Seniors’ Health

Upcoming Webinars

SHD Webinar Series: 

Nature Rx: Foundations of Outdoor Physical Activity Prescription for Older Adults

With Nicole Struthers
August 21, 2025
7:00 – 8:00 pm EDT

 
Many older adults fall short of meeting current physical activity guidelines, and environments can both hinder and foster older adults’ physical activity levels. This introduction to outdoor physical activity prescription will provide an overview of:

• Introduction to nature-based interventions as modes of outdoor physical activity prescription in physiotherapy practice
• Environmental factors impacting physical activity
• Adaptability and vulnerability of older adults to rising temperatures
• Current recommendations and practical strategies for safe outdoor physical activity in hot weather
• Benefits of outdoor-based physical activity

Speaker:

Nicole Struthers is a student in the Combined MPT/PhD program at Western University. Her research is focused on the use of nature-based interventions in managing non-communicable diseases, environmental physical therapy, planetary health, and physical therapy education and practice in the context of ongoing climate change. Nicole’s expertise contributes to discussions of how physical therapy can contribute to making both people and our planet attain the highest possible standard of health and well-being.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this workshop participants will be able to:

1. Identify environmental factors contributing to physical activity behaviours of older adults.
2. Implement current recommendations and practical strategies to promote safe physical activity in hot weather.
3. Educate on nature-based interventions and the benefits when co-creating treatment plans with patients/clients.

Cost:

• Free for SHD members;
• CPA Members (not SHD) $10.00;
• Non-CPA members $20.00

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Canada’s aging population heightens the need for all health professionals to understand the bio-psychological changes of aging and their impacts on individuals’ ability to manage acute and chronic health conditions and maintain independent, active lives. Older adults increasingly make up the majority of patient populations across the continuum of health care from community to acute and post-acute practice settings. As primary care practitioners, physiotherapists need to develop specialized expertise in the comprehensive assessment and treatment of older adults with complex health conditions.