Effectiveness of Group Physical Activity on Depression, Anxiety and Well Being among Senior Citizens in the Little Sister of the Poor Home for the Aged at Thindal

The Human life cycle consists of 4 stages which is birth, growth, adult and elderly. Aging- the normal process of a time related change, begins with birth and continues throughout the human life. Every individual has to undergo each stage with physical, emotional, psychological and social changes. According to Erik Erickson, old age stage is a culmination of many precious intra psychic and interpersonal changes. Normal aging is a gradual process that ushers in some physical decline, such as decreased sensory abilities (e.g., vision and hearing) and decreased pulmonary and immune function etc. Certain changes in mental functioning also occurs among those depression, and anxiety are the common problems among senior citizens. The Indian aged population is currently the second largest in the world. Community-based mental health studies have revealed that the point prevalence of depressive disorders among the geriatric in India varies between 13 and 25%. Unfortunately old age has now become a prevalent problem in our society where money is the scale of everything, the old age people are measured as an economic liability and a social burden and also the joint family system diminishes and nuclear family system emerges which raises the number of old age homes (more than 150) in India. Free and Paid are two types of old age homes which emerging in India and it become popular among middle and high class families. The present study was aimed to assess the effectiveness of group physical activity on depression, anxiety and well being among senior citizens in the little sister of the poor home for the aged at Thindal. The research approach selected for the study was evaluative approach. The study made use of one group pretest post test pre experimental design. The conceptual framework of the study was based on the Modified Wieden Bach’s Helping Art of Clinical Nursing Theory (1969). Purposive sampling technique was used to select 100 samples for the study. Pre test was done using Geriatric depression scale, Geriatric anxiety inventory and modified well being scale to assess the depression, anxiety and well being. Group physical activity such as walking for 30 minutes, exercise for 20 minutes was given in the morning and evening, art therapy for 30 minutes in the morning and games and listening to music for 45 minutes in the evening was given to senior citizens once for 28days. Post test was conducted on the 29th day. The data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. The mean post test scores of level of depression 11.4(SD±2.391) was lower than the mean pre test scores of level of depression 19.95(SD±2.119). There was a significant difference between pre test and post test scores of level of depression ‘t’ value = 57, at (p< 0.05) level among senior citizens. The mean post test scores of level of anxiety 6.6(SD±1.154) was lower than the mean pre test scores of level of anxiety 12.22(SD±1.15). There was a significant difference between pretest and post test scores of level of anxiety ‘t’value = 44.009, at (p < 0.05) level among senior citizens. The mean post test scores of level of well being 45.94(SD±6.774) was higher than the mean pre test scores of level of well being 33.09(SD±5.249). There was a significant difference between pretest and post test scores of level of well being ‘t’ value = 31.11at (p < 0.05) level among senior citizens. The findings revealed that the group physical activity was helpful in reducing the level of depression, anxiety and improves the well being among senior citizens