Physical Activity and the Older Adult

Staying active throughout one’s life can have a positive impact on health outcomes. Although physical capabilities vary from person to person, most individuals experience age-related changes to their mobility and activity levels over time.

As the nurse, you’ll consider individual abilities and limitations and provide patient-centered care to promote physical activity in older adults.

Alright, starting with the musculoskeletal system, over time there’s a gradual loss of muscle mass, which can decrease overall strength. Meanwhile the flexibility of the ligaments, tendons, and joints decreases, and the cartilaginous cushioning between the joints diminishes, potentially leading to impaired mobility and pain.

In the nervous system, the speed of nerve transmission slows with age, so it takes longer to complete familiar activities, like getting dressed or cooking a meal. Also, decreasing agility, or the speed and smoothness of physical movements, can increase the difficulty of activities such as climbing stairs or avoiding hazards while walking. Similarly, fine motor skills, like sewing or playing an instrument, may become less precise.

Lastly, there are also changes in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems with age. The heart’s muscle loses tone and becomes stiffer over time, making it a less effective pump. In the lungs, loss of alveolar elasticity, decreased alveolar surface area, and fewer pulmonary capillaries impairs the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide; and decreased lung capacity reduces the volume of air the lungs can hold. Together, these changes result in less oxygen-rich blood being pumped out to the body, which can result in reduced exercise tolerance and overall stamina.

Now, being physically active can improve health and quality of life while providing an opportunity to safely maintain independence for longer. Exercising regularly preserves mobility and muscular function, improves cardiovascular health, and helps control weight.

It also promotes gastrointestinal motility and appetite and supports restful sleep. Emotionally, exercise can prevent and reduce stress and depression. Lastly, attending exercise classes or participating in group physical activity can provide social stimulation, limit isolation, and increase self-esteem.

Given these benefits, it’s generally recommended older adults perform 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day, like walking, riding a stationary bicycle, or swimming; as well as strength training twice per week, such as lifting weights or using resistance bands.