The Effect of Modified YouMed on Balance, Executive Functions, and Quality of Life in Older Women
Keywords:
Modified YouMed, older adults, balance, executive functions, quality of lifeAbstract
Decline in balance, deterioration of executive functions, and reduced quality of life are common problems among older women. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a modified YouMed program on these indicators. The study was conducted using a quasi-experimental design with pretest–posttest and control group. Twenty-six women aged over 65 years were purposively selected and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 13) and a control group (n = 13). The intervention consisted of a yoga-based program lasting 8 weeks, with two sessions per week, each session lasting 45 minutes. Measurement instruments included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) for balance assessment, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) for executive functions, and the Quality of Life Questionnaire (QoL; 0–100 scale) for evaluating quality of life. Data analysis was performed using paired-samples t tests and independent-samples t tests (α = .05). In the experimental group, significant improvements were observed in BBS scores (mean change ≈ +6.38, p < .001), WCST performance (mean change ≈ +1.24, p = .007), and QoL scores (mean change ≈ +8.17, p = .030). The control group showed no substantial changes. Posttest comparisons between the two groups were also statistically significant across all variables. The modified YouMed program can produce significant improvements in balance, selected components of executive functioning—including problem solving, inhibition, attention, and concentration—and overall quality of life in older women. Therefore, it is recommended as a health-promoting intervention to be incorporated into elderly care programs.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Susan Abdolrezaei (Author); Marzieh Belali; Zahra Entezari, Negar Arazshi (Author)
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