A Study of Perceived Constraints on a Community-Based Physical Activity Program for the Elderly in Greece

2003 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Alexandris ◽  
Vasilis Barkoukis ◽  
Haralambos Tsorbatzoudis ◽  
George Grouios
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Senior Center ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Physical Activity Programs ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Perceived Constraints ◽  
Intention To Continue

The purpose of the study was to examine whether older adults (>60 years old) who participated in physical activity programs provided by a senior center in Greece perceived certain constraints as limiting reasons for their participation and whether perceived constraints could predict individuals’ intentions to continue participation. The sample of the study consisted of 125 adults age 60 and older. The principal-component analysis of the leisure-constraint scale revealed 4 constraint dimensions: facilities/services, individual/psychological, lack of partners, and accessibility/financial. The results revealed significant differences in the perception of constraints between frequent and infrequent participants in the individual/psychological and accessibility/financial constraints. The constraint dimensions were also shown to predict a significant and fairly high (40%) proportion of the variance in older adults’ intention to continue participation. The individual/psychological and accessibility/financial constraint dimensions were shown to be the major predictors. The implications of these results for promoting physical activity programs among older adults are discussed.

scholarly journals Effects of Endurance-Focused Physical Activity Interventions on Brain Health

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Halloway ◽  
JoEllen Wilbur ◽  
Michael E. Schoeny ◽  
Konstantinos Arfanakis
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Activity Intervention ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Community Based ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Neurocognitive Measures ◽  
The Brain

Physical activity intervention studies that focus on improving cognitive function in older adults have increasingly used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures in addition to neurocognitive measures to assess effects on the brain. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the effects of endurance-focused physical activity randomized controlled trial (RCT) interventions on the brain as measured by MRI in community-dwelling middle-aged or older adults without cognitive impairment. Five electronic databases were searched. The final sample included six studies. None of the studies reported racial or ethnic characteristics of the participants. All studies included neurocognitive measures in addition to MRI. Five of the six interventions included laboratory-based treadmill or supervised bike exercise sessions, while one included community-based physical activity. Physical activity measures were limited to assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness and, in one study, pedometer. Due to the lack of adequate data reported, effect sizes were calculated for only one study for MRI measures and two studies for neurocognitive measures. Effect sizes ranged from d = .2 to .3 for MRI measures and .2 to .32 for neurocognitive measures. Findings of the individual studies suggest that MRI measures may be more sensitive to the effects of physical activity than neurocognitive measures. Future studies are needed that include diverse, community-based participants, direct measures of physical activity, and complete reporting of MRI and neurocognitive findings.

The California Qi Gong and Tai Chi Project: A case study for developing and implementing community-based physical activity programs for older adults

2008 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. S23
Author(s):  
Leticia M. Malavasi ◽  
Chae-Hee Park ◽  
Eileen Hogg ◽  
Joshua Newman ◽  
Lisa Sheppard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Tai Chi ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Qi Gong ◽  
Physical Activity Programs

scholarly journals Sustainability of evidence-based community-based physical activity programs for older adults: lessons from Active for Life

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 208-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul A Estabrooks ◽  
Renae L Smith-Ray ◽  
David A Dzewaltowski ◽  
Diane Dowdy ◽  
Diana Lattimore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Physical Activity Programs

Physical Activity Level and Motor Aptitude: Motor Domains and Identification Capacity of Brazilian Insufficiently Active Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Maria Andreis ◽  
Fernando de Aguiar Lemos ◽  
Lorenna Walesca de Lima Silva ◽  
Cassiana Luiza Pistorello Garcia ◽  
Gabrielli Veras ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Activity Level ◽  
Area Under The Curve ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
General Motor ◽  
Body Scheme ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Global Coordination

