by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers Movement in Adulthood Chapter 15 Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Motor Development Across the Lifespan Motor development looks at changes over a lifetime. However, most motor developmentalists have an expertise in childhood movement. Pay much less attention to movement in adolescence Only occasional looks at movement in adults Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Motor Development in Adulthood Increase in population and life expectancy of older adults Issues involving movement: Balance and postural sway Walking patterns Falls and how to avoid them Driving Activities of daily living Movement speed Maintaining movement ability with increasing age Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Reflecting on Movement as We Get Older Have you given much thought to getting older—and the consequences to your regular activities? Do you expect to remain as physically active as you are now? Do you think people under the age of 30, generally, have given much thought to this topic? Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Balance and Postural Sway Loss of balance is a major contributor to number of falls experienced by older adults Static and dynamic balance Postural sway and proprioception Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Walking Patterns in Adulthood Gait changes Related to decline in balance Can affect all aspects of an individual’s life Gait speed: A vital sign in geriatric assessment Negotiating steps and other obstacles Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers Gait Changes with Age Forward-flexing trunk posture Reduced hip extension Reduced plantar flexion Reduced power at push-off Less fluid movement/timing More variable stride length and timing More hesitancy and greater tendency toward arrhythmic stride Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers Falls Leading cause of injury among those over 65 Leading cause of death resulting from injury The risk of serious harm from falling increases with age Fear of falling leads to a cautious gait Causes: Intrinsic and extrinsic Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Contributing Factors to Falls Among Older Adults Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Fall, continued—Consequences and Strategies for Avoiding Many never regain functional walking Fractured hip Diminished confidence Avoidance of physical activity Avoiding falls: Make repairs in the home Scrutinize medications Exercise regularly Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Strategies for Avoiding Falls in the Home Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Driving in Older Adulthood More fatal crashes are experienced by drivers over 75 than all other age groups. Factors related to declines in driving ability: Vision and hearing Processing and response time Chronic conditions Physical fitness Obesity Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Activities of Daily Living Older adults may lose the ability to care for themselves, leading to a loss of independence: Getting in/out of bed, dressing, bathing, cooking, shopping, handling personal finances, etc. Factors affecting functionality: Sedentary behavior vs. being physically active Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Movement Speed in Adulthood Physiological functional capacity Ability to undertake physical tasks of daily life with ease Declines with age Reaction, response, and movement times Simple reaction time and choice reaction time Saccadic movements—exception to age-related declines seen elsewhere Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Maintaining Movement Ability Decline in movement ability does not have to begin as early or be as severe as it is for some adults. Compensating for movement decline: Pacing Speed/accuracy trade-off Remaining physically active Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers Physical Activity Individuals can maintain and improve movement ability well into late adulthood Avoid a sedentary lifestyle Participate in physical activity or exercise programs Only 20% of U.S. adults achieve recommended levels of physical activity. Physical inactivity will become even more common in the future. Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers Recommendations for Healthy Adults from the American College of Sports Medicine continued Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

More Recommendations from the ACSM Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Barriers to Engaging in Physical Activity Lacking adequate social support Having physical limitations Having a history or habit of being inactive Having other priorities Lacking convenient access to facilities Not caring enough Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Important Factors for Enabling Physically Active Lifestyles Resourcefulness Social networks Movement-friendly environments Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Reflecting on Physical Activity for Older Adults When you recommend to your grandfather that he start an exercise program, he tells you that he has a bad hip, he can’t get to the local fitness center easily, and he just doesn’t feel up to it. How do you respond? What can you say to motivate him to be more active? Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

Video—Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults This video discusses and demonstrates physical activity guidelines for older adults in Canada. Copyright © 2016 by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers