Assessing the Physical Condition, Performance Status, and Social Characteristics of an Elderly Person Intending to Participate in Physical Exercise

Abstract

The preservation of active longevity for senior citizens requires adequate physical activity personalized based on a comprehensive assessment of their physical condition, performance status, and social characteristics. The study covered 121 women (mean age 66.77 ± 5.37 years) who wanted to join a wellness group. For every participant of the study, professional, social, and fitness backgrounds were investigated, they were checked for diseases and subjected to comprehensive physical examination and functional tests (Stange’s test, tilt test, six-minute walk test, and timed up-and-go test). It was revealed that 75.21% of the study participants had a history of arterial hypertension. The normal type of SBP reaction to orthostatic test was determined in 71.07% of people, with regard to DBP indicators, in 84.29%. BMI corresponded to being overweight. Hand grip strength and vital capacity were reduced but were not critical. The handgrip strength for the right and left hand correlated with age (R = –0.33; p < 0.01; R = –0.31; p < 0.01). The results of the timed up-and-go test and six-minute walk test were estimated as normal. An orthopedic examination revealed the presence of flat feet and scoliosis. Pensioners that did not have a job made up 91.73% of the group. The reason for retirement for most of the study participants was redundancy cut-downs of the staff at the age of about 60 years, which does not correspond to the satisfactory functional state of the study participants. Therefore, the topical issues today are programs for part-time employment of older people, for retraining of people over 50 in the programs “50+,” and the general fitness program for these two groups.