Articles
Assisted Exercise for the Elderly As Close As The Telephone
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Exercise is essential to good health for all age groups, for seniors it is a necessity that increases the quality of life. Not only does exercise for the elderly increases their self-confidence and reduces or eliminates depression, and it also increases the quality of their sleep. Recent studies show that exercise prevents some forms of dementia and encourages brain function, while promoting balance and flexibility and strengthening the immune system.
Still many seniors are not exercising regularly. The reasons for this vary. Most seniors are aware of the value of exercise, they often find it difficult to get motivated, or are fearful that they might hurt themselves during exercise and not be able to get help. A recent Stanford University Study shows that 85 percent of seniors who participated in the study are still exercising regularly.
Telephone coach begins with an in-home visit where the coach and senior develop a workable exercise routine. The coach demonstrates each exercise and helps the senior through the first set. Often the coach gives the senior exercise charts illustrating each exercise. The trainer then calls at an agreed upon time each day. In the beginning the coach talks the senior through each exercise, giving tips and encouragement. In time the coach is more of a motivator and encourager.
The coaches are fitness experts who tailor exercise to each individual and any physical constraints they might have. All programs are designed to provide aerobic, strength, balance and flexibility exercises. Remarkably most seniors began to feel significant improvement in just two weeks and at the end of three months were doing things they never thought they'd be able to do again.
One of the additional benefits of the telephone-coaching program is that as the senior gets stronger and has more energy, the telephone coach provides other resources within the community that the senior may want to connect with. Classes at the local senior center or YMCA, for instance, are often offered as supplement to the in-home telephone coaching.
Programs similar to those pioneered at Stanford University are emerging across the country in senior centers, community centers, YMCAs as well as in commercial gyms. Many personal trainers now specialize in helping seniors get active.
Getting regular exercise is important; telephone coaching is one way to assist seniors achieving it. Seniors benefit not only from the exercise that gives them more energy, but telephone coaching also gives them regular caring contact from the outside. Seniors, caregivers, or family members should contact their local area Agency on Aging to find similar programs in their area.
Assisted Exercise for the Elderly
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As we age, our need for daily exercise increases. Seniors, particularly those who are no longer in the workforce, often develop a sedentary lifestyle. It is a mindset that is easy to fall into, after all, they've worked hard all their lives, raised their families, contributed to the community, and now it is their time to rest. And certainly they deserve the rest. However if rest does not include regular exercise, the quality of their retirement and their last years quickly diminishes.
Seniors who exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes per day benefit not only from improved health but also by greatly improved confidence and energy. Studies show that seniors who exercise regularly have stronger immune systems, greater balance and flexibility, and more alert minds.
Several things prevent seniors from exercising regularly: (1) lack of motivation, (2) fear of injury, and (3) feeling intimidated by today's gyms. Fortunately, many new products and programs are emerging to assist seniors in starting and maintaining an exercise program.
Many senior housing facilities and retirement communities now have gyms with equipment geared towards senior safety. For instance these gyms now have treadmills geared to the older population and upper body equipment that is wheelchair assessable. Exercise programs geared towards seniors are often weekly features of these gyms. Seniors can also find exercise programs at their local senior center or YMCA.
However not all assisted exercise programs are community organized, some are quite informal, for example a group of friends make a pledge to walk together everyday. Walking is one the best exercises for increasing circulation. Seniors benefit not only from the exercise itself, but also from the camaraderie of others.
In some areas of the country there is a telephone-coaching program pioneered by Stanford University. In these types of program, a personal trainer meets with the senior and develops an individualized program, and then calls them daily to coach and encourage them.
For those seniors that are either permanently or temporarily in a wheelchair, there are movement therapy systems that work with the wheelchair. Most of these devices work on three levels. First, there is the passive exercise when the motor moves the muscles for senior; second assisted exercise, when the senior uses his/her own muscles with assistance from the motor; and finally, active exercise when the senior uses his/her own muscles and the motor offers adjustable resistance. Machines similar to these can be purchased or rented.
Regardless of what method seniors choose, it is vitally important for all seniors to get moving. Exercise can be the single most important thing they can do to improve the quality of their lives which in turn results in better movement, balance, strength, energy, and a lively, active brain. Resources are as close as the local senior center or Area Agency on Aging.
Exercise Improves Mobility For Seniors
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Exercise is essential to good health at any age, however it is particularly true for the elderly. Statistically, as we age our strength and mobility decrease. Studies indicate that this is partially due a change in lifestyle. If anything, we tend to become more sedentary once we leave the work force. Failure to be attentive to a regular exercise regime is often cataclysmic for the elderly.
For instance, aging muscles sustain injury more easily and the recovery from these injuries usually takes longer. Regular exercise keeps muscles fit and better able to recover from injury. Joint stiffness is another consequence of an aging body that can cause a decrease in mobility. Without regular joint loading and motion exercises, joint stiffness intensifies and mobility continues to decline.
Research shows that a daily exercise program slows and often reverses age-related loss of strength, flexibility and endurance. In particular, seniors do not get enough aerobic exercise to maintain their bodies. Studies show that walking or running 45 minutes per day four days a week will increase both aerobic capacity and mobility by 24 percent. Doctors recommend that seniors who have been primarily sedentary, start with a walking program of 15 minutes per day and work up to 30 to 45 minutes daily.
Strength training for seniors has been shown to have the most dramatic benefits according to recent studies. Resistance exercise can prevent declines in muscle strength and muscle mass for decades. In general doctors recommend that patients begin strength training with very light loads and slowly increasing the loads as the weeks progress. Most seniors begin to see and feel results after six weeks.
Unfortunately seniors suffer from the same lack of motivation that is typical of other age groups. The key is to make the commitment to exercise and then to assign exercise a high priority in the day. One way to do that is to join a fitness club or exercise program. Just knowing that they are expected to be some place at a certain time is often enough to get and keep seniors motivated. Another way to make fitness a priority is to lock it into something the senior does every day. Maybe they watch the news every day at 5:00. Okay, now everyday at 5:00 they watch the news and do their exercises; or the make a rule for themselves that they can't watch they news unless they've walked for 15 to 30 minutes.
Perhaps the easiest way for seniors to stay motivated is to buddy up with a friend. In this way, they can keep each other motivated. Many areas of the country have a telephone coaching system available to seniors, that will not only set up an exercise program for them, but also call them daily to keep them encouraged and motivated.
Regular exercise is as essential to senior health as air and water. No amount of medication can compensate for the lack of exercise. Whether the senior implements an in-home program or goes regularly to gym or exercise class, the senior that exercises will live longer and stay stronger.