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As the summer continues to heat up, you may be inclined to stay indoors and enjoy the cool comfort of home. That doesn’t mean you have to give up on working out, though. Staying active and maintaining your fitness levels year-round is important for your overall well-being, especially for seniors.
With that in mind, we’d like to offer a list of five fun and easy exercises that allow you to stay fit, stay cool, and in some cases, stay seated! Before you begin, remember to consult your healthcare professional before starting any new exercise regimen.
Cardio Drumming, also known as DrumFIT, is a relatively new way to exercise and is all the rage these days. It combines the benefits of cardio workouts with the rhythmic beats of drumming. This low-impact exercise is perfect for seniors as it helps improve cardiovascular health, coordination, and overall body strength. Several RLC communities are now offering cardio drumming classes to residents. All you need is a stability ball and a pair of drumsticks to get started. If you’d like to try it at home, there are several resources available online. You could also tour an RLC community near you and try out one of our classes. We’d love to have you!
Yoga is renowned for its numerous health benefits, and chair yoga is a method of bringing those benefits to seniors or anyone who may have limited mobility. It’s a gentle form of yoga that can be performed while sitting on a chair or using it for support, rather than having to roll out a mat and exercise on the floor. Chair yoga can help improve flexibility, balance, and strength while promoting relaxation and reducing stress. There are many free instructional videos online, as well as local studios that offer these types of classes. And similar to cardio drumming, RLC also offers chair yoga classes.
Seated Beachball Volleyball is a favorite among our residents. We bring the fun of beach volleyball indoors to our Main Street. This modified version of the game is played while seated, making it suitable for seniors with varying abilities. The objective is to keep a lightweight beach ball in the air using your hands, head, or even feet, while seated across from other participants. This exercise helps improve hand-eye coordination, upper-body strength, and social interaction. To play at home, just gather a group of friends, or invite the family over to enjoy this engaging and refreshing activity.
Dancing is a fantastic way to stay fit and have fun indoors! Look for dance classes or workshops tailored to seniors, such as line dancing, ballroom dancing, or even Zumba. You’ll not only improve your cardiovascular health but also enhance your balance, coordination, and cognitive function.
Indoor weight training may be one of the most obvious options for a cooler summer workout. Many local fitness centers offer discounts for seniors or participate in Silver Sneakers, which is available at no cost for adults 65+ through select Medicare plans. Be sure to ask about those programs. If you choose to live worry-free at RLC, all of our communities have indoor fitness areas with a nice variety of workout equipment. Our lifestyle director can show you how to use the machines correctly, and they will occasionally lead classes. Several of our communities also have local experts who come in and lead senior fitness classes and other fun activities!
Don't let the summer heat hinder your fitness goals. Incorporating these simple indoor exercises into your daily routine can enhance strength, flexibility, and overall well-being.
If you’d like to experience what independent retirement living feels like, we’re serious about our offer to take a tour, join us for a fitness class, or even enjoy a meal. Simply find a location near you, and call to schedule your visit. We can’t wait to meet you!
As we age, we often naturally tend to slow down. Sometimes, seniors develop aches and pains that also lead to changes in their movement and ability. One way to try to keep up their movement and independence is to keep their body, and what propels it, flexible.Tips for Improving or Maintaining FlexibilityWith flexibility, the body can move freer, go farther and feel less pain. Flexibility can help with strength, balance and overall well-being. It also can help reduce pain and injuries. Maintaining flexibility is one of the keys to helping seniors live independent lives.Stretch ItOne key to keeping the body flexible is stretching. Many studies have shown that stretching the body helps improve flexibility. There are many ways to start a stretching routine. You can even begin by stretching in bed before you get up in the morning. Stretching cold muscles, however, can cause injury, so make sure to warm them up a little before beginning any routine. If youre looking for some guidance on your stretching journey, join a yoga class geared specifically toward beginners or senior citizens. For some extra fun while stretching, head down to the beach for your yoga, where many classes are offered weekly and often are free.If youd rather stretch at home, there are many things you can do right from the comfort of your living room or even on the lanai, including these basic stretches with descriptions and visuals from the Mayo Clinic.Just Get Up and GoWhile it might seem simple, simply moving is one of the best ways to maintain flexibility. Using those joints and muscles each day keeps them in tip-top shape. If people tend to sit too much or lie down, they can lose their flexibility and strength, which in turn can lead to a lack of independence and relying on others for more help. So get out there and do what you love or what you enjoy, as long as it involves some kind of movement. Even simply increasing the amount you walk each day can improve your flexibility. Add 100 steps each day to your routines. Park a little further out when heading to the beach. Walk to the pool instead of driving. Each of these steps can help increase the amount you walk and increase flexibility and overall strength. If biking is more your thing, hop on and go. You also can increase flexibility in the water. Swimming, or even just walking back and forth in the water, can be easier on the joints, while still providing needed exercise. Remember, Its Not Gone ForeverThere is some good news out there. Perhaps youve let things slide a bit or gotten lazy. You can feel that your flexibility isnt what it used to be. You might feel stiffness or pain when you move. Perhaps bending down to put your socks on is getting harder and harder. Many studies show that working on your flexibility now, even after the age of 65, can help you regain some of your flexibility.You can start as simple as you like. You can even march in place to begin. Or maybe you want to hang onto the stairway banister and do some leg lifts. Even standing on one foot and working your way up to 30 seconds per foot can help with flexibility. The more you do, the more flexible you will become. If youve never considered yourself super flexible but commit to a routine now, you may even be more nimble than you ever thought possible. Just keep increasing what you are doing each day, and in turn, you can increase your flexibility and overall health and well-being.We Can HelpWhether your senior loved ones want someone with them as they stretch every day and work on their health or they simply need a companion, Visiting Angels Sarasota has the right caregivers to help. Our referral network of caregivers can provide many services to help your senior with everything from getting ready in the morning to bathing before bed. The caregivers also can help you focus on what is important in life while helping to take care of everyday tasks for your senior and your family.Visiting Angels Sarasota helps local seniors in Sarasota, Siesta Key, St. Armands Key and the surrounding areas to age in place while having full, independent, safe and dignified lives. For information on using an in-home caregiver, call us at (941) 952-5800 or contact us online by.
