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3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health
Exercise & Fitness

3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

When considering a new exercise program that interests you, you may want to seek out something entirely new. Recent studies by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health suggests that practicing yoga several times a week may significantly improve the overall well being and health of seniors. Yoga is the sixth most commonly used complementary health habits among American adults, making it a great option for seniors looking to enhance their quality of life.

3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health
The practice of yoga has many health benefits for seniors that stem from its combination of physical postures, deep breathing, and meditative qualities. If you are prone to falling and using a medical alarm to help you take care of your injuries, yoga can actually make you more flexible, stable, and balanced in your abilities to move around. Plus, science shows that yoga is particularly helpful for people experiencing chronic back pain as compared to conventional stretching exercises.
This exercise is low-impact and may save you from extended hospital stays, in addition to these 3 benefits of yoga for senior health:

  1. Improves Sleeping Habits

Yoga offers a relaxing way to let go of tension that you may be holding in your mind and body—particularly in the shoulders and upper back. This means that, after your yoga session, you will feel less anxious, which can lead to better sleep habits. Yoga can help you to sleep longer and more soundly because it gives you the opportunity to unwind, focus your breathing, and exercise your aging body in a healthy manner.

  1. Lessens the Chance for Depression

Another benefit of yoga for seniors is that the activity can less your risk for depression. Since yoga relaxes the mind and body, it is a genuine mood booster. According to national research on yoga’s effects, people who suffered from chronic pain that practiced yoga had significantly less disability and depression after 6 months. Since depression is an issue for seniors, due to social isolation, yoga can help to improve and stabilize mental heath.

  1. Alleviates Aches and Pains

In a similar way to yoga’s assistance in reducing depression, it also reduces physical aches and pains. If you suffer from arthritis or other inflammatory conditions of the joints and muscles, yoga’s attention to breathing will help you eliminate the stress that exacerbates pain. It will also strengthen your joints and muscles in ways that will improve their functionality and flexibility. Plus, yoga is a great option if you have certain physical limitations, as you can easily adjust your exercise routine to be as manageable as you need.
Yoga is therefore a fantastic option for seniors looking to be more in shape and prevent some of the aches and pains that come with aging in a healthy, fruitful way. 3
Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health
By Jackie Edwards

Now working as a writer, Jackie started her career in finance and banking, but after becoming a mom refocused and decided to spend more time with her family. When she’s not writing, she volunteers for a number of local mental health charities and she looks after her parents who live close by. Her father is beginning with the early stages of Dementia and Jackie feels it important to research as much as possible into helping seniors live their final years in comfort.

3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health

3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health 3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health 3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health 3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health 3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health 3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health 3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health 3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health 3 Benefits of Yoga for Senior Health

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3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls
Exercise & Fitness

3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

Falls are a major concern for seniors and elderly care providers alike. Declining strength, coordination, mobility, and visibility all increase seniors’ risk of falling. Meanwhile, poor bone strength can increase the risk of severe fractures. Together, these risk factors have made falls the number one cause of accidental death among Americans over the age of sixty-five.

The good news is that it’s possible to lower that risk. Both medical and elderly care professionals recommend a number of fall prevention strategies that can help seniors and family caregivers lower elderly adults’ risk of falling. One of the best ways to do this is to have seniors take classes that improve their sense of balance and reduce their risk of injury from falls.

Exercise Improves Balance in Seniors

In terms of fall prevention, light/moderate exercise offers a number of benefits. Improved muscular strength helps seniors stay upright and maintain their footing. Cardiovascular exercise boosts heart health, which reduces the risk of exhaustion — a common risk factor for falls. Crucially, exercise also improves seniors’ sense of balance, making it less likely that they will misjudge their footing or put their body in a position that leads to a fall.

Exercise also lowers the risk of severe injury when falls occur. Stronger muscles and quicker reaction time make it easier for seniors to catch themselves when off-balance or brace themselves to reduce the impact of a fall. Physical activity is also key to bone strength, reducing the risk and severity of fractures.

