The research was designed as a nonequivalent control group pre-post experimental study. It was done to verify the effects of meridian exercise on health status, life-satisfaction and quality of life of elders. The research population included 40 participants, 65 years or older, institutionalized in the city of Seoul. Twenty participants made up the experimental group and 20 the control group. Data were collected between October 2000 and May 2001 and the experimental treatment in this study was meridian exercise, a total of 30 minutes per session, done 12 times over two weeks. The instruments used were the health status scale developed by Choi(1990), elders' life satisfaction scale (Yoon, 1982) and a quality of life scale (Rho, 1988). These were modified by the researchers for use with elders. Test for homogeneity of general characteristics was performed using the chi-sqaure test and verification of the effects of meridian exercise was done using the t-test. Scores for physical health status of the elders in the group which received the meridian exercise were significantly higher. Also the effects of meridian exercise were statistically significant for mental-mood health status, life satisfaction and quality of life. A study to measure the physical index in meridian exercise in elders is suggested to set up an independent nursing intervention for the management of the health of elders.