Encouraging Exercise and Physical Activity

use has proven benefits for older people. It reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, fleshiness, colon cancer, and breast cancer. It besides decreases the risk of falls and fall-related injuries .
Like the rest of us, older people may know that exercise is good for their health, but they may not have the motivation or boost to do it. You can guide your patients by asking about their casual activities and whether they engage in any kind of even use or forcible activeness .
There are several ways to encourage older patients to exercise :

• Whenever appropriate, let them know that regular physical activity—including endurance, muscle-strengthening, balance, and flexibility exercises—is essential for healthy aging.
• Help patients set realistic goals and develop an exercise plan.
• Write an exercise prescription, and make it specific, including type, frequency, intensity, and time; follow up to check progress and re-evaluate goals over time.
• Refer patients to community resources, such as mall-walking groups and senior center fitness classes.

“I’d like you to exercise regularly. Just start low and go slow.”

Mr. Gupta has a list of excuses for why he could n’t follow Dr. Lipton ‘s exercise recommendation, like exercise is for young people and equipment costs besides a lot. After listening sympathetically, Dr. Lipton explains that physical action is good for people of all ages and that being sedentary is far more dangerous than exercising. He suggests that Mr. Gupta start by walking for 10 minutes at a time and build up to 150 minutes of physical bodily process each week. The only equipment he will need is a pair of comfortable walk shoes.

Strategies to Improve Nutrition in Older Adults

Older patients may develop poor eating habits for many reasons. These can range from a decreased sense of olfactory property and sample to teeth problems or low. Older people may besides have difficulty getting to a supermarket or standing long enough to cook a meal. And, although energy needs may decrease with historic period, the motivation for certain vitamins and minerals, including calcium, vitamin D, and vitamins B6 and B12, increases after old age 50.

Try these strategies to encourage goodly diets :

• Emphasize that good nutrition can have an impact on well-being and independence.
• If needed, suggest liquid nutrition supplements, but emphasize the benefits of solid foods.
• If needed, suggest multivitamins that fulfill 100 percent of the recommended daily amounts of vitamins and minerals for older people, but not megadoses.
• Offer a referral to a nutrition services program, such as Meals on Wheels. Programs in your area are provided by the local Area Agency on Aging or Tribal Senior Services. Contact the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 for your Area Agency on Aging.
• Suggest NIA’s information on healthy eating for older adults.

Too Old to Exercise? Studies Say No!

• Together, exercise and lifestyle changes, such as becoming more active and eating healthy food, reduce the risk of diabetes in high-risk older people. In one study, lifestyle changes led to a 71 percent decrease in diabetes among people 60 and older.
• In another study, moderate exercise was effective at reducing stress and sleep problems in older women caring for a family member with dementia.
• Older people who exercise moderately are able to fall asleep quickly, sleep for longer periods, and get better quality of sleep.
• Researchers also found that exercise, which can improve balance, reduced falls among older people by 33 percent.
• Walking and strength-building exercises by people with knee osteoarthritis help reduce pain and maintain function and quality of life.

For More Information About Wellness for Older Patients

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
800-232-4636 ( toll-free )
888-232-6348 ( TTY/toll-free )
cdcinfo @ cdc.gov
www.cdc.gov
Department of Agriculture  
Food and Nutrition Information Center
301-504-5414
FNIC @ ars.usda.gov
www.nal.usda.gov/fnic
This contented is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging ( NIA ). NIA scientists and other experts review this capacity to ensure it is accurate and up to date .