Nurses and other health care professionals need to teach older adults about the value of physical activity. One of the best exercise for older adults is walking at least 30 minutes, three to five times a week. During the winter, indoor shopping centers and other public places can be used. Swimming is also recommended but does not offer the weigh-bearing advantage of walking. Older adults who have been sedentary should start their exercise programs slowly and gradually increase the frequency and duration of activity over time.
A few nursing studies have been conducted to explore exercise habits in the older adult population. One study of Latina older woman found that, although the subjects verbalized the benefits of exercise, perceived barriers prevented hem from exercising on a regular basis ( Juarbee et al. , 2002 ). The common barriers cited were time constraints, spousal and maternal roles, personal health limitations, lack of motivation difficulties and cot. The researchers concluded that health education for this group needed to be culturally relevant, focusing on time and role-constraints barriers.
When any older is hospitalized, the opportunity for continuing a program of physical fitness is interrupted, at least temporarily. During severe or prolonged illness, clients are high risk for complications of deceased physical mobility, such as pneumonia, skin impairment, contractures, muscle atrophy, constipation, and renal calculi. STRESS MANAGEMENT. Stress can speed up the aging process over time, or it can lead to disease that increase the rate of degeneration.
Stress can impair the reserve capacity of older adults and lessen their ability to respond and adapt to changes in their environment. Although no period of the life cycle is free from stress, the later years can be a time of especially high risk. Frequently observed sources of stress for the older population include rapid environmental changes that require immediate reaction, changes in lifestyle resulting from retirement or physical incapacity, acute or chronic illness, the loss of significant others, financial hardships, and relocation.
How individuals react to these stresses depends on their personal coping skills and support networks. COPING WITH STRESS. The ways in which individuals adapt to old age largely depend on the personality traits and coping strategies that have characterized them throughout their lives. Establishing and maintaining relationships with others throughout life is especially important to the older person’s happiness. Even more important than having friends is the nature of the friendships.
Individuals who have close, intimate, stable relationships with others in whom they confide are more likely to maintain integrity in times of crisis. A qualitative study by Loeb et al. , ( 2003 ) found that older adults with at least two chronic illnesses coped by focusing on lifestyle changes to promote health, relying on spirituality and/or religion, and engaging in life. Some older adults sought information about health care, such as this study was that all study subjects were white, and coping strategies may be difficult for various ethnic or racial groups.