Facilitating Successful Aging: Encouraging Older Adults to Be Physically Active
Abstract
Participation in regular physical activity has the potential to change the way we age. Evidence indicates that engaging in regular physical activity can provide dramatic physical, mental, and social benefits to older adults and decrease overall any-cause mortality. For older adults, the focus changes, and beside the promotion of health, maintenance of independent living becomes paramount. Nurse practitioners (NPs) must counsel older adults on the benefits of physical activity. The Stages of Change theory can be used to encourage older adults to change sedentary behavior and become more active.
Keywords: health promotion , independence , older adults , physical activity , stages of change
In compliance with national ethical guidelines, the authors report no relationships with business or industry that would pose a conflict of interest.
PII: S1555-4155(09)00666-7
doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2009.11.007
© 2010 American College of Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
