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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Physical Activity: Home-based Exercise Interventions for Adults Aged 65 Years and Older

About this resource:

Systematic Review

Source: The Guide to Community Preventive Services

Last Reviewed: July 2022

Workgroups: Physical Activity Workgroup, Older Adults Workgroup

Physical activity is key to staying healthy as people age. In this systematic review, the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) evaluated home-based exercise programs to improve physical fitness among adults aged 65 years and older.

CPSTF found that home-based exercise interventions to improve physical fitness — including balance and muscle strength, power, and endurance — among adults aged 65 years and older improved older adults’ balance, muscle strength, muscle power, and muscular endurance. Additionally, people who participate in home-based exercise reported fewer falls  and spent more time engaged in physical activity.

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Objectives related to this resource (6)

Increase the proportion of older adults with physical or cognitive health problems who get physical activity — OA‑01
Baseline only
Reduce the proportion of adults who do no physical activity in their free time — PA‑01
Little or no detectable change
Increase the proportion of adults who do enough muscle-strengthening activity — PA‑04
Little or no detectable change
Increase the proportion of adults who do enough aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity — PA‑05
LHI label
Little or no detectable change
Reduce fall-related deaths among older adults — IVP‑08
Getting worse
Reduce the rate of emergency department visits due to falls among older adults — OA‑03
Baseline only

Suggested Citation

1.

Guide to Community Preventive Services. (2022). Physical Activity: Home-based Exercise Interventions for Adults Aged 65 years and Older. Retrieved from https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/physical-activity-home-based-exercise-interventions-adults-65-years-older.html.