Background: A decrease in the physical activity level in old age is common, which results in an increase in the number of falls and chronic conditions. Associated with that occurs the decline in motor skills as a result of the deficit in the interaction of cognitive and motor processes. Physical activity level can be associated differently with each motor domains. Objective: We analyzed the relationship between physical activity level and motor aptitude, and to identify which motor domains were most sensitive to detect insufficiently active level in older adults. Methods: Participated in the study 385 elderly people of both sexes. For the evaluation of the subjects were adopted the International Questionnaire on Physical Activity and the Motor Scale for Older Adults. Results: The majority of the elderly were active. In the comparison of motor aptitude between active and insufficiently active (IAC) elders a significant difference was found in the Global Coordination, Balance, Body Scheme and General Motor Aptitude. From the analysis of the area under the curve (AUC), we verified that these domains also were the ones that presented adequate diagnostic accuracy to identify IAC elderly. Besides that active elderly have presented the General Motor Aptitude classified within normality while the IAC below the normal. Conclusion: Our data suggest that IAC older adults present lower motor aptitude than the active elderly, especially in the domains of Global Coordination, Balance, Body Scheme and General Motor Aptitude, and that these domains were sensitive to indicate IAC older adults.

scholarly journals Physical Activity and Redox Balance in the Elderly: Signal Transduction Mechanisms

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2228
Author(s):  
Daniela Galli ◽  
Cecilia Carubbi ◽  
Elena Masselli ◽  
Mauro Vaccarezza ◽  
Valentina Presta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Vascular Tissue ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Redox Balance ◽  
Antioxidant Systems ◽  
Targeted Prevention ◽  
Individual Subject ◽  
Aged People ◽  
The Individual

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are molecules naturally produced by cells. If their levels are too high, the cellular antioxidant machinery intervenes to bring back their quantity to physiological conditions. Since aging often induces malfunctioning in this machinery, ROS are considered an effective cause of age-associated diseases. Exercise stimulates ROS production on one side, and the antioxidant systems on the other side. The effects of exercise on oxidative stress markers have been shown in blood, vascular tissue, brain, cardiac and skeletal muscle, both in young and aged people. However, the intensity and volume of exercise and the individual subject characteristics are important to envisage future strategies to adequately personalize the balance of the oxidant/antioxidant environment. Here, we reviewed the literature that deals with the effects of physical activity on redox balance in young and aged people, with insights into the molecular mechanisms involved. Although many molecular pathways are involved, we are still far from a comprehensive view of the mechanisms that stand behind the effects of physical activity during aging. Although we believe that future precision medicine will be able to transform exercise administration from wellness to targeted prevention, as yet we admit that the topic is still in its infancy.

scholarly journals Promoting Stair Climbing as an Exercise Routine among Healthy Older Adults Attending a Community-Based Physical Activity Program

Sports ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuko Hongu ◽  
Mieko Shimada ◽  
Rieko Miyake ◽  
Yusuke Nakajima ◽  
Ichirou Nakajima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Stair Climbing ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Exercise Routine ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Leg Muscle

Stair climbing provides a feasible opportunity for increasing physical activity (PA) in daily living. The purpose of this study was to examine the daily walking and stair-climbing steps among healthy older adults (age: 74.0 ± 4.9 years; Body Mass Index (BMI): 22.3 ± 2.5 kg/m2). Participants (34 females and 15 males) attended a weekly 6-month community-based PA program. During the entire program period, daily walking and stair-climbing steps were recorded using a pedometer (Omron, HJA-403C, Kyoto, Japan). Before and after the 6-month program, height, body weight and leg muscle strength were assessed. After the 6-month program, the mean walking and stair-climbing steps in both women and men increased significantly (p ≤ 0.01). Daily stair-climbing steps increased about 36 steps in women and 47 steps in men. At the end of 6 months, only male participants had significant correlation between the number of stair steps and leg muscle strength (r = 0.428, p = 0.037). This study reported that healthy older adults attending the community-based PA program had regular stair-climbing steps during daily living. Promoting stair climbing as an exercise routine was feasible to increase their walking and stair-climbing steps.

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