Updated: March 2025

By end of 2024, the COVID-19 pandemic caused more than 1.2 million deaths. The death rate was higher for groups of people who had certain underlying health conditions. Older Americans disproportionately fell into the category of individuals who were most vulnerable to the deadly consequences of an infection. The death rate has fallen, but people who are 85 or older continue to experience the highest rate of deaths from COVID-19.

Social distancing before vaccines were distributed saved an estimated 800,000 lives, while vaccines are credited with “preventing 18 million hospitalizations and 3 million deaths” in the United States. Notwithstanding skepticism about vaccines, studies confirm that COVID-19 vaccinations substantially reduce the risk of death and of developing Long COVID symptoms. Long COVID is a condition that causes symptoms of a COVID-19 infection to persist for at least three months. By the end of 2024, 20 million Americans had been diagnosed with Long Covid.

While vaccination remains the best protection against a severe COVID-19 infection and the development of Long COVID, evidence suggests that “physical activity might be the key to lessening certain acute and lasting symptoms of COVID-19 (especially mental and neurological symptoms)—at least for some people.” People who exercise regularly or stay physically active are less likely to acquire a serious COVID-19 infection or the symptoms of Long COVID than people who do not.

Health Benefits of Physical Activity

Most people understand the link between physical activity and good health. Maintaining an active lifestyle is particularly important as people age. Physical activity helps seniors maintain their functional abilities, including mobility and independence.

Physical activity also helps seniors avoid or cope with heart disease and the deterioration of brain functions. Aerobic exercise can reduce blood pressure and improve muscle strength. Balance and strength exercises help seniors avoid falls and maintain mobility.

Physical activity does not necessarily mean vigorous daily exercise. Leaving a residence to go shopping or to join in community activities is part of a healthy lifestyle. Formal exercise is nevertheless important. Walking, golfing, swimming, biking, or participating in an exercise class can help seniors maintain their quality of life.

While any physical activity is better than none, seniors can maximize the health benefits of exercise by following these guidelines:

• Exercise moderately for 2½ to 5 hours per week, or exercise vigorously for 1¼ to 2½ hours week (or find an equivalent balance of moderate and vigorous exercise).
• Perform aerobic exercises for 10 minutes at a time.
• Combine aerobic exercise with strength and balance training.

Unfortunately, even before the pandemic, most seniors were not as physically active as the guidelines recommend. After a year of staying home, working toward a healthy lifestyle may pose a difficult challenge.

Building a Post-Pandemic Exercise Program

Walking is the obvious starting point in a plan to become more active. After vaccinations and in areas that public health authorities deem safe, older people can begin to increase their stamina with daily walks.

To maximize cardiovascular benefits, seniors can gradually increase the pace of their walks. Brisk walks are more beneficial than leisurely walks. Jogging is even better. The best pace should be determined in consultation with the senior’s physician, particularly if the senior has been diagnosed with a heart problem.

Studies show that walking on its own “does not provide older people with sufficient strength or balance challenge to reduce fall or fracture risk.” Strength and balance exercises, tailored to the senior’s functional abilities, should be a part of most exercise routines.

Repeatedly standing from a sitting position is a simple exercise that improves strength in leg muscles. Ideally, seniors should stand without using their arms for support, but the exercise can be modified as needed.

Other gentle strength exercises include partial squats, leg extensions, and pushing off from a wall. Seniors who have access to light weights can build their arm and chest muscles by doing bicep curls.

Easy balance exercises include the one-leg stand, walking sideways or heel-to-toe, and the “grapevine” exercise (walking sideways while crossing one foot over the other).

Exercise Resources

Scotland’s National Health Service suggests three levels of strength and balance exercises for seniors. Each level increases in difficulty. To help seniors decide which level is the right starting point, the SNHS suggests a simple one-leg balance test. The SNHS website offers videos to illustrate how the test and the recommended exercise should be performed.

An Australian team of physiotherapists developed a website that recommends a range of physical activities to promote fitness, strength, balance, and flexibility. The website again breaks the exercises into three levels, ranging from exercises for seniors whose mobility is limited to those who are able to take a long walk.

The AARP recommends performing self-assessments of the shoulders, hips, and ability to move. It also suggests adding leg lunges and toe stands to a daily exercise routine.

While many of the recommended exercises can be performed indoors, there’s nothing like fresh air and sunshine to improve moods and encourage physical activity. As restrictions on outdoor activity ease, many seniors will be able to add outdoor aerobic activities like biking and hiking to their exercise routine. Again, seniors who have health conditions and those who have been inactive for a prolonged time should consult with their physician before beginning an exercise program.

(This article was updated March 2025 since it originally published April 2021.)