Physical Activity for Older Adults: Exercise for Life!

Physical activity has the potential to change the way we age. It provides physical, mental and social benefits and helps keep older adults mobile and independent. Much loss of function that was thought to be “normal” aging is actually the result of not being physically active. Despite these important benefits, older adults are too inactive. By age 75, one in two women and one in three men get no physical activity at all. Given the projected increase in the number of older adults in the coming years, and that 88% of older adults over 65 have at least one chronic condition, physical inactivity is a public-health issue, not just a personal problem.

Why don't older adults get more exercise? Multiple barriers confront most elders, including the physical environment (lack of transportation), the social environment (family members who disapprove), the intrapersonal environment within ourselves (fear of looking foolish) or the language environment (unavailability of programs in the individual's language). Brainstorming solutions with an older adult can be a creative and motivating process.

To be successful at promoting physical activity programs for older adults, a provider needs a wide range of skills from knowledge of physical activity guidelines to how to make a program accessible to elders of all reading levels. This module provides you with information and tools to meet the challenge of promoting physical activity for older adults.

Phase One (Defining the Problem):

• An understanding of the problem of physical inactivity
• The benefits of physical activity for older adults
• Barriers, how to brainstorm solutions with older adults, and case study examples

Phase Two (The Nuts and Bolts of Physical Activity):

• Tips on how an inactive older adult can start to become physically active
• How to incorporate physical activity into regular daily activities
• How to create a welcoming environment for physical activity
• Core elements of physical activity for older adults (endurance, strength, flexibility and balance)
• How to relate functional ability and the basic principles of exercise prescription to physical activity programming
• How to work with elders with sensory changes, cognitive loss or chronic conditions
• Guidelines to follow for medical clearance
• Guidelines for instructor training and qualifications

Phase Three (Promoting Physical Activity in Your Community):

• Strategies for promoting physical activity in every community, including culturally diverse communities
• Health literacy
• Active living communities
• Physical activity is for every body
• Mind-body connection
• Examples of innovative physical activity programs for older adults

Phase Four (Exercise for Life! A Physical Activity Program for Older Adults and Facilitator's Guide):

• Exercise for Life! A Physical Activity Program for Older Adults -- a complete physical activity program that includes chair-based strength and stretching exercises illustrated by a multicultural cast of real-life older adults
• Facilitator's Guide to Exercise for Life!

Phase Five (Evaluating Your Physical Activity Program):

• A six-step evaluation plan that guides you through a program evaluation process

Handouts:

• Handouts for participants and professionals

How to Use this Module

At the beginning of each of these phases is an introduction page. Click on the arrow in the window at the top of the page (“Table of Contents”) for a drop-down list of the topics.

Moving Between Topics

After you have opened the “drop-down” window, please your cursor on the topic of interest and click. Your screen will jump to that section. If you want to select another topic, go to the window with the drop box at the top of your new screen and click to a different section. You can also go to the tabs above the window and go to another phase. Each section is designed for you to skip from one topic of particular interest to another.

Using the Information

The information in this module is free for you to use in whatever way best helps your health promotion efforts. For example, it can be incorporated in your program plan, or you can use the module's analytical tools to document your project for funders. We do ask that you identify the source of the materials as: American Society on Aging Live Well, Live Long: Steps to Better Health Series, 2005.