Effects of a Rehabilitative Agro-Healing Program in Older Adults with Post-Stroke Hemiplegia

Background and objective: This study examined the effects of a rehabilitative agro-healing program on physical function, psychosocial health, and psychophysiological responses in older adults with post-stroke hemiplegia.Methods: Twenty-one older adults residing in a long-term nursing care facility were assigned to either an experimental group (n = 11) or a control group (n = 10). Physical function, psychosocial health, and psychophysiological responses were assessed before and after the intervention using the Korean version of World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (K-WHODAS 2.0), hand grip strength, self-esteem, self-rated health (SRH), and vibraimage indicators.Results: The experimental group showed a significant decrease in K-WHODAS scores (<i>p</i> = .028), along with significant increases in self-esteem (<i>p</i> = .026), and SRH (<i>p</i> < .001). Although grip strength increased in both groups, no significant between-group difference was found. Vibraimage analysis indicated a tendency toward stabilization in emotional regulation and information-processing indicators.Conclusion: The rehabilitative agro-healing program may contribute to improved functional status and psychosocial health in older adults with post-stroke hemiplegia. These findings also suggest the potential use of psychophysiological indicators as complementary measures for evaluating the effects of agro-healing interventions.