3 Ways Movement and Exercise Help Seniors Stay Healthy

It turns out, your doctor—and yes, even your high school gym teacher—were right, regular physical activity is a vital part of maintaining your health. Combined with the advice and care of a physician, a healthy diet and consistent workouts are among the best preventative health measures you can take. Exercise for seniors is especially important, helping foster not only a healthy body but also reduce the negative effects of aging and fight disease. Offering complete and compassionate care for seniors is our number one priority, and providing exercise opportunities for seniors is a large part of that. Here are just a few ways exercise can help seniors stay healthy.

Keep Your Body Strong

As we get older, our bodies start to naturally weaken, causing a wide array of problems. Regular exercise can help stop that, keeping their bodies going and letting them maintain their independence. Seniors who exercise have stronger muscles and bones, helping them stay mobile without fear of breaking anything in a fall. They also enjoy healthier digestion and immune systems, along with improved respiratory and cardiovascular function. When it comes to your body, a little exercise can go a long way.

Fight Back Against Chronic Illness

Chronic illnesses can be a major roadblock to seniors trying to live their lives to the fullest. However, when engaged in regular exercise, seniors can work to mitigate the effects of the most common kinds of chronic illnesses they may develop. Multiple studies have shown the effects that exercise has on seniors’ long-term health, leading the CDC to officially endorse the benefits. Arthritis, heart disease, osteoporosis, and even Alzheimer’s disease can be, in part, treated with a consistent exercise regimen. If you start early, before any conditions begin to develop, you can even prevent them from setting in.

Boost Your Mental Health

Our health, of course, doesn’t just cover physical well-being. In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, we need to care for our mental and emotional health as well. Here’s the good news: exercise for seniors can help there too. When we exercise, our bodies release endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s way of rewarding good behavior, making you feel relaxed and happy.

Many seniors socialize during group activities as well, helping them maintain and strengthen social bonds which then, in turn, lead to a more positive outlook on life. Exercise has also been shown to reduce anxiety and depression in people of all ages, making it a worthwhile pursuit no matter what age you are. In addition, regular physical activity can do wonders for a person’s sleep. If you struggle with insomnia, it might be just the thing to help you finally get a good night’s sleep.

We are dedicated to providing for the physical, mental, and emotional health of all of our residents. As such, we are proud to offer extensive options and opportunities for movement and exercise for all the seniors in our care. Whatever you may be interested in, we’ve got you covered. Interested in what we have to offer? Feel free to get in touch. We’d love to talk about what we can do for you.