We all know that exercise is important for our bodies to
stay healthy and happy, especially as we age. However, finding a good exercise
routine that is gentle enough for seniors, but keeps your body healthy and
moving, can be a real challenge. Below are six morning exercises for seniors
that are easy to mix into your morning routine. Regular exercise and
stretching can
improve range of motion, stability, and all around mental health.Why Exercise For Older Adults is ImportantExercising helps to slow the progression of many diseases
and can even
slow the aging process. Studies have shown that older adults, those
age 55+, who have been active for most of their lives actually have the similar
aerobic fitness of people 30
years younger than them.For older adults who have not been able to stay active their
whole life, its not too late to start. Starting now will help not just
in the long-term, but there are also plenty of short-term benefits to exercises
for seniors.Exercise is essential in managing many long-term health
conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, or back or joint pain. For
example, exercise can help improve high blood pressure and can lower your risk
of heart disease progression.Daily Exercises for SeniorsThis exercise routine is meant to be versatile and flexible.
Do the exercises that feel the best for you and your unique needs. As you make
the routine your own, be sure to start slowly and stop if there is any bad
pain.Make sure you have a clear space with plenty of room to move
your arms and legs. A chair, water bottle, and towel may also be helpful to
have close to you.Also, always start with some nice stretches to get you
going.Sit to StandThe sit-to-stand exercise is among one of the best exercises
for seniors. It strengthens your lower body and can improve general mobility,
and helps make standing up from a chair easier. Eventually, as your strength
improves, the goal is to do the sit-to-stand exercise without using your hands.It is normal to feel mild stretching, pulling, tightness, or
discomfort as you do this exercise, but you should stop right away if you feel
pain.How to do the exercise:
Sit on
a sturdy chair. Your knees should be bent and your feet should be flat on
the floor and shoulder-width apart.
Place
your hands lightly on each side of the seat. Keep your back and neck as
straight as possible, with your chest slightly forward.
Breathe
in slowly. Lean forward and slightly shift your weight to the front of
your feet.
Breathe
out as you slowly stand up. Try to use as little support from your hands
as possible.
Stand
and pause for a full breath in and out.
Breathe
in as you sit down slowly. Tighten your core and abdominal muscles to
control your lowering as much as possible.
Breathe
out slowly.
Rest
for 1 minute, then do another set of 5-8 repetitions. Repeat for a total
of 3 sets if comfortable.
Knee ExtensionsKnee extension exercises are used to strengthen thigh
muscles. These are big muscles in our body and improving thigh muscle strength
can improve mobility, reduce knee injury risk, and rehabilitate knee injuries.How to do the exercise:
Sitting
up tall with your shoulders back and down.
Lifting
one leg up, extending at the knee.
Hold
briefly at the top of the movement, squeezing the muscles at the front of
the thigh before lowering your leg back down.
Ensure
the movement is slow and controlled.
Alternate
legs, ensuring full knee extension (leg completely straight).
Rest
for 1 minute, then do another set of 5-8 repetitions. Repeat for a total
of 3 sets if comfortable.
Core twistsCores twists are a fantastic exercise that not only improve
the strength of your trunk muscles, including back and ad muscle, but they also
help with twisting mobility.How to do the exercise:
Grab a
medicine ball (or similar object).
Sit
comfortably in the chair toward the edge of the seat for extra room. Keep
the core (abs and lumbar) tight. Stick the chest out. Both hands should be
in front of the body gripping the sides of the medicine ball, with elbows
bent.
Lift
the ball a couple inches off the lap then rotate the upper body to the
right, keeping the ball in front of the body.
Rotate
to the middle of the body then rotate to the left, finish by rotating back
to the middle.
Each
rep is one full rotation.
Rest
for 1 minute, then do another set of 5-8 repetitions. Repeat for a total
of 3 sets if comfortable.
Seated Shoulder PressThis exercise will help to increase strength and mobility of
the shoulders. Please be cautious with this exercise if you have any shoulder
contraindications, and/or consult with your physician.How to do this exercise:
Choose
a pair of low weight dumbbells or do without weights.
