The essay examines how various pieces of research on the subject of "Fitness and how it affects the longevity of life for older adults" use rhetorical devices. Fitness keeps older people mobile and autonomous while also helping to reverse some chronic illnesses. Age-related diseases and ultimate frailty are brought on by the majority of older people leading sedentary lifestyles. Promoting physical activity among older adults in the community is a difficult job. Regular exercise is safe for both healthy and frail older people and lowers the risk of lifestyle diseases. Nevertheless, older people rarely engage in physical activity in most affluent areas. If encouraged by health professionals, family and friends older people can increase their physical activities. Moreover, it is essential to bring awareness to the older people aged above 60 years and their caregivers on the vital benefits of indulging in physical activities.
Context
Numerous researchers indicate a direct correlation between increased participation in physical activities and improved health among the older generation. Denise Taylor in "Physical Activity is Medicine for Older Adults" indicates that over 3.2 millions of deaths among older adults in a year can be attributed to lack of activity as reported by the World Health Organization (Taylor, 2013). If the elderly are involved in physical activity especially aerobics and exercises that foster strength for a minimum of 5 days a week, they can improve their health. The paper was written in a context where numerous older people were dying as a result of inactivity, and very few of them were involved in activities that meet the criteria that lead to health improvements. Caregivers are faced with the challenge of increasing the levels of physical activity in older adults. If a physician recommends more exercise in detailed and localized formats, the efforts are more successful.
Thesis
Physical inactivity impacts additional costs to the government's budget because of the increase in the expenditure on health and health-related issues. Therefore, it has become crucial to develop guidelines that instruct how to perform physical activities (Heifferon, 2005). The problem is prevalent in developed as well as developing countries. As people get older over the age of 60, chances of contracting non-communicable diseases become higher. Physical inactivity is among the leading risk factors for death. Old age affects the functional independence of an older adult. The most viable solution is to increase the level of physical activity in all populations. Physical activity improves operational independence, and it also helps in the extension of life. The author continually utilizes exercise to identify structured programs and differentiate them from the everyday physical activity. On the other hand, physical activity refers to any task that consumes energy. The author aims at providing guidelines of the amount, type and frequency of physical activities that are necessary for adults aged above the age of 65 years. Taylor also discusses how to measure physical activity. Further, she provides the evidence to show the benefits of increased physical activity and a discussion on how older people achieve the recommended levels as well as suggestions to maintain and improve uptake of physical activities.
Audience
The audience for the topic is health professionals, caregivers, and older adults. The issue of high mortality is felt in developing and developed countries. Health professionals require standard guidelines which they can prescribe to their patients to increase and monitor their levels of activity (Penrose & Katz, 2010). The author identifies the crucial part the health professional plays in controlling the problem. When older adults are functionally independent, they are not a burden to their families and caregivers. The most benefit s of exercise and physical activity are felt by the individual Physical inactivity also creates extra costs for the government. Thus, it is in the government's best interest to foster programs that encourage physical exercise among older adults.
Ethos
Denise Taylor is a professor at AUT University's school of clinical sciences. She acquired her Postgraduate Certificate in Health Economics in 2010. She holds a Ph.D. in Motor Control, Masters in Rehabilitation and a Graduate Diploma in Physiotherapy. She specializes in research on neurological rehabilitation and the health of older adults. Therefore, her educational credentials and experience place her in a position to expound on the subject. Her skills in research have exposed her to economic evaluations which lead her to recommend increased exercise and physical activities in older adults. She also holds a certificate in health economics which put her in an excellent position to recommend activities for older adults. The author's extrinsic and extrinsic ethos is smart because she is an expert in her field. More so, the author used plenty of additional research to support her paper.
Pathos
Denise makes excellent use of pathos throughout the paper. In the beginning, she begins by highlighting the gravity of the situation with the use of statistics and facts. She intends to let the reader know the severity of the condition by indicating the adverse effects of lack of inactivity in the older generation. Her choice of words creates a source of urgency in the reader to take the necessary measures in controlling the situation. In the introduction, she appeals to ethos further by pointing out that some of the risk factors of death are brought about by the lack of exercise. She identifies the imminent need to come up with guidelines from which prescriptions of exercise can borrow. She further supports her recommendations for increased activity by providing evidence that will convince the audience further.
Logos
Denise Taylor has used a sound argument that is sensible to the audience. The content of the paper, as well as the arguments, are apt and they create a powerful effect. She provides evidence as well as statistics that make her claim strong. The evidence she gives verifies that when older adults are involved in the more physical activity, there is less mortality and more functional independence. She states the astonishing statistics that establish that indeed there is a problem that needs to be addressed and mitigated.
The author has effectively managed to appeal to the audience through a sound argument in a message that advices on creating guidelines which can be used as a reference to recommend exercise for older adults who are above 60 years. The guidelines will help in the reduction of mortality and functional dependence experienced by older adults. The solution will also ease the costs that a government accrues through health and health-related issues. Denise Taylor uses an extensive ethos, pathos, and logo to make appeals to the intended audience and lead them to action.
References
Heifferon, B. (2005). Writing in the health professions. Longman Publishing Group.
Penrose, A. M., & Katz, S. B. (2010). Writing in the sciences: Exploring conventions of scientific discourse. Longman.
Taylor, D. (2013). Physical activity is medicine for older adults. Postgraduate medical journal, postgradmedj-2012.
