Empirical study of the influence of a L aughing Q igong P rogram on long‐term care residents

Aim To determine the psychological and physiological effects of a L aughing Q igong P rogram on an elderly population in an institutionalized setting. Methods Participants were recruited from a long‐term care institution in northern T aiwan. A total of 99 residents were interviewed and 66 enrolled, there were 33 control participants and 33 experimental participants. The participants were matched according to their abilities as measured by the B arthel I ndex of A ctivities for D aily L iving. Experimental participants attended the L aughing Q igong P rogram, twice a week for 4 weeks. Comparisons were made on the M ini‐ M ental S tate E xamination, F aces S cale, G eriatric D epression S cale and cortisol levels. Results Psychometric measures for participants in the experimental group improved, whereas those in the control group decreased. The experimental group showed the following changes: improved M ini‐ M ental S tate E xamination scores ( Z  = −2.28; P  < 0.05), improved mood states ( Z  = −4.47; P  < 0.001) and decreased G eriatric D epression S cale scores (Z = 3.79; P  < 0.001). There were no significant changes for the experimental group in cortisol levels. By comparison, the control group showed: decreased mood states ( Z  = 2.53; P  < 0.011), increased G eriatric D epression S cale scores ( Z  = 4.34; P  < 0.001) and significant increases in cortisol levels (Z = 2.62; P  < 0.009). Conclusions The L aughing Q igong P rogram has shown to be an effective, cost‐effective non‐pharmacological therapy for cognitive impairment, mood states and elderly depression. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 165‐173.