The Effect of Progressive Exercise on the Activities of the Elderly
For the purpose of disclosing the effects of progressive low intensity exercise on the activity of the elderly, questionnaire survey and physical fitness examination were performed on the subjects who were 65 years old or older. The subjects were assigned into two groups using paired matching on gender and age: experimental group (33 persons) and control groups (35 persons). The subjects in experimental group was put on the low intensity exercise program (exercising upper and lower limbs for 12 weeks using dumbbell and lead-packed weight). The results showed that the difference of physical and social behavior scores among activities before and after exercise were significantly higher in all variables of general characteristics, health habits and status, perception, and physical fitness. The findings of this research suggested that the progressive low intensity exercise improves the activities of the elderly, physical activity, self assessed activity, activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, social behavior of the elderly be affected by general characteristics, health habits and status, perception, and physical fitness.