Exercise is good for the mind and body, but especially so for retired seniors over the age of 65. A regular routine of senior fitness is vital for older adults who are not as active as they used to be. Staying fit as you age can slow the progress of age-related decline, prevent falls, and generally keep people feeling happy and healthy.
Buckner Retirement Services offers seniors of all activity levels the opportunity to enjoy their retirement through senior recreational programs and beautiful senior living centers. Contact Buckner today at 214.227.7182 to speak with our friendly team and learn more about us.
Understanding the Importance of Senior Fitness
As people age, their bodies begin to decline. Muscle mass and flexibility are lost, and they generally have a harder time moving. It can become more challenging to perform basic tasks, like standing, sitting, cooking, cleaning, and other life activities without pain or stiffness. Weekly exercise for seniors is essential for maintaining independence as long as possible. Movement eases joint pain, gives people energy, and improves bone strength and cognitive function.
If inactive for long periods of time, senior adults can experience a number of health issues, including:
- Reduced muscle mass, strength, and endurance
- Reduced coordination and balance
- Reduced joint flexibility and mobility
- Reduced cardiovascular and respiratory function
- Reduced bone strength
Individuals can prevent many of these things from happening by starting a workout routine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that people need 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise or 75 minutes of vigorously intense exercise each week. It’s also said that two days of muscle-strengthening exercises improve balance and coordination.1
Buckner Retirement locations throughout the state of Texas, prioritize senior fitness. Our fitness programs are a part of every care program and can include aerobic exercise, strength training, wellness programs, and weekly exercises for seniors.
Suggested Weekly Exercises for Seniors
The recommended amount of exercise per week breaks down to 30 minutes a day for five days a week. Here are some weekly exercises for seniors that can help people meet this goal and create a fitness challenge:
- Balance – Balance exercises are very important for seniors who do not feel stable. Balance training includes walking heel-to-toe, standing and sitting, chair exercises, and yoga. This kind of exercise helps seniors improve their balance and greatly reduces falling.
- Strength training – A fun fitness challenge for seniors is strength training. You can do free weights and functional fitness routines, like wall push-ups, calf raises, shoulder blade squeezes, and other exercises.
- Cardio – A good workout for seniors includes walking, biking, running, and swimming. Spending fifteen minutes a day doing one or more of these exercises improves your sleep, lowers blood pressure and stress levels, improves your immune system, enhances brain health, and strengthens your heart.
- Low-impact workouts – As our bodies age, it is more important to build an exercise routine. Low-impact exercises are perfect for seniors who lost a step. These types of exercises include yoga, swimming, stretching, pilates, cycling, and golf.
Building a routine that includes a fitness challenge for seniors is a healthy way to stay active and fit. You will find that you can gain some strength and flexibility, move around much easier, and reduce the impact of age-related decline.
Jumpstart Your Senior Fitness Routine at Buckner Retirement
Our locations in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Angelo, and Longview, all welcome seniors of varying health and fitness levels. We prioritize fitness and offer a number of weekly exercise programs, wellness programs, nutritious meals, and daily social and planned events for our residents.
To learn more about our senior fitness program, call 214.227.7182 today or submit our online contact form and schedule a visit.
Source: