Physical Activity + Seniors = Better Mental & Physical Health

Physical Activity is for all ages It is well known that physical activity has numerous health benefits. One of the recent Surgeon General's reports states clearly, "Exercise reduces the risk of dying prematurely" (11). Somewhat unappreciated is physical activity's positive effect on mental well-being, especially in older adults. Physical activity can help offset the isolation and depression that many individuals feel as a result of age-induced changes in their physical and/or social situation (3). One of the most cost effective and efficient methods of improving Seniors' mental and physical health is physical activity.

It's Not Just Physical While several research studies have shown that exercise can reduce the effects of stress, physically active Seniors benefit more from physical activity because they control the exercise bout (12). This sense of control can lead to heightened self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment. Further, participation in an activity program, especially one where there is group interaction, can lead to new friends and an improved quality of life.

There are other important reasons why older adults should exercise. Studies have shown that physical activity can help improve memory and brain functioning in older adults (1). Brad Hatfield and his collaborators showed that older men who were active had better mental functioning than inactive older and inactive younger men (8). When an older individual is active, blood flow to the brain increases and causes the level of several hormones in the brain to change. The stress hormone cortisol is decreased while the neurotransmitter norepinephrine increases. Norepeinephrine helps move short-term memories into long-term storage and also regulates some mood centers in the brain. When norepinephrine acts on these mood centers, depression can be decreased (1).

Exercise also has several specific physical effects that can directly improve the quality of life of an older individual. Regular moderate activity can boost immune functioning, helping an individual fight off sickness (9). Increased endurance and participation in an activity program can help Seniors sleep better (3). If the activity program includes strength exercises, the loading on the skeleton can increase bone density and decrease the risk of osteoporosis (10). Additionally, with strengthening, many normal, daily activities can be undertaken again. For example, Maria Fiatarone and her colleagues showed that when Seniors who were an average of 90 years old were put on a strengthening program, they increased their strength by 180 percent, could walk faster, and two participants no longer needed their canes to walk!(5).

So where can you go for information and programs? There are many places to get information and many organizations that provide appropriate programs to get you started. Both the American Association for Retired Persons (www.aarp.org) and 50 Plus Fitness (www. 50plus.org) provide extensive web-libraries on physical activity for Seniors. Additionally, after consulting with your physician, you should seek out local professionals that are trained to provide appropriate activity programs for older adults. In particular, many Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologists and Physical Therapists have had specialized training in the special exercise needs of Seniors.

Finding an activity program in your area is as easy as looking in the telephone book. Several types of health facilities provide organized and supervised activity programs for older adults. Many hospitals sponsor activity programs for older adults, especially those adults that have specific health issues such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Additionally, as the American population ages, more commercial and faith-based fitness facilities such as the YMCA are incorporating programs that supervise activity for older adults. Acknowledging the importance of activity in overall health, many government sponsored agencies such as local health departments and park districts also oversee and run exercise programs for Seniors. Because activity programs can vary by facility, be sure and visit each program in your area to find the program that suits your needs best.

So what are you waiting for?
Without doubt, activity programs can lead to tremendous mental and health benefits for older adults. If you make sure that the activity program is right for you and that the exercise is fun and enjoyable (7), you too can take advantage of the mental and health benefits of physical activity.

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Exercises for Seniors

So you have decided to join an activity program and your physician has cleared you to exercise. What type of activity should you do? Most experts agree that effective activity programs for Seniors should have moderate endurance, strengthening, and flexibility components. Guidelines for each of these activity components are:

Moderate endurance exercise: The Surgeon General defined moderate exercise as expending 150 kilocalories per day. This amount of activity does not have to be done all at once but can be 'accumulated' throughout the day. Meeting this moderate exercise is quite easy using some common activities, examples of which are:(6)

* Washing windows or floors for 45-60 mins
* Gardening 30-45 mins
* Walking 1.75 miles in 35 mins
* Shoveling snow for 15 mins
* Walking up stairs for 15 mins

Strengthening exercises: While proper strengthening exercises have no adverse effect on blood pressure or heart function (4), it is important that these types of exercises at least be started under the guidance of a qualified professional. The amount of weight used in strengthening exercises depends on the part of the body exercised and the type of equipment used; however, strengthening exercises should be done for at least 20 minutes three times a week.

Flexibility: Increasing flexibility can help alleviate and prevent joint problems as well as helping prevent injuries. A proper flexibility program is usually an integral part of both endurance and strength programs and should include warm-up, stretching, and cool-down phases. Stretching should be done slowly and deliberately with no 'bouncing'. Each stretch should be held for 10-20 seconds and your stretches should concentrate on large muscle groups (2). An alternative to separate flexibility programs are activities such as yoga and t'ai chi can provide not only flexibility, but also endurance and muscle strength benefits.

References

1. American Society on Aging. Damaging Health Behaviors. American Society on Aging. "www.asaging.org/cdc/module2/phase2/phase2_c.cfm" 2002.
2. B. Appleton. Stretching and Flexibility: Everything you never wanted to know. "http://www.enteract.com/~bradapp/docs/rec/stretching" 1998.
3. Peggy Eastman. Restoring the Inner Self. American Associate of Retired People. "www.aarp.org/bulletin/departments/2203/health/0315_health_1.html" 2003.
4. Saadia Greenberg. Fitness Facts for Older Americans. Administration on Aging. "www.aoa.dhhs.gov/aoa/eldractn/fitfact.html" 2000.
5. MA Fiatarone, EC Marks, ND Ryan, CN Meredith, LA Lipsitz, WJ Evans. High-intensity strength training in nonagenarians. JAMA. 263:3029-3034, 1990.
6. Lewis G. Maraham. If You Can't Race, Rake! Fifty-Plus Fitness. "www.50plus.org/Libraryitems/2_11raking.htm" 2002.
7. Bess Marcus. Designing Programs that Work. 50 Plus Fitness. "www.50plus.org/marcus.htm" 1997.
8. R.S. Paffenbarger, Eric Olsen. Managing Mental Fitness. Fifty-Plus Fitness. "www.50plus.org/Libraryitems/1_11mentalfitness.htm" 2002.
9. American Association of Retired Persons. Live Longer, Life Healthier - Exercise! American Association of Retired Persons. "www.aarp.org/confacts/health/livelonger.html" 2003.
10. American Association of Retired Persons. Work Out Your Stress. American Association of Retired Persons. "www.aarp.org/confacts/stress/stressresources.html" 2002.
11. United States Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. In: . Atlanta, GA: U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; 1996.
12. Thomas Tutko. Exercise and Stress: A Psychological Interpretation. Fifty-Plus Fitness. "www.50plus.org/Libraryitems/1_11exercise_stress.htm" 1998.