Effect of a Rehabilitation Garden on Rehabilitation Efficacy in Elderly Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of an outdoor rehabilitation program performed in a garden setting for elderly patients affected with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The elderly patients suffering from COPD were randomly divided into an observation group (n=30) and a treatment group (n=30). Accordingly, the patients in the observation group were given a medication-assisted treatment plan for stable COPD based on established guidelines and indoor rehabilitation training for pulmonary function. Outdoor-based rehabilitation therapy was also delivered to the patients in the treatment group in a specially designed garden setting under the guidance of therapists. The training included outdoor-assisted walking training, unassisted walking training, outdoor ladder training, and horizontal bar training. Ultimately, exercise capacity, lung function, symptoms, psychological state, and the Body-Mass Index, Airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea, and Exercise (BODE) comprehensive index of the patients before and after the treatment were assessed. After treatment, the intra-group 6-minute walk test (6MWT), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC), the Medical Research Council (MRC) Dyspnea Scale, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), and the Body-Mass Index, Airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea, and Exercise (BODE) index were found significantly different in each group (P<0.05). Moreover, the results of the 6MWT, the FEV1/FVC, the HAM-D, the HAM-A, and the BODE comprehensive index between the two groups were different in a significant manner (P<0.05). Functional training based on rehabilitation performed in a garden setting for elderly patients with stable COPD alleviated patients' symptoms, increased exercise capacity, improved respiratory muscle function, reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, enhanced rehabilitation outcomes, and promoted quality of life. Thus, it was suggested as an effective auxiliary exercise rehabilitation method.