Susan Buchholz, associate dean for research,  will join 10 others from across the country in addressing physical activity among adults who are older as part of a subcommittee of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.

Buchholz is the only nurse and representative from the state of Michigan on the subcommittee, which is tasked with looking at and summarizing the evidence and suggesting strategies to improve physical activity among older adults. Currently, only 13.9% of adults older than 65 years meet the recommendations for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.

“Nurses are working one-on-one with patients at the bedside, in clinics and in the community, so we see people across the continuum of care and have a strong understanding of where people are coming from in their lives regarding their health,” Buchholz said. “We talk about different strategies that make it easier for people to be healthy, including being physically active.”

The subcommittee will build upon existing physical activity guidelines for Americans, last updated in 2018. Buchholz said this group’s work will serve as a check-in to ensure the best practices are being suggested and followed for use by healthcare providers, researchers, educators and policymakers, that are committed to promoting health of adults that are older.

To learn more, visit nursing.msu.edu