Activities to Improve Seniors’ Balance

Some types of exercise are better suited than others when seniors want to improve balance and reduce the risk of fall-related injuries. Seniors and elderly care providers should look for activities that boost core strength, leg strength, coordination, dexterity, and fine motor skills.

The three activities below are some of the best exercise for improving balance in elderly adults. Seniors can perform these activities in the comfort of home, in the backyard, or with others. You should be able to find senior-focused classes for these activities quite easily within your local community.

  1. Dancing isn’t just great fun for elderly adults — it’s also an excellent way to improve physical dexterity, strengthen leg and core muscles, and boost total-body coordination. There are a number of popular dance classes for elderly adults, including salsa, jazz, and ballroom.
  2. Tai Chi. Tai Chi started in China as a form of martial arts, but its health benefits have made it a popular form of exercise in many countries. Seniors’ Tai Chi involves slow, controlled movements that use the entire body. This helps improve coordination, muscle strength, and balance. Medical professionals and elderly care providers often recommend it for seniors due to its low risk of injury and joint stress.
  3. Yoga is well known for its lifelong benefits. While some yoga classes offer higher intensity workouts, you’ll find a slower, gentler pace in a seniors’ yoga classes. Yoga poses can improve strength, coordination, flexibility, and offer key balance benefits for elderly adults.

Additional Balance and Fall Prevention Tips

Activities that improve balance are just part of elderly fall prevention. We asked Visiting Angels CEO and President Larry Meigs for additional tips on how seniors and elderly care providers can prevent falls in and out of the home.

One of Larry’s biggest tips is medication awareness. “A large number of seniors take medications that put them at higher risk of falling. It’s important that seniors are careful with any medication that causes drowsiness or poor coordination,” he says.

He also stressed the importance of visibility in fall prevention. “Poor eyesight can be a much bigger danger than a lot of people think, so make sure your mom or dad has regular check-ins with their optometrist.”

Another big factor is limiting fall risks in living spaces. “The vast majority of falls happen at home,” Larry says. “Unfortunately, most seniors live in homes where fall risks haven’t been minimized. Slippery flooring, thow rugs, electrical cords, poorly lit areas — these are just a few of the most common culprits.”

Larry’s focus on fall prevention is part of the reason why Visiting Angels elderly care agencies offer free fall prevention assessments. During elderly care consultations, care directors perform detailed inspections of seniors’ homes and make fall prevention recommendations to help correct any areas of concern.

To book a free elderly care consultation and fall assessment for your loved one, contact Visiting Angels today at 800-365-4189. Or use our online office locator to find your local Visiting Angels elderly care agency. 3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls

3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls

3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls 3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls 3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls 3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls 3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls

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Exercise & Fitness

What to Look For In An Exercise Class Or Routine

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

Improvements in physical and psychological health can lead to some significant benefits in other areas of an older person’s life, especially by prolonging their ability to live independently. In turn, this greater independence helps to maintain physical and mental health. In short, the effects of exercise are more holistic than even some doctors realize, and remembering this can keep you motivated as you begin your exercise routine.

Once you’re clear about what you’re after and what you should avoid, it’s time choose an exercise routine. Here are some aspects to consider:

Timing — Health experts recommend that older adults exercise on a daily basis. No matter the intensity of the routine, it should be accessible and able to be performed daily.

Lifestyle — It helps to choose exercises that fit naturally into your daily life. For instance, if you already take a daily walk in the park, you might simply add weights to the routine for a heightened effect. It helps, too, if you can make exercise part of a social activity. Tennis, swimming or other group exercises can improve your lifestyle overall and help you maintain your mental health. Working with a professional trainer may also make you feel more engaged.

Budget — Depending on their cost, daily exercise programs can become a strain on a limited budget. Regimented exercise programs or gymnasiums may have a monthly fee or an expense for professional training. If that’s the case, you may want to engage in less formal activities in order to pay less.

