gms | German Medical Science

Physical activity and successful aging
10th International EGREPA Conference

European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity

14.09. - 16.09.2006 in Köln

Fit for 100 - movement offers for high aged

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author F. Nieder - German Sport University Cologne, Germany
  • U. Nieder - German Sport University Cologne, Germany
  • M. Brach - University Bonn, Germany
  • H. Mechling - German Sport University Cologne, Germany

Physical activity and successful aging. Xth International EGREPA Conference. Cologne, 14.-16.09.2006. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2006. Doc06pasa035

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/pasa2006/06pasa035.shtml

Published: December 18, 2006

© 2006 Nieder et al.
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Outline

Text

'Fit for 100 - movement offers for High Aged' is a senior sport project, which is particularly aligned to humans of the fourth age (80+). In cross-setting of sport-scientific and geronto-social fields and questions, model-like organization and content offers are compiled, converted and evaluated to promote movement for High Aged, also in need of care. 'Fit for 100' is a project of the German sport university Cologne (DSHS) at the Institute for sport science and sport of the University of Bonn under the scientific direction of Professor Dr. Heinz Mechling. Co-operation partners are the national senior agency (LSV NRW) and the national sport federation (LSB NRW). 'Fit for 100' is financial supported by the Ministry for Work, Health and Social Affairs (MAGS NRW).

Demographic background

The number of the over eighty-year old persons will experience a substantial increase in the next years. Like that the group of the 80+ is the fastest increasing age group in Germany. The prognosis for the number of the 100+ occupies a rise by 7.200 in the year 2000 on 44.200 in the year 2025.

Goals and measures

The project 'Fit for 100' wants to promote mobility and strength with a training program for High Aged humans. The goals thereby are maintaining and/or regaining of muscle power, everyday life ability and independence, as well as an improvement of the quality of life and the well-being. Likewise such a measure is of socio-political importance. If it is possible to rise the persons in need of care again, to climb stairs or running with the rollator, this relieves the nurses. And longer remaining in a lower care stage means a substantial cost reduction.

Process

At the beginning in coordination with the project partners a survey by a questionnaire was made to get the actual state, which covered 189 ambulatory, part-stationary and stationary homes for the elderly from the regions Guetersloh, Dortmund, Muenster, Cologne and the region Lower Rhine. Apart from general data of these homes, information about existing movement offers for High Aged as well as the interest and the readiness for new movement offers was inquired. Because of structural, technical and geographical criteria, nine institutions were selected as model projects.

After the execution of different tests for the evaluation, 116 persons in nine groups work out for 12 months one hour, 2 times per week. There are 2 dementia groups, 2 groups in ambulatory institutions, 2 part-stationary and 4 groups in stationary institutions. First tendencies and effects of the training program will become visible with the Re-tests every 4 month. First results of research will be available from Mai on. Numerous inquiries of interested old persons, homes for elderly or other institutions, as well as inquiries of daily papers ,radio stations and television all over germany shows the large public interest in an actively arranged aging.