Staying physically active is not only a popular New Year’s goal, but it’s also a great way to take care of your health. Exercising can help manage weight and promote overall wellness. For older adults especially, regularly moving the body helps maintain balance, strength, and bone density, which often decrease with age. Being physically fit can lower the risk of falls and boost general wellbeing as people grow older. However, experts advise that seniors should be aware of several key points before beginning any new fitness routine.
Let’s explore how maturing people can benefit from exercise, how seniors can safely get started, and a bonus money-saving tip:
How maturing people can benefit from exercise:
- Better balance and mobility: Per Johns Hopkins Medicine, “Falls can have very serious consequences as we age. Each year, more than 25 percent of adults 65 or older have a fall, and 3 million are treated in emergency department for all injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Modified or gentle exercises, such as sit-to-stand motions that focus on balance and strength, can provide a great starting point for seniors.
- Better sleep: Psychiatrist.com describes the clinical relevance of physical exercise on sleep. They share, “Regular physical exercise, especially aerobic and strength-building routines, can dramatically boost sleep quality in seniors.” Consistency and adherence to exercise plans resulted in the best outcomes.
- Brain function: Per National Institute on Aging, “Individuals who maintain a regimen of physical activity throughout their lives may prevent brain deterioration during middle and older adulthood.” NIA researchers made this discovery by measuring cardiorespiratory fitness in cognitively unimpaired adults and examined their brains to assess white matter. Per CDC, regular physical exercise can help people think, learn, problem-solve and discover emotional balance. “You don’t have to be a fitness guru to reap the benefits. No matter your age or fitness level, any amount of physical activity can help.”
- Cardiovascular health: CDC explains, there are immense benefits of physical activity for adults 65 and older. They explain that everyone’s fitness level is different, but “A single session of moderate to vigorous physical activity provides immediate benefits for your health.” Moderate plus exercise is known to lower risks of heart disease and high blood pressure. American Heart Associaton recommends adults getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic activity per week, or a mix, preferably spread out through the week. Those just starting out are well served to consult their doctor and begin with safe and reachable daily exercise goals.
- Disease prevention: Experts say that exercise can decrease disease potential in all ages including the elderly. Per ASPE, regular physical activity reduces the risk of developing or dying from some of the leading causes of illness in the U.S. including risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, colon and breast cancer. Incorporating safe exercise into one’s wellness plan is a must.
- Increased energy: Exercise makes our heart, lungs, and bodies stronger.Experts describe that exercise promotes a healthy body which significantly increases energy and improves stamina levels. Per National Council on Aging, exercise “… can help give us more energy and greater self-confidence, enabling us to embrace our later years with gusto.”
- Mood enhancement: Many people are surprised to learn that exercise can enhance mood. National Institute of Health shares significant information on the relationship between physical activity and mental health in older people. “Physical activity supports emotional and mental health in addition to physical health. Physical activity can help reduce feeling of depression and anxiety, improve sleep, and benefit overall emotional wellbeing.” Older adults who exercise in groups or with a partner may also benefit from social connection.
- Pain management: Another benefit of regular exercise is pain management. However, exercises should be performed under a doctor’s supervision. Harvard Health Publishing explains that “For some pain conditions, physical activity is part of a therapeutic program. For instance, prescribed exercises are a key component of treatment programs for most people with back pain. Similarly, people with arthritis often benefit from range-of-motion exercises to increase their joint mobility.”
- Stronger bones and muscles: Per Mayo Clinic, lean muscle mass naturally diminishes with age. Body fat percentage can increase in time without replacing the lean muscle we lose over time. Strength training can help at any age. Strength training may also help folks develop strong bones. “By stressing your bones, strength training can increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.”
Five tips to safely get started:
- Consult your physician: Always talk to your healthcare provider before beginning or changing an exercise routine. Your physician can make recommendations based on your personal health conditions. Are there exercises some people should specifically avoid? Yes, there can be. A medical consultation can address this topic. Doctors can also guide their patients on safe mobility, nutrition, hydration, and other pertinent exercise-related topics.
- Consider using a personal trainer: A personal trainer is more than a cheerleader. In fact, their primary role is to create and implement safe and effective exercise programs for their clients. A personal trainer can demonstrate how to use equipment safely and detail how exercises are to be performed to maximize effectiveness and minimize injury potential. Therefore, most people can benefit from the use of a personal trainer, especially senior citizens who are embarking on new routines.
- Focus on exercises you like: If you enjoy dancing, why not find a fitness-focused dance class for the level of exercise you desire? Or, if swimming is more your speed, engage in pool exercises. In fact, water exercises are particularly good for senior citizens. Per WebMD, “Exercising in water is a great way to move your body if you’re worried about arthritis or join pain. The water helps your body weight, and it also provides a natural resistance, eliminating the need to use additional weights.” Participating in types of exercise that you enjoy will make the experience much more pleasurable – and more likely for you to stick with it!
- Begin slowly: Starting up slowly and building up is key. Mayo Clinic explains “If you haven’t been active or are recovering from an illness or injury, the temptation is to do nothing. But that’s probably just what you need to increase your energy, and overall physical and mental health. However, when you exercise, you feel less tired and stressed, and more upbeat.” They suggest taking a short walk as a good start and state, “You don’t have to run a marathon to reap the benefits of exercise.”
- Aim for consistency: WebMD describes, “You’ll get more benefits from exercise if you make it a regular habit rather than a once-in-a-while burst of heavy activity. Even small amounts can do your body some good: Just 10 minutes of aerobic activity each day can lower your risk of heart disease.”A great way to increase consistency is to have regular access to a gym or workout area.
Bonus money-saving tips for gym membership:
Senior citizens may possibly gain free gym membership via the fitness program SilverSneakers, available through eligible Medicare Advantage (Part C) and some Medigap plans. If you inquire but are not eligible through those plans, contact your health insurance provider to ask about fitness benefits, exercise discounts, or wellness plans for seniors. AMAC also offers discounted gym membership and access to thousands of on-demand workout videos free of charge for its members.
Disclosure: This article is purely informational and is not intended as a medical resource nor is it a substitute for professional medical advice.
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There’s always a push for this so-called Silver Sneakers program and yet nobody has really truly evaluated the programs that are available across the nation. I know that every one of the “Silver Sneakers programs “ available in my area, are merely gym membership setups and very limited programs just geared towards seniors who have to compete with the so-called regular gym members to use the facilities. I had one about a mile away from my house—a one bus ride using public transportation which was always full of people and crowded and if you required extra help you had to pay for a private instructor who would only be at the gym on their schedule—when they would have more people to “work with” at the same time—so you would be paying them to give you a list of exercises which you would do without them supervising you through the workout and any silver sneakers program just meant you have access to the facility with no adaption for exercise training as a senior. One had to be a “Karen/Jessica” to get any consistent exercise training that was individualized for your needs. I felt that these “Silver Sneakers “ programs were just waste of money and not worth visiting the facilities if you, as a senior, were expected to rush through a workout session faster than your senior body could handle unless you were paying for “extra” one on one sessions which were not cheap. I didn’t join gym classes when I was young because they never gave me any extra training exercises that I couldn’t do at home. Except for the special weight machines that you could run a workout through but then you had to wait for someone who was using the machine for long stretches of time to get off the machines—like those who use the walking treadmills or the spin bikes would be on them for hours at a time and you are only there for a rotation session through the machines.
I am thankful that my Medicare MAPD plans includes “Silver Sneakers,” a free gym membership. Exercuse classes with other seniors motivates me to keep moving!