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.

All right, 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 as the nurse.

You'll provide patient centered care by gathering information about your older adult patients, physical abilities and limitations.

Creating a patient specific plan for physical activity and reinforcing education related to activity and mobility. Begin by asking your patient about their baseline activity level and personal goals related to exercise.

Also ask about conditions that impact mobility like arthritis or heart failure and inquire about the use of an assistive device like a cane or a wheelchair, then evaluate your patient's strength and mobility levels through observation of movement or by performing passive or active range of motion exercises also determine if their environment is safe and appropriate for physical activity and verify the activity level prescribed by the health care provider for your patient.

Now, given that many patients stay physically active well into older adulthood, some patients will require a little prompting on ways to stay active.

On the other hand, acute or chronic conditions can impact an individual's ability to perform physical activities. So remember to collaborate with your patient and their family, as well as their physical therapist as needed to create an easy to follow exercise program that's customized to their needs and activity goals.

For example, patients with peripheral artery disease may require a longer rest time between exercise to reduce intermittent claudication or cramping discomfort during movement.

Whereas a patient with unilateral weakness from a stroke might need adaptive exercise equipment and older adults who are fully immobile will benefit from passive range of motion exercises reinforce education about the importance of exercise for long term health benefits and increased quality of life also encourage your patient to explore exercising with friends, family or a community group to promote motivation and socialization.

Lastly, review clinical findings that warrant a call to the healthcare provider such as the acute onset of pain, dizziness or shortness of breath during activity.

All right, as a quick recap, maintaining physical activity into older adulthood can have a positive impact on health outcomes over time.

Age related changes can impact mobility and activity levels which can vary from person to person. As the nurse, you'll consider individual abilities and limitations and provide patient centered care to promote physical activity in older