Seniors and Exercise

The trendy exercise phrase “if you don’t use it, you lose it’ is never more poignant than it is for seniors. Creating movement in one’s body is a vital activity that can prolong and enhance a person’s well being. Especially for seniors, the need for movement and exercise has a lot to do with the quality and longevity of their lives. The obvious conditions such as diabetes, obesity, mindful acuity and general muscle wasting can all be affected by exercise or the lack thereof. What is the best exercise for seniors? We are all different. Some seniors can tolerate or have had extensive exercise history in the past. Some seniors have arthritic disorders or other health issues that hamper exercise. Swimming, Yoga, and weight bearing exercise such as light weight lifting, are all excellent ways a senior can exercise. Once again, I caution, a thorough evaluation regarding any health limitations or health conditions must be performed before any exercise program is implemented. One of the least traumatic but effective exercises is the simple task of walking. This form of exercise can be easily monitored and modified to increase or decrease intensity and at the same time diminish risk of injury. It also exposes the seniors to the sun’s natural vitamin D, and gets them outside where they can get stimulated and interact with the outside world.