Background: Sleep disturbances and depression are costly and potentially
disabling conditions that affect a considerable proportion of older adults. The
purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of 6 months of elastic band
exercises on sleep quality and depression of wheelchair-bound older adults in
nursing homes.
Methods: One hundred twenty-seven older adults from 10 nursing homes
participated in this cluster randomized controlled trial, and 114 completed the
study. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: experimental group
(five nursing homes, n ¼ 59) and control group (five nursing homes, n ¼ 55). A 40-
minute wheelchair-bound senior elastic band exercise program was implemented
3 times per week for 6 months. Sleep quality and depression of the
participants were examined at baseline, after 3 months, and at the end of the 6-
month study.
Discussion: Participants in the experimental group had longer sleep durations,
better habitual sleep efficiencies, and less depression than the control group at 3
months of the study and maintained them throughout the rest of the 6-month
study.
Conclusions: Nursing home directors could recruit volunteers to learn the program
and lead the elderly residents in wheelchairs in practicing the wheelchair-bound
senior elastic band exercises regularly in the facilities.