Summary: Determinants Of Physical Activity

The oldest group were much less likely than younger people to be exercising to keep fit, relieve stress/relax, keep in shape or lose weight but instead more likely to be taking part for enjoyment and social aspects or because it helps with an injury/disability

The selected health care measure examined within this paper is that of activity levels within the older adult population. The National Committee for Quality Assurance

To investigate through different articles from NHS and WHO, the levels of physical activity necessary for different age groups

Physical Activity (PA) has many benefits on our health, and importance of this has to be clearly communicated (House of Commons Health Committee 2015). Therefore, the purpose of this report is to discuss relationship between PA, health and diseases along with specific references to the current United Kingdom (UK) health status. This report will also explain two examples of social determinants of health, to show the impact failing to reach government guidelines has on remaining healthy.

Due to continuous changes in Australia’s demographics, the urgency of helping older adults to maintain high quality of life (QOL) has become evident. Life expectancy in Australia has been increasing and an average Australian is now expected to live to 82.2 years of age. The proportion of people age 65 and over increased from 11.8% to 14.7% during the period 1994-2014, and these numbers are more likely to grow in the future. This extended survival often results in declining health, which is not an inevitable part of aging. However, this does not necessarily translate into poor QOL. Lifestyle plays a major role in determining the QOL in older adults and exercise arguably is the major determinant of health. This paper discusses how exercise can effect the QOL life in older adults.

Age related changes could affect anyone’s quality of life. Chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes can affect physical activity. Limitations

The article, Exercise Program for Older Adults Improves Health and Catches on Around the Country, goes into depth about a program managed by senior services in Seattle, Washington, pertaining to a study on the elderly and the benefits of physical activity. Aging studies have found that people grow old at different rates, but it is inevitable that at some point there will be a decline in endurance, flexibility, balance and strength that occurs from natural aging. This natural occurrence has the possibility of leading to several negative impacts such as diminished independence and vitality which can lead to depression as well as increasing the likelihood of a disabling injury. After years of researching the positive benefits of physical activity, The University of Washington’s Health Promotion Research Center, a CDC Prevention Research Center (PRC), decided that they wanted to offer an exercise program in the setting of a community center. They thought it was wise to offer this program in a community based location like a senior center to promote dissemination and

In today’s world, the older generations are living longer than ever before. Prior to recent times, seniors were not expected to reach their 70’s or beyond. Now, the 85+-year-old age cohort is becoming the fastest growing cohort in the United States (Transgenerational). Therefore, it is essential for the government, researchers, as well as the individuals in the growing age cohort, to fight the negative stigmas of growing older, as well as preserve their health in order to lead happy and healthy lives.

A limitation of cross sectional studies is that the design is reliant on data which has been collected for other purposes and methods adopted cannot be controlled or changed. Studies analysed in this aimed to find methods of improving physical fitness and counteract inactivity with the use of pedometers and participants were selected via convenience and volunteer sampling (Proença et al, 2012, Zabatiero et al., 2013)).Thus participants who volunteered were most likely to have been physically active, have greater exercise capacity and thus more willing to take part than those who were less physically active. This contradicts this study as researchers are trying to find a full representation of different levels of physical activities and exercise capacity within the elderly population. This is a limitation as it does not provide full representation of elderly population and does not account for those who have been physically fit but less active. As a result, this study lacks internal and external validity as it has poor generalisability and participants are not fully representative of the general elderly

Another alternate program offered to the elderly under the Older American Act is senior centers. AARP stated that over, 1 million older adults participate in services offered by senior centers. Research shows that older adults who participate in senior center activities have higher levels of health, social interaction, and life satisfaction than their peers do. Jacobson, E., O’Hanlon, J., Bennett, C., McCloskey, S., (2017), also attested to the value of the services provided by these Senior centers, in providing a variety of physical health–promotion activities including aerobics, strength conditioning, and yoga. They asserted that these activities and programs are valuable, and are validated by numerous researches. These studies prove that regular physical activity and a healthy diet can prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. The studies also indicates that seniors who practice regular physical activity tend to have overall improved cardiovascular health, better balance, and increased joint mobility, making them less prone to falls and long-term disabilities. Bennett, C.,

Moreover, exercise is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. As people age, it is becomes harder to stay healthy and strong. As Davis (2007) includes in the IDEA Fitness Journal, “Nearly half of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 live with at least one chronic condition, such as arthritis, hypertension, diabetes or heart disease, all of which can be improved through exercise (IHRSA 2004).” Therefore, this aerobics program will be very beneficial to the client’s health. Movement is necessary in living a long healthy life, and that is what this program is all about. Physical health can add to one’s mental health as well. When one is comfortable in his or her own body, he or she will be more likely to be comfortable in every other aspect of his or her

First, this optimistic scenario is plausible due to preventative healthcare Preventative health care is a variety of efforts to reduce cost by minimizing disease or comorbidity, simultaneously existing medical conditions. Aging is a normal process of life and as individuals age they become more susceptible to disease and poor health (Toner, Shadden, & Gluth, 2011, p. 9). Taking preventative measures is crucial for geriatric individuals because “with good social supports, modified diet, exercise, and appropriate medications, individuals can limit negative health effects” (Toner, Shadden, & Gluth, 2011, p. 18). A simple preventative measure for geriatrics, and anyone else for that matter, is exercise. A study involving more than 14,000 patients “found no difference in mortality between exercise and drug interventions in the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease or Type 2 diabetes” (Bakalar, 2013, par. 4). This research indicates that by making the effort to take walks or do simple

Aging is the length of time during which a being or thing has existed length of life (Webster dictionary). Growing old and becoming an elderly person can be challenging but, yet it can be very rewarding, it can bring a lot of good and bad. Aging has its rewards, but it presents the challenges of all stages of life. Growing old consist of gradual, ongoing changes in the body, changes such as shrinking in height in which the elderly tends to get shorter as he or she age. Elderly people tends to have less appetite which causes them to lose weight, and a decline in strength and vitality, which can sometimes make them

Out of all the members at my local gym, only 7% of them fit into older population category and I think this needs to increase dramatically. It is important to promote and support physical activity for the older population try and raise the amount of physically active older adults. ‘Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that require energy expenditure’. (World Health Organisation, 2015, para. 1). I believe it is important for the older population to be physically active because there are so many benefits which come from it. Some of the many benefits include reduced risk of getting diseases, better quality of life, prevention/cure of depression and reducing anxiety and stress. (American College of Sports Medicine, 2014. PAGE ??) Supporting and encouraging the older population to participate in physical activity is crucial, especially since starting becoming active and doing something you have never done before can be off putting and make you think twice before taking part. I believe the 3 most important steps that need to be taken in order to support and promote physical activity are informing the older adults on the exercise benefits, making them aware of how much activity they need to doing and providing physical activity opportunities for them to participate in. ‘Younger adults are more likely to meet the 2008 Physical Activity Guideline for aerobic activity than older adults’. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014,

The purpose of our health fair event is to educate and encourage older adults to remain active in their daily lives. Physical health is beneficial throughout one’s entire lifespan. Incorporating regular exercise into your daily routine will prevent chronic disease, improves their overall mood, and lowers their chances of injury (Aldwin & Gilmer, 2013, Chapter 5). As we go through the aging process, our bodies require us to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Moderate exercise is favorable for people of all ages. Elderly people living with chronic illnesses can also participate in moderate physical activity. Medical conditions, such as dementia, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure can all be improved by including regular exercise into an individual’s routine (Chronic Illnesses, PowerPoint).