The Effects of Hand Exercise Program on Activities of Daily Living of People Older Than 60 Years

Abstract

Introduction: Aging is a dynamic and progressive process characterized by morphological, functional, and psychological changes, which restricts adaption to the environment and reduces the quality of life. Maintaining the ability of performing activities of daily living (ADL) is vital to the elderly and poor motor function is associated with higher dependency. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of hand resistance training and dexterity as a treatment package on the performance of ADL in the elderly. Material and Methods: A total of 20 senior adults were randomly (picking up by coded envelopes) assigned to intervention and control groups. We used Barthel test to evaluate the performance of ADL, and Box and Block test to evaluate the hand function. Results: According to results, changes in ADL were not statistically significant over time (P=0.583). However, the results of Box and Block test showed that right- and left-hand performance changes over time was statistically significant (P=0.002). Conclusion: Based on the results, 6 weeks training could improve hand function and dexterity and maintain the ability to perform ADL in the elderly.