Exercise and Ageing

Description

As you get older, activities that used to be easy can get harder as a result of loss of balance, reduced muscle mass and other processes associated with ageing. By completing the right exercises some of the negative effects of ageing can be offset or significantly reduced.

Common Signs & Symptoms

Impact on Life

Ageing can effect:

Mobility
- Difficulty walking longer distances
- Difficulty getting in and out of chairs
- Difficulty using stairs
- Increased reliance on mobility aids
- Reduced range of motion
Balance
- Every year 30% of Australians aged over 65 will experience a fall
- Falls can lead to broken bones and hospitalisation which can significantly impact quality of life
- Over 95% of hip fractures in older adults are caused by falls
- On average 1 in 4 older people who experience a hip fracture pass away within 12 months
Strength
- Loss in strength can lead to
  - Difficulty getting in and out of chairs
  - Difficult getting up and down off the ground
  - Trouble carrying items
  - Difficulty lifting objects such as groceries
Bone Density
- Low bone density can lead to osteopenia and osteoperosis
- Low bone density will also increase how frail you are and increase the risk of fractures as the bones are not as strong as they were
Cognitive Function
- Increasing levels of forgetfulness
- Reduced ability to concentrate for long periods

How Can Exercise Physiology Help?

Exercise Physiology can help to:

Identify what is physically giving you the most trouble and what is at risk of declining
- Trouble with overall mobility can happen as a result of a number of factors including:
  - Reduction in activity levels
  - Loss of muscular strength
  - Lack of confidence
  - Loss of balance
  - External factors such as medical episodes or conditions
- By identifying the cause of what has happened as well as what needs to be improved it makes exercise a much more effective practice

Identify a few key exercises that will make a big difference
- By practicing the key exercises that will help you to improve it will make exercise an effective and efficient process that directly improves your strength and mobility in the areas that need it the most

Help you to work on exercises to improve your balance and mobility
- Our Exercise Physiologists complete regular home visits helping people to complete a set of exercises specifically tailored to help you reduce your risk of falling
- By having an Exercise Physiologist come to visit we are able to practice exercises that you are unable to do on your own, progress exercises to ensure they continue to be effective and help you to feel confiden
Show you how to safely get up off the floor if you do have a fall
- Being able to safely get up off the ground is a great skill to have
- We can show you how to do this safely, if you are unable to do this on your own we can help you to practice some exercises that will make getting up off the more a much more efficient and easier process

When To Get Help

Generally the best time to get help is as early as possible. However it is never too late to start

If you are experiencing 1 or more of the following below:

Have had a fall or feel that your balance has recently got worse
Have trouble getting up and down off the floor
Are finding it harder than what it used to be to stand up out of a chair
Are finding it increasingly difficult to complete tasks that were once easy
Feeling puffed completing tasks around the house
Lack confidence using the stairs
Are worried about falling or avoiding tasks as you don’t feel capable of doing them

It is a great time to ask for help.

If you are unsure whether we are able to help you please fill out the form below or call us to discuss what options would be best

Where To Start

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my Home Care Package/Support at Home Program to access Exercise Physiology?

Yes- we can contact you provider to organise services through your package. We are able to fit in around current budgets to provide an effective service without impacting your current plan.

Our services under the Support at Home Program do not have any copayments attached and are a fantastic preventative option that help to reduce condition progress and provide people with a way to improve their health and mobility

How Does Exercise Physiology reduce symptoms?

During our initial appointments we complete a series of tests looking at:

Balance
Grip Strength
Walking
Standing up from a chair(leg strength)
Stair use(if possible)
Aches and Pains
Other relevant physical tests

These tests give us an indicator of what area needs to be addressed and helps to identify what exercises will help the most.

By prioritising a few exercises it helps to improve exercise adherence, reduce frustration and improve the reward for effort

All of these tests can be improved over time through exercise and they provide an in depth overview of someones physical condition

How often do Exercise Physiology Visits occur?

We will recommend the best option based on the testing results completed in the initial assessment

We see most of our clients on average either weekly or once per fortnight. However we are happy to discuss options based on individual circumstances

What does a normal Exercise Physiology Home Visit look like?

During an exercise physiology visit you can expect to compete a number of exercises working on improving the areas you need to improve

Initial Assessment

Questions regarding

Medical Conditions
Aches and Pains
Medications
Falls History
Current Exercise Levels

Some tests looking at:

Balance
Walking
Sitting and Standing
Stair Use
Grip Strength
Aches and Pains

From this we recommend how often you would benefit from our services, plus the 3 most important exercises to improve

These tests are done every 6 weeks to monitor improvement and to identify other areas that need to be worked on

During a normal session we usually complete:

5-6 exercises working on improving
These exercises are progressed over the sessions
We update any home exercises as needed
Practice completing harder exercises that require supervision eg balance