By the time people retire, they’ve usually established patterns of exercise or the lack of it. Retirement doesn’t change much except give people who like to exercise more time for it. Some people unused to exercising may discover a taste for it. Others will resist it.
Each person will need to find his or her own happy medium. But being fit has so many benefits, especially for people who live alone, that it pays to keep trying. If you’ve never exercised, start slow, but don’t stop. Exercise is addictive: If you keep at it, you’ll start to crave it.
Find an activity you like, at a location you like (it could be your living room), with or without people you like, and persist. Exercise programs just for seniors are offered at gyms, senior centers, even hospitals. No matter your level of fitness, you’ll find people like yourself and a comfortable atmosphere in these programs. Many Medicare policies offer free membership in Silver Sneakers, which is a great place to start.
For people who’ve always exercised, retirement may open doors to new activities and more time for old ones. The danger of this wonderful late fitness is extra wear and tear on muscles and joints. The older you are, the longer injuries take to heal. Yet the longer an injury keeps you away from a sport or activity, the harder it is to recoup. Your body is conspiring to slow you down.
The solution: Do things in moderation. Warm up more, rest more, etc. The consequences of an injury are often harder on people who live alone. In addition to healing from the injury, they must also get things done in everyday life. When I broke my wrist in a hiking accident, I couldn’t open a jar or tie back my own hair for over a week.
Information on the web
The web offers all kinds of information. Google “senior fitness” for “about 189,000,000 results.” Two that I like are:
- MedicineNet provides an easy-to-read overview of senior exercise and the effects of aging on bones and muscles, strength and flexibility.
- The American Senior Fitness Association offers fact and tipsheets.
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