The Experience of Wheelchair Tai-Chi Exercise Program Intervention for a Stroke Old Woman in Nursing Home

Wednesday, 1 August 2012

Shu-Chuan Lin, MN, RN
Department of Nursing, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Shu-Ming Chen, PhD
School of Nursing, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to learn wheelchair Tai-Chi exercise program intervention for stroke people in nursing home.

Learning Objective 2: The wheelchair Tai-Chi exercise program intervention study provided the positive outcomes for stroke people nursing care.

Purpose: This case study described the experience withregular exercise training of an old stroke woman at a nursing home.

Methods: The author collected data through physiological, psychological, social and spiritual assessment and analysis from May 10th, 2011 to June 27th, 2011. The stroke old woman lives a long-term passive dependent life, routinely relying onservice personal to move from bed to wheelchair, and never regularly exercising. A comprehensive nursing assessment confirmed the main nursing issue was limbdisuse. The intervention process was using the Transtheoretical Model, putting the old peopleincontemplation of five stages, and utilizing ten behavioral change strategies, decisional balance and self-efficacy .

Results: The wheelchair Tai-Chi exercise program encouraged and sustained stroke old people regular exercise. As a result of this aggressive nursing intervention, the participantchanged from asedentary life styleto an active one, participating regular exercise 3daysper week. The participant can now move from bed to get on wheelchair, and walk3-5steps by herself. Participant became more confident in returningback tothe community. 

Conclusion: By sharing this case experience, it is hoped and recommended that healthcare providers should be more proactive and design a regular effective exercise program to help aged stoke people have an active living style and get back to the community.