Often the hardest part of doing something new is getting started, and that's especially true about exercise. This article from AARP makes it easy to get started with the most important exercise to help you age healthy: squats. Five or ten squats are easy to do while you wait for the coffee to brew or the microwave to finish heating.Even when we're healthy we sometimes need a little extra help with the house or errands. Visit our website at www.rosehillathome.com to learn more about how Rose Hill Stay-at-Home Services can help you or a loved one stay in independent and at home.
As the the baby boomers age the number of adults over 55 is growing rapidly. They call it The Silver Tsunami Ive worked with aging adults over the last 22 years and there is definitely a shift in mind set in the baby boomer generation. For one, they are more proactive about their health and more likely to participate in exercise and physical activity. This is wonderful but is this age group getting the right kind of physical activity.Drive by any senior living community or suburban neighborhood on a nice day and you will see people out walking. Walking is great exercise, it burns calories, improves aerobic conditioning and its functional.but walking is not enough. The ACSM recommends 150 minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity a day, thats 30 min 5 times a week. They also recommend strength training a minimum of 2 days a week and to also incorporate balance training as well.Benefits of Strength Training for Older AdultsWe begin to lose muscle mass in our 30s and the process only speeds up as we age and more exponentially for those who are sedentary. Strength training has shown to not only help older adults live longer but improve their quality of life as well. With benefits such as:Improved strengthImproved muscle massImproved physical functionImproved management or risk of developing chronic health conditions such as diabetes, and osteoporosisManage conditions such as low back pain and obesityHowever some surveys report only 9% of older adults participate in some sort of strength training. And these recommendations are not just for healthy active aging adults, the same hold true for frail adults as well. There is even evidence that improved diet along with strength training can reverse frailty in older adults.What types of Strength Training?The ACSM recommends 8-10 strength training exercise with 10-15 reps per exercise. These exercises should address all the muscle groups. Also to reap the long term benefit for strength training, the program should be progressive. This means you need to make it harder. The last 2-3 reps of each exercise should be somewhat difficult, it you are completing 15 reps easily you need to increase your weight. That means put those 2lb pink weights away!! Strength training can include:Free weights or weight machinesResistance bandsBody weight exercises (good ole counter push ups!!)Is Strength Training OK for Everyone?With a few unusual exceptions, I would say YES!!! Always check with your doctor before starting any kind of new exercise program, and if you have any health conditions, such as arthritis or cardiac conditions, check with your doctor to see if you have any lifting restrictions. However I am here to tell you strength training is beneficial at most any age. I have been working with a client for the past year. She is 95 years old, about 411 and maybe 90 pounds. When we started she could lift a 1 pound weight and needed frequent rest breaks. Today we are using 3 pound weights, shes moved up 3 levels in resistance bands, takes only 2 breaks and her family is even considering traveling with her cross country to visit family because she is functioning so much better. The focus of her program has been strength and balance training. And I dont feel she is an exception, many seniors out there have the same potential given the right guidance.Where to Start?Start with a medical clearance from your doctor to be sure exercise is safe for you. There are actually very few instances where exercise in contraindicated. Once cleared there are several avenues you can take.Check out your local senior center, they often have low cost exercise programs, but make sure you are advancing your weight or resistance to get the most benefit.Youtube has tons and tons of videos of exercise programs and yes, they have videos geared to seniors.Check out your local gym. Most gyms offer a few free sessions with a personal trainer to get you started and make sure you are using proper form.Community and Apartment gyms. The community you live in may have a great fitness facility and maybe even classes.Personal Training. Now as a personal trainer I am biased here. But I do believe its a good investment to make sure you are getting a program thats right for you and that your are progressing appropriately to get the most benefit. Make sure you research the trainer you are considering. Are they Certified by a reputable organization? ACSM, NASM, and ACE are some of your most reputable. Are they experienced in working with adults over 55? Look for certified Senior Fitness Specialist or someone with a proven track record working with seniors. Ask for references specifically from other seniors or family.Strength training should be a corner stone of any fitness program but it is especially important for adults over 55 in order to remain strong and independent as they age.
Designed for your comfort, our community will feature studios, 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom senior living apartments with a variety of floor plans and smart details to complement your lifestyle. Each apartment is unfurnished but includes window coverings, a climate-controlled thermostat, carpeting, ceiling fans, and ample storage. Enjoy the freedom to decorate your new home to your individual taste. The kitchens are fully equipped with a dishwasher, range, microwave, refrigerator with ice maker, and a garbage disposal. Our bathrooms are well lit with a vanity sink and storage cabinet, plus high toilet seating and a walk-in shower with handrails. Washer/dryer hook-ups are located in a separate laundry closet within the apartment. We also offer residents the option to use our community laundry room on-site. Our professional staff provides as-needed maintenance repairs and light housekeeping on a weekly basis.