Abstract
Attenuating the physical, functional, cognitive, and emotional declines associated with the aging process is imperative to maximize overall health and wellness in older adults. Health and wellness programs that include both physical activity and nutritional components are necessary to overcome the challenges associated with the aging process. The purpose of this chapter is to identify the aging processes that threaten the functional independence in older adults and outline the physical activity and nutritional modalities to ameliorate these threats. Physical declines include loss of muscle mass and strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and flexibility. Nutritional concerns include the presence of chronic disease, polypharmacy, reduced energy needs coexisting with enhanced micronutrient needs, and minimal access to healthy foods. Evidence-based health and wellness programs focusing on physical activity, nutrition, or both are summarized, and practical solutions to improve the programs are provided. Key recommendations to develop a health and wellness program targeted for older adults are given. Health and wellness programs should identify and target critical health needs in the population and incorporate both physical activity, nutrition, and behavioral components into the program to maximize success. In conclusion, these programs are necessary to improve the overall health status of older adults to allow them to have the maximal quality of life.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Agmon, M., Kelly, V. E., Logsdon, R. G., Nguyen, H., & Belza, B. (2015). The effects of EnhanceFitness (EF) training on dual-task walking in older adults. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 34(3), NP128–NP142. https://doi.org/10.1177/0733464812465921
Allen, L. H. (2009). How common is vitamin B-12 deficiency? The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89(2), 693S–696S. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2008.26947A
Avin, K. G., Hanke, T. A., Kirk-Sanchez, N., McDonough, C. M., Shubert, T. E., Hardage, J., … Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association. (2015). Management of falls in community-dwelling older adults: Clinical guidance statement from the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association. Physical Therapy, 95(6), 815–834. https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20140415
Banerjee, A. T., Kin, R., Strachan, P. H., Boyle, M. H., Anand, S. S., & Oremus, M. (2015). Factors facilitating the implementation of church-based heart health promotion programs for older adults: A qualitative study guided by the precede-proceed model. American Journal of Health Promotion, 29(6), 365–373. https://doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.130820-QUAL-438
Belza, B., & The Prevention Research Centers-Health Aging Research Network Physical Activity Conference Planning Workgroup. (2007). Moving ahead: Strategies and tools to plan, conduct, and maintain effective community-based physical activity programs for older adults. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Bernstein, M., Munoz, N., & Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. (2012). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Food and nutrition for older adults: Promoting health and wellness. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 112(8), 1255–1277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2012.06.015
Bouaziz, W., Vogel, T., Schmitt, E., Kaltenbach, G., Geny, B., & Lang, P. O. (2017). Health benefits of aerobic training programs in adults aged 70 and over: A systematic review. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 69, 110–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2016.10.012
Buckworth, J., & Buckworth, J. (2013). Exercise psychology (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Carpenter, R. A., & Finley, C. E. (2017). Healthy eating every day (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Castro, C. M., & King, A. C. (2002). Telephone-assisted counseling for physical activity. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 30(2), 64–68.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008). Percent of U.S. adults 55 and over with chronic conditions. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/health_policy/adult_chronic_conditions.htm
Centers for Disease Control, National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health Statistics. (2013). 10 leading causes of death by age group, United States – 2013. (Produced by National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/leading_causes_of_death_by_age_group_2013-a.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). National centers for health statistics: Number of deaths for leading causes of death. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-dealth.htm
Cress, M. E., Buchner, D. M., Questad, K. A., Esselman, P. C., deLateur, B. J., & Schwartz, R. S. (1996). Continuous-scale physical functional performance in healthy older adults: A validation study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 77(12), 1243–1250. https://doi.org/S0003-9993(96)90187-2
Dishman, R. K., Vandenberg, R. J., Motl, R. W., & Nigg, C. R. (2010). Using constructs of the transtheoretical model to predict classes of change in regular physical activity: A multi-ethnic longitudinal cohort study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 40(2), 150–163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9196-2
Enhance. (2017). What is Enhance Fitness? Retrieved from http://www.projectenhance.org/EnhanceFitness.aspx
Favaro-Moreira, N. C., Krausch-Hofmann, S., Matthys, C., Vereecken, C., Vanhauwaert, E., Declercq, A., … Duyck, J. (2016). Risk factors for malnutrition in older adults: A systematic review of the literature based on longitudinal data. Advances in Nutrition, 7(3), 507–522. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.115.011254
Fletcher, G. F., Balady, G., Blair, S. N., Blumenthal, J., Caspersen, C., Chaitman, B., … Pollock, M. L. (1996). Statement on exercise: Benefits and recommendations for physical activity programs for all Americans. A statement for health professionals by the Committee on Exercise and Cardiac Rehabilitation of the Council on Clinical Cardiology, American Heart Association. Circulation, 94(4), 857–862.
