By Liz Moore
Keeping active is important at any stage of life, yet possibly more so in our senior years. The well-known adage ‘use it or lose it’ becomes even truer as we age because it takes our bodies longer to regain optimal levels of fitness, strength and mobility the older we get.
Maintaining a commitment to appropriate levels of activity and exercise as we age can be vital to sustaining lifelong health and wellness, and assist us in recovering from falls or injuries. Indeed, it can even help prevent them if we’re lucky.
We all know the benefits of appropriate exercise for our bodies – improved strength, increased bone and organ protection, injury and fall prevention, heart health, weight control, better mobility and more. The gifts it brings to our mental health are also becoming widely espoused – feel-good endorphins, stress relief, anxiety reduction, increased clarity of mind, enhanced social connection, and so on.
So how do we find the right exercise program for our bodies and, most importantly, stick to it?
We’ve asked several senior people who are doing just that to share the secrets of their consistent success.
For John and Susan, a retired couple who live on acreage in Orange, NSW, they do not allow distance to be a barrier. Instead, they bring exercise classes into their home via technology. For more than a year now, they’ve been doing virtual exercise classes with regional, rural and remote aged and health care organisation integratedliving, building up from one class to three each week.
“We find the discipline of having to tune in on Zoom very good,” 81-year-old John said.
“Sometimes your self-discipline is not as strong as when you’ve got someone to answer to.”
But it’s the physical benefits that really keep them both turning up each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
“I had trouble getting out of the chair before we started the exercises,” John said.
“Now I can get out of bed without any help and I haven’t had a lot of trouble in terms of balance. Now I sometimes head off without my walking stick because I don’t think about it. Before I couldn’t really be confident to walk to another room.”
John’s wife Susan has noticed similar improvements in her physical assuredness as well.
“The classes give me a little bit more confidence,” the 76-year-old said.
“I’m very aware of not having a fall. I enjoy that the instructors can see us very clearly and help us individually in that way.”
The couple also enjoy the social connection of the online classes and have taken part in many of integratedliving’s other virtual Wellness for Independence® programs, including in using technology, cardiac health, nutrition, and others. And for those nervous about using technology, John believes nearly anyone could do it.
“The operators themselves can share their screen on their computer and help you with any issues you’re having.”
Marion from Newcastle in NSW has also found the virtual classes a big support through the recent lockdowns in her region.
“It’s so good to be able to socialise with people, particularly when you’re locked down and not talking to anyone because I live by myself, like a lot of people, in a retirement village.”
The 71-year-old has been attending exercise classes at the Wellness Centre by integratedliving in Newcastle, NSW, since it opened more than four years ago. But even with the centre now fully operational again after lockdown, Marion has decided to permanently add a virtual Stretch and Flow class to her weekly timetable, in addition to her two in-centre classes per week.
“It’s a really nice, easy, relaxing stretch of all your muscles and things so I’m going to continue on with that,” Marion said.
And perhaps this is the key to incorporating consistent and regular appropriate exercise into your routine. Finding the exercises and classes that resonate the most with your body and mind, while also being best suited to your current needs and levels of fitness and mobility.
70-year-old Julie took a gradual approach to her physical program after surviving Hodgkin’s Lymphoma as well as a stroke during chemotherapy. Starting slowly, Julie gave her body the time it needed to build up to three exercise classes a week, and she doesn’t let obstacles such as lockdowns prevent her from maintaining her regular program.
“I started using the equipment and gradually built up the strength in my legs,” the Muswellbrook resident said of her initial experience at her local Wellness Centre by integratedliving®.
“My arms are a lot stronger now, too.”
“The centre has been a wonderful opportunity to do exercises according to each person’s ability,” Julie said.
“It is run by personal trainers who are constantly on hand to assist, guide and encourage us.”
And just like Marion, and John and Susan, Julie highlights the social connection as a significant drawcard of regular exercise and wellness programs.
“The social interaction is wonderful with lots of chatter and laughter. The connection is lovely.”
Knowing her vulnerabilities is another way in which Julie has been able to maintain her commitment to active ageing over the years, continuing with the virtual classes through lockdown, knowing she may not exercise without them.
“I’m not a great one for doing exercises without a bit of encouragement, so it’s been wonderful.”
“The trainers continued to guide us with great enthusiasm and competency,” the former nurse said.
We hope you’re now feeling inspired to get your health and wellness back on track, and find support to start (or restart) your active ageing plans? With a passion for preventative health and aged care, the team at integratedliving can help you. Give them a call on 1300 782 896 or visit their website, www.integratedliving.org.au. You can find their virtual and Wellness Centre exercise program timetables there, as well as their Wellness for Independence® program information.
