Implementasi Senam PATAKARA untuk Fungsi Oral Lansia di Roujin Home Seseragi No Sato Zao Jepang

Health problems in older adults, particularly oral function disorders, often lead to serious complications such as chewing difficulties, which disrupt adequate nutritional intake and may trigger broader health issues including malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia, and a decline in overall quality of life. One intervention that has been introduced to address these challenges is the PATAKARA exercise, a simple oral rehabilitation technique designed to strengthen oral and facial muscles. This study aimed to analyze the effect of PATAKARA exercise on the oral function of older adults at Roujin Home Seseragi No Sato Zao, Japan. The research employed a quasi-experimental approach with a One Group Pretest-Post Test Design. The study population consisted of 75 older adults, with 40 participants selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire and analyzed with the Wilcoxon test. Findings showed that most participants were in the advanced elderly category (≥80 years), predominantly female, and had a secondary education background. Prior to the intervention, the majority exhibited moderate oral function, while after the exercise, most participants demonstrated improved oral function categorized as good. Statistical analysis revealed a significant effect of the PATAKARA exercise on oral function (p = 0.000). The results suggest that PATAKARA exercise effectively enhances oral muscle strength, including the lips, tongue, pharynx, and larynx, thereby improving chewing, swallowing, and speech functions. This exercise can be recommended as a practical, non-invasive, and low-cost intervention to support oral health and overall well-being among older adults.