A study from the American Heart Association once again confirms how important exercise and physical activity is for seniors. The study found that those over the age of 65 who struggled with physical function were far more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease than those who were physically active.
Now, one of the implications of this study was that it didn’t just look at those who didn’t stay active by choice. It also looked at people who struggled with severe medical and physical conditions that made activity difficult. Still, the fact remains, those who are physically active were far less likely to suffer from heart and cardiovascular diseases than others were.
I realize that some of my posts here about exercise might seem repetitive. And in a way, they are. They all are delivering the same message: EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT.
And it’s never too late to start. Many people believe that since they’ve never taken exercise seriously or made it a daily habit, that now that they are older it’s too late to get started. This is far from true. While it might be harder to start being more active as we get older, it’s never too late to start reaping the benefits of what an active lifestyle can bring.
The key is to find something that is fun and sustainable. Going out and running five miles a day might not be everyone’s favorite thing to do. But maybe you really enjoy playing table tennis with your grandkids. Playing for 60 minutes at a time might not be sustainable if you do it every day, but 15 to 20 minutes a day is a lot more realistic. Start with something that’s fun and that you know you will be able to do several days a week. This makes exercise feel a lot less like a chore, and helps you to have fun with it so that you want to do it again and again.
It’s also important to find something that matches your current needs. It you are in a wheelchair, going out for a run might not be a choice. But that doesn’t mean that there’s no type of exercise out there for you.
Not all types of exercise are ideal. So, it’s important that if you’re unsure of where to start that you speak with a doctor before getting going. Finding an exercise that is fun and is physically okay for you to do will make it even more rewarding. It’s the key to success here.
Working with a team of professionals that knows you and knows what’s needed for your safety and health will always be a lot more helpful for you in the long run. That’s one of the reasons why we don’t just provide senior care, we partner with families to provide the right senior care for people’s unique situations. If you’d like to learn more about in-home care and how it might help, please feel free to reach out and schedule a free consultation session with one of our caregivers today.
Leave a Reply