Physical Function and Aging

[Mark E. Hurling]

I am not aware maybe they do, but I have never observed any strength training in these places, I have seen them do that Tai Chi though . Correct me if I am wrong, but retirement villages appear to be too frightened to strength train residents over a certain age in case they injure themselves and have to explain to the relatives, better just sit them down and let them rust out like an old car in the shed.

There is at least one such place here in Southern Illinois, Liberty Village, that actually advertises on the radio about it's fitness center. Although they may be an exception.

[Yngvi]

Interesting discourse here. What is the simplest way to protect elderly people from falls? What is the probability of patient compliance? What is the total cost of training, including transportation and time costs? Will you face litigation if you screw up? Even if you don't screw up? How do you prove your product works?

[wal]

There is at least one such place here in Southern Illinois, Liberty Village, that actually advertises on the radio about it's fitness center. Although they may be an exception.

I have seen some newer retirement villages which do have a sort of "gym", but no free weights mostly cycles and a swimming pools, golf courses. These are for the new retirees in their 50s and 60s. Nursing homes wading pools and yoga. I hope I don't end up in one of these places, I don't want to play golf.

[stef]

Interesting discourse here. What is the simplest way to protect elderly people from falls? What is the probability of patient compliance? What is the total cost of training, including transportation and time costs? Will you face litigation if you screw up? Even if you don't screw up? How do you prove your product works?

Did you read Inna Koppel's piece? A Pilot Study of Strength Training in the Memory-Impaired Elderly

All the considerations above depend on the situation, but in practice expense and liability aren't the largest barriers.

[TommyGun]

Did you read Inna Koppel's piece? A Pilot Study of Strength Training in the Memory-Impaired Elderly

All the considerations above depend on the situation, but in practice expense and liability aren't the largest barriers.

I've come to realize that in most questions posed to the board likely have an article relating to it that is much more comprehensive than any forum reply. Forget the "There's an app for that" line that the kids say.
For Starting Strength, "There's an article for that".

[Yngvi]

Did you read Inna Koppel's piece? A Pilot Study of Strength Training in the Memory-Impaired Elderly

All the considerations above depend on the situation, but in practice expense and liability aren't the largest barriers.

I will read it. The premise I was working off of is that strength training gets high marks for all of those critieria, so it should be a given. Past that, I was proposing those questions need to be answered for things like training the elderly to fall correctly or installing soft floor mats in a house etc.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Soft floor mats in the house creates a serious trip hazard. Best not to fall, ever, under any circumstances, since a fall is by definition not controlled.

[UberBabs]

At least for head of femur breaks in the elderly it has been posited that the bone breaks first and thus is the cause of the fall rather than the fall happening first and resulting in the break. Something to think about.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I'm sure both circumstances occur.

[Erik Y]

I think everyone should learn to fall, but when they’re young. By the time people are in an elder care center, it’s almost certainly too late for that. I wish that our school physical education system in America focused more on different movement patterns and skills like tumbling and climbing instead of running.