Exercise in Older Adults By Brian D Johnston, Exercise Specialist, International Association of Resistance Training Reviewed / Revised Jun 2021 | Modified Sep 2022 View Patient Education At least 75% of people age > 65 years do not exercise at recommended levels despite the known health benefits of exercise: Longer survival Improved quality of life (eg, endurance, strength, mood, sleep, flexibility, insulin sensitivity, possibly cognitive function, bone density [with weight-bearing exercise]) Furthermore, many older people are not aware of how hard to exercise and also do not appreciate how much exercise they are capable of.