IMPACT OF A COMMUNITY-BASED ACTIVITIES PROGRAM ON PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN THE FRAIL ELDERLY

To determine the impact of a community-based activities program (consist- ing of handicraft work, light exercise, group work etc.) on psychological well-being in the frail elderly, 82 subjects aged 40 and over with physical impairments were given the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PMS). They were given the PMS again several months after the baseline study. Among them, 56 were participants (PA) of the program and 26 were not (NP). PA consisted of 27 men and 29 women and NP consisted of 13 men and 13 women. The average number of participation throughout the study period in PA was 2.66 (SD=2.04). Among men, the PMS in PA increased from 9.4 to 10.0 (P=0.32) and the PMS in NP decreased from 9.8 to 8.2 (P=0.08). Among women, the PMS in PA increased from 9.6 to 9.8 (P=0.81) and the PMS in NP decreased from 10.3 to 10.1 (P=0.75). Regression analyses indicated that men less likely to decrease the PMS had participated in the program and had lower PMS at baseline (P=0.01) and that women less likely to decrease the PMS had used home nursing care and had lower PMS at baseline (P=0.002). The findings suggest community-based activities programs should be expanded to pro- mote psychological well-being in the frail elderly