PHYSICAL-FITNESS - BENEFITS OF EXERCISE FOR THE OLDER PATIENT - PART 2 OF A ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSION

Exercise provides important benefits for older adults in the areas of cardiovascular function, strength and muscle mass, postural stability, and psychological function. These benefits can be achieved by those w ho are healthy, as well as by the frail and very old. Physicians can u se a simple screening test to identify patients at risk for loss of mo bility and function, due to muscle weakness. Exercise helps prevent hi p fractures from falls by increasing bone density, coordination, balan ce, and muscle strength. It is also an important treatment for patient s with arthritis, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and other chronic disea ses of aging. Patients who exercise show improvements in depressive sy mptoms and sleep disorders.