It’s Women’s History Month! So that means we are going to shine the spotlight on two of the most influential women in senior wellness: Dr. Roberta Rikli and Dr. Jessie Jones.
These researchers developed the Senior Fitness Test as part of the LifeSpan Wellness Program at California State University in Fullerton in 2001. Dr. Rikli co-founded the LifeSpan Wellness Program at California State University at Fullerton and has held numerous leadership positions in professional organizations, including the International Society for Aging and Physical Activity, the American Kinesiology Association, and the National Academy of Kinesiology among others. Dr. Jones co-founded the Center for Successful Aging and is internationally known for her research, program design, curriculum development, and instructor training in the field of exercise science and aging.
But, today we are focusing on their work with the Senior Fitness Test!
If you aren’t familiar with the Senior Fitness Test (SFT), it includes:
- 30-Second Chair Test
- 30-Second Arm Curl
- Back Scratch
- Sit-and-Reach
- 8-Foot Up-and-Go
- 2-Minute Step Test OR 6-Minute Walk Test
This battery of test items, along with the clock test, frailty scale, and balance test (which is included by Functional Pathways), helps to assess functional fitness in older adults. If you aren’t using this in your community to help determine the best activities, wellness programming, and/or therapy services for your residents, you should be! It’s also a great tool to implement when a resident moves into the community.
If you’d like to learn more about keeping your seniors active, engaged, and thriving in place in your community, visit Peak Senior Living to see what a holistic, person-centric approach to Wellness can do for your residents.