Getting In Shape No Matter Your Age!
Guiding you towards health & longevity
What You Be Reading In This Post
- Aging & Exercise
- The Motivation For Seniors
- Common Health Issues For Seniors
- Health & Fitness Assessments
- Exercise Techniques For Seniors
- Overcome Fatigue For Seniors
Foreword
Aging is a natural process that every human being goes through and it starts from the very onset of birth. However, the actual “aging” is only really visible when the individual is considered to be quite advanced in age. It should be noted though, that the aging process should not in any way hamper keeping an exercise regimen and in fact exercising should ideally continue but at a gentler pace and design. Get all the info you need here.
Aging & Exercise
There are several different aspects to consider when deciding on a suitable exercise regimen for an aged individual and below are some of the areas that should be given due consideration and understanding before the exercise program is designed:
The Basics
There is usually a significant loss in the metabolism rate and this affects the muscle mass which inadvertently eventually turns into inert depot fat. The slowed cellular metabolism rate would require a more controlled intake of food if the body fat content is not to be increased further. With the inclusion and presence of a consistent exercise regimen as part of the daily lifestyle, the individual has a better chance of maintaining an ideal body mass and weight.
The food intake of the aged individual may also lack the nutrients and particularly the calcium intake and here the presence of some form of physical exercise will help to ensure the said individual adds supplements and other important nutrients in the form of dietary supplements to ensure overall better body functioning systems.
An exercise training program that would be most suited for the aged would have to take into account the now more fragile state of the body condition, thus the content of the exercise regimen should not be too overwhelming and demanding physically and mentally. Having a good and consistent exercise routine has been shown to not only keep diseases away but has also shown to be instrumental in keeping the individual healthier both physically and mentally.
The Motivation For Seniors
Motivation is always a good tool to use when there is a need to cultivate a consistent interest in something. This is also the same when it comes to trying to motivate those in the more senior age group to engage in a comprehensive and beneficial exercise routine.
The following are some suggestions on areas to explore that may be able to create the interest levels that can act to motivate the aged individual to seriously consider and start an exercise routine:
Exercise as social interaction – for most seniors, the social activity is rather limited, and this could be due to a lot of different factors such as lack of reasons to socialize, nothing in common with others, no motivation to do so and many others.
Using the exercise routine to create an excuse for social interaction is usually an exciting thing for a senior individual to look forward to.
Body image – contrary to what the younger generation may think, seniors, do want to take care of their aging looks but lack the motivation to do so, as it is usually perceived as nobody really cares about their looks at this stage.
However, encouraging the individual to be body image-conscious will also help to steer them towards engaging in a suitable exercise regimen to stay fit and look good.
Health concerns – making a senior understand the benefits of regular exercising and its connection to staying in optimum health is another good motivating feature to focus on. Ill health is something everyone wants to avoid, and if exercising regularly keep this from unfolding, and then the aged individual would usually be more than happy to take up some form of exercising. Encountering health issues later in life is usually a common condition to endure, but it can be significantly decreased with the adoption of a good and suitable exercise routine.
Common Health Issues For Seniors
At some point in everyone’s life, there would be instances where health issues would have to be dealt with.
However, for the aged set, these issues may surface more frequently and become a very real danger and the threat to the overall well-being condition of the said individual.
Learning how to deal or cope with these health issues using exercise as a positive tool may help the individual better manage or even eliminate such conditions altogether.
Important Facts
The more common health issues that are usually faced by the senior age group would include ailments such as deteriorating heart conditions like hypertension, vascular disease, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, and coronary artery diseases.
There is also the probable presence of dementia, which would come in the popular form of Alzheimer’s disease, depression, incontinence with urinary and bowel functions, arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, breathing problems, frequent falls which commonly lead to multiple fractures and many more medical problems.
Most of the above conditions can be controlled to a certain extent with a well designed and focused exercise regimen. Accompanying this with a good and well-balanced nutritionally based diet plan will also help to create better overall body functioning systems that would eventually be able to overcome these health problems.
Some of the above health issues can even be eliminated altogether if the senior individual is really serious about adopting a healthy lifestyle that is centered on a good diet plan and lots of suitable exercises.
Exercise can help significantly in areas where there is now a more slowed reaction time due to the age factor, a compromised immune system, a diminished sense of the five senses, loss of appetite, dehydration and some other debilitating conditions. Therefore exercising during the senior phase in life should be avoided for fear of injury, but should be encouraged to help ensure the less likelihood of it occurring.