Sit
comfortably in the chair with the hips as far back as possible. Ensure
that the back is firm to the backrest of the chair.
Keep
your core tight.
Start
with both elbows spread to the sides of the body and align them under the
shoulders. Stick the chest out.
Face
the body straight, palms forward, gripping the dumbbells.
Extend
the arms up, reaching above the head until theyre fully extended (or get
to a range that feels most comfortable). Dont touch the hands together
and keep both arms parallel to each other.
Once
the arms extension limit has been reached, slowly bring the hands down to
the starting position, keeping the elbows spread. Dont tuck the elbows
toward the middle of the body, extend them out till the top of the back
feels a pinching sensation (not hurting) at the shoulder blades.
Seated Knee LiftsKnee lifts exercise and strengthen the hip flexors, and
quads. Each is an important muscle for sitting and standing.How to do the exercise:
Sit on
a sturdy chair, keeping the back straight and holding the sides for
support if needed. Avoid leaning back.
Slowly
lift the right knee slowly towards your chest, then back to the beginning
position with control.
Repeat
the motion using the left leg.
Alternate
the legs. Remember to keep your back straight and avoid leaning back to
gain new heights.
Seated Chest PressThe seated chest press will exercise your chest muscles,
shoulders, and triceps.How to do the exercise:This exercise can be done with a resistance band,
dumbells or with no weight all. Choose the option that best meets your fitness
level.
Place
the resistance band/weights/or empty fists at a point on the chair where
its directly behind the back just under where the shoulder blades would
be. Ensure that the resistance band isnt able to move on the back of the
chair; moving it during the exercise can result in injury or target the
wrong muscle groups.
Sit
comfortably in the chair with the hips as far back as possible. Ensure
that the back is firm to the backrest of the chair.
Keep
the core muscles tight. Stick your chest out.
Keep
both palms down, elbows bent and parallel to the shoulders. Both hands
should be positioned just outside of shoulder width.
Push
the resistance band forward until the arms are fully extended in front of
the body (dont touch hands together).
Slowly
reverse the movement back to starting position.
Some General TipsRemember, starting a new exercise routine will take some
practice and getting used to. Dont get discouraged if you cant do an
exercise or can only do a few repetitions.Here are few things that are normal when starting a new
exercise regimen. Its normal to:
feel
tired when starting an exercise routine.
have
muscle soreness that lasts a few days. As you get stronger, you may not
feel muscle soreness.
Here are some tips that can help make your new exercise
journey easier:
Use
smooth, steady movements.
Do
not hold your breath during strength exercises. This can cause unsafe
changes in your blood pressure.
Breathe
in slowly through your nose, and breathe out slowly through your mouth.
Most importantly, Always consult with a physician before
beginning any exercise program.Keeping Seniors in Their Homes, Its What We Do.At Senior LIFE, we focus on taking care of the whole person
so that they can maintain their independence for as long as possible. We
offer various types of
therapy for members. Depending on members individual care plans, they
may receive any or all of the therapies we offer.
Occupational
Therapy
Physical
Therapy
Speech/Language
Therapy
Recreational
Therapy
We are committed to keeping members independent as long as
possible. There are no limits on rehabilitation or the amount of therapy
services a member can receive.Our care offerings dont stop at therapies. We also
offer all the medical and supportive services our members need. These services
can include physicians and specialists, nursing care, physical, occupational
and speech therapies, personal and home care, medications, meals and
nutritional counseling, eye, dental and foot care, durable medical equipment
and other medically necessary services.The LIFE Program is a Medicare and Medicaid approved
long-term care program that provides complete medical care and supportive
services for persons 55 years and older so that they can remain living in their
home. The LIFE Program is an alternative to nursing and personal care
homes. https://seniorlifepa.com/aboutTo learn more about the LIFE Program, or to see if its the
right fit for you and your loved ones, contact us today! https://seniorlifepa.com/contact