Motivation — Do you feel particularly motivated to engage in the type of exercise you’re considering? Just because a program is formal or regimented does not mean that it has to be uncomfortable or unenjoyable, and it may help to choose exercises that are particularly appealing to you.

Schedule — You’re going to have more going on in you your day than exercise, so make sure that the program you choose fits into your schedule.

Endurance, Balance, Strength & Flexibility

As you choose your exercise routine, it’s also useful to remember that good health involves more than big muscles or cardiovascular fitness. In fact, there are four aspects of physical health that an effective exercise program should address: endurance, balance, strength, and flexibility. You need to address all of these elements to maintain a healthy balance in your workout regimen, and certain exercises are better for certain elements. Here are some of the best examples of exercises for each element, examples you can work into your exercise routine or make a habit of doing even when you’re not officially exercising.

Endurance

Endurance means the ability to engage in strenuous activity over a period of time, and it’s closely related to cardiovascular health. Brisk walks are one of the easiest and most effective ways build and maintain endurance: When you walk, choose a pace that can be continued for 30 to 45 minutes and a time of day that is not too hot, and wear comfortable clothing.

Tennis is another great way to build endurance. The running and movement involved is great exercise, and fun as well. Tennis also requires having at least one other person present, ensuring a group fitness environment that can improve the intensity of the workout.

Swimming is an excellent choice to build endurance in elder adults with joint or obesity problems. The water takes the pressure off of joints and reduces the pain of weight issues while creating a consistent intensity that can help in weight loss or cardiovascular exercise.

Balance

Maintaining balance is essential for mobility and independent living. Yoga and tai chi are popular balance regimens for elder adults. The movements are slow and calculated, taking some of the intensity out of the workout. While yoga can be quite difficult to master, and while the yoga you can do may be subject to your physical limitations, it’s known to help with older adults who tend to fall.

Eye tracking exercises improve hand-eye coordination, boost agility, and can help adults at risk of falls. Targeting the vision balances the rest of the body, most importantly the vestibular system (the balance system located in your inner ear).

Another advantage of eye tracking exercises is that they are static, reducing the pressure on the body for adults with mobility issues.

One simple exercise for improving balance is known as the balancing wand exercise. Simply hold a walking cane out in front of your body, behind your body, and to each side for 10 seconds in each position. The exercise can be done with an ordinary cane or any mobility device, or with a stick.

Strength

Strength is sometimes underemphasized as a goal for seniors, but it’s indispensable to everyday living. If you want to build strength, a great way to start is with arm curls, which help to strengthen the muscles in your upper arms. You can perform this exercise with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding an adequate amount of weight in your palms with your arms down. Face your palms forward. Exhale as you bend your elbows and raise the weight to your chest without moving your elbows. Hold for one second, and breathe in as you lower your arms.

Chair dips are an especially convenient exercise for people with mobility problems. You can perform chair dips by sitting in a chair with armrests and putting your feet flat on the floor. When you’re ready, lean forward slightly, grab the chair arms and place your hands next to you. Push your body off of the chair slowly. Hold this position for one second and return to the original position.

Knee curls are a great lower body exercise. Stand behind your chair and hold it for balance. Lift one of your legs straight back with no bend in the knee. Breathe out as you bring your heel up to your gluteus muscle. Do not move your hips. Hold for one second, and breathe in as you return to the original position.

Flexibility

The more flexible you are, the less you’re likely to injure yourself through ordinary physical activity, so include stretches in your routine. The neck stretch, for example, can be done while sitting in a chair. Put your feet flat on the floor and slowly turn your head to the left and right until a slight stretch is felt. Do not tilt the head forward; hold it comfortably erect. Hold each position for up to 30 seconds.

Some back stretch exercises offer a great daily routine for elder adults with back problems. Here’s a back stretch that can be performed in a sitting position: sit straight up, lean forward comfortably, and then simply twist the body from the hips while turning your head in the same direction. Hold your position by lifting the hand to the side that you are turning and holding the arm of the chair. Hold each stretch for up to 30 seconds.