Health & Fitness Assessments
Before embarking on a fitness routine, an aged individual should first seek to have some sort of health and fitness assessment done. This will not only help when it comes to designing a suitable fitness program for the individual but will also help to highlight any possible health issues that might need special consideration when picking the types of exercise routine to incorporate in the exercise program.
Checking It Out
Physical activity can be challenging for the senior age group and this is especially so if the activity is demanding in nature. Therefore, some thought has to be given regarding the health and fitness levels of the individual.
It is not uncommon to note the presence of ailments such as for overweight conditions, high blood pressure, deteriorating heart conditions, bone deteriorating conditions and other conditions that may not be so visible in the aged individual’s overall health outlook.
Therefore for those who do not already exercise enthusiasts, there is an even greater need for careful instructions on the exercise to be performed, longer warm-up sessions, accompanied with equally longer cool down sessions and in some cases even assistance in monitoring and recording the results of the overall health improvements if any, based on the exercises used.
When the assessments are being conducted there should always be a first aid kit and other medical expertise available, in case of any sudden negative problems arise from the routine assessment technique.
It is very important for seniors to have adequate strength, flexibility, and endurance to effectively go through the motions of ordinary daily tasks. With regular assessments done, any abnormalities or lacks can be detected early and the relevant recourses can be introduced. Some of these assessment styles may include chair stand tests, block transfer tests, soda pop tests, arm curl tests, ½ mile walking tests, 6-minute walk tests and many other suitably designed tests for seniors.
Exercise Techniques For Seniors
It is important to remember, that it is imperative to ensure the proper medical assessments have been done before any exercise regimen is recommended and commenced by a senior individual.
Without this very important assessment stage, a senior would be well-advised not to start on any exercise regimen, as experiencing chest pains, shortness of breath, negative heart conditions, bone, and joint problems, dizziness and elevated blood pressure levels are very likely to occur during any improper exercise routine. When this stage has been properly conducted and completed, then the appropriate exercise routines can be designed to suit the needs of the senior individual.
The most popular form of exercise routine would include swimming and some form of water aerobics. Using the water to help relieve some of the stress the joints and bones may have to endure during an exercise routine, especially if the individual has not been exposed to any exercise routines previously would be an added advantage and something that should be highly recommended.
Other fun activities such as dancing, bicycling and lighter activities should also be encouraged, as they will also help to create the social interaction that most seniors lack in their lives.
This social interaction can act as a good motivating factor to stay with the exercise program even when outward results don’t seem to be evident. Simple stretching exercises and light aerobics routines are also another good and beneficial form of exercise for seniors.
Another important aspect that should be given due consideration would be the use of suitable equipment and attire as both these elements are usually designed to fit the particular needs and lack of a senior individual. Comfortable and loose-fitting clothes and proper shoes should be part of the exercise gear. This is essential to decrease the chances of sustaining any injuries during and after the workouts.
Overcome Fatigue For Seniors
Fatigue is a very common complaint that most seniors seem to experience and it should be disregarded as simply due to age. There are a lot of underlying factors that are connected to the onset of fatigue, and some careful consideration should be given, understand and overcome the prevailing problem.
Fatigue
Sometimes this fatigue complaint may be connected to other ailments such as anemia, thyroid disorder, diabetes, depression or poor heart conditions. There is also the possibility that the senior individual lacks proper exercise thus creating a “lazy” body syndrome, which eventually contributes to the easy onset of fatigue whenever a little extra effort is exerted.
All this can be effectively corrected with some form of exercise incorporated into the daily routine of the senior individual. As a third of the muscle mass is lost with the onset of the aging process, exercise regimens become a necessity to ensure optimum health is maintained and optimized. Other negative impacts that are usually brought on by fatigue, are the difficulty in completing simple tasks due to the lack of energy, that has not become very much compromised, by the further lack of activity in the individual’s lifestyle.
The thinking process becomes slower and confused and this could lead to further withdrawal as the senior individual becomes acutely aware of the sudden lack of mobility and mental and physical strengths.
Therefore, it is very important to develop some strategies to overcome this negativity from setting in and taking over the senior’s life. These may include incorporating some form of regular physical activity in the daily routine, taking on new hobbies that require a certain amount to movement and mental challenging, joining programs that have a lot of social interaction possibilities, embarking on an exercise program that helps to build the muscles and increase the aerobic lung capacity or basically any activity that keeps boredom from becoming part of the mindset of the individual.
Wrapping Up
It’s important to stay fit no matter the stage in life. This information here has set you on your way.
