National Senior Health & Fitness Day: Stay Active at Any Age
FirstLight Home Care
Sep 02, 2021
Nebraska - Eastern Region
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Exercise can be the key to healthy aging, especially during pandemic times. Beyond improving mental health, exercise is important when it comes to strengthening the immune system and lowering risks for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and issues with cognition and memory. Movement and exercise are also vital for those with joint issues, pain and arthritis.
Another reason to get moving: Senior Health & Fitness Day is May 26, 2021
The good news is that with the weather breaking and COVID-19 vaccine access on the rise, its a great time to start fresh with a senior fitness program. Plus, with National Senior Health and Fitness Day just around the corner on Wednesday, May 26th its yet another reason to get moving. Where do you begin?
Start Small
When it comes to senior fitness, aim for around 30 minutes of physical activity per day to start. If thats too much at once, break it up into smaller chunks. For instance, go for one 15-minute walk in the morning and one 15-minute walk in the afternoon. Work on improving your endurance and build up to exercising in full 30-minute blocks.
In addition, incorporate other activities into your day that add more motion and exercise. If youre watching TV, for instance, take breaks to get up and move by doing things like:
Walking laps around your house
Simply stand up from a seated position several times during a commercial break
Use weights to do upper body exercises while watching TV
Over time, youll build up strength and be able to perform more exercises over longer periods of time.
Play Music
If youre having a hard time getting started, turn the TV off and put on some upbeat music. This will give you the motivation you need to start moving, even if its simply stretching.
Beyond serving as a source of motivation, music can also help cognitively since it relieves depression and anxiety. In fact, according to Harvard Health, bright, cheerful music can make people of all ages feel happy, energetic and alert, and music even has a role in lifting the mood of people with depressive illnesses.
Music also helps those seniors with health conditions, like Alzheimers and dementia. Studies have shown music may reduce agitation and improve behavioral issues that are common in the middle-stages of the disease.
Find a Friend
As social creatures, it makes sense to find a friend to exercise with. If you have both been vaccinated and its safe to socialize, get a workout in together. This will keep you both motivated to stick to a schedule and be consistent with your senior fitness routine. Your exercise time will also be more enjoyable and go by faster as youre chatting and socializing. As a result, your workout will not only boost your physical health, but your emotional and social well-being too.
Practice Balance
Each year, approximately 2.5 million older adults are treated for fall injuries in the U.S. The good news is there are some exercises to prevent falls and improve balance.
Standing on one foot or walking from heel to toe across a room are good options, as are leg raises. Strengthening the core can also help to improve overall balance. If youre concerned that a loved one is at risk for a fall, there aremedical alert systems to consider as well.
Make Senior Fitness Fun
Part of the reason fitness and exercise can feel like a chore is because its not fun for many seniors. However, there are ways to incorporate enjoyable activities. For instance, take a walk to a park and have a picnic with a friend there. Attend a fitness class or join a local gym or community center. Having a professional by your side can help ensure exercises are performed properly, lowering the risk for injury.
You can also participate in hobbies that are active, such as working in your garden. These keep you up and moving, while allowing you time to be outdoors and enjoy nature. Another option is to put on music and dance. This can be in a formal class or simply at home in your living room.
Find Workouts Online
If you or a loved one is comfortable going online for senior fitness workouts, there are countless ones to choose from. These can replicate what its like to work with a trainer or attend a fitness class. Everything from YouTube to Instagram, as well as paid subscription options, are available online.
Make sure when you use an online source for senior health and fitness, you stick with it and schedule it into your week. Its easy to get started with a class or two and then let exercise fall by the wayside. If you commit certain days and blocks of time to working out, youll have a better chance of meeting your goals. Once exercise becomes a habit and a regular part of your routine, its easier to keep up with it.
Eat Well
Exercise and a healthy diet go hand in hand. While youre focused on adding movement into your daily routine, its also important to ensure youre eating a balanced diet.
Talk to your doctor about a diet that will work well for you or turn to a nutritionist to design one that best supports your needs. There might be a specialized one if you have any medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease. However, in general, your diet should be filled with fruits and vegetables, lean meats and healthy grains.
Staying active is a challenge at any age. As we get older, though, its even more important. A sedentary lifestyle can lead to many physical issues and trigger anxiety and depression. However, studies show that maintaining regular physical activity can prevent common diseases and boost immune function. Exercise also produces endorphins (the feel good hormone), which serve as a stress reliever.
If youre concerned about a senior loved one and their physical health and activity, talk to their doctor about designing an exercise and nutrition program thats right for them. Its also a good time to perform a general health screening to check for any new issues and keep tabs on their overall health.
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FirstLight Home Care Omaha
Non-Medical 2717 South 88th Street, Omaha, Nebraska, 68124At FirstLight Home Care WE CHANGE LIVES EVERYDAY! We help people live safely, independently, with dignity and joy in the place they call home. FirstLight Home Care provides non-medical full companion and personal care services in Omaha to those who need a little more assistance.I understand the fears and anxieties of my clients because I, too, was a caregiver to my mom and dad when they fell ill. Caring for them sparked a passion within me. Today, I am driven to make sure other families do not have to struggle like I did.My mission? To provide peace of mind for the whole family, listening to their individual needs.At the end of the day, I get to help a wife be a wife, a son be a son, a daughter be a daughter and a friend be a friend. I help people get theirfamilies back. This business has been the greatest gift in the world to me.' Jaye Firmature McCoy, Owner