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Functional Fitness in Older Adults By now, most of the general public understands the importance of participating in a regular physical activity program. Most also understand the physical as well as psychological benefits associated with such a program. The 1996 Surgeon General's report, "Physical Activity and Health" recommended "a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity on most, if not all, days of the week." While much of the focus has been geared towards getting young adults and middle-aged men & women to that 30-minute benchmark, an oftentimes-overlooked population in the fitness industry is the elderly, who have growing concerns about decreasing physical function and an associated loss of independence . Recent statistics show that almost 90% of people over the age of 65 are living with at least one chronic health condition. Some of the conditions include Osteoporosis, Heart Disease, Hypertension, Peripheral Vascular Disease, as well as Arthritis. The major concern of people with these conditions is that the aging process is often associated with a decrease in function which in turn leads to a reduction in one's independence. People do not want to have to rely on others for activities of daily living (ADLs) such as getting dressed, cooking a meal, or bathing themselves. The good news for the elderly is that studies have indicated that participation in regular physical activity programs allow for healthy individuals to maintain or improve their current level of fitness. The programs also provide those suffering from decreases in physical functionality the necessary means to regain some of the strength and balance they may have lost due to the presence of one of more of the aforementioned chronic health conditions. On-going participation in an exercise program, most importantly one that focuses on resistance training will lead to increased bone density, as well as increased muscle mass and endurance. Fiatarone et al (1990) concluded that high-resistance strength training can lead to significant gains in muscle strength, muscle size, and functional mobility among frail residents of a nursing home. The focus of fitness programs for the elderly, whether in a nursing home or not, should be to increase both upper- and lower-body strength, as well as to aim for improvements in flexibility and cardio-respiratory function. Coupled together, these improvements will lead to an increase in overall stability as well as a decreased occurrence of falls. An encouraging result of a recent study by Fisher, Pendergest, and Calkins (1991) is that considerable strength gains can be achieved in as quickly as 6 weeks. Their study concluded that it is possible for a short-term strength training program (six-weeks) to enhance levels of physical functioning by increasing muscular strength by up to 15%. Additional studies have shown that incorporating both cardio-respiratory training and resistance training into exercise programs for older adults may be more effective in optimizing functional fitness than using programs that involve only one component. Although much of what has been mentioned seems extremely positive, there are additional precautions which need to be taken when working with people in this age range. Due to a decrease in muscle mass, a loss of flexibility as well as any number of health complications and medications a person is taking, the risk for falls and injury is greatly increased in this age group. Therefore, a complete health questionnaire and risk factor survey should be completed prior to any exercise prescription. It is important for the participant to accurately report all medications and relevant health history in order to prevent future problems. The intensity and/or duration of the exercise program will need to be altered to adequately fit with the participant's current level of strength, fitness, and functionality. The goal of the exercise program should be that with regular participation many of these conditions will improve or disappear and allow the participant to regain some of the function they may have lost, and thereby increase their independence, one of the most important goals for the older adult population. |