What practical strategies would you suggest are the most useful for promoting better cognitive and physical health in older adults? 

Being physically active on a regular basis. 

Activity can mean going for a walk with your grandchildren or walking to the neighbourhood coffee shop with a friend. 

Don’t sit for more than 40 minutes at a time. 

Do mini-squats while you brush your teeth. 

Try new things on a regular basis—a new recipe, a new route to the grocery store, a new grocery store. 

Protect your sleep—keep to a regular sleep schedule. 

Teresa Liu-Ambrose will be presenting a keynote at APASC2025.

What are the most surprising outcomes that you have identified from some of your trials with older people? 

Exercise can improve cognitive function and change the brain, even among those living with cognitive impairment. 

Engaging in exercise can increase self-efficacy and confidence and that often translates to people becoming much more engaged in other aspects of their lives. 

When targeting cognitive and brain outcomes to prevent falls, what do you think is not helpful? What changes in our practice do we need to consider? 

Not progressing exercises or providing a sufficient dose of exercise, especially for high-risk or frail older adults. 

Progression is important not only to induce gains, but also to keep individuals engaged and motivated over time. 

>>Professor Teresa Liu-Ambrose is a physiotherapist and a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Healthy Aging at the University of British Columbia, Department of Physical Therapy. She directs the Aging, Mobility and Cognitive Health Laboratory and the Vancouver General Hospital’s Falls Prevention Clinic. Teresa’s research focuses on understanding the role of exercise and other lifestyle interventions in promoting cognitive and mobility outcomes in older adults. Her research findings have been implemented in clinical practice, community programs, international practice guidelines and recommendations for promoting healthy aging. 

>>Teresa will present a keynote titled ‘Think fast, fall less: targeting cognitive and brain outcomes to prevent falls through exercise’ on Thursday 23 October at 11.55 am.

Click here for more information about APASC2025.