Active lifestyle lowers rapid mobility loss in seniors
Question asked:
“Encouraging older adults to stay as active as possible reduces the likelihood of a rapid decline in mobility.”
Summary
Research consistently shows that physical activity and behavior‑maintenance programs for older adults help prevent or slow rapid declines in mobility. Randomized trials and longitudinal studies report that staying active reduces the risk of functional mobility loss and associated disability.
Sources 57 searched
- Maintaining mobility and preventing disability are key to living independently as we age | National Institute on Aging
Researchers are investigating ways ... costly institutional care. A lack of physical activity or exercise can also make it more likely that a person will experience loss of mobility as they age....
- Effect of a physical activity and behaviour maintenance programme on functional mobility decline in older adults: the REACT (Retirement in Action) randomised controlled trial - ScienceDirect
For older adults at risk of mobility limitations, the REACT intervention showed that a 12-month physical activity and behavioural maintenance programme could help prevent decline in physical function over a 24-month period.
- Are physical activity and everyday mobility independently associated with quality of life at older age? - ScienceDirect
Brainard and colleagues [26], for instance, found that retirement from paid work was associated with greater physical activity for both 55–64 and 65–74 year olds in a UK cohort, but that this additional physical activity was largely derived from gardening and other leisure activity: retired older adults undertook less active travel; another UK study identified that although recreational activity increased on retirement, this was offset by a higher decline in occupational and transport activity, leading to declines in physical activity overall [27]. Second, it is possible that interventions to increase everyday mobility might reduce levels of physical activity, and vice versa: one example might be the capacity for autonomous vehicles to improve older adults’ mobility [28] but reduce levels of physical activity derived from active travel.
- The impact of mobility limitations on health outcomes among older adults - ScienceDirect
This would then enable varying intervention strategies to be directed to the three mobility limitation levels. Those with no limitations could be targeted with prevention strategies encouraging ongoing physical and social activities; those with moderate limitations may require coping strategies and positive reinforcement along with balance and strengthening exercises; and those more severely limited may require case management to address their unique circumstances. While other researchers have recommended and validated stratification methodologies, to date, none have been widely utilized.7, 10, 11, 13, 21, 22, 33
- Mobility in Older Community-Dwelling Persons: A Narrative ...
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- Physical Activity and Performance Impact Long-term Quality of Life in Older Adults at Risk for Major Mobility Disability - PMC
Declining mobility measured by physical performance is associated with lower quality of life in sedentary older adults.
- Age-Related Change in Mobility: Perspectives From Life ...
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- Physical Activity and Performance Impact Long-term Quality of Life in Older Adults at Risk for Major Mobility Disability - PubMed
Conclusions: Declining mobility measured by physical performance is associated with lower quality of life in sedentary older adults.
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