We all know exercise and sport is good for health, some people believe it might be too strenuous or dangerous for seniors but a recent study from Israeli researchers proved the opposite.
As reported by Lindsey Tanner an AP Medical Writer: The results of the study “clearly support the continued encouragement of physical activity, even among the oldest old. Indeed, it seems that it is never too late to start,” the team wrote in Monday’s Archives of Internal Medicine, which published the study. The results show that “As little as four hours a week was as beneficial as more vigorous or prolonged activity,” said study author Dr. Jeremy Jacobs, a geriatric specialist at Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem.
It’s time to get these old sneakers out now that there are no other excuses! When it comes to seniors the overall condition of their health needs to be taken into account, but their age should by no mean be a reason to refrain from any type of exercise. There are many resources available to provide ideas such as video training.
Also, the actual mix of activities is pretty standard. As mentioned by the NIH, seniors need four types of exercise:
- Endurance activities – like walking, swimming, or riding a bike – which build “staying power” and improve the health of the heart and circulatory system
- Strengthening exercises which build muscle tissue and reduce age-related muscle loss
- Stretching exercises to keep the body limber and flexible
- Balance exercises to reduce the chances of a fall
The NIH also provides great resources on how care givers can help seniors exercise; these can be found here
A service like Linked Senior has many applications and we’re sometimes even surprised of seeing people use it in a way we hadn’t thought of. People use our service to load up some exercise session with high rhythm, sing alongs or simple relaxation music which is always great for yoga!
