Why physiotherapy matters in the age of longevity

The International Day of Older Persons takes place on Thursday 1 October 2026, with this year’s UN theme focusing on how we rethink systems to support longer lives. Physiotherapists and physical therapists are integral in supporting physical activity across the lifespan and helping older people live well for longer.

Every year on 1 October, the International Day of Older Persons invites us to recognise the contributions older people make to our families, communities and workplaces. Established by the United Nations, the day recognises both the opportunities and challenges of ageing populations, while promoting the development of a society that works for people of all ages.

This year’s theme is The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives. It looks at how policies can help ensure that longer lives are healthier, more productive, financially secure and lived with dignity, with a focus on prevention, lifelong wellbeing and integrated care. The day also falls at the midpoint of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing, which runs from 2021 to 2030. For physiotherapists and physical therapists, this theme is a timely reminder that our profession sits right at the heart of healthy ageing.

People are living longer than ever before, but extra years are only a true gain when they are lived in good health. Rethinking systems means moving away from care that reacts to crisis and towards care that prevents decline, supports independence and keeps people doing the things that matter to them. Physical activity is one of the most powerful tools we have to make that shift, and it is an area where you, as a rehabilitation professional, can have a lasting impact.

Healthy ageing does not begin at 65. The habits people build in childhood, working life and midlife shape how they move, function and feel in later years. You meet people at every stage of life. You might see a teenager recovering from a sports injury, a working adult with persistent back pain or someone in their fifties worried about stiff knees. Each of these contacts is an opportunity to talk about movement, build confidence and encourage activity that lasts.

The evidence for staying active in later life is strong. The World Health Organization’s physical activity guidelines report high-certainty evidence that the more aerobic activity older adults do, the lower their risk of physical functional limitations, and that balance and functional exercises reduce the rate of falls. Importantly, doing some physical activity is better than doing none, and older adults are encouraged to start small and build up gradually.

There are many evidence-informed approaches you can draw on to support older people, including progressive resistance training to address sarcopenia, balance training such as the Otago Exercise Programme, tai chi and teaching people how to get up safely after a fall. Addressing fear of falling is just as important, helping people move towards confidence and recovery rather than avoiding activity.

The WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour give you a clear framework to share with older adults. They recommend 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, each week. They also recommend muscle-strengthening activities involving all major muscle groups on two or more days a week, and varied multicomponent activity that emphasises functional balance and strength on three or more days a week to improve functional capacity and prevent falls. Older adults should be as active as their functional ability allows, which is where your skills in tailoring and progressing exercise make such a difference.

This year’s theme also asks us to think beyond individual appointments. For rehabilitation professionals, rethinking systems might mean earlier access to physiotherapy, such as frailty and falls screening in emergency departments. It might mean stronger links with community exercise groups so that people keep moving after discharge, or more support for long-term adherence to home exercise programmes. It also means challenging ageist assumptions. Older people can and do benefit from strength training, and they deserve the same ambition in their rehabilitation goals as anyone else.

Why not use 1 October to start a conversation about physical activity with every patient you see, whatever their age. You might share a resource with a colleague, connect with a local age-friendly initiative or reflect on how your service supports people to stay active for longer.

Longer lives are something to celebrate. As a physiotherapist or physical therapist, you can help make sure those extra years are active, independent and full of the things people love to do.