Elderly walk by day, dance at night

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 21 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers urge community leaders to initiate walking programs to help the elderly stay independent.

Trudy Moore-Harrison of the University of North Carolina Charlotte says an adult walking program is a low-cost way for seniors to be active and avoid disability, and requires no special equipment.

Moore-Harrison, who led a study while at the University of Georgia, finds 60-year-olds and older participating in a three-times-a-week walking program increased physical functions by 25 percent compared to a control group.

"People really enjoyed the program," Moore-Harrison says in a statement. "It gave them an opportunity to make new friends and get to know their neighbors."

Using a treadmill test, the study published in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy found that during the 4-month study period, the walking group increased aerobic capacity 19 percent while the control group decreased 9 percent.

"Aerobic capacity is really the engine that we draw upon for doing the things we want to do, whether it's cleaning up around the house or running a marathon," study co-author M. Elaine Cress of the University of Georgia said. "By increasing their aerobic capacity, the walking group was better able to perform their daily tasks and had more energy left over for recreational activities like dancing."