Introduction
The following physical activity plan will address the problem of the older adults or citizen residing in a Senior Citizen Home. It is quite evident that, the people reside in an old care home are not associated with any kind of physical activity in their daily life. Thus, it is very crucial to design a health activity plan for the older adults of the senior citizen home in order to make them more active physically. Physical activity is an essential process for being healthy in case of all the age group people of the society. The older age group of the community is not at all different for them. In order to maintain the mobility and independence of the older adults, the physical, psychological wellbeing is very crucial for the senior citizen people in the older care home (Matthew-Maich et al., 2016).
In this essay, the physical activity plan for the older adults in an older age care home health is discussed in a brief manner.
Initial Health Screening
In an older age care home, generally there are people in the different age group and it is very evident that, for the different age group of people the condition of the health will be different. So, in this physical activity plan, the main focus will be on the people of 50 years or more (50 year- 70 years).
In order to assess the physical condition for the designing the physical activity plan for the older adults in the age group of 50 years to 70 years, a few physical assessment tests must be done and based on that the physical activity program will be designed (Sink et al., 2015). In general, a few common tests are performed as a part of the physical assessment program. Mostly, a cardiovascular assessment for the knowing the condition of the heart of the older adults, a anthropometric measurement session for assessing the primary body measurement of the older adults , muscular fitness measurements, joint mobility assessment that is assessment of joint range of motion or flexibility of the older adults must be done.
A health condition assessed by the health care fitness trainer can identify the needs of the patients and as per the level of the fitness, the trainer will design the health activity for the older adults in the older age care home (Alves et al., 2016). The health condition of the clients will help the trainer to identify the type of the physical exercises for the older adult population. Therefore, it is quite evident that, in the physical activity program, there should be assessment for pulmonary disease, cardiovascular condition of the patients (Seniorscouncil.net, 2019).
GOALS of the Program
According to the study of Acefitness.org (2019), it is reported that, the poor health condition of the older adults is also associated with various other diseases and simultaneously, the lack of physical activity among the people in the older care home is also associated with the alteration of the quality of life of those older population. Not only this, an improved condition of the health of the older adults in a health care home will also help in reducing the rate of hospital cares among the elderly person in the older care home (Hwang & Braun, 2015). It is also quite evident that, the benefits and resultant outcomes of the health activity of the older adults are well established and in recent times, it is reported that physical activity among the older adults is one of the important factor for the wellbeing of the older people. Apart from that, it is also reported that, even though the elder people of the old care home know about the benefits of the health activity, still most of the older adults in the older care home practices the sedentary life styles (de Souto Barreto et al., 2016). Hence, the primary goals of this physical activity plan will mainly focus on the changing behaviours of the older people in the older care home as well. Hence, it is the duty of the physical trainer to design the physical activity plan in such a way that can attract the older people in the age care home in doing the physical activity (de Labra et al., 2015).
Possible Testing and Assessment of Results
| Parameter | Assessment | Result Consideration |
| Cardiovascular ParametersHeart RateBlood Pressure | 30-60 seconds measurementblood pressure two measures 3-5 min apart | Abnormal: HR > 100 bpm • Systolic/diastolic Abnormal: SBP > 140 mmHg and/or DBP > 90 mmHg |
| AnthropometryHeight and WeightBody Mass Index (BMI) | The measurement must be taken in in/lb or in cm/kg and BMI must be determined by the Weight (in Kg)/ Height (in m2). | When BMI > 30, initiate weight mgmt. strategies: height (m2) as it indicates obesity. |
| Circumference measures | waist, hip, upper arm, upper thigh Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) | A Good measures to confirm loss of inches Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) Abnormal: men > 0.95; women > 0.86 |
| Skin fold measures | Waist, iliac, thigh, subscapular, chest, mid-calf, maxillary. | This measures needs accurate anatomic location of skinfold sites to determine body fat of the patients’ body. |
| Submaximal Aerobic Fitness Assessment Aerobic Capacity | In order to check the aerobic capacity, various instruments such as upright bicycle, recumbent bicycle, treadmill, and arm. In field, the physical health planner can use walking test data of HR and RPE can be used. | In this case, standard protocol of doing those exercises must be used by the physical activity planner as the changing of HR and RPE is good indicator of physical activeness. |
| Endurance Performance | Functional assessment must focus on mode of activity that is generally executed by the clients who are limited (example- cardiac data: required time to complete known distance. | Good means to assess users who are restricted (e.g., cardiac, pulmonary, arthritic, disabled, etc.) |
| Muscular Fitness MeasuresMuscle Strength | Repetition-max test; repetition number precise to client’s fitness status and level of muscular strength | However it is not appropriate for all the clients. The use of handgrip dynamometer among the participants is also important as it helps in determination of muscle strengths. However, it is reported that, strength training is required prior to exercise for performing the exercises in a well manner. |