GeriFit. (2017). Strength training programs that work! Retrieved from http://www.gerifit.com
Goble, D. J., Hearn, M. C., & Baweja, H. S. (2017). Combination of BTrackS and Geri-Fit as a targeted approach for assessing and reducing the postural sway of older adults with high fall risk. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 12, 351–357. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S131047
Guralnik, J. M., Simonsick, E. M., Ferrucci, L., Glynn, R. J., Berkman, L. F., Blazer, D. G., … Wallace, R. B. (1994). A short physical performance battery assessing lower extremity function: Association with self-reported disability and prediction of mortality and nursing home admission. Journal of Gerontology, 49(2), M85–M94.
Hamar, B., Coberley, C. R., Pope, J. E., & Rula, E. Y. (2013). Impact of a senior fitness program on measures of physical and emotional health and functioning. Population Health Management, 16(6), 364–372. https://doi.org/10.1089/pop.2012.0111
Houston, D. K., Nicklas, B. J., Ding, J., Harris, T. B., Tylavsky, F. A., Newman, A. B., … Health ABC Study. (2008). Dietary protein intake is associated with lean mass change in older, community-dwelling adults: The Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 87(1), 150–155.
Hughes, S. L., Seymour, R. B., Campbell, R. T., Whitelaw, N., & Bazzarre, T. (2009). Best-practice physical activity programs for older adults: Findings from the national impact study. American Journal of Public Health, 99(2), 362–368. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2007.131466
Institute of Medicine. (2002). Dietary intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Institute of Medicine. (2011). Dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin D. Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences. Retrieved from http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-Calcium-and-Vitamin-D/Vitamin%20D%20and%20Calcium%202010%20Report%20Brief.pdf
Institute of Medicine (U.S.). Committee on Using Performance Monitoring to Improve Community Health, Durch, J., Bailey, L. A., & Stoto, M. A. (1997). Improving health in the community: A role for performance monitoring. Washington, DC: The National Academy Press.
Institute of Medicine, Dietary Reference Intakes. (2006). The essential guide to nutrient requirements. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Kaiser, M. J., Bauer, J. M., Ramsch, C., Uter, W., Guigoz, Y., Cederholm, T., … Mini Nutritional Assessment International Group. (2010). Frequency of malnutrition in older adults: A multinational perspective using the mini nutritional assessment. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 58(9), 1734–1738. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03016.x
Korda, H., & Itani, Z. (2013). Harnessing social media for health promotion and behavior change. Health Promotion Practice, 14(1), 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839911405850
Krebs-Smith, S. M., Guenther, P. M., Subar, A. F., Kirkpatrick, S. I., & Dodd, K. W. (2010). Americans do not meet federal dietary recommendations. The Journal of Nutrition, 140(10), 1832–1838. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.110.124826
Kreuter, M. (1992, April). Patch: Its origin, basic concepts, and links to contemporary public health policy. Journal of Health and Education, 23(3), 135–139.
Kristal, A. R., Beresford, S. A., & Lazovich, D. (1994). Assessing change in diet-intervention research. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 59(1 Suppl), 185S–189S.
Law, T. D., Clark, L. A., & Clark, B. C. (2016). Resistance exercise to prevent and manage sarcopenia and dynapenia. Annual Review of Gerontology & Geriatrics, 36(1), 205–228. https://doi.org/10.1891/0198-8794.36.205
Little, M. O. (2017). Updates in nutrition and polypharmacy. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 21, 4–9. https://doi.org/10.1097/MCO.0000000000000425
Mazloomymahmoodabad, S., Masoudy, G., Fallahzadeh, H., & Jalili, Z. (2014). Education based on precede-proceed on quality of life in elderly. Global Journal of Health Science, 6(6), 178–184. https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v6n6p178
Millen, B. E., Ohls, J. C., Ponza, M., & McCool, A. C. (2002). The elderly nutrition program: An effective national framework for preventive nutrition interventions. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 102(2), 234–240.
