A healthy lifestyle requires good nutrition and an exercise routine. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle isn’t limited to the younger since it also benefits older adults. Studies have shown that the risk of developing diseases increases if you take it easy as you age.
If you don’t have any physical activities when you grow older, you’ll end up visiting the doctor more often. You might even up in the hospital more often and will need more medicines to keep you healthy. This is particularly unsafe during this time when we’re in the middle of a pandemic.
So, if a senior citizen lives with you, you can recommend the following exercises to keep them healthy and fit.
Walking
One of the least stressful exercises a senior citizen can do is to walk. While it can be a big challenge for seniors with their limited mobility, they can start small and gradually increase the number of steps they take each day.
Setting a goal of walking 10,000 steps each day can positively affect the health of a senior citizen. But senior citizens with joint issues can opt for a smaller number of steps as their goal. Walking more steps decreases the risk of cancer and heart disease. It can even reduce the risk of stroke and diabetes. Aside from senior citizens, other people can benefit from walking. The exercise helps people who had to enter a detox center to deal with alcohol abuse issues.
Pilates
Being a low-impact exercise, Pilates is ideal for senior citizens who want to keep themselves fit and healthy while staying at home. Developed by Joseph Pilates, the exercise was created as a new body-conditioning and exercise method.
The exercise focuses on core strength, alignment, breathing, and concentration. It normally requires using mats and Pilates balls to allow people to build their strength without the stress associated with other exercises.
Senior citizens performing Pilates will experience better body coordination. They will also improve their balance, which allows them to reduce the risk of falls. The exercise also allows them to improve their breathing, which allows them to participate in other exercise routines.
Chair Yoga
Another low-impact exercise a senior citizen can perform is chair yoga. The exercise allows them to live an active lifestyle even though they’re limited to a wheelchair. It also puts less stress on the joints, bones, and muscles. So, the exercise ideal for senior citizens who have mobility issues.
Chair yoga offers a lot of benefits for senior citizens. Aside from giving them the chance to work out, it also enhances their flexibility and promotes balance. The exercise also allows them to improve circulation and pain management. It also reduces instances of feeling depressed and gives senior citizens a sense of well-being.
Chair yoga also does not require a lot of equipment. All you need is a stable, armless chair. You also need a flat surface to put the chair and suitable space so you can extend your limbs. You should also wear comfortable clothing that does restrict your movement.
Bodyweight Workout
Bodyweight workouts use the weight of your body to provide the resistance you need to increase your strength. The exercise is designed to increase strength, which is a debilitating issue for older adults. This type of exercise doesn’t use machines or weights. It’s ideal for seniors who experience muscle loss as they age.
One significant benefit of this exercise is that it doesn’t cost much to practice it. All you need is suitable clothing, a workout mat, and space where you can exercise. It can help senior citizens counter the effects of muscle mass loss due to aging. It can also help them counter mobility issues and chronic diseases caused by aging.
Some good bodyweight workouts that senior citizens can perform include standing marches, chair squats, leg lifts, seated twists, and wall pushups.
Resistance Band Workout
A resistance band is an elastic band that is typically used for strength training. It is designed to add resistance to a workout without adding too much stress on the body. These exercises allow senior citizens to add resistance to their workout routines without increasing the risk for injuries. It also allows them to maintain muscle mass. In some instances, it can also allow senior citizens to grow muscles.
Resistance bands also offer senior citizens an affordable way of building muscle mass and increasing their strength. They also allow you to perform gym exercises without going to the gym. Additionally, these bands allow you to exercise nearly all the muscles in your body.
Keeping fit and healthy can be challenging for senior citizens. But it’s not impossible if they know what to do.
