The Importance Of Physical Activities For Seniors

Maintaining physical activity as a senior can become increasingly difficult as the years pass. Maintaining some level of physical activity as we age also becomes increasingly important. Regular exercise not only helps keep some physical ailments at bay but greatly improves mental health as well. Especially for seniors, knowing your limits with exercise is paramount in embarking on a successful healthy aging journey. It is important to acknowledge that each individual will have different abilities and restrictions, but there are safe physical activities for seniors. Tailoring any activity to individual personal ability levels is crucial for long-term success, but many seniors can participate in or adapt basic movements to suit their comfort. Keep reading for some tips on safe basic movements for most seniors and how to tailor those movements to varying ability levels. 

The Importance Of Mobility For Seniors

Before we dive into what mobility looks like for seniors of varying abilities, let’s discuss why it is important! 

1. Better Balance: As a normal part of the aging process, seniors often struggle with reduced bone density and muscle mass. These factors can contribute to issues with mobility and/or balance. The inability to balance well can lead to an increased risk of falling and a reduced bone mass can make those falls more dangerous. Strength and flexibility training for seniors can help improve their ability to balance and reduce the chances of painful falls. 
2. Cardiovascular Health: Out of all the age-related health problems that exercise can prevent, or at least delay, cardiovascular function is perhaps the most notable. As we age, our hearts often have to work harder to accommodate changes to their structure and ability to perform. This often presents as high blood pressure. During aerobic exercise, blood vessels dilate, allowing blood to flow without resistance. When blood flows more efficiently, blood pressure tends to decrease. Much like any other muscle, regular cardiovascular exercise strengthens the heart – allowing it to perform its best. 
3. Weight Management: Maintaining a healthy weight as a senior is more important than ever. Aside from preventing weight-related diseases such as diabetes, weight control can prolong independence due to increased mobility, decrease risks for stroke or cardiovascular events, reduce inflammation throughout the body, and lower the risk of age-related depression and other mental health disorders. By exercising regularly, muscle mass is accumulated. This muscle mass is important to stimulate a healthy metabolism. 
4. Longer lifespan: Exercise can not only make you look and feel younger but can lengthen your lifespan! Studies have shown that seniors who maintain an active lifestyle have a cellular age of up to 9 years younger than inactive individuals of the same chronological age. One other study showed that active 70-year-olds had heart and lung function comparable to inactive 40-year-olds. 
5. Improves Memory: Believe it or not, regular exercise improves cognitive function! Exactly how that works is multifaceted. Most notably, increased blood flow allows nutrients to be delivered to the brain, and in turn, allows it to function successfully. Exercise also reduces inflammation, which is a leading marker of dementia and memory loss. Additionally, regular exercise promotes the development of new synapses within the brain. This makes it easier to absorb and retain information. 

Choosing Appropriate Physical Activities For Seniors 

Depending on age, cognitive ability, mobility restrictions, and overall health, some exercises may not be appropriate for all seniors. The following may be good starting points for many seniors, but it is important to adapt any movement to various levels of abilities. Safety is most important when exercising as a senior. 

1. Low-impact Aerobic Training: Low-impact cardiovascular exercises such as walking, swimming, or water aerobics are ideal for joint preservation while still achieving the benefits of an increased heart rate. To modify for limited abilities, walking can be done with the help of a walker or rollator on flat surfaces with comfortable and supportive walking shoes. Water activities can be modified with the use of buoyancy aids and slow movements. 
2. Strength Training: Incorporating resistance bands or weights into a workout can improve muscle tone and metabolism. For seniors, ultra-light weights or very flexible bands are sufficient. The goal is slow and steady muscle usage. 
3. Flexibility Training: Flexibility and movement routines such as tai-chi, yoga, and basic stretching are important to maintaining mobility and movement capabilities. Slow exercises that incorporate breathing and gentle movement are extremely beneficial to mental health as well. 

Tips For Developing A Sustainable Exercise Routine 

1. Make It Social: Participating in social exercise classes such as an exercise club, yoga at the senior center, or family walks is a great way to stay engaged and motivated to exercise. 
2. Do Something Enjoyable: When exercise is more than just a chore, participating in regular movement is more sustainable. An exercise video, yoga class, or walk in the park could be a new favorite part of the day! 
3. Start Slow: Especially for seniors, it is important to incorporate new movements slowly and introduce any new exercises gradually to avoid injury. 

Tips For Seniors With Cognitive Limitations

For seniors with dementia or other cognitive limitations, avoid feeling pressured to maintain a consistent routine. Instead, encourage movement through music and dance. Play songs that the individual may recognize and lead a dance party. Alternatively, visual cues from videos or diagrams may help demonstrate desired movements and stretches. Consistency is key. 

Before incorporating any new physical activities for seniors into a routine, it is important to consult a physician for approval.

How We Can Help

At Serving Seniors Care, our commitment to providing individually tailored care goes beyond personal care and household services. We are here to support your loved one through their journey to healthy aging as well. With a supervising companion, your loved one can participate safely in physical activities for seniors with a motivating caregiver by their side. Our compassionate caregivers are dedicated to fostering a better quality of life for your senior loved one, whatever level of care they may require.

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