Elderly people, especially those struck by diabetics suffer stronger oxidative damages to the brain than healthy mature individuals. This can adversely affect their mental health and hence their functional autonomy. In a new study, a 104 elderly people were subjected to Aquatic Therapy to asses if their mental health, functional autonomy and oxidative dysfunction were affected.
The study concludes that a 12-week linear aquatic exercise program can reduce depression, anxiety, and stress in elderly individuals because of improvements in sleep quality, functional autonomy, and oxidative dysfunction. It was also noted that elderly respond in the same way as non-diabetic individuals to the effects of a linear aquatic exercise program.