Regular physical activities & exercise are good for the physical & mental health of everyone, including seniors. Many studies have shown that exercises can provide a senior with many long-term health benefits that can help them to feel better and enable them to enjoy life to the fullest. Exercises can even improve health conditions for seniors who already suffering from diseases & disabilities.

Some areas that regular exercising in older adults can have positive effects on are:

• Joint mobility & stability
• Body & spinal flexibility
• Bone density
• Respiration
• Circulation
• Cognitive function
• Balance
• Brain coordination
• Confidence
• Self-esteem

Getting Started

Since your body is frailer than when you were young, the type of physical activities & exercises you do to stay healthy will have to be adjusted accordingly to your physical conditions. This way, it’ll be easier to maximise the benefits of the activities or exercises on your body, while keeping you away from accidental injuries. Other than physical exercises, you can also train & sharpen your mind with mind games & activities that challenge your brain function.

Some suggested exercises & activities that can improve both your physical & mental health are:

• Bike riding on level ground or with a few hills with gradual incline
• Fast walking
• Water aerobics – this builds both strength & flexibility
• Canoeing
• Ballroom dancing
• Line dancing
• Gentle yoga – with supervision from a certified instructor to avoid injuries
• Gardening, especially lawn mowing using a lawn mower or digging & shovelling
• Etc.

Make sure that you warm up and stretch properly before doing any type of exercises, and keep your exercises on a moderate intensity. If you try to push for vigorous intensity at your age, your health & safety will be compromised greatly.

No matter how light some activity & exercise can be, as long as it keeps you active, it’s better for your health than none at all. If you want more information on the types of exercise that are suitable for your age & health conditions, or need help with activities around your home, feel free to contact Home Instead Senior Care Outer East via 03 9754 4861.

Thanks for reading through this Blog, I hope you have found it useful. If you require any further assistance please feel free to contact the office.

Kind regards,

Suzanne McLoughlin
Owner of Home Instead Senior Care Outer East

P.S. We provide free Care Consultations and resource guides to support and guide families. Download your free copies from our Aged Care Resources page or Request a Free Information Pack to receive a hard copy.