Ankle stretches are very important for holistic lower body mobility. This exercise can also be done in a seated position, reducing the risk of injury. Sit in an armless chair, stretching your legs out in front of you. Take your heels to the floor and bend the ankles while pointing the toes toward the body. Hold each position for up to 30 seconds before returning to the original position.

By: Aging.com

Seniors haven’t reached the end: they’ve reached a new beginning. And Aging.com was set up to help you start this new phase of your life on the right foot. Our mission is to help you and thousands of other older adults who want to live independently, plan your finances, and take charge of your health care.

Sources
http://www.who.int/topics/physical_activity/en/
http://www.aicr.org/press/press-releases/getting-up-from-your-desk.html
https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/olderad.htm
http://news.mit.edu/2012/understanding-how-brains-control-our-habits-1029

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Exercise & Fitness

Exercise Tips for Seniors

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

How Often to Exercise

Exercise routines should be done according to a doctor’s plans, keeping the physical and mental health of the patient in mind. All routines recommend at least one hour of daily physical activity for senior adults, though often specific exercise regimens will include rest days where you should remain active but refrain from that particular exercise. These rest days allow the muscles to heal themselves for improved performance over time, and while some highly intensive programs may only require one rest day, other programs may require multiple rest days.

Make sure to follow the regimen that is recommended by your doctor and by the exercise program that you are following.

Making Exercise A Habit

Since daily exercise and activity are essential, making sure you stick with your routine is as important as choosing the right one for you. Studies from many notable sources, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, tell us that habits generally take around 21 days to form. The secret is to force the body and fool the mind into exercising for those 21 days until your brain makes the behavior automatic. The body will then begin to enjoy and even look forward to exercise sessions.

Many people may be able to consciously force themselves into a new 21 day pattern, despite feeling unwilling to exercise during certain days of that period. Other people may need some encouragement, distractions, or rewards to build the habit. One of the best ways of guaranteeing a habit sticks is finding friends who are on the same path. Even if you can’t find a traditional friend, there are many online video channels and communities that offer digital friendship and assistance to people who are starting an exercise regimen.

Exercising at Home

Exercising in the home often makes it easier to form the exercise habit. Your home is less expensive and more convenient than a gym, and with a bit of ingenuity, you can even turn common objects into equipment that will bolster your exercise program.

  • Chairs – Many exercises, including the chair dips mentioned above, use nothing more than your body weight and a chair to posture your body. Chairs are meant to take pressure off of certain parts of your body, and you can use that feature to isolate other parts, giving you the freedom to exercise and strengthen them. Chair exercises also give elder adults with limited mobility the ability to continue exercising.
  • Stairs – Stairs may be used for cardiovascular exercise. Elliptical machines were invented to reproduce the experience of climbing stairs, so why not stick with the original! Stairs are a great way to keep your heart rate up, exercise your lower body, and improve blood flow.
  • Walls – You can use any doorway wall in your home as a brace for joint stretches.
  • Swimming pool – If you have a swimming pool in your home, you can enjoy exercise while helping your joints. Swimming is also great for people who are overweight because it takes strain off of the skeleton while allowing them to raise their heart rate and strengthen the muscles.

 

Older adults may also exercise at home without any equipment at all. Body weight exercises such as yoga and simple pushups, situps and leg lifts can provide just as much benefit as exercises at the gym. The secret to a healthier body through exercise is consistency and the right level of intensity, not the kind of equipment you use in your routine.

Physical Activity Vs. Exercise

By the same token, ordinary physical activity can confer some of the same benefits as exercise at the gym. Physical activity is defined as any movement that requires the energy of the skeletal muscles to perform. Physical activity can include exercise, but it also includes movements that occur within the daily routine such as walking to a dog park, getting out of bed, brushing your teeth or your hair, or changing a light bulb.

Naturally, some physical activity is less strenuous than others. Exercise, on the other hand, is physical activity that is structured and repetitive, and has the aim of maintaining or improving physical fitness. Exercise is also often targeted at improving one of the five aspects of physical fitness: body composition, muscular endurance fitness, flexibility fitness, muscular strength fitness and cardio-respiratory fitness. For most seniors, 30 minutes of structured, repetitive exercise a day is essential to physical fitness. This number is derived from the perceived intensity of the average workout and from the fact that most seniors tend to live a less active lifestyle as they get older.

