Chapter 4: Encouraging Prevention and Wellness

"I’d like you to try this exercise routine, just start low and go slow..."

Image of woman exercising For patients like Mrs. Green, the excuses not to exercise seem valid. She is overweight. She doesn’t know anything about healthy exercise for people over 65. She’s not even sure if she’s able to walk at the mall each morning. Her doctor listens empathetically and then tells her that being sedentary is far more dangerous than exercise. The doctor explains that Mrs. Green can “start low and go slow,” by taking a walk around her block once a day, increasing to twice a day, perhaps for just 15 minutes at a time. At her next office visit, Mrs. Green has lost a few pounds and says that she has more energy than she used to; in fact, she wants to try a dance class at her senior center.

Healthy aging, once an oxymoron, is now the goal of geriatric care. Healthy habits, such as good nutrition and regular exercise, can be learned at any age—and can benefit a person at any age. If we could bottle the benefits of exercise, stores could not keep it in stock. Exercise helps older adults stay healthy and independent. It maintains healthy bones and joints, helps control weight, improves mood and sense of well-being, decreases the risk of falls, and strengthens muscles, including the heart. Like the rest of us, older people may know that exercise benefits their health, but they may not have the motivation or encouragement to do it. You can guide your patients by asking them about their daily activities and whether they participate in any kind of regular exercise.

There are several ways to encourage older patients to exercise. First, whenever appropriate, let patients know that it is fine to exercise, regardless of age. Help patients set realistic goals and develop an exercise plan, write an exercise prescription, and follow up to see how the patient is doing. You might refer patients to community resources, such as mall-walking clubs, where they can join group activities to promote and reinforce exercise.

The sheer volume of diet and nutritional advice can be confusing. Try and take some time to help patients sort through all the available information, and if necessary, you can refer your patient to a nutritionist.

For more information on exercise, nutrition, and older people, contact:

National Institute on Aging (NIA) Information Center
P.O. Box 8057
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057
Phone: 1-800-222-2225
TTY: 1-800-222-4225
www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation
The NIA offers a free booklet showing older adults how to start and stick with a safe, effective program of stretching, balance, and strength-training exercises. The Institute also has produced an exercise video based on the book. The nominally priced, 48-minute video features Margaret Richard, star of Body Electric, PBS’ popular exercise show.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Healthy Aging
www.cdc.gov/aging/index.htm

Physical Activity
www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/index.htm
The CDC has resources on nutrition and physical activity for older adults. The Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity addresses the role of nutrition and physical activity in improving the public's health and preventing and controlling chronic diseases.

Healthy Aging Campaign
Educational Television Network, Inc.
P.O. Box 442
Unionville, PA 19375
Phone: 610-793-0979
www.healthyaging.net
This national health promotion campaign is designed to broaden awareness of the positive aspects of aging and to inform and inspire older adults. It provides an opportunity for organizations and individuals to help spread the word about successful aging and is developed, produced, and marketed by Educational Television Network, Inc., a non-profit corporation.

National Policy and Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging
Florida International University
OE 200
Miami, FL 33199
Phone: 305-348-1517
www.fiu.edu
A group serving nutrition programs funded by the Older Americans Act, the Center aims to increase food and nutrition services in home and community-based social, health, and long-term care systems serving older adults. Link to programs, “Eating Better” and “Moving More.”

USDA Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC)
10301 Baltimore Avenue
Room 105
Beltsville, MD 20705-2351
Phone: 301-504-5719
www.nal.usda.gov/fnic
The FNIC website provides over 2000 links to current and reliable nutrition resources.

Too Old to Exercise? Studies Say ‘No’!

Older exercisers are more likely to live to an advanced old age and are more likely than their sedentary counterparts to remain independent until the end of life.
Exercise and diet reduce the risk of diabetes in high-risk older people. Lifestyle changes led to a 71 percent decrease in diabetes among people 60 and older.
Moderate exercise is effective at reducing stress and sleep problems in older women caring for a family member with dementia.
Older people who exercise
are able to fall asleep quickly,
sleep for longer periods, and
get better quality of sleep
after moderate exercise.
Exercise, which can improve balance, along with other interventions, reduced falls among older people by 44 percent.
Walking and strength-building exercises by people with knee osteoarthritis help to reduce pain and maintain function and quality of life.

<< Back | Next >>

Page last updated Jan 31, 2008