Incorporating more exercise into your life is one of the most consistent pieces of advice people receive from doctors. Exercise for seniors can help you sleep better at night, improve cognitive function, promote heart health and even assist with fall prevention.
Even if your mobility is limited, there are great benefits you can reap from physical fitness, especially with fall prevention exercises. Regardless of the extent of your mobility issues, exercises that focus on mobility training can help improve flexibility, circulation and range of motion.
Experiencing mobility limitations is one of the most common threats to your ability to continue living independently, but a regular exercise routine will help keep you mobile and improve your balance. Here are some good exercises for seniors that encourage improved mobility:
Pilates
Pilates classes include ideal fall prevention exercises that aim to strengthen the core, improve balance and coordination and increase flexibility. Pilates classes can either be done on a mat or on a reformer machine. Pilates mat classes can be done in a group exercise class or at home with video instruction. Pilates reformer classes are offered by specialized studios where an instructor can help you navigate how to use the machine.
Aqua Aerobics
Exercising in the water can be much easier than exercising on dry land, especially when it comes to mobility training. According to the Centers for Disease Control, water-based exercises “can benefit older adults by improving the quality of life and decreasing disability” and also “improves the use of affected joints and decreases pain from osteoarthritis.”
Yoga
With or without the support of a chair, yoga is one of the best exercises for seniors that is also low-impact. With the ability to do yoga in the comfort of your own home or in a class environment, yoga is a safe and effective exercise regardless of your ability level. Chair yoga is an excellent way for those with limited mobility to exercise, and also promotes mental health and relaxation techniques by incorporating breathing exercises into the physical exercises.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is often recognized as one of the best fall prevention exercises for seniors today. Low impact and available to people of all ages and abilities, Tai Chi, like yoga, aims to help connect the mind and body through meditation and movement. Harvard Medical School explains that with Tai Chi, “the movements are usually circular and never forced, the muscles are relaxed rather than tensed, the joints are not fully extended or bent, and connective tissues are not stretched. Tai chi can be easily adapted for anyone, from the most fit to people confined to wheelchairs or recovering from surgery.”
Freedom to Move, With A Safety Net
While exercise can help improve a variety of chronic health conditions, flexibility and mobility, a medical alert device can provide you with the peace of mind you need to keep moving and stay active. A medical alert system from Medical Guardian can provide you with freedom–freedom to remain in your own home as you age and the freedom of knowing that you’ll have access to help 24/7, should you need it.
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