Man is a social being, preferring to live in groups with a high level of social interaction. We are dependent on one another for everything from food and clothing to health. Studies have shown that people who are isolated and lonely have a higher incidence of health problems. A 1998 study of patients with heart disease found that 50 percent of the patients who reported feeling very isolated were not married and had no one in whom they could confide died within five years. During the same time span, only 17 percent of those with either a spouse or confidant died. Another 1998 study on women found that symptoms of depression and lack of social support were associated with more heart attacks, open-heart surgeries and deaths from cardiovascular disease. A report has found that seniors, who attend church at least weekly, live longer.
Even the Internet is proving to be a weapon in the fight against social isolation and loneliness. Websites that sponsor chats and forums are among the most popular on the Internet. They help foster a sense of community and help seniors keep in touch with friend and family who may be many miles away.
As one gets older, the social circle they developed through a lifetime will change and sometimes diminish. Parent, siblings and a spouse may die leaving loved ones alone for many years. Most women because of the significant difference in life expectancies can expect to spend several years alone. Opportunities for developing and maintaining a social network abound, especially for seniors. The challenge is to take advantage of the opportunities. Excuses can be pushed aside.
If loneliness becomes overwhelming, it can lead to depression. Depression can make it even harder to get out and make social contacts.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Seniors Should Try to Keep Up with Younger Adults
Adults - even senior citizens – need two and a half hours a week of moderate aerobic physical activity, which will return substantial health benefits, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which were released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Regular physical activity is essential for healthy aging. Adults aged 65 years and older gain substantial health benefits from regular physical activity and these benefits continue to occur throughout their lives. Promoting physical activity for older adults is especially important because this population is the least physically active of any age group.
Older adults are a varied group. Most, but not all, have one or more chronic conditions, and these conditions vary in type and severity. Regular physical activity reduces the risk in adults of early death; coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer, and depression. All have experienced a loss of physical fitness with age, some more than others. This diversity means that some older adults can run several miles, while others struggle to walk several blocks.
Aerobic Activity
People doing aerobic activities move large muscles in a rhythmic manner for a sustained period. Brisk walking, jogging, biking, dancing, and swimming are all examples of aerobic activities. This type of activity is also called endurance activity.
Aerobic activity makes a person's heart beat more rapidly to meet the demands of the body's movement. Over time, regular aerobic activity makes the heart and cardiovascular system stronger and fitter.
Muscle-Strengthening Activities
Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities, such as weight training, push-ups, sit-ups, carrying heavy loads and heavy gardening, at least two days a week.
At least 2 days a week, older adults should do muscle–strengthening activities that involve all the major muscle groups. These are the muscles of the legs, hips, chest, back, abdomen, shoulders, and arms.
Muscle-strengthening activities make muscles do more work than they are accustomed to during activities of daily life. Examples of muscle-strengthening activities include lifting weights, working with resistance bands, doing calisthenics using body weight for resistance (such as push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups), climbing stairs, carrying heavy loads, and heavy gardening.
Muscle-strengthening activities count if they involve a moderate to high level of intensity, or effort, and work the major muscle groups of the body. For example, muscle-strengthening activity done as part of a therapy or rehabilitation program can count.
No specific amount of time is recommended for muscle strengthening, but muscle-strengthening exercises should be performed to the point at which it would be difficult to do another repetition without help. When resistance training is used to enhance muscle strength, one set of 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise is effective. Development of muscle strength and endurance is progressive over time. This means that gradual increases in the amount of weight or the days per week of exercise will result in stronger muscles.
Balance Activities for Older Adults at Risk of Falls
Older adults are at increased risk of falls if they have had falls in the recent past or have trouble walking. In older adults at increased risk of falls, strong evidence shows that regular physical activity is safe and reduces the risk of falls. Reduction in falls is seen for participants in programs that include balance and moderate-intensity muscle-strengthening activities for 90 minutes (1 hour and 30 minutes) a week plus moderate-intensity walking for about 1 hour a week.
Preferably, older adults at risk of falls should do balance training 3 or more days a week and do standardized exercises from a program demonstrated to reduce falls.
Examples of these exercises include backward walking, sideways walking, heel walking, toe walking, and standing from a sitting position. The exercises can increase in difficulty by progressing from holding onto a stable support (like furniture) while doing the exercises to doing them without support. Tai chi exercises also may help prevent falls.
The evidence is clear - regular physical activity over months and years produces long-term health benefits and reduces the risk of many diseases. The more physically active you are, the more health benefits you gain. It can improve thinking ability in older adults and the ability to engage in activities needed for daily living.
Examples of Aerobic and Muscle-Strengthening Activities for Older Adults.
The intensity of these activities can be either relatively moderate or relatively vigorous, depending on an older adult's level of fitness.
