Staying active is one of the most powerful ways older adults can protect their health and independence. Yet less than 15% of adults 65 or older get the recommended amounts of aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity, according to the 2023 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Regular movement, whether walking, swimming or chair-based exercise, can help reduce the risk of chronic conditions, preserve mobility and improve mood.
Even small increases in daily movement can make a meaningful difference in strength, balance and overall well-being. Understanding how to exercise safely and consistently is key to maintaining health and quality of life as people age.
In this installment, two physicians discuss what patients need to know about physical activity. They are:
Aeshita Dwivedi, MD, a cardiologist with Northwell Health in New York City and director of ambulatory cardiac CT at Concorde Medical Center in Manhattan.
Philip Solomon, MD, a geriatrician and director of geriatric education and clinical integration at Northwell Health in Lake Success, New York.
“There's actually a lot of data—specifically speaking from a cardiac standpoint, but also from a lung standpoint—that patients who have stents put in or cardiac surgery, such as bypass surgery, who are referred to cardiac rehabilitation, which is basically a supervised exercise program, do a lot better than patients who don't go to cardiac rehab,” said Dr. Dwivedi.
“So, pulmonary rehab for lung patients and cardiac rehab for heart patients where they get enrolled in a two- to three-month supervised exercise program where they learn how to stay active while dealing with the chronic condition, the outcomes are so much better,” she said. “The rehabilitation of cardiac or pulmonary conditions can definitely help patients improve their health status.”
“One of my patients once told me that, for him, exercise is not a vanity project—it's a sanity project,” said Dr. Dwivedi. “And I couldn't agree more because exercise is such a huge stress reliever.”