At the same time, physical activity and exercise can both build health in older adults. As a matter of fact, seniors who live an active enough lifestyle may be able to maintain their physical fitness through physical activity alone. However, even seniors who are very active may need to undertake special exercise routines to address particular issues. For instance, a senior whose active lifestyle keeps them in excellent physical shape may still need to go on a regimen to build flexibility and strength in the hip after an implant operation.

The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends both physical activity and exercise for a truly healthy lifestyle. They cite extremely lazy lifestyles as the reason that even daily exercise routines are not as effective as they should be. For instance, a senior who exercises intensely for an hour but then sits down for the majority of the day will have trouble keeping fit.

The bottom line is that it’s good to engage in general physical activity and pursue a daily exercise routine. Stand instead of sit. Take stairs instead of elevators when possible. Take on some household chores such as gardening or mowing the lawn, within reason. Make it a point to watch less TV, or at least perform some easy home exercises during commercial breaks.

Physical activity can even become exercise if approached correctly. In fact, one of the best ways to successfully implement an exercise regimen is to accentuate daily activities.

Here are a few suggestions:

  • Adding weights to everyday walking – You can upgrade trips to the mall or to the park from physical activity into an exercise regimen by using light weights. There are many weights made for this purpose specifically that are small, attractive and easy to carry.
  • Extending a daily activity into a regimen – Enjoyable daily activities can be extended into an exercise routine. For instance, people who enjoy gardening will probably enjoy yoga. The movements are similar and many yoga classes are held outdoors.
  • Physical activity during leisure periods – During TV time, many people will fit in a set of sit-ups or push-ups while watching.

 

How To Track Your Progress

So—you’ve chosen a program that fits your needs and abilities, and you’ve stuck with it while also boosting your ordinary physical activity. How will you know that you’re making any progress? As it happens, there are many ways to track and measure the benefits of an exercise routine. What tracking measures you use will depend on the types of results you expect from your program — a weight loss program is tracked differently from a muscular strengthening program, for example.

Here are some common ways to track exercise programs for older adults.

  • Cardiovascular health – In most cases, lowering the resting heart rate and the body mass index (BMI) are key performance indicators of a heart health program. A lower heart rate signifies the body is working less to pump blood, preserving the heart and arteries for longer periods of time. Having an appropriate body mass index ensures that the body is better able to fight off disease. A good body fat ratio also ensures that the joints are not overtaxed by having to carry extra weight, among many other benefits.
  • Muscular strengthening – Muscle strengthening programs measure success by the endurance and strength of the muscles and nerves that are used in heavy lifting. If you’re focused on building muscle strength, keep track of the number of repetitions you can do at a particular rate or keep track of the total weight lifted in each individual exercise.
  • Ease of daily routine – A much less formal, but still quite relevant form of tracking is the ease with which an older adult can simply live his or her daily life. Physical fitness is defined as the ability to easily perform day-to-day tasks, and this is all that some people are looking to achieve. If you’re getting through your day with fewer physical challenges, you can probably thank your exercise routine!

 

Health is essential to enjoying your later years, and exercise, and physical activity in general, are essential for health. It’s never too late to start, and if you take the right approach and consult with your doctor before starting, you can expect to find your days happier, easier, and more full of the joys that make life worth living.

By Aging.com

Seniors haven’t reached the end: they’ve reached a new beginning. And Aging.com was set up to help you start this new phase of your life on the right foot. Our mission is to help you and thousands of other older adults who want to live independently, plan your finances, and take charge of your health care.

Sources
http://www.who.int/topics/physical_activity/en/
http://www.aicr.org/press/press-releases/getting-up-from-your-desk.html
https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/olderad.htm
http://news.mit.edu/2012/understanding-how-brains-control-our-habits-1029

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