Maintaining physical activity is one of the keys to a happy, healthy, and independent life. The trick is to find and incorporate a tailored and safe exercise routine into every day. Hopefully, it’ll be one that you enjoy doing, keeps you on the move and improves your quality of life.
It’s no secret that our bodies change as we get older. Some of us begin to notice reduced mobility and joint pain in ourselves or those we care for. Strength may be impacted and concerns relating to falls and sudden injuries maybe be increasingly on our minds.
What’s to be done?
According to The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, developed by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, people over 65 with no limiting health issues should do between 75 and 150 minutes of aerobics (intensity specific to your abilities) and at least at least twice weekly muscle-strengthening activities. So, let’s get started on the road to better fitness:
A. Know it’s never too late to start or enhance your exercise program. The health benefits can improve balance, flexibility and strength decrease belly fat, build muscle, strengthen your heart, reduce blood pressure and lower blood sugar, enhance your mood and decrease depression. Experts suggest that being part of an exercise club or group can also create more social engagements,
B. How to lessen limitations. Experts tell us that 61% of seniors are impacted by their inability to perform basic daily activities such as lifting things out of a car trunk, or even taking bigger items out of the fridge. To stay safe and mobile these are the 4 recommended types of exercise to focus on: strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance. These will help you to continue getting up from a chair or out of bed. They’ll help you lift groceries from the floor and getting up and down off the toilet. Functional exercise are drivers to ensure daily routines and independence because they are linked to your ability to be flexible, have better coordination, good balance, cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and greater muscle memory.
C. It’s different for everyone. Know your body and where the limits are. Don’t restrict yourself or be shy and remember you can go it alone, with a partner or friend or, in a class with others. Your physical activities should be determined by how you feel, what you are able to do and recommendations from your doctor, physio or occupational therapist. For example: a low-impact plan can combine muscle-strengthening, aerobic activities, focus on balance and stability and help with increasing metabolism and reducing inflammation. Additionally, it will also mitigate the chance of slips and falls by strengthening muscles, joints and tendons.
As with most things, the key to success is to not over-do it to avoid getting overwhelmed, having schedule setbacks or uncomfortable injuries. Let’s look at a couple of examples of ways some folks got into the exercise groove:
Meet Roland
Roland is 72. He continues to live at home, with the help of his sister and paid caregivers, and while he can move about a bit on his own, he uses a wheelchair most of the time. His physiotherapist recommended exercise to maintain his upper body strength in order to independently transfer into and out of his bed, chair and toilet. She explained that getting regular physical activity would also lower his balance related issues, lesson the chance of back and nerve problems and be good for his heart. It might even prompt a little weight loss.
Roland was willing to work hard to maintain what was left of his independence and was delighted to find an adaptive fitness trainer who offered on-line exercise classes for wheelchair users. He now participates in classes 3 times a week that focus on flexibility, upper-body and core strength and cardiovascular exercises. Much to his surprise, Roland also found himself more self-confident, less tired more upbeat after a couple of months.
Meet Saline and Bo
Saline has been a family caregiver for the past four months and has given up a lot of her exercise activities because she has no time. She used to walk in the morning for 45 minutes three times a week with friends, attend a Zumba class at her local community centre and had been ready discovered Pickleball.
Because being physically active is one of the things Saline feels is important to her well-being, not to mention her sanity, she’s realized that she has to get back on track. After chatting with her sister Sophia, she’s made a plan. Sophia will come over early two mornings a week before work so that Saline can re-join her walking friends for at least the first 30 minutes. She’s found a Zumba class on Saturday morning when a part-time PSW is available to be with her mum and she’s hoping to hire the PSW for a few hours on Sunday too so she can learn Pickleball. Sophia has also had a chat with her brother Bo who lives a few hours away and he’s agreed to come and help out a few weekends a month. Lessons learned: Be creative. Don’t be afraid to ask. And be flexible when it comes to options and solutions that help you to maintain your fitness levels, your ability to socialize and connect with friends.
Meet Jose and Debbie
Jose lives in a memory care facility. Part of his weekly routine is to participate in a physical activity program. He joined the class after he and his family learned that physical activity may slow his progressive cognitive decline, reduce his risk of falling and even improve his mood.
Debbie, a local volunteer, who was a high school physical education teacher, before retiring leads the group. She recognizes that everybody is not the same, and that some will be able follow all the instructions. She combines chair yoga, hand-held weights, balance pillows and dancing. “The dancing part is usually the most fun for everyone” claims Debbie, “the residents remember the tunes”.
A healthier you
To live your best life, its wise to get moving to the best of your ability. Build slowly! Remember some exercise is better than none. Work with a pro to develop a plan that works for you and helps keep you mobile, improves your confidence, stability and balance. Ideally your plan may also improve your mental/ memory functions as well as your overall health, happiness, and well-being.
Mary Bart is the chair of Caregiving Matters, an Internet-based charity that offers education and support to family caregivers.
5 Questions to ask your doctor
Before starting an exercise routine, meet with your doctor to discuss the following:
What types of exercises are recommended based on your current physical activity level and medical history? Ask how long each exercise session should take and work with a professional.
Discuss with your doctor your medical history and current health conditions and how they may affect your ability to work-out. For example, if you have low vision, your doctor may recommend that you not “power walk” in busy, poorly lit traffic areas and on uneven, cracked pavement. Instead, your doctor may suggest that you walk on a tread mill, which is in a more controlled environment.
Do certain drugs affect your balance and ability to perform certain tasks? You doctor may choose to adjust your medications to better support a new physical active program.
Do you need to have some tests done as part of a preventive care plan?
Are there specific activities or exercises that should be avoided? Again, your doctor knowing your health history and your current health issues such as joint pain, chest pain, dizziness, heart disease, diabetes or arthritis may recommend that you avoid certain activities and focus on ones that will help you, not hurt you.
