Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Volume 36, 2016

It is with great pleasure that I encourage you all to read and share the amazing wealth of information provided in this edition of The Annual Review of Gerontology ...This volume brings together an incredible amount of work in the area of physical activity and specifically exercise, and the challenges we face in engaging older adults in optimal amounts and intensities of activity. The authors...have done a remarkable job of highlighting practical ways to share information that is known to be effective from research trials and clinical practice. -Kathleen Mangione, PhD, PT, GCS From the Foreword The 36th Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics is replete with state-of-the-art scholarship along with a cornucopia of research-based and innovative strategies for optimizing function in older adults through exercise and physical activity. Chapters address salient clinical, programmatic, and policy considerations related to implementation and dissemination of exercise programs across a variety of settings. An international cadre of expert nurses, physicians, physical therapists, and exercise physiologists, among other health care professionals, also focus on what is known about specific exercises for older adults-including benefit versus harm associated with each--and provide recommendations for their practical use. The book addresses public policy related to exercise and how policy affects physical activity among older adults. It considers evidence linking physical activity to positive outcomes along with practical issues such as pre-exercise screening and risk stratification. Chapters cover aerobic, resistance, balance, and stretching exercises, along with recommendations for individuals suffering from specific diseases such as arthritis or dementia. Also addressed is physical activity as a determinant of health, and cross-setting approaches to increase function and physical activity. Of particular value is the attention given to the challenges of actually getting individuals to partake in exercise recommendations along with solutions on how to overcome these challenges. With a focus on helping adults to be active in their own way, the authors share positive approaches to motivating and educating this population. Key Features: Presents state-of-the-art scholarship regarding ways to promote physical activity among older adults Written by national and international experts Focuses on aerobic, resistance, balance, and stretching exercises along with recommendations for people with impairments Describes real world applications across multiple disciplines and settings Offers strategies for overcoming resistance to exercise