Empowering the Elderly Trough Active Independent ROM Training to Improve Activity of Daily Living (ADL) Independence

Abstract

The increasing elderly population is accompanied by a high risk of decreased functional capacity due to degenerative diseases. This community service activity aims to evaluate the impact of a health intervention program in increasing the level of independence in daily activities (ADL) in the elderly at partner locations. This program involved 60 elderly respondents who met the inclusion criteria, with the majority being in the 61–75 years age range (68.3%), male (56.6%), and having a junior high or high school education (89.7%). The main health complaints that dominated the partners were high blood pressure or hypertension (88.3%) and joint stiffness and muscle pain (81.6%). Evaluation of the level of independence was measured quantitatively before (pre-test) and after (post-test) the physical intervention program using the Barthel Index Score instrument. The evaluation results showed a significant positive shift in the functional capacity of the respondents. The Fully Independent elderly group increased from 28.3% to 31.7% and the Mildly Dependent group increased from 13.3% to 18.3%. Furthermore, there was a drastic decrease in the Moderate Dependency category, from 10% to just 1.7%. However, the Severe Dependency group remained stagnant at 48.3% post-intervention. The conclusions of this community service program demonstrate that the community intervention program is highly effective in providing immediate therapeutic impact for elderly with mild to moderate levels of dependency, but has limitations in the severe dependency group. It is recommended that further programs based on individual home care services and the integration of intensive care with local health facilities be developed to optimize the recovery of elderly with chronic severe dependency.