Aerobic Muscle-Strengthening
Walking
Dancing
Swimming
Water aerobics
Jogging
Aerobic exercise classes
Bicycle riding (stationary or on a path)
Some activities of gardening, such as raking and pushing a lawn mower
Tennis
Golf (without a cart) Exercises using exercise bands, weight machines, hand-held weights
Calisthenic exercises (body weight provides resistance to movement)
Digging, lifting, and carrying as part of gardening
Carrying groceries
Some yoga exercises
Some Tai chi exercises
Older adults should increase their amount of physical activity gradually. It can take months for those with a low level of fitness to gradually meet their activity goals. To reduce injury risk, inactive or insufficiently active adults should avoid vigorous aerobic activity at first. Rather, they should gradually increase the number of days a week and duration of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. Adults with a very low level of fitness can start out with episodes of activity less than 10 minutes and slowly increase the minutes of light-intensity aerobic activity, such as light-intensity walking.
Regular physical activity is essential for healthy aging. Adults aged 65 years and older gain substantial health benefits from regular physical activity and these benefits continue to occur throughout their lives. Promoting physical activity for older adults is especially important because this population is the least physically active of any age group.
Older adults are a varied group. Most, but not all, have one or more chronic conditions, and these conditions vary in type and severity. Regular physical activity reduces the risk in adults of early death; coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer, and depression. All have experienced a loss of physical fitness with age, some more than others. This diversity means that some older adults can run several miles, while others struggle to walk several blocks.
Aerobic Activity
People doing aerobic activities move large muscles in a rhythmic manner for a sustained period. Brisk walking, jogging, biking, dancing, and swimming are all examples of aerobic activities. This type of activity is also called endurance activity.
Aerobic activity makes a person's heart beat more rapidly to meet the demands of the body's movement. Over time, regular aerobic activity makes the heart and cardiovascular system stronger and fitter.
Muscle-Strengthening Activities
Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities, such as weight training, push-ups, sit-ups, carrying heavy loads and heavy gardening, at least two days a week.
At least 2 days a week, older adults should do muscle–strengthening activities that involve all the major muscle groups. These are the muscles of the legs, hips, chest, back, abdomen, shoulders, and arms.
Muscle-strengthening activities make muscles do more work than they are accustomed to during activities of daily life. Examples of muscle-strengthening activities include lifting weights, working with resistance bands, doing calisthenics using body weight for resistance (such as push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups), climbing stairs, carrying heavy loads, and heavy gardening.
Muscle-strengthening activities count if they involve a moderate to high level of intensity, or effort, and work the major muscle groups of the body. For example, muscle-strengthening activity done as part of a therapy or rehabilitation program can count.
No specific amount of time is recommended for muscle strengthening, but muscle-strengthening exercises should be performed to the point at which it would be difficult to do another repetition without help. When resistance training is used to enhance muscle strength, one set of 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise is effective. Development of muscle strength and endurance is progressive over time. This means that gradual increases in the amount of weight or the days per week of exercise will result in stronger muscles.
Balance Activities for Older Adults at Risk of Falls
Older adults are at increased risk of falls if they have had falls in the recent past or have trouble walking. In older adults at increased risk of falls, strong evidence shows that regular physical activity is safe and reduces the risk of falls. Reduction in falls is seen for participants in programs that include balance and moderate-intensity muscle-strengthening activities for 90 minutes (1 hour and 30 minutes) a week plus moderate-intensity walking for about 1 hour a week.
Preferably, older adults at risk of falls should do balance training 3 or more days a week and do standardized exercises from a program demonstrated to reduce falls.
Examples of these exercises include backward walking, sideways walking, heel walking, toe walking, and standing from a sitting position. The exercises can increase in difficulty by progressing from holding onto a stable support (like furniture) while doing the exercises to doing them without support. Tai chi exercises also may help prevent falls.
The evidence is clear - regular physical activity over months and years produces long-term health benefits and reduces the risk of many diseases. The more physically active you are, the more health benefits you gain. It can improve thinking ability in older adults and the ability to engage in activities needed for daily living.
Examples of Aerobic and Muscle-Strengthening Activities for Older Adults.
The intensity of these activities can be either relatively moderate or relatively vigorous, depending on an older adult's level of fitness.
Aerobic Muscle-Strengthening
Walking
Dancing
Swimming
Water aerobics
Jogging
Aerobic exercise classes
Bicycle riding (stationary or on a path)
Some activities of gardening, such as raking and pushing a lawn mower
Tennis
Golf (without a cart) Exercises using exercise bands, weight machines, hand-held weights
Calisthenic exercises (body weight provides resistance to movement)
Digging, lifting, and carrying as part of gardening
Carrying groceries
Some yoga exercises
Some Tai chi exercises
Older adults should increase their amount of physical activity gradually. It can take months for those with a low level of fitness to gradually meet their activity goals. To reduce injury risk, inactive or insufficiently active adults should avoid vigorous aerobic activity at first. Rather, they should gradually increase the number of days a week and duration of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. Adults with a very low level of fitness can start out with episodes of activity less than 10 minutes and slowly increase the minutes of light-intensity aerobic activity, such as light-intensity walking.
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