New York, April 17 (IANS): Older adults who take the trouble to keep their household clean and tidy tend to feel emotionally and physically better than those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, suggests a new research.

Housework and maintaining their property affect physical and mental well-being of the elderly more than such factors as neighbourhood or income, the findings showed.

"What I found was that neighbourhood poverty did not directly affect mental or physical health," said researcher Kathy Wright from the Case Western Reserve University.

The findings show how important it is for sedentary older adults with disabilities and chronic illnesses to continue physical activities, such as doing reaching exercises while sitting, arm curls and standing up and sitting down on a chair, Wright noted.

The study involved 337 participants between 65 to 94 years of age. They discussed their backgrounds and physical and emotional well-being in interviews.

The study found that older adults who keep a clean and orderly home--because of the exercise it takes to get the job done--tend to feel emotionally and physically better after tackling house chores.

"House cleaning kept them up and moving," Wright noted.

The study appeared in the journal Geriatric Nursing.