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Staying active as we get older

By Scott Chapman, founder · 3 November 2026 · 4 min read

Getting older changes a lot of things, but the value of moving is not one of them. Staying active helps with the things most of us care about: getting around, doing things for ourselves, and spending time with the people and places we enjoy. Here is what Australia's recommendations for people aged 65 and over say, and some practical ways to make them part of a week that suits you.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, or you are not sure what is right for you, talk to your doctor, physiotherapist or exercise physiologist first.

What the recommendations say

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing publishes movement recommendations for older adults as part of Australia's 24-hour movement guidelines. They say that staying active as you get older is important for good mental and physical health and wellbeing. For people aged 65 and over, they suggest:

Moderate to vigorous activity for 30 minutes or more on most days.
Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week.
Functional activities that target mobility, balance and coordination on 3 or more days a week.
Several hours of light activity every day.
Limiting time spent sitting still, and breaking up long periods of sitting as often as possible.
7 to 8 hours of good quality sleep, with consistent times for going to bed and getting up.

The guidelines also point out that one activity can count twice. Walking up and down stairs, for example, counts towards both moderate activity and functional activity.

Why strength and balance matter

Strength and balance are what let us get up from a chair, step off a kerb, carry the shopping and turn around without a wobble. They are the everyday building blocks of independence.

They also matter for falls. A Cochrane review of exercise for older people living in the community notes that at least one third of people over 65 fall each year. Across the trials it brought together, exercise programs reduced the rate of falls by 23 per cent on average, and the review's authors found that the programs that reduce falls mainly involve balance and functional exercises. The World Health Organization lists gait, balance and functional training, and Tai Chi, among the ways to prevent falls in older people.

That is an average across many people, not a promise for any one person. But it is a good reason to make balance and strength a regular part of the week.

Making it fit your health

If you live with a long-term health condition, such as arthritis, a heart condition or diabetes, the Department's recommendations for people with chronic conditions suggest the same kinds of activity, with three practical tips: start slowly and build up if possible, know that professional help may be needed, and trade sitting time, such as screen time, for movement.

In practice, that might mean:

Starting where you are. Five or ten minutes is a real start. Build up over weeks, not days.
Choosing seated or standing. Many strength and balance movements can be done sitting down, or standing with a sturdy chair or bench to hold. Pick the version that suits you today.
Listening to your body. Rest on days you need to, and stop if something hurts.
Asking for a plan. A physiotherapist or exercise physiologist can suggest activities that work with your health, your medicines and your goals.

Better together

Activity is often easier, and more enjoyable, with other people. A walking group, a dance class, lawn bowls, a stretch session with friends, or a gentle routine with a grandchild alongside all count. Company makes it social, and it is a good reason to turn up again next week.

If you have family or support workers who help you, share what you would like to do. They can help you set up, keep you company and make it part of the routine, while the choices stay with you: what to do, when, and when to call it a day.

Where Able fits

The Able Wellness app is one way to put this into practice. Its Move door has seated and standing exercise videos, and its other doors (Cook, Play, Go and Calm) cover cooking at home, games on the tablet, heading out and winding down. You choose what you would like to do today.