Surgeon General's Workshop on Health Promotion and Aging: summary recommendations of Physical Fitness and Exercise Working Group

Article Abstract:

A meeting of the Surgeon General's Workshop on Health Promotion and Aging was held in Mar 1988 and a group of recommendations were made that specifically target the elderly. Four general categories were outlined in which a number of actions were proposed and directed towards the government, health care providers, and the elderly on their own behalf. The recommendations included a focus on education and training regarding the benefits of exercise for the elderly and addressed physicians, all health care providers, and nursing homes. The need for more research was discussed to better understand the role of exercise in the prevention of diseases, the maintenance of body functions, and the determination of appropriate levels of activity for the elderly. Finally, government agencies and all institutions affecting the aged were asked to incorporate policies to promote and encourage exercise and fitness in the elderly. It has been established that high levels of physical activity help to reduce disorders such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and colon cancer. The maintenance of proper body weight is also known to increase longevity. Unfortunately, over one third of all the elderly in this country have low levels of physical activity or are completely inactive. Only seven to eight percent of persons over 65 years of age participant in any regular physical exercise at all.

Management, Community health services, Physical fitness, Exercise, Physical education, Exercise for the aged, Physical fitness for the aged, Community health services for the aged, Physical education for the aged

---

Surgeon General's Workshop on Health Promotion and Aging: summary recommendations of the Medication Working Group

Article Abstract:

The Surgeon General's Workshop on Health Promotion and Aging makes recommendations regarding medication to reduce adverse drug reactions and improve medication compliance among elderly patients. Most adverse drug reactions among the elderly are caused from taking too many kinds of drugs concurrently. The workshop suggests improved education and training for healthcare practitioners and pharmacists, and education for patients, caretakers and family members. Other recommendations were also made. Medication reimbursement should be independent of cost. Access to pharmacological services for the immobile and geographically isolated elderly should be improved. Research should focus on side effects, effectiveness, risks and cost-effective education. Medication use and compliance patterns should be studied. The Food and Drug Administration is encouraged to investigate the false marketing of drugs and develop new drug therapy guidelines for the elderly.

Interpretation and construction, Planning, Social policy, Health promotion, Medical policy, Health policy, Pharmaceutical policy, United States. Public Health Service

---

Living longer, aging better: aging research comes of age

Article Abstract:

Research on aging has contributed much to the health of the elderly in the past 20 years. When the National Institute on Aging was created in 1974, there was little data on the aging process. Dementia was considered a normal part of aging, whereas in the 1990's it is seen as a disease. Several geriatrics societies have published guidelines for managing Alzheimer's disease, which is the commonest form of dementia. Aging research has focused on improving the quality of life as well as the life span and data show that the number of disabled elderly people is dropping.

Aging, Editorial, Research, Alzheimer's disease

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Killing heat. Influenza vaccination and reduction in hospitalizations for cardiac disease and stroke among the elderly
• Abstracts: Relationship between eating patterns meeting recommendations and subsequent mortality in 20 years. Serum leptin levels in alcoholic liver cirrhosis: relationship with gender, nutritional status, liver function and energy metabolism
• Abstracts: Diagnostic imaging in puerperal febrile morbidity. Ultrasound examination for detection of ovarian carcinoma in risk groups
• Abstracts: Energy-intake restriction and diet-composition effects on energy expenditure in men. Comparison of energy expenditure by the doubly labeled water technique with energy intake, heart rate, and activity recording in man
• Abstracts: Carpal tunnel: MR imaging. Chronically obstructed sinonasal secretions: observations on T1 and T2 shortening. Human leg neuromuscular diseases: P-31 MR spectroscopy

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.