Promoting Exercise for Seniors

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Promoting Exercise for Seniors
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Facts About Seniors and Exercise

• 27 percent of men and 22 percent of women age 65
  to 74 are physically active, compared to 29
  percent of men and 27 percent of women under 65.
• 23 percent of men and 13 percent of women age 75
  to 84 are physically active.
• 45 percent of men and 61 percent of women age 85
  and over are not physically active.

A Profile of Seniors in British Columbia (2004)
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Benefits of Exercise

• Improved mobility and a decrease in falls
• Adds vitality and quality to life
• Provides an opportunity to socialize with others
• Helps prevent and manage chronic diseases such as
  arthritis, heart disease and respiratory
  problems
• May prevent depression , anxiety and dementia
• More able to delay the declines of old age
• Less likely to experience illness and able to
  recover more quickly
• Active seniors are in better health than those
  who are inactive

Healthy Aging in Canada A New Vision, A Vital
Investment from Evidence to Action(2006)
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Facts about Falls

• One in three persons over the age of 65 will
  likely fall this year in B.C.
• Of those who fall, almost half will experience a
  minor injury
• 5 - 25 will experience a more serious injury
  such as a fracture or a sprain
• In 2004, 10,091 seniors were hospitalized due to
  a fall
• In 2004, 852 seniors died as a result of a fall
• The average length of hospital stay is almost 50
  percent longer for falls when compared to all
  other causes of hospitalization for people over
  the age of 65.

The Evolution of Seniors Fall Prevention in
British Columbia (2006)
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Getting Started!
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Step One

• See your doctor to rule out any physical reasons
  or limitations for participating in an exercise
  program

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Step 2 Set Goals,Get Motivated and Get Started

• Starting with one or two types of exercises or
  physical activities and a schedule that you
  really can manage, then adding more as you
  adjust, is one way of ensuring that you will keep
  exercising. You are also more likely to keep
  exercising if you feel you can do your exercises
  correctly and safely, feel that they fit into
  your schedule, and dont feel that they result in
  negative experiences, such as financial burdens
  or lost time.
• Choose activities you enjoy.

(Exercise A Guide from National Institute on
Aging. 2004. National Institutes of Health.
National Institute on Aging.p.22)
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Where Can I find Group Exercises?

• Community centers
• Seniors centers
• Private gyms
• Check the yellow pages or contact your local
  health unit

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Exercises You Can do at Home

• There are many resources available. Try your
  local library or bookstore for books.
• Most older people can exercise just fine on
  their own, without advice
• from a fitness instructor. Some may have special
  needs and want to
• consult a professional. An exercise instructor
  who has knowledge
• about seniors can show you how to perform home
  exercises and give
• you written instructions. Some examples are a
  physiotherapist, a sports
• medicine doctor, or a certified seniors fitness
  instructor
• Exercise A Guide from National Institute on
  Aging. 2004. National Institutes of Health.
  National Institute on Aging)
• If you can access a computer, try this website
  for videos to follow
• http//beauty.expertvillage.com/videos/senior-exer
  cises-chair-stand.htm

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Step 3 Staying Motivated

• try exercising with a friend, listening
• to music, charting your progress
• marking your calendar for exercise sessions
• giving yourself exercise assignments ahead of
• time and rewarding yourself when you achieve
  your goals.
• (Exercise A Guide from National Institute on
  Aging. 2004. National Institutes of Health.
  National Institute on Aging)

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A Handy Resource Guide to Use

• Exercise A Guide from the National Institute on
  Aging
• It has information on exercise, nutrition,
  exercise plans, staying motivated, dos and
  donts and progress charts you can use.
• It can be found and printed from here
• http//www.niapublications.org/exercisebook/exerci
  sebook.asp

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REMEMBER.

• Just about every older adult can safely do some
  form of physical activity at little or no cost.
  And you dont have to exercise in a public place
  or use expensive equipment, if you dont want
  to.
• Exercise A Guide from National Institute on
  Aging. 2004. National Institutes of Health.
  National Institute on Aging. p.3)

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Exercise is like a savings account. The more you
put in, the more youre going to get out of it!

• (Exercise A Guide from National Institute on
  Aging. 2004. National Institutes of Health.
  National Institute on Aging. p.10)

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Use it or Lose it!!!Stay physically
active!!!Its for your health!!!
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References
British Columbia Ministry of Health. (2006). The
Evolution of Seniors Fall Prevention in
British Columbia .Herman, N., Gallagher, E . and
Scott, V. ISBN 0-7726-5491-3 British
Columbia Ministry of Health Healthy Children,
Women and Seniors Branch Population Health
and Wellness Division. British Columbia Ministry
of Health. (2006). A Profile of Seniors in
British Columbia. ISBN 0-7726-5185-X .British
Columbia Ministry of Health Healthy Children,
Women and Seniors Branch Population Health
and Wellness Division. Healthy Aging and
Wellness Working Group of the Federal/Provincial/T
erritorial (F/P/T) Committee of Officials
(Seniors).(2006). Healthy Aging in Canada New
Vision, A Vital Investment from Evidence to
Action. http//www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/s
eniors/healthy_aging2.pdf Retrieved March 5,
2007 United States Department of Health and
Human Services.(2004). Exercise A Guide from
National Institute on Aging. National Institutes
of Health. National Institute on Aging. NIH
Publication No. 01-4258. http//www.niapublication
s.org/exercisebook/exercisebook.asp