SHOCKS OF AGING
Many, many of those I meet who are older seem determined to refuse to exercise consistently, the most important action to take to reduce the effects of aging. For today, I am changing my normal supportive and proactive tune. Instead of convincing you to make changes, I hope to scare you into doing so by showing you some specific yet horrifying consequences of inaction.
Several terrible yet common outcomes that can be avoided:
1) We would all love to stay in our homes for the rest of our lives.
The stunning news is that if you do not exercise consistently the chances are very high that you will be forced to move from your home to a supervised living situation. The reason: the single most common cause for admittance to a senior facility comes from falls in the home. Exercising consistently will improve your balance and agility and certainly will reduce the likelihood that you will fall, enabling you to stay in your home as long as you like. Prevent falls by improving your balance. Take balance classes. Make sure you exercise at least 30 minutes each day.
Consistent exercise = 30 minutes a day.
2) Do you want to give up your senior apartment for a bed in a nursing home with 3 people sharing a room?
Perhaps you have been conscientious enough to move into senior independent housing already where you have your own apartment, have meals in a dining room with others and have classes and activities provided in-house for you. If you have a serious fall, you may no longer qualify for that type of housing. You may be forced into a skilled nursing facility.
The nursing homes in our county are quite good. I have taught thousands of classes in them over the past 25 years. However, the living circumstances are rather difficult. In most facilities there are at least 2 beds to a room and the norm for those less wealthy is 3. With 3, the bed in the center provides limited space. Your own personal world is comprised of the wall behind your headboard, a very small side table and 2 curtains on either side of your bed. No personal belongings. No privacy.
The nursing homes in our county are quite good. I have taught thousands of classes in them over the past 25 years. However, the living circumstances are rather difficult. In most facilities there are at least 2 beds to a room and the norm for those less wealthy is 3. With 3, the bed in the center provides limited space. Your own personal world is comprised of the wall behind your headboard, a very small side table and 2 curtains on either side of your bed. No personal belongings. No privacy.
If you are 75 or older and have a fall, you are 4 to 5 times more likely
to have to spend at least a year in a nursing home.
to have to spend at least a year in a nursing home.
If you want to avoid having to live in a nursing home, then start exercising now. If you live in a senior residence take the in-house exercise classes provided.
3) Keep from having to use a wheel chair:
When we are no longer able to walk comfortably, then our quality of life as we age deteriorates rapidly. If we have had a chronic condition or injury to our lower body then in years to come the likelihood of having to resort to using a wheelchair increases substantially. Unless you do something about it now.
If you don't exercise given these conditions, then deterioration becomes inevitable with more and more assistance being required for functioning as the years pass. If you don't want to be the mate caught with the responsibility of wheeling your beloved around (including frequent heavy lifting) then get your mate into the gym so the likelihood of needing a wheelchair in 5, 10 years becomes far less likely.
The people who need to particularly exercise regularly include those with neuropathy, lower back inflammation, poor knee health, obesity and any lower body injury. Find a program that will reduce your symptoms which include movements that are safe and effective.
If you don't exercise given these conditions, then deterioration becomes inevitable with more and more assistance being required for functioning as the years pass. If you don't want to be the mate caught with the responsibility of wheeling your beloved around (including frequent heavy lifting) then get your mate into the gym so the likelihood of needing a wheelchair in 5, 10 years becomes far less likely.
The people who need to particularly exercise regularly include those with neuropathy, lower back inflammation, poor knee health, obesity and any lower body injury. Find a program that will reduce your symptoms which include movements that are safe and effective.
4) Prevent incontinence and catheritization:
Typically as we age we loose core strength, mostly because of being less active. But also because we more or less "give up" on keeping our middles in shape. One of the consequences of loss of abdominal strength is that the organs of the body receive less support and tend to fall, putting pressure on the bladder among other places. Incontinence is common and in some circumstances requires catheterization, an uncomfortable procedure that especially limits how active we can be and therefore hastens decline.
Consistent exercise enhances core strength. Specific exercise to strengthen the bladder control muscles helps to avert this embarrassing and disagreeable result. Kegel exercises are particularly effective at this task. Include Kegels daily in your personal movement routine whether the classes you attend teach it or not.
Consistent exercise enhances core strength. Specific exercise to strengthen the bladder control muscles helps to avert this embarrassing and disagreeable result. Kegel exercises are particularly effective at this task. Include Kegels daily in your personal movement routine whether the classes you attend teach it or not.
Consistent exercise = 30 minutes a day.
Published October 25, 2022.