OLDER ADULTS

Using Theory And Research Critically Discuss The Psychological Benefits Of Exercise To Older Adults

Using Theory And Research Critically Discuss The Psychological Benefits Of Exercise To Older Adults

Behavior Modification Program

Target Problem

The target problem that I selected for this project was a lack of daily physical exercise. Through research on this topic, I found that both older adults benefit from regular physical activity. For older adults, physical fitness and health status are substantially enhanced by frequent physical activity (Jewett, Bain, 1985, p. 84). Compared with inactive young people, physically active youth have higher levels of cardio respiratory endurance and muscular strength, less body fat, more favorable cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk profiles, enhanced bone health, and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression (Jewett, Bain, 1985, p. 84).

Fitness is a state of well-being that allows the body to function efficiently and effectively during school, work, leisure, and sports activities (King, Rejeski, et al, 1998, p. 112-121). In general, there are two main categories of fitness. Health-related fitness is said to include cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition, whereas skill-related fitness components include agility, coordination, reaction time, balance, speed, and power (Boreham, Twisk, et al, 1997, p. 28-34). Both are associated with numerous physiological and psychological benefits during childhood and adolescence. In addition, positive behaviors that are acquired during the school-age years are likely to be carried over into adulthood. Thus, youth who enjoy fitness activities and learn how to live a physically active life are more likely to become active, healthy older adults (King, Rejeski, et al, 1998, p. 112-121).

Based on these factors, I overviewed my daily lifestyle and concluded that I am lacking in physical fitness. I decided on a motive that I would do at least 45 minutes of continuous exercises, including physical activities every day for minimum 5 days per week. The baseline data I collected from monitoring my target behavior was spread over a week period, through which I found that I was exercising only 1 to 3 days per week, and the average time I gave was around 30 to 45 minutes (Biddle, Sallis, et al, 1998, p. 33). The pattern of my exercise was not fixed, as I would either do exercises early in the morning after waking up, or I would do my exercises in the evening after returning home. The goal I made for changing this target behavior was not particularly related to increase the intensity of the exercise I was doing, as I did not have any instruments to measure the variables, like heart rate, and eventually I would not be able to know whether the interventions I made were effective or not. Furthermore, my motive was not just to achieve self-control over my target behavior, but instead to effectively increase the behavior by any means available for this project (Biddle, Sallis, et al, 1998, p. 33).

We opted for the continuous evaluation of a whole program of physical activity, in order to determine their overall effects on mood and perceived ...