Healthy Aging
Healthy Aging
Debbie Tarcza
SOC – 304: Social Gerontology
Instructor: Amy Reid
August 15, 2011
As people grow older, leading an active lifestyle is more important than ever. Regular exercise helps seniors maintain health, boost energy, and improve confidence. The good news is, no matter your age, your health, or your fitness level, you can benefit from moving more. Whether you are generally healthy or are managing an illness, there are big and small ways to get more active and boost your fitness level. Exercise is extremely important for everyone, no matter what age you are. However for seniors, it becomes even more important. The problem is, many seniors do not know where to begin. They may feel discouraged by fitness barriers, such as chronic health conditions or concerns about injury or falls. The truth is that those entering their senior years can not afford to not get moving. Exercise is the key to staying strong, energetic, and healthy as you get older. It can help you manage the symptoms of illness and pain, maintain your independence, and even reverse some of the symptoms of aging. And not only is exercise good for your body, it is good for your mind, mood, and memory. Many seniors believe that because they are getting older, there is no point to exercising. However, this could not be farther from the truth. Exercise and strength training helps you look and feel younger and stay active longer. Regular physical activity lowers your risk for a variety of conditions, including Alzheimer’s and dementia, heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity. (Ghaffar, 2008). In fact, being physically active on a regular basis is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. Studies have shown that exercise provides many health benefits and that older adults can gain a lot by staying physically active. Even moderate exercise and physical activity can improve the health of people who are frail or who have
Debbie Tarcza
SOC – 304: Social Gerontology
Instructor: Amy Reid
August 15, 2011
As people grow older, leading an active lifestyle is more important than ever. Regular exercise helps seniors maintain health, boost energy, and improve confidence. The good news is, no matter your age, your health, or your fitness level, you can benefit from moving more. Whether you are generally healthy or are managing an illness, there are big and small ways to get more active and boost your fitness level. Exercise is extremely important for everyone, no matter what age you are. However for seniors, it becomes even more important. The problem is, many seniors do not know where to begin. They may feel discouraged by fitness barriers, such as chronic health conditions or concerns about injury or falls. The truth is that those entering their senior years can not afford to not get moving. Exercise is the key to staying strong, energetic, and healthy as you get older. It can help you manage the symptoms of illness and pain, maintain your independence, and even reverse some of the symptoms of aging. And not only is exercise good for your body, it is good for your mind, mood, and memory. Many seniors believe that because they are getting older, there is no point to exercising. However, this could not be farther from the truth. Exercise and strength training helps you look and feel younger and stay active longer. Regular physical activity lowers your risk for a variety of conditions, including Alzheimer’s and dementia, heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity. (Ghaffar, 2008). In fact, being physically active on a regular basis is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. Studies have shown that exercise provides many health benefits and that older adults can gain a lot by staying physically active. Even moderate exercise and physical activity can improve the health of people who are frail or who have
References: Ghaffar, A., (2008). The Benefits of Daily Exercise for the Elderly: Senior Fitness Helps Avoid Chronic Diseases | Suite101.com. Retrieved from: http://www.suite101.com/content/daily-exercise-for-the-elderly-a82799#ixzz1V7nkTez1 National Institute of Health (NIH), (2010). Senior Health: Benefits of Exercise. Retrieved from: http://nihseniorhealth.gov/exerciseforolderadults Quadagno, J., (2011). Aging and the Life Course. An Introduction to Social Gerontolgy. (5th ed.) McGraw-Hill; New York, NY.