Quality of life in older adults: impact of a 32-week supervised exercise program
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v85.119999Keywords:
aging, older adult, physical exercise, primary health care, quality of lifeAbstract
Introduction: Population aging poses challenges to maintaining quality of life (QoL). In primary health care, supervised exercise is essential for preserving physical, emotional, and social well-being.
Objective: To evaluate the QoL of older adults in primary care during a 32-week individualized exercise program, comparing age groups (60–69 and 70+ years).
Methodology: A quasi-experimental, longitudinal study involving 161 older adults (68.01 ± 5.46 years) at Basic Health Units in Aracaju, Brazil. The WHOQOL-OLD was administered at baseline, mid-program, and final assessments.
Results: A significant increase in the General Quality of Life Index was observed from the diagnostic to the summative assessment (10.52%; p < 0.001), with improvements in autonomy, sensory functioning, and social participation, and no differences between age groups.
Discussion: The findings confirm that physical exercise acts as a protective factor for QoL against age-related decline.
Conclusions: The program is an effective intervention in primary care, reinforcing the importance of public policies for active aging.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Karollyni Bastos Andrade Dantas, Claudia Valéria Silvestre Rêgo Lacerda, Ronaldo Vivone Varejão, Matthew T. Corey, Francisco Prado Reis, Estélio Henrique Martin Dantas
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