Avoiding a sedentary lifestyle is fundamental in human development for good mental and physical health. It has been proven that the effects of exercise extend not only to maintaining an ideal weight and stimulating bones and muscles, but also collaborates with sleep hygiene, self-esteem and perceiving oneself as a happy person.
For these reasons and more, senior living communities provide the perfect opportunity for people to maintain an active lifestyle with exercise routines supervised by specialists who promote healthy lifestyles.
Some of the physical activities promoted by these communities are the following:
a) Aerobic exercise sessions
These consist of exercises to strengthen the cardiovascular system. They also help to reduce body fat and eliminate and of course they must be adapted to the possibilities of each senior. Some examples of this type of physical activity are: jumping, dancing, walking, among others. They are usually performed in blocks of 10 minutes (Physical Activities for Older Adults, 2021).
b) Anaerobic exercise sessions
This type of exercise is performed to strengthen the muscles of the body. In each session, a muscle group and its antagonists are commonly strengthened (Physical Activities for Older Adults, 2021). As a result of performing anaerobic exercises, the older adult acquires greater muscle mass, strength and endurance.
c) Personal physiotherapy
The physical therapy specialist at the senior living communities, through his techniques, helps the resident to exercise his functions related to movement and balance, as well as to maintain his autonomy to perform daily tasks. In addition, personal sessions with the physiotherapist work on specific problems and perform exercises to prevent fractures and improve physical condition.
d) Personal exercise system
These are those exercises that the elderly person performs individually in his or her own space, such as yoga or pilates, and are mainly related to the resident's personal lifestyle.
All these activities are consistent with the notion of active aging and a healthy lifestyle, which has been proven to have a direct impact on physical and mental health.
Active older adults are people who enjoy older adulthood and the gains they receive from this life choice, for example, from group exercise sessions, living with other older adults and experiencing their personal and group progress.
Bibliographic references:
Physical activities for older adults (2021) TENA. Retrieved from: https://www.tena.com.co/academia-tena/actividades-fisicas-para-adultos-mayores-tena/
