Health promotion practices of the old-old

The purpose of this study was to describe the health promotion activities of older adults in a life care community. A total of 195 older adults participated in a health promotion survey. The old and old-old age groups demonstrated a decrease in cancer screening behaviors, aerobic exercise, and compliance with a low cholesterol diet. Moreover, these individuals indicated that they had lived a sufficient period of time, and were no longer interested in disease prevention and prolongation of life. Older adults may benefit from an individualized approach to health promotion that focuses on quality rather than quantity of life.