Physical activity programmes usually target either healthy, active and mobile seniors, or institutionalized elderly. Community-dwelling older adults who are inactive, mobility-restricted or even frail are difficult to reach for interventions when they live in their own homes.
The primary health care setting is promising for interventions:
- The general practitioner has the unique opportunity to reach a high percentage of the chronically ill older population.
- The general practitioner knows his/her patient’s health status and is able to judge whether the patient is able to perform an exercise programme.
- The relationship between general practitioners and their patients characterized by trust is important for patient compliance.
Major barriers to physicians’ counselling with regard to exercise are the lack of time, lack of educational resources and lack of reimbursement.
A physical activity programme that is to be conveyed via the primary health care setting has to assist the general practitioner with additional staff and knowledge. An exercise therapist could provide this assistance.
