Improved Quality of Life in the Elderly, and Nurses and Caregivers by Kinaesthetics applications: A Survey in Germany and Austria

Background: The number of elderly people having physical disabilities and other chronic diseases has dramatically increased with the rapid aging of society. The importance of the care has been noticed again from the viewpoint of the prevention, and the effective care is expected for both sides to be assisted Kinästhetik/Kinaesthetics (hereinafter, referred to as Kinesthetics) and is noticed. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between QOL and Kinsesthetics by conducting a comparative study on QOL, pain, and sensation of movement for elderly people under long-term medical treatment, and nurses and caregivers working at the same hospital and nursing homes.Methods: The subjects were elderly people, nurses and caregivers in geriatric wards of general hospitals and nursing homes in Austria, Germany, where Kinaesthetics clinical practice has been introduced the longest. We analyzed data from VSA-QOL (Visual Analog Scale for Quality of Life), SDS (Symptom Distress Scale) modified, pain (Numerical Rating Scale: NRS-Pain), Kinesthetic senses before and after assisting with movement, medical record surveys, functional evaluation BI (Barthel-Index), and Braden Scale for the elderly. SF -36 v2, pain (NRS-Pain) before and after the movement assistance, Kinesthetic senses in the movement support, problem on the health and countermeasure, and Kinaesthetics mastery situation were analyzed for nurses and caregivers. SOPMAS (Structure of the Observed Patient Movement Assistance Skill) evaluation was also carried out for both subjects.Results: The subjects were included in 115 elderly people of Kinaesthetics group, 34 Non-Kinaesthetics group, 149 nurses and caregivers of Kinaesthetics group, and 46 nurses and caregivers of Non-Kinaesthetics group. The QOL of the elderly in the Kinaesthetics group was significantly improved after 1 month (p=0.03). The eldely in the Kinaesthetics group showed a significant improvement for SDS after 1 month (p=0.01). There was a significant difference for Bowel in SDS in repeated measures analysis of variance (spherical assumption; time x group) (p=0.01). SF -36 v2 of Nurses and caregivers using Kinaesthetics showed a significant difference in the role emotional (p=0.04). The level of pain before and movement assistance (NRS) was further significantly enhanced in the Non-Kinaesthetics group. The muscle strain was significantly higher in the Non- Kinaesthetics group for both the elderly and nurses (p=0.01).Conclusion: Kinaesthetics applications enhance QOL among the elderly, nurses, and caregivers in Germany and Austria.