Does resistance training work for the elderly?

Yes[1][2][3][4][5][6]

These results suggest that prolonged moderate to high intensity resistance training may be carried out by healthy older adults with reasonable compliance, and that such training leads to sustained increases in muscle strength.[5]

These results indicate that middle-aged and older men can safely participate in a total body strength training program, intense enough to produce substantial increases in muscle strength and hypertrophy, without promoting muscle soreness or significant muscle cell disruption.[6]

References

1.^Charette SL, McEvoy L, Pyka G, Snow-Harter C, Guido D, Wiswell RA, Marcus RMuscle hypertrophy response to resistance training in older womenJ Appl Physiol.(1991 May)
2.^Ivey FM, Roth SM, Ferrell RE, Tracy BL, Lemmer JT, Hurlbut DE, Martel GF, Siegel EL, Fozard JL, Jeffrey Metter E, Fleg JL, Hurley BFEffects of age, gender, and myostatin genotype on the hypertrophic response to heavy resistance strength trainingJ Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci.(2000 Nov)
3.^Lemmer JT, Hurlbut DE, Martel GF, Tracy BL, Ivey FM, Metter EJ, Fozard JL, Fleg JL, Hurley BFAge and gender responses to strength training and detrainingMed Sci Sports Exerc.(2000 Aug)
4.^Tracy BL, Ivey FM, Hurlbut D, Martel GF, Lemmer JT, Siegel EL, Metter EJ, Fozard JL, Fleg JL, Hurley BFMuscle quality. II. Effects Of strength training in 65- to 75-yr-old men and womenJ Appl Physiol.(1999 Jan)
6.^Hurley BF, Redmond RA, Pratley RE, Treuth MS, Rogers MA, Goldberg APEffects of strength training on muscle hypertrophy and muscle cell disruption in older menInt J Sports Med.(1995 Aug)