| Muscle Endurance | It is determined by the numbers of repetition before the onset of fatigue in case of performing the exercises like pull-ups, curl-ups, bench press and other muscle group exercises. | Although, there are various tests to examine the condition, still it is stated that all the persons cannot perform these tests. It is the duty of the trainer to identify the needs of the clients whether he or she can perform the exercises or not and along with this, RPE should be used as a guide of measuring the fatigue. |
| Joint Range of Motion (Flexibility) | For the upper extremities, goniometer or any other standard instruments can be used. In case of the lower extremities, the same instruments can be used as well. | In this test, the shoulder flexion/ extension and abduction and adduction of the internal and external rotation can be measured. Along with this, the trainer must focus on the functional ADL outcomes. For the lower region of the body, flexor and extensor muscle movements must be checked. Along with this, the abduction and adduction of the hamstrings and quadriceps may be measured by the physical activity planner. For assessing the balance related outcomes of the client the assessor may check the flexibility of the ankle of the clients. |
| Neuromuscular Assessment | In this section, the assessor may perform the reaction time tests, gait analysis, hand-eye coordination and balance of the patients. | This tests are generally performed in a lab setting by the assessor in older care home. It is recommended that, such tests are performed for the patients who have neuromuscular deficits. |
Brief Program Design
Based on the above tests the program can be designed as a step by step process that is the program would be divided into several steps. The steps will be comprised of the testing step as well. Other than this the population selection should be done on the basis of the vital signs and the physical test. Then the health educators would be providing proper knowledge about the effectiveness of the fitness exercises in the older age. The motivational and the educational training would be provided by the health educators for at least 2 months. Then the assessment of the training would be done based on another testing step of the physical and the vital sign check-up. This check-up will determine the effects of the physical training on the body of the older people of the older age home facility. If the positive changes can be seen then the physical activity program would proceed further and if the activity program results in negative outcomes then the physical activities should be replaced (Spruit et al., 2015).
Administration of Program
The program should be administered with utmost priority in order to provide the older people a fit and positive daily life style. The administration process can be done by the public health care provider, public nurse and also the government and social workers as well. The administration will be dependent on the attentiveness and response of the public health care providers. The factor of the administration would be done on the basis of the outcome analysis which would be done on the basis of the check-up of the target population after an expected time frame of the change among the vital signs and also the physical condition as well.
Analysis of Initial Potential Outcome
The outcome analysis should be done prior to the program based on the planning of the program. The effectiveness of the program should be considered as the positive factor. However, the analysis of the outcome would be complete after the program ends that is the actual outcome of the program. The outcome analysis would be effectively done with the help of the physical check-ups of the older people of the old age home facility. The check-up process would be comprised of the factors of the physical condition monitoring of the people. The aspect of the initial potential outcome on the other hand dependent on the aspect of the initial vital and also physical condition assessment of the participants of the program. However, the factor of the pre analysis of the potential outcome would be the check point of the program success (Toots et al., 2016).
Marketing of Program
The marketing of the program would be done on the basis of the hand leaflet distribution among the target people that is the older people of the old age home facility. On the other hand the factor of the marketing also attract the financial investors as well. However, the cost effective planning would be required to engage the financial investors. On the other hand the stakeholders that is the health care providers, target population and the social workers would require the aspect of the incentivised and also effective planning details of the plan.
Related Program Administration
Related program administration would be depending on the health care administers of the government or the financial investors. The factor of the process of the administration would be dependent on the effectiveness of the program by means of the ethical consideration maintenance, properly and equally providing the care and training to the older people without any discrimination. The factor of the administration would also be assessing the effectiveness of the program by means of the financial use of the program which would be cost effective as well. However, the process of the administration would be requiring the assessment of the outcome of the program that is the effectiveness of the program on the health outcome of the older age people of the old age home facility.
Conclusion
Based on the above discussion it can be concluded that the factor of the physical activity program for the older people would be effective. The factor of the physical activity would be helpful in the process of better health outcome of the older people of the old age home who have the practice of the sedentary life style. On the factor of the physical activity program for the older people would be working on the betterment of the process of the health condition of the older people of the older age home facility that who are not effectively active in any kind of physical activities.
References
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Toots, A., Littbrand, H., Lindelöf, N., Wiklund, R., Holmberg, H., Nordström, P., … & Rosendahl, E. (2016). Effects of a high‐intensity functional exercise program on dependence in activities of daily living and balance in older adults with dementia. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 64(1), 55-64.
