Staying healthy and fit can be a challenge no matter what age we are, but as we get older, it becomes all the more important to make sure we are doing our part to stay active. There are many reasons that seniors slow down or become more sedentary. It may be due to health problems, weight or pain issues, or even concerns about falling. However, staying active does have benefits, and there are safe ways to keep moving, even if you have limited mobility.

Whether you or your loved one lives at home or is a resident of a senior living community, there are benefits to staying active, including maintaining independence and mental fortitude. 

 

The Benefits

Regular exercise is beneficial to not only your body, but to your mind, mood, and memory as well. Below are just a few of the ways staying active can help seniors:

  • Maintaining Independence: Exercise can be a great way of helping to maintain your independence. Keeping muscles strengthened can help lessen the risks of falls, and keep you mobile enough to continue doing day-to-day tasks with little to no assistance. Mobility, flexibility, and balance are all improved through staying physically active. Even if you’re a resident at a senior living home, this independence can be so important.   
  • Maintain or Lose Weight: As we age, our metabolisms naturally slow down. This can make it all the more difficult to maintain a healthy weight. Routine exercise helps increase your metabolism as well as build muscle mass, which in turn helps your body burn more calories. 
  • Improve Brain Function: While doing puzzles, crosswords, and Sudokus are beneficial to keeping the mind active, nothing is more effective than exercise. Not only can it help with brain functions such as multitasking and creativity, but it can also help prevent memory loss and cognitive decline.  
  • Better Sleep: Sleep has a huge impact on health. If we don’t get consistent quality sleep, it can dramatically affect our bodies as well as our mood and mental health. Maintaining a regular exercise routine can help us fall asleep faster, sleep more deeply, and wake up feeling energized and refreshed. 

Senior couple doing seated exercises smiling

 

Limited Mobility Exercises

If you are a senior with limited mobility, the thought of exercise might seem really discouraging. One myth that you might be quick to believe is that there is nothing that you can do without hurting or endangering yourself, and that simply isn’t true. There is still an array of exercises that you can incorporate to help improve balance, strength, flexibility, heart health, and more!

Check out these five physical therapy style exercises that can be incorporated with chair work.

 

  1. Neck stretches: Get warmed up by doing some neck stretches while you’re in the seated position. Sit up straight with your shoulders back. Begin by tilting your head down to one side so that your ear gets close to your shoulder. Don’t strain yourself, though! Repeat this action with the other side. Then, tilt your chin down toward your chest, then gaze up toward the ceiling. Do this 5-10 times.  
  2. Neck rotations: While you’re still in the sitting position, keep your shoulders back. Move your head slowly from one shoulder to the other. Only rotate as far as what is comfortable. There should be a minor stretch, but nothing should feel painful. 
  3. Shoulder rotations: Begin in the same position as the other exercises, sitting up with your back straight and shoulders back. Then, gently lift your shoulders up toward your ears and then use a circular motion to roll them backward. If you want to add another element to this stretch, extend out your arms and create circles. These circles can be as big or as small as you like. Keep them slow or speed them up, just make sure what you’re doing is comfortable and isn’t causing pain! 
  4. Seated row: Doing the ‘seated row’ exercise is a great way to work upper back and chest muscles. To do this, scoot forward to the edge of your chair and hold your arms out in front of you. Form a fist with each hand like you are holding an invisible bar. Then, pull the ‘bar’ into your chest while squeezing your shoulder blades. To help you keep form, try doing this with a light object like a rolled-up newspaper or magazine.  
  5. Abdominal twist: This exercise is great for your abdominal muscles. To start, make sure your back is straight and your shoulders are back. This exercise can be done while holding a ball, but it is not required. Hold the ball close to your body, but if you don’t have one, clasp your hands together or hold an imaginary ball. Slowly rotate your torso to one side as far as you can without any strain. Then, repeat the motion to the other side. Remember to keep your back straight and try to keep the rest of your body still while doing this exercise.

 

Group Activities

One huge plus of staying in senior living homes is that there are usually group activities available. This can include exercising! If you are physically up to it, you can try attending one of these.

  • Group walk: Taking a walk together with friends, family, or other residents is a great way to stay active and get fresh air, all while socializing. Talking with a friend or listening to music together will make the time fly by, and it won’t even feel like work at all. Put on comfortable walking shoes and take a stroll! 
  • Dance class: Many senior living communities offer dance courses on location. These are available for all skill levels, giving everyone a chance to get moving and have a little fun while staying in a safe, supervised environment. 
  • Water aerobics: Exercising in a pool is a great option for anyone who has joint pain or some mobility issues, as the buoyancy of the water helps decrease the impact. If your senior living community has a pool, check and see if water aerobics or something similar is listed on the activity calendar.