Course Description:

his course is offered in cooperation with Human Kinetics and includes the paperback textbook, “Functional Fitness for Older Adults” by Patricia A. Brill, PhD. This textbook is an illustrated guide for activity professionals working with adults over the age of 65, especially those who are unable to complete activities of daily living because of poor functional levels. This course includes a variety of specialized activity programs developed to meet the specific needs of older adults. They are designed to improve upper and lower body strength, balance, range of motion, and functional performance. The exercise programs are approximately 20 to 30 minutes each and fit easily into busy schedules, a variety of participants’ needs and institutional budgets. Extensive research has verified that the guidelines and programs are safe and will result in significant functional gains for most participants, improving their health-related quality of life.

Specific guidelines are included for working with older adults with arthritis, COPD, depression, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, and stroke.

The exercise instructions, abundant illustrations, and program guides put all the information you need for teaching exercises and leading programs at your fingertips. This course is the most comprehensive guide available for building your repertoire of programs for improving the overall quality of life for older adults.

Instructional Level: Beginner/Intermediate