Exercise

Indicator Definition
Adults (ages 65 and older) who participated in any physical activity within the
past 30 days.

Older adults who participated in any physical activity within past month in Colorado4

Older adults who participated in any physical activity within past month by income in Colorado5

Indicator Significance
By the age of 75, one in every two women and one in every three men will get no physical exercise. Lacking any meaningful physical activity, their ability to perform basic and normal movement is lost as muscle and bone mass are depleted due to lack of use. An estimated 88 percent of adults 65 and older will have acquired at least one chronic illness that results in some loss of ability to engage in normal physical activities. Physical and social environmental factors, including lack of public transportation, often limit older adults’ access to age-appropriate exercise programs. Physicians’ lack of awareness of appropriate fitness routines for older adults may also serve as an impediment, particularly for those with one or more chronic illnesses. With the projected growth in the older adult population, the number of older adults with chronic conditions resulting from inactivity is likely to increase.¹

Colorado Specifics
Colorado ranks an impressive fourth in the proportion of older adults who participated in at least some physical activity in the last month. Nevertheless, there has been no discernible improvement in this indicator since 2000 and the state is below the Healthy People 2010 target of 80 percent. As with physical activity indicators for other age groups, older men are more likely to participate in physical activity than women (79 percent vs. 71 percent in 2007). Also, older adults in the higher-income groups are more likely to participate in physical activity than lower-income older adults. While higher income makes favorite Colorado activities such as golf and skiing more accessible, there is no “entrance fee” to taking a few long walks each week.

Promising Initiatives
In Colorado
The Consortium for Older Adult Wellness is the only known organization in Colorado that trains professionals who work with older adults in model best-practice chronic disease prevention programs. The consortium offers safe, evidence-based best practice models and programming in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and fall prevention. These classes are for implementation in recreation centers, senior centers, nursing homes, assisted living centers, independent living centers, outpatient clinics, congregate meal sites, churches or anywhere older adults gather. COAW also provides technical assistance and consulting to organizations wishing to establish older adult wellness programs or plan health education strategies targeting older adults.²

Elsewhere
Physical Activity for Lifetime Success (PALS) is a program developed by the University of Washington, Health Promotions Research Center. It is designed to effect change in personal physical activity levels and promote policies that support exercise among low-income, ethnically diverse older adults. PALS links doctors from two primary clinics to senior center programs that are working to increase physical activity among older diabetics. Physicians develop a personal exercise plan for each individual, accompanied by a list of local programs and resources. PALS then compares the outcomes of program participants to the outcomes of diabetics who fail to get any physical activity.³ 

Older adults who participated in any physical activity within past month⁶

Text

1. American Society on Aging. “Physical Activity for Older Adults: Exercise for Life!”.
   
2. Consortium For Older Adult Wellness.
   
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Prevention Research Centers. “Physical Activity for Lifetime Success (PALS)”; December 5, 2007.
   

Charts

4. Source: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Colorado Health Institute analysis of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2000 – 2007, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
   
5. Source: Colorado Health Institute analysis of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2007, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
   
6. Source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2007, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.