Exercise for Aging Adults: A Guide for Practitioners

Exercise has been rightly termed the “fountain of youth” for older adults. Exercise is associated with lower risks of developing many chronic conditions (cardiac disease, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis) as well as being a key treatment modality for common geriatric problems (osteoarthritis, falls, incontinence, sleep issues, frailty). Exercise, or regularly planned physical activity, is also associated with higher functional levels and well-being, which many older adults consider critical for a high quality of life. Indeed, many physiologic changes formerly attributed to senescence appear due to disuse and thus less inevitable than assumed. The dictum of “use it or lose it” holds true, for people 70 years and older.