Fitness routines tend to fall by the wayside, and with the added difficulty of injury, low energy, or fragility that can come with age, it’s not hard to understand why someone would abandon fitness ambitions altogether. A commonly perceived obstacle between seniors and exercise is their living situation. Contrary to this misconception, there are plenty of opportunities for older adults to stay active in this environment.
Read below for some tips on how seniors can adopt a healthy lifestyle, regardless of their living space:
Round Up Some Friends
One of the biggest perks about living in a senior community is the sense of belonging it offers by connecting people from different backgrounds together in a shared living space. These social connections play a huge part in senior wellness and help ease issues of isolation and loneliness that are commonly experienced by this demographic. In addition to having access to a community of support with emotional wellness, this same community can serve as partners in physical health.
Gather some friends or a buddy and work out a fitness plan to follow. Whether you’re completing guided exercises together or simply going for a walk around the building, having others to hold you accountable and make the exercise more enjoyable is a huge motivating factor to keep everyone on track!
Take Advantage of Amenities
Another added bonus to living in a senior living facility is the amenities that are frequently offered like treadmills or bused outings to community centers with pools. This type of equipment or these outings are made available in quality affordable housing locations out of an understanding of how beneficial they are to the seniors they are designed to serve. And seniors have every right to take advantage of these services!
Inquire about any fitness equipment, exercise classes or planned outings to community centers available at the building, and make a point to participate every so often. Slowly increasing physical activity trains the body – and the mind – to adapt to these changes and creates healthy habits.
Work What You’ve Got
If amenities are out of order, day trips are out of season, or solitude and privacy are simply preferred, there are ways seniors can stay active without leaving their homes. If you’re looking to maintain or build muscle strength, beginning with small handheld weights is a great starting point. If putting pressure on joints is a concern, opt out of adding extra weight and simply use your own body weight
Use the back of a chair or a counter top for balance for leg lifts, or practice standing up from the chair from a sitting position, and repeat.
Get Outdoors
Now that the weather is getting warmer and the days are longer, now is the perfect time to revisit old fitness goals just in time for the end of Older Americans Month this May. Being outside in nature is not only beneficial to emotional and mental wellness by offering a peaceful, mood-boosting change of scenery, but it’s also an ideal venue for becoming more active.
Take advantage of nice days by seizing the opportunity for more time outside. Go for a walk around the senior living campus grounds, utilize the benches for balance during exercises like squats and leg lifts, and take time for restful breaks in between with a peaceful moment in any community gardens.
Hopefully, these tips will encourage seniors to age actively within their very own senior living communities!
Feel free to contact us for any future resident, current resident, or general inquiries.
