The effects of a client-centered leisure activity program on satisfaction, self-esteem, and depression in elderly residents of a long-term care facility.

Only 12 residents were studied, with 7 in the experimental group and 5 in the control group. The paper does not state how participants were allocated to groups, so baseline differences between groups cannot be ruled out. The paper does not report blinding of participants, therapists, or outcome assessors. The experimental group received usual facility activities plus individual leisure activities and elastic-band group exercise, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated. The reported statistics are before-and-after comparisons within each group; no statistical comparison between the experimental and control groups is reported. Participants had to be able to communicate, sit independently for at least 30 minutes, and avoid severe physical disabilities, so the findings may not apply to more impaired residents. The follow-up was short, with post-test in the 10th week after eight weeks of activities. The program used only activities feasible in the facility and excluded dynamic activities with high fall risk, expensive activities, and activities provided by public facilities.

No funding source or conflict of interest statement is included in the supplied text.

Do not conclude that the client-centered leisure activities alone produced the improvements. The experimental group also received usual facility activities and elastic-band group exercise, and the paper does not report random allocation or a formal between-group test.