Pulmonary rehabilitation should be considered as both a safe and cost effective therapy, appropriate for patients with respiratory disease, regardless of age. This review considers the evidence for pulmonary rehabilitation in older people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and highlights issues of particular relevance for older people. The benefits of resistance training and the prescription of exercise in older people are evaluated. People of increasing years may perceive exercise to be unsafe or inappropriate, health practitioners can help patients overcome fears associated with activity and encourage the uptake of functional resistive and aerobic exercise programmes.