WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., April 14 (UPI) -- A United States study by Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center is trying to find ways to prevent or delay the onset of disabilities in elderly adults.
The study's sponsor, the U.S. National Institute on Aging, says the project is important because people over the age of 70 represent the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population.
"Identifying ways to prevent disability is a major public health challenge," said Marco Pahor, the principal investigator at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C. "About half of people over age 65 become so severely disabled that they need nursing home care."
In the first phase to evaluate whether exercise can prevent disability, the study will include 400 adults who are 70 to 85 years old. It will especially target those who are having difficulty in daily activities such as walking, getting out of chairs or climbing stairs.
Similar studies also are being conducted in Dallas, Texas; Palo Alto, Calif.; and Pittsburgh, Pa.
