Effect of volunteerism as exercise instructor on physical and cognitive function in community-dwelling elderly women
10.7600/jspfsm.62.79
- VernacularTitle:地域在住女性高齢者の運動指導ボランティアとしての活動が身体機能と認知機能に与える影響
- Author:
Yasuhiro Mitsuishi
;
Kenji Tsunoda
;
Yuko Kai
;
Naruki Kitano
;
Taishi Tsuji
;
Ji-Eun Yoon
;
Ji-Yeong Yoon
;
Tae-Ho Kim
;
Tomohiro Okura
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
volunteer exercise instructor;
physical and cognitive function;
elderly women
- From:Japanese Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine
2013;62(1):79-86
- CountryJapan
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine whether volunteering as exercise instructors over a continuous period of time affected the physical and cognitive functions of community-dwelling, elderly women. Longitudinal analysis was conducted on data from 18 volunteer leaders (Leader group) aged 65-79 years (69.6 ± 3.9 years) and 18 age-matched survey participants (Control group). We evaluated physical function using 8 physical performance tests along with their standardized total score, and we evaluated cognitive function using the Five Cognitive Function Test. We used two-way ANOVA to examine the effectiveness of engaging in a yearlong volunteer activity and Cohen's d for effect size. There were significant interactions in timed up and go, hand working with pegboard, standardized score of performance tests and the Five Cognitive Function Test score (P < 0.05). The Leader group improved significantly in sit and reach (d = 0.55), 5-repetition sit-to-stand (d = 0.77), timed up and go (d = 0.77), 5-m habitual walk (d = 0.88), 4-way choice reaction time (d = 0.86), standardized score of performance tests (d = 0.96) and the Five Cognitive Function Test score (d = 0.93). Although the Control group also improved significantly in some tests, the effect size tended to be lower: sit and reach (d = 0.49), hand working with pegboard (d = 0.57), standardized score of performance tests (d = 0.38) and the Five Cognitive Function Test score (d = 0.54). These results suggest that volunteering as an exercise instructor improves volunteers' physical and cognitive functions.
