Effects of an 8-Week Home Telehealth Multimodal Exercise Program on Physical and Mental Health in Thai Seniors during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sangprapai W, Khanthong P, Namboonlue C,Jetinai K. Effects of an 8-Week Home Telehealth Multimodal Exercise Program on Physical and Mental Health in Thai Seniors during the COVID-19 Pandemic. JEPonline 2023;26(6):39-50. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an 8-week home telehealth multimodal exercise program on the physical and mental health of older adults. Fifteen subjects were recruited for this study. They were instructed to follow a 30-minute multimodal exercise routine 3 times per week for 8 weeks. The exercise program encompassed a wide range of activities, including breathing exercises, cognitive training, balance training, strength training, laughter therapy, stretching exercises, aerobic dance, and singing. The normality of the data was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk Test, and a comparison between the pre- and post-intervention data was conducted using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test. The analysis of the data revealed statistically significant improvements in the Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test (P = 0.002), the Sit-and-Reach Test (P = 0.047), and mental health (P = 0.001) following the 8-week exercise program. However, no significant changes were observed in the subjects' blood pressure, single stance, grip strength, and leg strength. These findings suggest that the implementation of a multimodal exercise program through home telehealth can effectively enhance the physical and mental well-being of older adults, especially during situations necessitating social distancing measures such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Key Words: Multimodal Exercise, Older Adults, Telemedicine