The effects of chair yoga with spiritual intervention on the functional status of older adults

Objective: “Functional status” is an individual's ability to fulfill his/her needs and to perform the activities of daily life independently. Functional decline can lead to a higher level of dependency. This study aims to investigate the effects of chair yoga with spiritual intervention on the functional status of older adults. Method: This quasi-experimental study employed a pre- and post-test design using a control group. The study involved an intervention group of 42 respondents and a control group of a further 42 respondents. The sample was selected using multistage random sampling. The data were analyzed using a t-test. Results: The results of the study show that the mean score for the intervention group was higher after the intervention (p = 0.000). Furthermore, the mean score for functional status after the intervention was significantly higher for the intervention group than for the control group (p = 0.000). Conclusions: It is concluded that the use of chair yoga with spiritual intervention is a useful preventive measure against functional decline in older adults. The study also suggests that this form of intervention should be considered as a complementary nursing therapeutic practice for older adults in the community.