Impact of Exercises on Ageing and Associated Aspects

HSE113 - AT2 Student Number: xxxxxxx
Impact of Exercises on Ageing and Associated Aspects
Student Name:
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Word Count: 1453
Physical Characteristics Baseline Information After Exercise 8 months
Walking pattern Used to wobble while
walking
Walks steadily
Strength Was frail Strong
Physical performance Was unable to do anything Can carry out certain
tasks independently
Dynamic balance Fell easily Has never fallen
Overall fitness Felt and appeared weak Felt and appeared strong
Physical agility Lack of agility More agile
Assisting walking device Used walkers and cane Does not need walkers or
cane
Question One
Effects on Ageing on Physiological, Cognitive, and Physical Aspects
Ageing is a natural, inevitable, intricate multi-factorial process resulting from
simultaneous interaction of different factors at varying functional organization levels over time.
Aging processes increase individual’s susceptibility to factors that ultimately bring about death
(Jayanthi, Joshua, & Ranganathan 2010). Further, the process affects individuals’ physical,
psychological, and physiological functions (Ruiz-Montero, Chiva-Bartoll & Martin-Moya 2016).

HSE113 - AT2 Student Number: xxxxxxx
Before beginning the exercise, Mrs Virginia Rizan’s life was characterized by frequent
falls and overall body weakness. She wobbled while waking and was not strong enough to carry
out activities of daily living independently. To address these challenges she used to use walkers
and cane as assistive devices. Additionally, she was frail and her body could endure little. These
age-related aspects may be associated to the effects of physiological, structural, and cognitive
facets of ageing. Aging triggers certain physiological phenomena. These include decreased cell
counts, tissue atrophy, deterioration of tissue proteins, and reduction in metabolic rate,
abnormalities in calcium metabolism, and a decrease in body fluids (Park &Yeo 2013). These
phenomena progresses leading to numerous important impairments. These include impairment in
immune function, neurological, cardiopulmonary, endocrine function, and motor function. In
presence of such impairments exposure to certain risk factors triggers development of multiple
diseases in different systems of the body. The risk factors include smoking, impairment in
glucose metabolism, alcohol, stress, hypertension, lifestyle, food, hyperlipidemia, and obesity.
The associated diseases induced include dementia, heart failure, degenerative diseases,
pulmonary emphysema, renal failure, degenerative arthritis, and diabetes (Park &Yeo 2013). The
gradual deterioration in physiological function over time are related with challenges in
balancing, slower walking speed, and problems with rising from sitting position (McPhee 2018).
Ageing also affects cognitive abilities of individuals. It leads to performance decline on
intricate attentional activities such as divided and selective attention (Murman 2015). Divided
attention refers to the ability to simultaneously concentrate on multiple activities while selective
attention is the ability to concentrate on particular information while ignoring the irrelevant ones.
With regard to memory, consistent reduction in new learning abilities occurs with normal ageing
coupled with decline in ability to retrieve newly acquired materials. Sensory and historical
memories remain relatively stable although the accuracy of the source memory deteriorates over
time. Also, visuospatial processing and constructional praxis abilities also decline with age.
Aging results in gradual and inexorable decline of physical capacities. From the age of 50
years decline in muscular strength occurs at a rate of approximately between 12% and 14% per
decade (Ruiz-Montero, Chiva-Bartol,l & Martin-Moya 2016). Also, balance deteriorates
increasing the risk of falls among the aged. Deterioration in dynamic balance leads to reduction
in body posture. Further, flexibility also declines.

HSE113 - AT2 Student Number: xxxxxxx
Question Two
Impacts of Exercise on Aspects Associated with Aging
Physical exercise influences the ageing process. After engaging in physical exercises for
8 months Mrs. Gus has experienced changes in quality of life and body fitness. Her dynamic
balance has improved, an aspect that has alleviated her risk of falling as she has not experienced
any fall since she started the exercise program. Further, her muscular strength has increased as
evidenced by the ability to move steadily without wobbling and requiring assisting devises of
walking. What is more, her physical functioning has improved as she is now able to carry out
activities of daily living, an aspect that was challenging before commencing the exercises. Her
overall physical fitness has improved, she feels more fit and people surrounding her
acknowledges that her overall health and quality of life has improved. Evidence supports the
beneficial impacts of Physical activity and exercises in older adults. According to Langhammer,
et al. (2018), engaging in physical activity and exercise has the ability to maintain health,
improve physical function, and quality of life, and reduce falls. Exercises reduces the risk of falls
by approximately 21% and impacts positively to daily living activities (Langhammer, et al
2018). The more physically active an individual is the more physically capable they are as a
result of physiological system’s adaptations. More precisely, with increased engagement in
physical activity the neuromuscular system is better able to coordinate movements,
cardiopulmonary system better able to transport nutrients and oxygen more efficiently, and
metabolic processes of fatty acid and glucose regulation effectively occur. As a consequence, the
general aerobic power and physical capability of an individual is increased (McPhee, et al 2016).
Question Three
Physical Activity used By Mrs. Gus
Since older adults experience unique challenges it is vital for them to engage in
appropriate types of physical exercises. Selection of suitable exercise is thus important and the
exercises’ demands should be matched with an individual’s needs. In the current case, Mrs. Gus
engaged in unilateral weight bearing activities, barbell exercises. These exercises engage
different joints and are effective in enhancing body strength, and improving stability and balance
(Mausehund, Skard, & Krosshaug 2018). She engaged in squats and convectional resistance