A Communitybased Exercise Program for the Frail Elderly

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A Community-based Exercise Program for the
Frail Elderly

• Ruth Haynes
• Foothill-DeAnza Community College District
• West Valley- Mission Community College District
• Cupertino and Saratoga, CA
• ruth_haynes_at_westvalley.edu

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• Outline
• Frail Elderly
• Parkinsons Disease Introduction
• Objectives of fitness program
• Health/Fitness Screening Process
• Components of a Fitness Program
• Room Set-up and Equipment
• Class Format
• Examples of Adaptable Exercises

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Parkinsons Disease (PD)

• Progressive neuromuscular disorder
• Cells of substantia nigra degenerate
• Brain no longer produces dopamine which controls
  movement
• PD causes motor and nonmotor symptoms

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Diagnosis of PD

• No standard marker for PD
• Major motor symptoms
• - Tremor at rest
• - Rigidity
• - Bradykinesia
• 2 out of 3 major signs contribute to diagnosis of
  PD

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Risk Factors of PD

• Advancing age
• Family history
• Environmental causes
• Smoking
• Caffeine consumption

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PD Treatments

• Drug Therapies
• Levodopa- most effective
• Surgical treatments
• Exercise 

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Benefits of Exercise for PD

• Improves physical performance
• Improves ADLs and IADLS
• Delays increases in medication doses

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Objectives of a fitness program for the frail
elderly

• Functional Movements
• Improve and maintain physical functions
• Prevent loss of independence
• Maintain ADLs
• Maintain IADLs

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Health/Fitness Screening Process

• Community Colleges in California
• Adapted Physical Education Courses
• Other community-based programs
• Adult Education
• Senior Centers
• City Recreational Programs
• Active and Assisted Living Facilities
• Long-term Care Facilities

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Components of a Fitness Program

• Cardiovascular Endurance
• Ability of heart and lungs to provide enough
  energy for older adults to carry on normal daily
  activities
• Muscular Endurance
• Ability of muscles to sustain repeated
  contractions so older adults can lift, pull,
  carry, and push things.
• Dynamic Balance
• Ability of body to stay balanced during movement
  activities
• Flexibility
• Ability of joints to move freely within their
  full range of motion

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Room Set-up and Equipment

• Adequate room size to allow students to move
  unrestricted (i.e. arms distance in all
  directions)
• Have sturdy chairs
• Need visibility from all areas of the room
• Room temperature
• Consider equipment cleanliness

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Class Format

• Greeting
• Various forms of music
• Warm-up
• Vary the exercises- standing and sitting
• Watch for signs of fatigue
• Giving out information while you and the class
  are exercising
• Contraindicated exercises.
• Keep class fun and informative.
• Class is also a support group.
• If exercise or activity hurts, dont do it.
• Alternate the four components of fitness within
  your exercise class.

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Examples of chair exercises

• Lower body exercises
• Upper body exercises
• Combination exercises using lower and upper body
• Flexibility exercises
• Dumbbell exercises

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Examples of standing exercises

• Marching in place, stepping side to side front
  and back
• Lift heels and toes up and down
• Squats
• Boxing
• Calf stretch
• Lift leg front, side and back

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Examples of coordination and balance activities

• Combine various movements alternating arms and
  legs.
• Arms and legs doing different movements at the
  same time.
• Working opposite sides of the body

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Examples of exercises and activities using PVC
pipe or water noodle

• Roll water noodle in your fingers forward and
  back
• Reach overhead and side to side
• Spin your noodle like a baton
• Roll it down your legs
• Stretch it forward and from side to side
• Make letters in the air

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Examples of facial exercises for Parkinsons
Disease

• Say the vowels opening up your mouth as wide as
  you can
• Peter picked a peck of pickled peppers
• Say aaahhhh and oooooooo
• Practice d g c s
• Change levels of your voice while doing facial
  exercises

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Examples of relaxation techniques

• Visualization
• Progressive Relaxation
• Guided Imagery

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Activities and games

• Sit down volleyball with beach ball or balloon
• Stick ball using noodles and beach balls
• Medicine ball toss
• Tossing balls back and forth
• Horseshoes

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Music

• Oldies but goodies, 40s, 50s, and 60s
• Swing Music, big band
• www.musclemixes.com
• www.workoutmusicvideos.com
• www.aerobicsmusic.com
• Local music store

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Thank you! Any questions?

• Contact Information
• Ruth Haynes
• ruth_haynes_at_westvalley.edu