Recycling program Physical rehabilitation Older adults Physical performance |
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