Photo by Yan Krukov from Pexels.
It is so important as you get older to keep your mind sharp, but your body needs to keep up as well. Exercising should be implemented into every elderly person’s daily routine.
Four Types of Exercise
There are four main types of exercise and they each help a certain aspect of your physicality.
- The first types are endurance, or aerobic, exercises. These are great for increasing your breathing and heart rate.
- The second type is strength exercises, which are simply meant for strengthening your muscles and toning up.
- You then have balance exercises. Their prime purpose is to help prevent the elderly from falling more frequently.
- Finally, you have flexibility exercises. These keep your body limber as you age and give your muscles a good stretch.
Benefits of Staying Active
There are many benefits of staying active for both young and old alike. However, since the elderly are usually less active as they age, they can get the most out of staying active. Some of these benefits include:
- Disease prevention– As seniors are usually immunocompromised, doing routine physical activity helps strengthen their immune function. Regular exercise is proven to help prevent many common diseases.
- Good mental health– Exercising produces a “feel good” hormone and can make you feel happy and satisfied. It also has links to better sleep, which a lot of older adults struggle with.
- Socialization– Depression and loneliness are common among the elderly. Therefore, joining a fitness class can be made into a frequent social event.
- Improved cognitive function– There is a tie between physical activity and improved cognitive function. Studies show a lower risk of dementia for those who are physically active.
Best Exercises to Try
Here are a few ways to exercise that should be easy on older bodies.
- Swimming. Swimming can strengthen your muscles in your body and your heart while being easy on your joints and bones.
- Yoga. Yoga is also easy on your bones, but it is all weight-baring. As you are holding yourself up with every pose, you are building strength.
- Pilates. Pilates is a low-impact strength program. However, it focuses on core stability which makes it great for older adults.
- Walking. Walking is perfect for those who cannot fit in a structured workout. It provides all the same benefits while being free and simple.
- Cycling. Cycling is great to increase leg strength without running or other high-impact workouts. Make this a family affair to enjoy exercising.
Agents
We hope this information on exercising for the elderly is helpful to you.
Empower Brokerage is dedicated to helping you educate your clients on the insurance they need and staying on top of their health. Whether it’s through webinar training, one-on-one calls, seminars, or marketing plans. We want you to be successful. Give us a call if you have any questions 888-539-1633.
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Kayla is a graduate of Texas A&M University and joined the marketing team at Empower Brokerage in early 2021. She creates content for the company websites and assists with various marketing campaigns. LinkedIn Profile
