The relationship between family support and caregivers' attitudes about physical activity on physical activity in the elderly with dementia.
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Abstract
This descriptive research aimed to examine the relationship between family support, caregivers' attitudes toward physical activity, and the physical activity levels of elderly individuals with dementia. The sample consisted of 88 caregivers of elderly patients with dementia from Sub-district Health Promoting Hospitals in Mueang District, Pathum Thani Province, between February and June 2024. The research instruments included: 1) a family support questionnaire, 2) a caregivers’ attitudes toward physical activity questionnaire, and 3) a physical activity questionnaire for elderly individuals with dementia. The content validity for the caregivers’ attitudes and physical activity questionnaires was 1.00, and the reliability of the three questionnaires yielded Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.79, 0.80, and 0.82, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient.
The results demonstrated a statistically significant positive relationship between family support and physical activity in elderly individuals with dementia (r = .507, p < .05), as well as between caregivers' attitudes toward physical activity and physical activity in elderly individuals with dementia (r = .502, p < .05). These findings highlight the importance of encouraging family involvement and fostering positive caregiver attitudes toward physical activity to promote improved physical activity in elderly individuals with dementia. Nurses should actively engage families from the early stages of care to ensure effective support and the promotion of physical activity for this population.
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