AKTIFITAS FISIK TERPROGRAM EFEKTIF DALAM MENINGKATKAN FUNGSI KOGNITIF USIA LANJUT

Abstract

The increasing proportion of elderly people gives rise to several health problems in the elderly. The biggest health problem is degenerative diseases. It is estimated that by 2050 around 75% of the elderly suffer from degenerative diseases and cannot move. One of the disorders due to such degenerative processes is a decline in cognitive function. The study aims to determine the effect of programmed physical activity on improving cognitive function in old age. The research design was quasi-experimental, with a pre-test and post-test approach with a control group. The research sample was 15 people for treatment subjects and 15 people for controls, with the criteria: age 60-70 years, able to communicate verbally and non-verbally, and good/normal general condition. The instrument used to measure cognitive function is the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The sample was given a programmed physical activity exercise intervention for one month, and measurements of cognitive function were carried out before and after the intervention. Data analysis was done through univariate analysis with the mean and bivariate analysis with the t-test. The results showed that cognitive function in the elderly before and after carrying out programmed physical activity increased from an average score of 24.67 to 26.53 with an increase in score of 1.86, p-value 0.000, meaning that programmed physical activity effectively improved cognitive function in the elderly.