Why physical activity matters for older adults in a time of pandemic

Abstract

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted communities across the world. Government responses, of promoting ‘social distancing’ at a population level, and ‘self-isolation’ of older adults to mitigate its spread have been unprecedented. Despite the importance of these Public Health and Social Measures (PHSM), they present challenges to maintaining a physically active lifestyle, particularly for older adults. Context The importance of physical activity (PA) for health is well documented. There is strong evidence that PA in later life reduces the risk of disease, helps to manage existing conditions, and develops and maintains physical and mental function. Staying physically active is particularly important for older adults currently. Implications and recommendations Research suggests that PHSM have already reduced levels of PA for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to COVID-19 many older adults were not engaging in enough PA to attain health benefits. Evidence indicates that there will be an increase in the number of older adults not meeting guidelines for PA due to the impacts of COVID-19. This has implications for population health and public health policy. How to support older adults to remain physically active during and after the COVID-19 crisis will require careful consideration. Going forward it is imperative that policy and practice support all older adults to achieve the recommended levels of PA to ensure that they are not disadvantaged in the short- but also in the longer term by the impact of COVID-19.

The Effect of Chair-Based Exercise on Physical Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…The public health restrictions in place to prevent the spread of transmission have impacted on physical activity levels, and there have been calls to focus on supporting older adults to meet the recommended levels of physical activity [ 48 ]. However, given the closure of leisure centres and recreation facilities, many programmes recommended chair-based exercises.…”

Practical Solutions to Address COVID-19-Related Mental and Physical Health Challenges Among Low-Income Older Adults

“…The pandemic has also impacted the physical health of lowincome older adults (59). Studies on COVID-19 around the world have reported a decrease in physical activity (4,(60)(61)(62)(63)(64)(65) and an increase in sedentary behavior (i.e., sitting, reclining or lying down for long periods of time) (65-67) among older adults, which can significantly compromise an older person's cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and muscle mass (68,69). Only 2 weeks of inactivity (e.g., 75% less steps in a day) can result in an 8% reduction in muscle strength (70); conversely, more than 2 weeks of rehabilitation would be needed for older people to regain their initial muscle function (70).…”

“…Only 2 weeks of inactivity (e.g., 75% less steps in a day) can result in an 8% reduction in muscle strength ( 70 ); conversely, more than 2 weeks of rehabilitation would be needed for older people to regain their initial muscle function ( 70 ). Muscle deconditioning can accelerate the progression of sarcopenia ( 69 ), contributing to frailty, reduced mobility, and falls ( 4 , 63 , 71 – 73 ).…”

Aktivitas fisik dan aspek kekhawatiran lansia pada masa pandemi Covid-19

“…Mempertahankan tingkat aktivitas fisik merupakan hal yang sangat penting untuk lansia terutama yang memiliki kondisi kronis, karena aktivitas fisik dapat mengurangi peradangan kronis tingkat rendah dan meningkatkan berbagai penanda kekebalan di beberapa status penyakit. termasuk kanker, penyakit kardiovaskular, diabetes, dan obesitas di masa pandemi (Cunningham & O' Sullivan, 2020). Oleh karena itu, sangat penting bagi lansia untuk tetap melakukan aktivitas fisik di masa pandemi agar kondisi tubuh baik secara fisik, mental dan kesejahteraannya tetap terjaga (Goethals et al, 2020).…”