How much exercise do seniors need and what kind?

Over the past decades, the senior population has dramatically increased due to the improved advances in medicine and better living conditions. It is extremely relevant to give seniors not only better living conditions, but a good quality of life. You can contact gofarma.com just in case you’re looking for a Pharmacy at home.

Regardless of age, lack of exercise can lead to dyslipidemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, visceral obesity, chronic pro-inflammation, insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and more. Thereby, reducing the quality of life and causing premature death.

Among these, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A sedentary lifestyle with low levels of physical activity is now recognized as a leading contributor to poor cardiovascular health.

“All parts of the body, if used in moderation and exercised in labors to which each is accustomed, become thereby healthy and well developed and age slowly; but if they are unused and left idle, they become liable to disease, defective in growth and age quickly.” – Hippocrates

The Key to having a good life quality

Several long-term studies have shown that increased physical activity is associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality and may modestly increase life expectancy.

Besides the beneficial effects on the heart, frequent exercise is closely associated with a decrease in cardiovascular mortality and lowered risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Additionally, studies support physical activity as a noninvasive therapy for mental health, improvements in cognition, depression, anxiety, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer and Parkinson.

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But… Can seniors exercise?

The answer is YES. Adults aged 65 and over should be physically active in order to age healthily and avoid health issues. Older adults should do some type of physical activity every day.

How much exercise do seniors need and what kind?

• Keep on moving. Even if it’s just light activity, moving around the house, preparing meals, taking the dog for a walk, vacuuming, making the bed, standing up, or taking little walks would contribute to a person’s physical activity goals.
• Do activities that improve strength, balance, and flexibility. At least two days a week, individuals should try weigh lifting, Pilates, yoga, chair yoga, sit-ups, heavy gardening, and other activities that help improve strength, balance, and flexibility.
• Do at least 150 minutes of a moderate-intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of a vigorous-intensity activity if you are already active, or a combination of both. Hiking, riding a bike, and water aerobics are examples of moderate-intensity activities. Activities like aerobics, running, swimming, martial arts, and dancing are considered vigorous-intensity activities.
• Reduce time spent sitting or lying down and break up long periods of not moving with some activity

Start Simple…

If you are not sure where to start, we recommend the following.

Prepare your body. Warming up and cooling down are mandatory activities to diminish the risk of injures.

Take it easy. A wide variety of exercise programs for all levels are available online. Select one that fits your physical needs. If you are not very experienced, consider low-intensity activities.

Play it safe. Prepare the place where you will train, look around and get rid of any risks, especially when working out outdoors.

Wear proper clothes. Make sure you wear clothes according to the activity you will perform. Gloves, short pants, sports shoes, knee, and elbow pads might be necessary.

Stay hydrated. Drinking water before, during, and after the workout session. It is a must, even if you don’t feel thirsty.

Get proper supervision. Discuss your exercise and physical activity plan with a healthcare professional.

An in-home companion referral can help you to develop your exercise plan! In addition, companions are wonderful at helping with your daily life activities.

Give us a call to learn more about companion care referral services and schedule a free in-home consultation at (786) 518-3622 Miami-Dade or (954) 949-1332 Broward. Our team is available to answer your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. At 24/7 Nursing Care, we believe that your family is our family.