Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T19:36:31.029Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Critical Issues in the Health of the Elderly: The Role of Physical Activity1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Roy J. Shephard
Affiliation:
University of Toronto

Abstract

The potential role of physical activity in the primary, secondary, tertiary and quarternary treatment of disease is examined with particular reference to the health care needs of the elderly. Areas requiring further research are stressed. On present evidence, it would appear likely that enhanced physical activity could make a useful contribution to the containment of health care expenditures; however, it still has to be established how far the gains of physical condition and resultant improvements of health status that are seen in younger individuals could be realized by the various categories of geriatric patient.

Résumé

Nous examinons le rôle de l'activité physique dans le traitement primaire, secondaire, tertiaire et quaternaire de la maladie dans sa relation avec le besoin de soins médicaux chez les personnes âgées. Nous attirons l'attention sur les questions qui appelent encore des recherches. Dans l'état actuel de la question, il est raisonnable de penser que l'activité physique peut contribuer à la réduction du coût des soins médicaux. Cependant, il reste à établir si les diverses catégories de malades gériatriques sont en mesure de réaliser les progrès accomplis par les malades plus jeunes dans ce domaine.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Anderson, KL, Masironi, R, Rutenfranz, J, Seliger, V: Activité physique habituelle et Santé. Copenhagen: WHO Regional office, 1979.Google Scholar
Berger, M, Berchtold, P: Physical training as part of the therapy for adult onset diabetes. Ann Clin Res 1982; 14 Supp 34: 6973.Google ScholarPubMed
Bourlière, F: Ecology of human senescence. In: Brocklehurst, JC, ed: Textbook of geriatric medicine and gerontology. Edinburgh, Churchill-Livingstone, 1973.Google Scholar
Brown, JR, Shephard, RJ: Some measurements of fitness in older female employees in a Toronto department store Can Med Ass J 1967; 97: 12081213.Google Scholar
Brunner, D, Jokl, E: The role of exercise in internal medicine. Basel: Karger, 1977.Google Scholar
Caird, FI: Cited by Anderson WF: Preventive medicine in old age. In: Brocklehurst, JC, ed: Textbook of geriatric medicine and gerontology Edinburgh, Churchill-Livingstone, 1973: 718726.Google Scholar
Chapman, EA, de Vries, HA, Swezey, R: Joint stiffness: effect of exercise on young and old men. J Gerontol 1972; 27: 218221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davis, G, Shephard, RJ, Jackson, RW: Cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength in the lower-limb disabled. Can J Appl Sport Sci 1982; 6: 159165.Google Scholar
Edington, DW, Cosmas, AC, McCafferty, WB: Exercise and longevity: evidence for a threshold age. J Gerontol 1972; 27: 341343.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ekblom, B: Short and long term physical training in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Clin Res 1982; 14 Suppl 34: 109110.Google Scholar
Goldberg, ME, Mortimer, A, Speak, M, Williams, B: Helping the aged: a field experiment in social work. London: Allen & Unwin 1970.Google Scholar
Harris, R, Frankel, LJ: Guide to fitness after 50. New York: Plenum Press, 1977.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Herzlich, C: Health and illness. London: Academic Press, 1973.Google Scholar
Hirai, M: Muscle blood flow measured by Xe133 clearance method and peripheral vascular disease: Part I: Standard exercise method—with special reference to work load and volume injected. Jap Circ J 1974; 38: 655659.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Holmdahl, DE, Ingelmark, BE: Der Bau des Gelenkknorpels unter verschiedenen funktionellen Verhaltnissen. Acta Anat 1948; 6: 309375.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holmes, TH, Rahe, RH: The social readjustment rating scale. J Psychosom Res 1967; 11: 213218.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kavanagh, T, Shephard, RJ: Conditioning of postcoronary patients: comparison of continuous and interval training. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1975; 56: 7276.Google ScholarPubMed
