
The Lynnwood Senior Center’s recently published newsletter, The Messenger, includes a range of advice to help older adults stay engaged and avoid isolation during the COVID-19 outbreak. We will republish some of these, by permission, including this installment on exercise and movement:
If you’re used to regular exercise, such as walking or attending a group class, you might be starting to feel a little sluggish or worry that you’re losing ground. Or, if you haven’t been exercising regularly, now could be a good time to add simple exercise to your daily routine. Make sure to start slow and easy and not overdo. Ask your doctor if it’s ok for you to exercise.
The Surgeon General recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise for older adults on most days of the week. How can you make that happen at home? First, exercising at home means making sure you have space to safely move around — pick up small objects, kitchen chairs, step stools or throw rugs and get them out of your way. Then, break it down into these manageable parts:
Stretch your muscles to keep your joints flexible — stretch when your muscles are warm, after other exercise or first thing in the morning. Do what you know how to do or follow along with an online or TV video.
-Lay on your back on your bed and lift one leg as high as you can, hold for five to ten seconds. Repeat with the other leg.
-Sit in a chair and lift one leg straight out in front of you, point your toe to the ceiling, hold for five to 10 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.
-Reach one arm behind your head and try to touch your shoulder blade, hold for five to ten seconds. Repeat with the other arm.
If you’re used to regular exercise, such as walking or attending a group class, you might be starting to feel a little sluggish or worry that you’re losing ground. Or, if you haven’t been exercising regularly, now could be a good time to add simple exercise to your daily routine. Make sure to start slow and easy and not overdo. Ask your doctor if it’s ok for you to exercise.
Endurance (aerobic) exercise to make your heart and lungs stronger. Aim for 20-30 minutes every day or every other day:
-March in place while watching TV, listening to an audio book or enjoying your thoughts.
-Follow along with an online or TV exercise video.
-Take a brisk walk around your yard, parking lot, inside your building or other accessible location where you can move.
-Dance to your favorite tunes.
-Push a vacuum, scrub the bathtub or shower walls, mop the kitchen floor.
-Make it fun and something you look forward to.
-If it doesn’t feel like fun, tell yourself it makes you healthier!
Work on your balance to stay steady on your feet — every day or every other day. Do these any time or after your aerobic exercise to help your body cool down.
-Use a hallway or find an empty wall for support and:
-Walk normally for 15-20 steps. Look ahead and side-to-side, not down at your feet.
-Walk heel to toe for 15-20 steps, look ahead, not down at your feet.
-Walk for 15-20 steps lifting your knees and pretend to step over a log.
-Use the back of a chair for support:
-Stand on one foot for 10-20 seconds, switch and do the same with the other foot.
-Place one foot in front of the other and stand for 20-30 seconds, switch feet and stand again for 20-30 seconds.
Lift some weights to build muscle and improve muscle strength — every other day or three times a week. Do these when your muscles are warm, after aerobic exercise or a five-minute warm-up or first thing in the morning.
-Do what you know how to do or follow along with an online or TV video.
-Use hand weights or other easy to hold objects that weigh 1-5 pounds.
-Your body weight counts — push against a wall and hold for five seconds.
-Stand next to a wall for support and rise up on your toes, hold for five seconds.
-Work in your garden and pull some weeds.
-Push the vacuum, scrub the shower walls, mop the kitchen floor. These build upper body muscle and improve leg strength.
-Make a fist and fling it open. Do it several times then repeat with the other hand.
Stay Active Tips & Resources
Invite a few friends to a Fitness Challenge. Keep it simple and have fun. Use an app on your smart phone, find an online tracker, or use a paper log. Make it so everyone wins.
Go4Life — start here for online support and suggestions. Go4Life is a program of the National Institute on Aging. Dig deep and you’ll find a variety of videos for all
kinds of exercise. You’ll also find motivational resources to help you start and stay on track. Learn more at www.bit.ly/Go4Life-workout.
Call NIH at 800-222-2225 and order Workout to Go and Age Page guides. If you’re not online or prefer something simpler, this is a place to start.
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