2025 Volume 4 Pages 26-33
This study presents an exploratory examination of the initial effects and participant responses to a health education program titled “Approaches to Preventing Frailty and Cognitive Decline,” primarily conducted by occupational therapy students for elderly residents in the community. The program consisted of lectures by occupational therapy faculty and local government staff, along with student-led recreational exercise sessions. It was held five times for 49 participants aged 65 years or older. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire developed specifically for this study and the MOS 8-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-8) to evaluate health-related quality of life. An analysis included 22 participants (3 males and 19 females; mean age 76.9 ± 5.7 years) who attended three or more sessions. Pre- and post-program comparisons were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The results showed no statistically significant differences in “reducing anxiety about dementia” (P = 0.08, r = 0.26) or “increasing participation rates in other social activities” (P = 0.10, r = 0.24). However, the frequency of practicing dementia prevention in daily life significantly increased. No significant differences were observed in any of the SF-8 subscales. On the other hand, “enrichment of exercises by students” and “satisfaction with interaction between students and participants” received high evaluations. By the end of the health classes, the frequency of “practicing dementia prevention” had increased (P = 0.03, r = 0.33). These findings suggest that the program may hold significant value as a venue for intergenerational exchange, with participants likely gaining a sense of fulfillment from their role of watching over the students. Such relationship-based interaction opportunities with students suggest potential for promoting preventive behaviors among the elderly. Future challenges include improving lecture content and exploring diverse implementation models, such as utilizing ICT that combines face-to-face and remote support.
