儘管研究證據顯示運動對老人健康促進和疾病預防的重要性，但是，有一半的老人是不運動的。就算老人參加運動的課程，也有40%到60%的老人在運動課程3到6個月時會中途退出。鼓勵老人持之以恆運動是健康專業人員的一大挑戰，因此需要發展鼓勵和維持老人運動的新策略。跨理論模式（transtheoretical model）是一個可以用來發展新策略的架構。本文將描述跨理論模式中的概念，包括改變階段、改變過程、決策平衡、及自我效能，並以範例說明如何應用此模式來設計階段性的運動計畫，以循序漸進改變老人不運動的行為。老人運動行為的增加將可使老人維持身心社會功能，提升其健康及生活品質。

　　　　　Research findings have supported the importance of exercise in health promotion and disease prevention. However, half of older adults do not exercise. Furthermore, 40 to 60% of older adults who participate in exercise classes have withdrawn from the classes at 3 and 6 months. It is a challenge for health professionals to engage older adults in exercise. New strategies to encourage and maintain their exercise behavior are needed. The Transtheoretical Model may be useful for developing such strategies. In this article, the key concepts of the Transtheoretical Model including stages of change, processes of change, decisional balance, and self-efficacy are described. Illustrations of employing the model to develop stage-matched exercise interventions to change the exercise behavior of older adults are provided. Increased exercise behavior in older adults would help to maintain their physical, mental and social functions, and thus improve their health and quality of life.