Research has found that group exercise can stop people from losing strength as they get older and make it easier for them to tackle everyday activities. According to the study, just one tailored group-exercise session a week can help to prevent decline in mobility in those aged 65 and older.
As people get older and start to lose some mobility, this can lead to a reduced quality of life, a loss of independence, and rack up substantial health and social care costs. It can even reduce overall life expectancy.
Experts suggest that pressure on healthcare systems is set to grow with an ageing population, and currently three in 10 pensioners are classified as disabled due to mobility limitations. The economic savings to the NHS over the two-year study were higher than the cost of the programme called Retirement in Action (React).
