1. Kara Smith
Fitness Through the Ages

2. Staying Healthy with Physical Activity
 Many adults 65 years and older spend on
average 10 hours or more sitting or lying down a
day.
 This would be the most sedentary age group
 As you age it is more important to stay active if you
want to stay healthy and maintain more of your
independence.

3. Strong Evidence
 People who are active have a lower risk of heart
disease, stroke type 2 diabetes, some cancers,
depression, and dementia
 Many doctors suggest geriatric patients to
maintain being active in order to maintain
independence and to keep up with growing
grandchildren.

4. How much Physical Activity?
 Get your body moving; include more walking,
gardening, or recreational sport.
 Aim for 150 minutes a week
 Moderate-intensity aerobic activities
 Walking
 Water aerobics
 Chair aerobics
 Riding bike (Nustep)

5. What are the real benefits?
- Improved and prevents bone loss in men and
women
- Improved lipid count
- Decrease risk of heart attack and stroke

6. Exercise and Bone Loss
 People with Osteoporosis believe that exercise
will increase the risk of injury such a broken
bones however with the proper program this
worry can be put to rest.
 Nonimpact activities such a balance, functional,
and posture exercises
 They increase muscle strength and decrease risk of
falls

7. Exercise and Bone Loss
 Weight bearing exercises have been shown to
increase bone density
 Reduces the risk of falls and fractures
 Most types of exercise recommended for patients with
osteoporosis are light lifts, mild cardio, and specific
stretches
 Elliptical training machines
 Low impact Aerobics (morning exercise class)
 Stair- step machines
 Walking (outside, hallway, treadmill)

8. Strengthen Exercises
 Elastic exercise bands
 Working both the upper and lower bodies
 Free weights (Strengthening classes)
 Weight machines (using proper form)

9. Non Impact Activities
 Tai Chi
 Yoga
 Pilates

10. Adipose Tissue and Exercise
 Fat tissue mass increases through middle age and
declines in old age
 Fat is redistributed among different fat depots
 Substantial changes in fat tissue metabolic function
occur during aging, with the declines in insulin and
fatty acid responsiveness
 Obesity causes premature death from many of the
same causes as those common in elderly lean
individuals: Diabetes, Heart Attacks, Strokes,
Dementia.

11. Decrease Risk of Disease
 Exercise helps decrease the risk of disease and also
helps with depression commonly seen in nursing
homes.
 With lack of exercise plaque and fatty tissue can build
up in the heart causing the heart to work more than its
capability. Essentially putting it in over drive and
causing an heart attack.
 Same can happen with a stroke or just a common
blood clot
 The blood does not get to flow throughout the body
causing a blood clot.

12. The Heart and Exercise
 The function of the heart is to respond to changes
in pressure in the arterial system but due to age
the heart valves become less elastic.
 By exercise we can improve the elasticity of the
veins and arteries to improve overall blood flow

13. Continued…
 Exercise also decreases hypertension
 This is linked to the improved elasticity of the
arterial system.
 The less exercise we do the less elastic the
arterial system becomes, this would cause
hypertension due to the stiffening of arteries
 The heart has to work harder to get the blood
throughout the body

14. Both exercise and sedentary lifestyle
causes higher heart rate?
 This is true! However exercising only causes the
heart rate to increase for a brief period. Then the
heart rate will decrease as the body goes into
relaxation.
 A sedentary lifestyle causes the heart rate to stay
high for simple tasks such as walking up the
stairs.

15. Risk of Falls
 Intrinsic Risk Factors
 Advanced Age, Previous Falls, Muscle Weakness,
Poor Vision, Fear of Falling
 Extrinsic Risk Factors
 Lack if stair handrails, Poor Floor Plan Design, Dim
Lighting, Uneven Surface

16. Balance Drills
 Standing Weight Shifts
 Align at the Wall
 Marching in Place
 Toe Touches
 Shuffling from side to side
 “Tightrope” Walking

17. Questions?
 Before starting any exercise program please
consult your doctor or healthcare provider. This
ensures safely of the client/resident and the
trainer.

18. References
 http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/guide/osteoporosis-
exercise?page=2
 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2941545/
 http://www.cdc.gov/steadi/pdf/risk_factors_for_falls-a.pdf
 http://www.askthetrainer.com/balance-exercises-for-
seniors/
 https://www.agingcare.com/Articles/Exercise-benefits-for-
the-Elderly-95383.htm
 http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/activities-for-the-
elderly.aspx