National Cancer Institute. (2000). [National Institutes of Health, Eating at America’s Table Study, All-Day Screener]. Retrieved from https://epi.grants.cancer.gov/diet/screeners/fruitveg/allday.pdf
National Council on Aging. Active choices: Telephone assisted physical activity self-management program for older adults. Retrieved from https://www.ncoa.org/wp-content/uploads/F_Active-Choices-FINAL.pdf
National Council on the Aging. (2004). Healthy eating for successful living in older adults. Washington, DC. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/7f20/7c86cb51b24608f3f48a3b615009bb111944.pdf
Nutrition Screening Initiative. (1991). Nutrition screening manual for professionals caring for older adults. Washington, DC: Nutrition Screening Initiative.
O’Dare Wilson, K. (2017). Community food environments and healthy food access among older adults: A review of the evidence for the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). Social Work in Health Care, 56(4), 227–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2016.1265631
Oates, L. L., & Price, C. I. (2017). Clinical assessments and care interventions to promote oral hydration amongst older patients: A narrative systematic review. BMC Nursing, 16, 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-016-0195-x
Paddon-Jones, D., & Rasmussen, B. B. (2009). Dietary protein recommendations and the prevention of sarcopenia. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 12(1), 86–90. https://doi.org/10.1097/MCO.0b013e32831cef8b
Palmer, R. C., Batra, A., Anderson, C., Page, T., Vieira, E., & Seff, L. (2016). Implementation of an evidence-based exercise program for older adults in South Florida. Journal of Aging Research, 2016, 9630241. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/9630241
Patterson, M., Wang, W., & Ortiz, A. (2018). Dietary and physical activity outcomes determine energy balance in U.S. adults aged 50–74. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 561–569. https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2017-0304
Phillips, M. B., Foley, A. L., Barnard, R., Isenring, E. A., & Miller, M. D. (2010). Nutritional screening in community-dwelling older adults: A systematic literature review. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 19(3), 440–449.
Proctor, B., Semega, J., & Kollar, M. (2016). Income and poverty in the United States: 2015. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Reibe, D. (2018). American College of Sports Medicine: Guidelines for exercise testing and prescription (10th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health.
Resnick, B., & D’Adamo, C. (2011). Factors associated with exercise among older adults in a continuing care retirement community. Rehabilitation Nursing, 36(2), 47–53, 82.
Rhodes, R. E., Martin, A. D., Taunton, J. E., Rhodes, E. C., Donnelly, M., & Elliot, J. (1999). Factors associated with exercise adherence among older adults. An individual perspective. Sports Medicine, 28(6), 397–411.
Rikli, R. E., & Jones, C. J. (2001). Senior fitness test manual. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Ritter, P. L., Gonzalez, V. M., Laurent, D. D., & Lorig, K. R. (2006). Measurement of pain using the visual numeric scale. The Journal of Rheumatology, 33(3), 574–580. https://doi.org/0315162X-33-574
Sapega, A. A., & Drillings, G. (1983). The definition and assessment of muscular power. The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 5(1), 7–9. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.1983.5.1.7
Schlaff, R. A., Baruth, M., Adams, V. J., Goldufsky, T. M., Peters, N. A., Kerr, G., … Ewald, A. (2016). Effects of a group-based behavioral intervention on dietary behaviors in older adults. Journal of Aging and Health, 30(1), 105–117. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264316668936
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2015, December). 2015–2020 dietary guidelines for Americans (8th ed.). Retrieved from http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/
Wellman, N. S., Kamp, B., Kirk-Sanchez, N. J., & Johnson, P. M. (2007). Eat better & move more: A community-based program designed to improve diets and increase physical activity among older Americans. American Journal of Public Health, 97(4), 710–717. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2006.090522
Winkler, S., Garg, A. K., Mekayarajjananonth, T., Bakaeen, L. G., & Khan, E. (1999). Depressed taste and smell in geriatric patients. Journal of the American Dental Association (1939), 130(12), 1759–1765.
World Health Organization. (2017). Constitution of WHO: Principles. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/about/mission/en/
Wright, N. C., Looker, A. C., Saag, K. G., Curtis, J. R., Delzell, E. S., Randall, S., & Dawson-Hughes, B. (2014). The recent prevalence of osteoporosis and low bone mass in the United States based on bone mineral density at the femoral neck or lumbar spine. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 29(11), 2520–2526. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.2269
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Brewer, W., Patterson, M.A., Ray, C.T. (2018). Health and Wellness Programs for Older Adults. In: Gatchel, R., Schultz, I., Ray, C. (eds) Handbook of Rehabilitation in Older Adults. Handbooks in Health, Work, and Disability. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03916-5_26
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03916-5_26
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-03915-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-03916-5
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)