Introduction, Objectives, Learning Outcomes

Physical activity is one of the most important factors in older adults’ quality of life regarding its contribution in maintaining a better health and a good functional ability for a longer time. Digital technologies provide opportunities to monitor physical activity and health parameters but they also raise challenges for Fitness professionals’ training in order to provide more effectively their services in the competitive and the same time demanding market of the older adults’ fitness. There are several types of smart wearables of varying features, potential, usability and of course financial cost. The best type of wearable depends mainly on both, the purpose of its use and the potential of the user to handle the device. In any case, a successful Fitness professional should know how to use cost-effective wearables in order to apply a more effective fitness session, in an enjoyable manner, in order to keep his/her older clients satisfied and adhered to his/her program. Apart the good communication skills, the fitness professional need to know how to overcome the cognitive barriers, faced by older adults, in using digital technology. And most importantly, the fitness professional should be convinced that smart wearables may be of great value for older adults’ fitness services.

• Underline the importance of recording physical activity in everyday life for older adults’ health and functional ability.
• Present basic issues in recording different types of physical activity, using wearables in older adults.
• Identify the parameters to record by wearables in fitness sessions.
• Describe issues in training older adults to use wearables.
• Provide examples of tracking progress and setting goals for older adults in real settings.

• By completing the chapter, the reader will know how to train older adults to use wearables and how to use data from wearables in order to maximize the effects of fitness sessions.
• The reader will enhance his/her communication skills with his/her aged clients in order to train them in using wearables and translating the output of certain devices.
• The reader will have a better understanding on how to use wearables in order to provide fitness services of higher quality and maintain older adults’ clients’ adherence in fitness programs.