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I have worked with seniors and their
healthcare issues for a long time. The best advice I can give
you is don’t grow old. Don’t get me wrong, I am not advising
you against aging, unless, of course, you have figured out how
to stop the clock ticking. If you have, I’ll trade you winning
lottery numbers! I am suggesting, however that you can age more
slowly if you have a lifestyle of increased activity and proper
nutrition. In the study, “Disuse and Aging,” Dr. Walter M.
Bortz concluded, “at least a portion of the changes that are
commonly attributed to aging are, in reality, caused by
immobility. As such, they’re subject to correction by mobility
– meaning activity and exercise.”
When discussing this article with one of my co-workers who is in
her early 50’s, her response was, “Exercise? Ugh!” So, how do
you convince someone, don’t be in your 60’s wishing you had
taken better care of yourself in your 50’s? Even though this
article is focusing on the need for exercise in the senior
population how many of us younger than the mid-century mark are
getting a head start on a fitness lifestyle? I don’t think
there will be anyone reading this article who is not aware of
the need to exercise more in order to stay fit, or get fit.
Unfortunately, too many of us will wait until we have a health
crisis to get the wake-up call.
Every study of exercising seniors demonstrates that they will
report fewer chronic illnesses which may impair the quality of
their lives. There is good news for couch potatoes though- it
is never too late to start, and that remains true even for
adults in their 60’s, 70’s, 80’ and 90’s.
A 1990 study, published by Dr. Maria Fiatarone, in the Journal
of the American Medical Association, took 10 frail elderly men
and women (aged 87-96 years old) all living in a nursing home
and provided them with an intensive 8-week strength building
program. At the end of the eight weeks, their leg strength
tripled and their thigh muscles increased by more than 10%.
There was a dramatic improvement in their perceived quality of
life by increasing their independence and general feeling of
well-being.
As we view our aging parents. How do we rate their independence
along the continuum? For some, it’s staying active and
continuing to live in their own home, for others it’s being able
to feed themselves and go to the bathroom unassisted.
A common concern voiced by seniors is their desire not to be a
burden to their children. If they are involved in a program of
regular exercise this can be an achievable goal, because the key
to any fitness program targeting seniors is achieving a
maintaining functional independence. An exercise program can be
specifically geared to improve balance and greatly reduce their
risk of falling by strengthening the trunk and leg muscles.
Imagine how beneficial leg strength is for seniors who need to
get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Not only
could they get there in time, but strong thigh muscles will get
them on and off the commode with ease.
We will all experience a reduction in reaction times with age.
A regular fitness regimen can actually increase reaction times.
This would be particularly important to those seniors who are
still driving. Osteoporosis, commonly thought of as a condition
of post-menopausal women, can also affect men. Weight bearing
or resistance exercise can help reduce the risk of osteoporosis
and has been proven to increase bone density. The benefits of
weight resistance programs can also be achieved with pool
exercise. The pool is a wonderful environment for safe, stable,
weight resistance training, particularly for those seniors with
balance concerns.
Exercise also increases lean muscle mass. With an increase in
muscle mass comes an increase in metabolism which increases fat
burning. There will also be an increase in aerobic capacity
because you will have more muscles consuming oxygen, ergo, an
increase in cardiovascular health.
If you are not currently engaged in an exercise routine, please
consult with your physician before you begin. If you haven’t
exercised in a long time, start small. Don’t risk injury. I can
guarantee you that starting with even the simplest exercise,
like walking around the block every day, will yield results.
So walk around the mall, take the stairs instead of the
elevator. (Do I need to say quit smoking?) Experiment with
different exercises. I have always believed that if you don’t
like exercise it’s because you haven’t found something you like
to do. When you find something you like and do it regularly, you
can’t help but love the positive effects it will have on your
appearance, mood, and health. Mr. Spock said, “live long and
prosper.” I say, “Live long and healthy.”
If you are not currently engaged in an exercise routine, please
consult with your physician before you begin. If you haven’t
exercised in a long time, start small. Don’t risk injury. I
can guarantee you that starting with even the simplest exercise,
like walking around the block every day, will yield results.
So walk around the mall, take the stairs
instead of the elevator. (Do I need to say quit smoking?)
Experiment with different exercises. I have always believed
that if you don’t like exercise it’s because you haven’t found
something you like to do. When you find something you like and
do it regularly, you can’t help but love the positive effects it
will have on your appearance, mood, and health. Mr. Spock said,
“live long and prosper.” I say, “Live long and healthy.”
Sherry Netherland is available for seminars for community and professional groups, Corporate
Wellness Programs, or as a keynote
speaker for your organization.
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