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Physical activity and the management of depression
- Authors:
- WRIGHT Alan, CATTAN Mima
- Journal article citation:
- Working with Older People, 13(1), March 2009, pp.15-18.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This article reports on a study into hospital-based exercise groups to help patients overcome depression. Participants were eleven adults aged 69-86 who had been admitted to an NHS inpatient facility in West Yorkshire. All had participated in a minimum of 6 exercise groups in hospital. Participants' views on the exercise groups were mostly favourable. Reported benefits included the physical (an improvement in mobility, feeling of well-being) and psychological (enjoyment, positive mood effects). Once home interviewees were motivated to be physically active to regain independence and a sense of normality. They were keen to return to the activities they had enjoyed before they were ill, whether exercise related or task related. Group exercise in the community setting was less attractive than it was in the hospital. The authors conclude that interventions designed to promote physical activity in older people recovering from mental illness are most likely to be effective if individually identified goals and social needs are addressed.