Kavanagh, T, Shephard, RJ, Tuck, JA: Depression following myocardial infarction—The effects of distance running. New York Acad Sci 1977; 301: 10291038.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kay, DWK, Beamish, P, Roth, M: Old age mental disorders in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Part I: A study of prevalence. Br J Psychiatry 1964; 110: 146158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kilbourne, EM, Choi, K, Jones, S, Thacker, SB: Risk factors for heat stroke, a case control study. J Am Med Assoc 1982; 247: 33323336.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Korenchevsky, V: In GH, Bourne, ed: Physiological and pathological aging. Basel: Karger, 1961: 4044; 311–315.Google Scholar
Kukkonen, K, Rauramaa, R, Voutilainen, E, Lansimies, E: Physical training of middle-aged men with borderline hypertension. Ann Clin Res 1982a; 14 Suppl 34: 139145.Google ScholarPubMed
Kukkonen, K, Rauramaa, R, Siitonen, O, Hanninen, O: Physical training of middle-aged obese persons. Ann Clin Res 1982b; 14 Suppl 34: 8085.Google Scholar
Niinimaa, V, Wright, G, Shephard, RJ, Clarke, J: Characteristics of the successful dinghy sailor. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1977; 17: 8396.Google ScholarPubMed
Paterson, DH, Shephard, RJ, Cunningham, D, Jones, NL, Andrew, G: Effects of physical training upon cardiovascular function following myocardial infarction. J Appl Physiol 1979; 47: 482489.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Piaget, J: Motricité, perception et intélligence. Enfance 1956; 9: March/April 1956.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pollock, ML: The quantification of endurance training programs. In: Wilmore, JH, ed.: Exercise and sport science reviews, vol. 1, New York: Academic Press, 1973: 158188.Google Scholar
Post, F, Psychiatric disorders. In: Brocklehurst, JC, ed.: Textbook of geriatric medicine & gerontology, Edinburgh: Churchill-Livingstone, 1973: 190209.Google Scholar
Selye, H: Stress and the nation's health. In: WAR Orban, ed.: Proceedings of the National Conference on Fitness and Health. Ottawa: Health & Welfare Canada, 1974: 6574.Google Scholar
Shephard, RJ: Future research on the quantifying of endurance training. J Hum Ergol 1975; 3: 163181.Google Scholar
Shephard, RJ: Endurance fitness 2nd ed.Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1977a.Google Scholar
Shephard, RJ: Exercise and chronic obstructive lung disease. In: Keogh, J, Hutton, RS eds.: Exercise and Sports Science Rev. 4, Santa Barbara, Calif.: Journal Publishing Affiliates, 1977b.Google Scholar
Shephard, RJ: Ischemic heart disease and exercise. London: Croom Helm, 1981.Google Scholar
Shephard, RJ: Physical activity and growth. Chicago: Year Book Publishers, 1982.Google Scholar
Shephard, RJ, Corey, P, Renzland, P, Cox, M: The influence of an industrial fitness programme upon medical care costs. Can J Public Health 1982a; 73 (4): 259263.Google Scholar
Shephard, RJ, Corey, P, Cox, M: Health hazard appraisal—The influence of an employee fitness programme. Can J Public Health 1982b; 73 (3): 183187.Google Scholar
Sidney, KH, Shephard, RJ: Frequency and intensity of exercise training for elderly subjects: Med Sci Sports 1978; 10: 125131.Google ScholarPubMed
Sidney, KH, Shephard, RJ, Harrison, J: Endurance training and body composition of the elderly. Am J Clin Nutr 1977; 30: 326333.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, EL, Babcock, SW: Effects of physical activity on bone loss in the aged. [Abstract] Med Sci Sports 1973; 5: 68.Google Scholar
Smith, EL, Serfass, RC: Exercise and aging: the scientific basis. Hillside N.J.: Enslow Publishers, 1980.Google Scholar
Society of Actuaries. Build and blood pressure study. Chicago, IL: Society of Actuaries, 1959.Google Scholar
Sundberg, S: Maximal oxygen uptake in relation to age in blind and normal boys and girls. Acta Paediatr Scand 1982; 71: 603608.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Timiras, PS, Vernadakis, A: Structural, biochemical and functional aging of the nervous system. In: Developmental physiology and aging. New York: MacMillan, 1972.Google Scholar
Tunbridge, RE, Wetherill, JH: Reliability and cost of diabetic diets. Br Med J 1970; 7880.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wilkins, R, Adams, OB: Health expectancy in Canada, late 1970's: demographic, regional and social dimensions. Am J Public Health 1983; 73: 10731080.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
World Health Organization. Hypertension related to health care: research priorities. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office WHO, 1983 [Euro. Reports and Studies, 32].Google Scholar