Exercise has many benefits for seniors

No matter our age, exercise is vital to our everyday health, and this is especially true for seniors. Many experts believe seniors should aim to stay as active as they can to live a long and happy life.

However, it is important to always consult your doctor before starting any new exercises to ensure it is the right fit for your body and to practice safe workouts.

Mental benefits of exercising

• Exercising gives us more energy.

• It can improve how we sleep — prevent insomnia.

• It gives us more

strength — improves our independence.

• It can improve our mood and prevent anxiety and depression.

• It can improve how our brain functions and works.

Physical benefits of exercising

• It can improve our physical strength.

• It gives us better balance; it can help prevent falls.

• It can help fight or prevent diabetes, heart disease and some other diseases.

Exercising can even help our social health, meaning, it can increase our social engagement with the help of joining workout classes, going to the gym with a friend or even by joining a club.

It can give us many opportunities to meet new people and try new things.

At the end of the day exercising should be something you enjoy and should not be seen as a chore or hassle. It’s important not to push yourself too much but there is nothing wrong with starting at the beginning and making your way up to the goal you want to reach.

Promoting Senior Wellness is provided by The Hickman, a Quakeraffiliated licensed personal care home in West Chester, where Samantha Gordon is the communications and outreach manager. She can be reached at sgordon@thehickman.org or www.thehickman.org.

COURTESY OF THE HICKMAN Residents at The Hickman participate in chair exercises.