Effectiveness of a University-Community Partnership Health Program for Older Adults: A Community-Based Rehabilitation Approach to Pain and Obesity Management

Objective: To verify the effectiveness of a university-community partnership-based health promotion program for older peopleand to explore its feasibility as a sustainable Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) model. The program focused on preventive strategies for pain reduction and obesity management, emphasizing the use of local resources and personnel. Design: A single-group pre-post design. Methods: Twenty-three females aged ≥65 years were recruited from two senior’s centers. Over four weeks, participants engaged in a weekly program combining joint range-of-motion exercises, strength training, and therapeutic taping. As a key component of the CBR model, four local residents were trained through a university-led curriculum to become program instructors. Changes in the pain-numeric rating scale (P-NRS) and body mass index (BMI) were analyzed using paired t tests. Results: P-NRS scores significantly decreased from 5.57±2.31 to 3.00±1.95 (p<0.001), with a very large effect size (Cohen’s d=1.82). BMI also significantly decreased from 24.19±1.01 to 23.78±1.13 (p<0.001), with a very large effect size (Cohen’s d=1.05). The program demonstrated high feasibility through the use of community resources and social engagement. Conclusions: The health promotion program, led by locally trained instructors, effectively reduced pain and BMI in older females. This study highlights the potential of a university-community partnership as a sustainable CBR model for addressing health challenges in aging populations.