Prescribing an Exercise Program and Motivating Older Adults to Comply

There is strong experimental evidence to indicate that regular exercise can prevent disease, decrease the risk of falling, reduce physical disability, improve sleep, and enhance mood and general well being. Despite these benefits, approximately 50% of sedentary adults who start an exercise program stop within the first six months of involvement. To help older adults initiate and adhere to a regular exercise program, a seven step approach was developed. The seven steps include. (1) education, (2) exercise prescreening, (3) setting goals, (4) exposure to exercise, (5) role models, (6) verbal encouragement, and (7) verbal reinforcement and rewards. The seven steps provide a useful guide for how to implement an appropriate exercise program, and how to help these individuals stick to such a program once it is initiated.