A STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BATES THERAPY ON VISUAL ACUITY AMONG ELDERLY IN A SELECTED OLD AGE HOME AT ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT

Abstract

A pre experimental study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of Bates therapy on visual acuity among elderly in a selected old age home at Alappuzha district. The objectives of the study were to assess the mean pretest and posttest level of visual acuity among elderly, to find out the effectiveness of Bates therapy on visual acuity among elderly, to find out the association between pretest level of visual acuity and selected socio demographic variables. One-group pretest posttest only design was selected for the study. The sample composed of 33 elderly people with visual problems, selected by non-probability purposive sampling technique. The conceptual framework of the study was Roy’s Adaptation Theory. Bates therapy was administered to the experimental group daily for duration of 30 minutes for 26 days. In the right eye the number of positive differences 30, and zero differences 3. After dropping the zero differences, with number of samples n = 30, the obtained p-value is 0.00000000931 with P <0.001 level of significance whereas in the left eye the number of positive differences 29 and zero differences 4. After dropping the zero differences, with number of samples n = 29, the obtained P-value is 0.00000000186 with p <0.001 level of significance. Hence we can conclude that the Bates therapy was effective in improving visual acuity. There was no significant association between pretest level of visual acuity with selected socio demographic variables.