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Older, Wiser,
but less active
Why won’t
seniors take the best medicine – exercise?
Let’s say
there was a drug that could prevent heart attacks, strokes &
cancer & treat everything from fragile bones to constipation,
while quite possibly staving off dementia & improving sleep.
Would
anyone over 65 refuse this miracle elixir? Apparently yes: About
eight out of 10 seniors forgo something that has all of those
benefits: exercise. That was true in 1997 & was still true in
2006, says a wide-ranging report on older Americans recently
released by the National Institute on Aging.
The report
shows that the physical-activity trend for older adults is a
flat line, appropriately enough. It’s an image at odds with news
reports, travel brochures & pharmaceutical ads that portray a
new breed of fit, vibrant oldsters dancing, tai-chiing & power
walking their way through retirement.
Actual
activity levels are “pretty stagnant,” says Miriam Nelson,
director of the John Hancock Center for Physical Activity &
Nutrition at Tufts University in Boston. Just one form of
exercise, strength training, seems to be increasing among
seniors, she says.
Older
adults are stuck in the same “culture of inactivity “plaguing
children & younger adults, she says “Everybody’s watching a lot
of TV. Even older folks are sitting in front of a computer.”
That’s not
the whole story, though. The oldest Americans are also the least
active & have particular reasons for staying that way, experts
say. Among them:
*Chronic
Illness.
Though
physical activity can ease many conditions, from pain to high
blood pressure, older adults often fear that “exercise isn’t
going to make it better, it’s going to make it worse,” says
Janie Clark, president of the Senior Fitness Association, which
trains instructors.
*Embarrassment.
Some may feel silly donning sneakers & walking around the
neighborhood – much less showing up at a gym or yoga class.
“These individuals grew up at a time when the idea of a lady or
a gentleman sweating was not thought to be a very positive
thing,” says Cedric Bryant, chief science officer of the
American Council of Exercise. Those who are out of shape also
may dread exercising around others who are fitter or younger, he
says.
“It’s
Never Too Late to get moving: Guidelines from the American
College of Sports Medicine & the American Heart Association say
people over age 65 should do:
Aerobic
exercise: at least three to five days a week, for at least 20 to
30 minutes depending on intensity. Brisk walking does count.
Strength
Training: can include weight lifting, two to three times a
week.
Exercises to improve balance & flexibility: Those who can’t do
that much can start slowly, & everyone should have a plan that
takes individual needs into account, the guideline says.”
*Late –
life crises.
Life can throw curves at any age, but older adults get more than
their share. Spouses die, bones break, minor illnesses linger.
All that ca n make it difficult to stick with an exercise plan,
Nelson says.
*The “why
bother?” factor.
Vague promises of better health & longevity may be even less
motivating for older adults than they are for younger people.
For every objection or obstacle, the experts have potential
solutions. Can’t walk a mile? Walk a block. Embarrassed to take
that walk? Get a dog that needs walking. Hate classes? Use a
fitness DVD. Can’t think of a reason to get moving? Think of
playing with your grandchildren or living independently or
traveling the world for years to come.
But Nelson
says budging those stubborn trend lines won’t be easy: “Changing
anyone’s behavior, whether they are 25 or 85, is difficult.”
Older
adults still lad in exercise:
Percentage who engage in regular physical activity:
Ages 65-74
Ages 75-84 Ages 85 & older
1997
20.7% 17% 9%
2006
21.6% 19.5% 9.6%
Source:
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention; National Center for
Health Statistics; National Health interview Survey. |
