Physical Activity and Physical Function in Older Adults Living in a Retirement Community: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Focusing on Self-Rated Health

Perceived health is a widely used proxy for measuring individuals' health status across different populations, including older adults. This measure is commonly reported as a subjective indicator, as a strong predictor of longer-term morbidity and mortality, and as a method to identify high-risk groups with health needs. This study examined differences in physical activity (PA) and physical function (PF) among older adults living in a retirement community located in the Midwest region of the United States as a function of perceived health. Results suggest that older adults perceiving their health as excellent reported significantly higher PA and performed significantly better on PF assessments than those reporting it as good or fair. Programs focusing on increasing PA in older adults living in retirement communities should be considered as potential strategies to enhance the health and health perception of this population.