Elderly Population Analysis

The focus of this paper is aimed to analyze the physical activity levels among the elderly population in the United States. Individuals who are 65 years and older are classified as elderly. As age is positively correlated with the increase of health risks, exploring the barriers of physical activity among this population is essential. There are clear barriers to physical activity among this population as the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion claims the elderly population as the most physically inactive of any age group (Older, 2016). This claim is supported in a study that focuses on the correlation of physical activity and age. According to DiPierto, roughly 51% of individuals who are 65 years or older in the United States
The environmental level presents several barriers to physical activity among elderly individuals. According to a study conducted by Chen, environmental restrictions acted as major barriers to physical activity among elderly individuals. The study aimed to discover barriers among 90 elderly individuals who lived in long-term care institutions. Participants in the study presented that lack of convenient and easily accessible space and equipment served as a major barrier in the long-term care institutions. Participants indicated that there was no activity related equipment in the institutions, living spaces were limited for private activities and there are no suitable places to walk alone in outdoor settings (2010). This study reveals the barriers that are present at the environmental level of the socio-ecological model for elderly individuals who are living in long-term care institutions. As the nursery home environment poses several barriers for elderly individuals to participate in physical activity, social and economic policies introduce additional
Understanding these barriers that lead to unhealthy lifestyles among the elderly population allows scholars to investigate possible solutions to these barriers to promote an increase in physical activity in this population. At the intrapersonal level, classes and programs can be offered to the elderly population that teaches these individuals the benefits of exercise as well as proper ways to exercise so that they do not experience pain or discomfort during physical activity. These classes can also provide mentors for elderly individuals to motivate and possibly alter negative beliefs about ones self or about exercise, which were prevalent barriers to physical activity in researched literature. Additionally, at the interpersonal level, conventions can be held for friends and families to extend the knowledge and importance of encouragement to elderly individuals to participate in physical activity. Lack of encouragement and presence of friends and family promoted barriers to physical activity according to researched literature. Furthermore, at the environmental level, nurseries, community centers, gyms and health clubs can offer specific, accessible and convenient physical activity programs for elderly individuals in order to increase physical activity in this