Effects of intervention with to-balance exercise on the elderly requiring assistance and lower levels of care

Purpose: To examine the effects of intervention combining individualized and group rhythm (To-balance) exercises on the mental and physical functions of the elderly requiring low level care. Subjects: A total of 29 elderly persons requiring level 2 assistance to level 2 who were and using outpatient care services participated in this study. Methods: The participants were randomly allocated to 2 groups: To-balance, and Sitting. The former group performed individualized and To-balance group exercises, while the latter group performed individualized exercise, as well as group exercise while sitting on a chair. The effects were evaluated through somatometric, physical fitness, and mental function measurements before and 3, 6, and 9 months after the initiation of the intervention. Results: The lower-limb muscle strength and mental function significantly improved in both groups. Particularly, in the To-balance group, early improvement in balance and gait ability were observed. Conclusion: The To-balance exercise may be useful for quickly improving the elderly’s static balance ability.