The Effect of Group and Physical Activity According “Body Cognition” Method Type on
Every- day Functioning, Emotions and Speed of Information Processing in the Elderly
 
Abstract
 
The primary goal of the research study was to examine the influence of the group activity according to the body cognition method on the functioning of the elderly population. Three parameters of functioning were examined: emotional functioning, cognitive functioning, and self esteem, as related to health. The chosen research method is quantitative, and three research questionnaires were employed.
 
 Profile of Mood States, POMS-H, consisting of five dimensions: depression, tension, fatigue, vigor, anger.
 Assessment of Quality of Life Related to Health Questionnaire, SF-36, consisting of eight dimensions, physical functioning, vitality, mental health, general health, role physical, role emotion, social functioning, and body pain.
Trail making test (TMT), parts A & B.
Three groups of people, men and women, aged seventy and above, participated in the research study. The first group has participated for ten years or more in body cognition lessons twice a week, the second group of respondents has participated for ten years or more in fitness room activities, and the third group of people do not exercise at all but come to the health club regularly.
 
The research results mostly confirm the research hypotheses and indicate that physical activity improves the elderly person’s emotional functioning, improves his self-esteem, and improves his cognitive functioning. The elderly people in the body cognition group produced good results, better than those of the fitness room exercisers in all that pertains to the emotional and cognitive functioning. In all that pertains to self-esteem, the results of these two groups alternated. The body cognition exercisers and the fitness club exercisers show similar findings in the physical functioning, vitality, and emotional functioning, but the body cognition exercisers reported better general health and less pain than did the fitness club exercisers.
 
We learn that the body cognition method, which includes physical, social, and cognitive activity, showed the better results, as hypothesized.