Introduction
Exercise is an essential element of physical and emotional well-being that becomes especially important in later life. Indeed, diet, activity, smoking, and stress are determining factors of a healthy or unhealthy aging process, which is currently inevitable (Semeraro et al., 2020). According to Semeraro et al. (2020), vigorous and moderate exercise effectively reduce morbidity and early mortality, as they improve fitness and endurance, resulting in better cardiometabolic function. Furthermore, physical activity helps to improve muscle strength, preserve bone density, prevent early neurodegeneration, and increase vascular elasticity.
Types of Beneficial Exercises for Older Adults
Four types of exercise are known: strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance (National Institute on Aging [NIA], 2009). These activities were found to be necessary for preventing diabetes, breast and colon cancer, heart diseases, osteoporosis, and mood disorders (NIA, 2009). Based on the NIA guide, balance, endurance, and strength are the three exercises that I found most helpful, as they maintain the mental and physical health of older patients.
First of all, examples of strength activities include using a resistance band and lifting weights. According to NIA (2009), this type of physical exercise primarily aims to strengthen muscles and bones. Indeed, strong musculature is essential for elderly individuals to make everyday activities, such as climbing stairs, carrying groceries, standing up from a chair, and playing with grandchildren, easier and more satisfying (NIA, 2009). This guide taught me that 30-minute strength training sessions should be done for two or more days per week, but not on consecutive days. Furthermore, I learned that duration and intensity should be added gradually to avoid injuries and muscle fatigue.
Endurance exercises include swimming, jogging, walking, dancing, sweeping, and tennis. They increase breathing and heart rate for a prolonged period, making the cardiovascular system more tolerant to routine activities like shopping or traveling (NIA, 2009). The starting point for patients can be 5,000 steps, which should be increased to 10,000-15,000 steps per day (NIA, 2009). Additionally, I learned from this guide that, although drinking fluids is strongly recommended during these exercises, patients with kidney problems and congestive heart failure should be advised to limit their water intake.
Thirdly, balance activities are Tai Chi, balance walking, heel-to-toe walking, and standing on one foot. All these exercises help prevent falls, among the most frequent causes of emergency visits among elderly patients (NIA, 2009). Notably, older adults can do balance activities as often as they wish (NIA, 2009). Furthermore, these activities are relatively safe, allowing them to be performed by individuals with a wide range of physical fitness levels. Lastly, I learned from this guide that regular balance exercises help patients overcome their fear of falls and improve certain chronic conditions, such as arthritis.
Conclusion
In summary, the guide to physical activities for older patients provided by the National Institute of Aging helped me understand various types of exercises and their benefits to the elderly. I focused on three activities: balance, strength, and endurance. They all bring various advantages to people’s physical and mental well-being, preventing chronic diseases and delaying demise. Indeed, weightlifting strengthens the muscles, running, jogging, and swimming enhance cardiovascular health, and Tai Chi improves balance. Therefore, it is crucial to educate older patients about the importance of exercise, explaining the duration and methods of performing it to maximize benefits and prevent injuries.
References
National Institute on Aging. (2009). Exercise and physical activity. Web.
Semeraro, M. D., Smith, C., Kaiser, M., Levinger, I., Duque, G., Gruber, H. J., & Herrmann, M. (2020). Physical activity, a modulator of aging through effects on telomere biology. Aging (Albany NY), 12(13), 13803-13823.