Active Aging Program in Nursing Homes: Effects on Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction

Abstract

espanolRESUMEN Se ha implementado un gran numero de estrategias de intervencion para promover el envejecimiento activo basadasen el mantenimiento del bienestar fisico, psicologico y social. Muchas de esas estrategias se han llevado a cabo conpersonas mayores sin dependencia fisica o cognitiva, mientras que las personas mayores institucionalizadas no hansido un grupo objetivo. El principal objetivo de este estudio fue analizar el efecto de un programa de envejecimientoactivo sobre el bienestar psicologico y la satisfaccion vital de personas mayores institucionalizadas. Participo un grupo de141 personas mayores con adecuadas capacidades psicomotoras (Medad = 85.50 anos, DT = 8.47), utilizandose un disenocuasiexperimental pretest-postest con grupo control y grupo experimental. El grupo control participo en un programatradicional limitado de envejecimiento activo ofrecido en residencias (estimulacion cognitiva y ejercicio fisico) mientrasque el grupo experimental participo en un programa global de envejecimiento activo. Tras la intervencion aumento lapuntuacion media de los participantes del grupo experimental en bienestar psicologico y satisfaccion vital, mientras queno se observaron cambios en el grupo control, mejoras que se mantuvieron 12 meses despues de la intervencion. Esteestudio sugiere que la inclusion de un programa global de envejecimiento activo en residencias para personas mayores quecontemple medidas para impulsar el empoderamiento, la participacion y la apertura social contribuye al mantenimientodel bienestar percibido. EnglishABSTRACT A great number of intervention strategies that provide opportunities to maintain physical, psychological, and social wellbeing have been carried out in order to promote active aging. Most of these strategies are aimed at people without physicalor cognitive dependence, while institutionalized older people have not been considered as a target group. The main objectiveof this study was to analyze the effect of an active aging program on the psychological well-being and life satisfaction ofinstitutionalized older people. A total of 141 participants with adequate psychomotor skills were selected (Mage = 85.50 years,SD = 8.47), and a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group and an experimental group was used. Thecontrol group participated in the traditional limited active aging program offered in long-term care facilities – cognitivestimulation and physical activity – while the experimental group participated in a comprehensive active aging program. Afterthe intervention, participants from the experimental group showed improvements in the mean values of psychological wellbeing and life satisfaction, while no change was found in the control group. The improvements in psychological well-beingand life satisfaction were maintained 12 months later in the follow-up evaluation. This study suggests that the inclusionof a comprehensive active aging program in nursing homes, that comprises actions aimed at promoting empowerment,participation, and social openness, contributes to the maintenance of perceived well-being.