Historically, the aging adult population has been managed with medications, surgeries, and generalized recommendations to “exercise and eat healthy.” While well intentioned, these approaches often fall short because they do not address the whole person nor the interconnected lifestyle factors that influence long-term health. This fragmented approach creates an incomplete continuum of care, resulting in missed opportunities to optimize health, prevent chronic disease, and support aging in place. Wellness provides a comprehensive framework for integrating therapeutic lifestyle interventions—including nutrition, physical activity, stress reduction, sleep optimization, social engagement, and behavioral health—to prevent, delay, and treat chronic conditions common in aging adults. Evidence shows that targeted lifestyle changes influence key biomarkers such as blood pressure, inflammatory markers, glucose levels, cholesterol, and body composition. These improvements reduce the incidence and progression of many chronic diseases including hypertension, atherosclerosis, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight how wellness initiatives embedded in the continuum of care can improve health outcomes, enhance quality of life, and promote independence as individuals age. Attendees will identify opportunities to incorporate small, meaningful wellness interventions within their clinical or community practice to support healthy aging and reduce chronic disease burden.

Authors:
Germaine Ferreira, Baylor University, United States
Srilekha Palle, Inova Health System and Srilekha Specialized Health Clinics, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Srilekha Reddy Palle, PT, DPT, MBA
Director, Rehabilitation Services
Cardiac, Pulmonary and SET-PAD Rehab Programs
Physical Medicine & Rehab

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/srilekhapalle/

See this presentation on the full schedule – On Demand Schedule

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