In years past, seniors practically live quiet and sedentary lifestyles. Nowadays, things are changing because most older adults are now embracing active lifestyles to become more visible in society. Exercises and good nutrition are essential if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle and the requirements keep changing as one grows older. Due to this fact, seniors have more reasons to stay in shape than the younger generation. Though physical activities are good for someone of any age, they provide health benefits for adults which are very noticeable. It helps them live a longer, healthier, and more joyous life. Here are some fun activities for seniors to keep them fit.
Dancing
There are so many dance schools nowadays and it just tells how important people are beginning to take it. Dancing is a fun activity that lifts your mood and helps you to keep fit by moving your body and freeing any tired muscles or joints. Seniors are more susceptible to falling because of their reduced balance and old age. When seniors dance, it improves their balance and would reduce the probability of sustaining injuries from falls. Dancing is said to be a fantastic way of getting some cardiovascular benefit, improving your coordination and balance, and meeting local seniors who enjoy the same activity according to Carrie Plummer, PhD. Doctor Carrie V is an instructor at the Vanderbilt School of Nursing in Nashville. Most dance classes do not require you to bring a partner.
Walking
Experts say that the best form of exercise for seniors is taking walks either alone or with other seniors. It is an effective way to reduce the risk of some chronic conditions. So it is advisable for seniors to take more walks either around the house or in the neighborhood. Some of the benefits of taking regular walks are improvement in heart health, lowering of blood sugar levels, reduction in body and joint pains, promotion of social engagement, and the improvement of mental health. Walking with a group of old friends or with your grandchildren can spark up interesting pieces of conversation during the activity and all these experiences have an amazing effect on the seniors.
Participate in outdoor activities
This is a good one for seniors because most of them do not like to go out. They prefer to sit in chairs, read novels or be involved with other activities that are rather too quiet. They usually don’t get out much. So, seniors participating in outdoor activities will go a long way to boost their mood and improve their mental health. A bike ride under the sky and on the streets with the beauty of nature all around can really uplift and heal the soul. Pedalling is some work and if you hope to ride for long, it will be better to use a motorized bike which makes it easier to cycle through longer distances. If so, don’t forget the motorized bike kit, which is great for riding in traffic, helping you carry things, and getting over tough hills. Other sports activities like running, playing lawn tennis or volleyball can provide fun moments for seniors who want to enjoy the outside breeze and have more productive time.
Water aerobics
This is another fun activity for anyone at all, especially seniors. In recent years, performing aerobics in water has become a very popular form of exercise. Exercising in water is ideal for those living with joint pains. Arthritis is a common joint pain with seniors which is why this activity will be perfect for them. When doing water aerobics, the buoyancy of the water puts less stress on the joints. The water also brings natural resistance which eliminates the need for weights in strength training. Water aerobics exercises improve your strength, flexibility and balance and with practically no stress on the body. Examples of the activities seniors can engage in during water aerobics are aqua jogging, leg lifts, standing water push-ups, arm curls, and flutter kicking.
Gardening
Though gardening could be a pretty tedious exercise, it sure helps keep seniors fit. As a senior who loves to garden but is scared of joint pains from bending a lot, you can use raised pots and containers on the deck or patio. This will help you stay away from having to bend too much. The activities involved in the gardening process help you appreciate nature more. Apart from the fact that you are protecting the earth by gardening, you also get to ease your body system of any stress and also edify your soul with the nature that comes with your activity. You can try gardening with friends or your partner. Gardening with your grandchildren is a fantastic idea too to bond more with them.
Final word
As a senior, not many things may appeal to you but if you need to stay healthy most of the time, you have to make an exception for exercising. Many seniors find themselves unable to do as many physical activities as they get older. This is because of the weakness that comes with old age and because of this, frustration could set in. This doesn’t have to be this way as there are low-impact exercises that limit stress on the body. More activities in water can help with this. The goal is to have fun and stay fit as much as possible and so you just have to go for the activity that is suitable for you.
