Census Report Finds Many Older Americans Struggle With Walking, Climbing

A census report shows the most common disability among Americans age 85 and older is difficulty walking or climbing.

Kenneth Felz, a doctor at Meriter clinic in Middleton, said most people are doing really well at age 65. But health tends to worsen and people get weaker as they get older.

“They’re having falls, and its not uncommon for them to go out into the backyard on an uneven surface, fall — and probably half of the people who fall can not get themselves up. So I hear about them calling a squad car or a neighbor,” said Felz.

Dr. Felz encourages people to build leg strength by getting in and out of a chair. He said a person in good shape should be able to do that 17 times in one minute.