Assisted Living Fitness Programs: A Comprehensive Guide

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends most adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise weekly, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly.

You may not think that "most adults" include seniors, but you would be wrong. Older adults can exercise without hurting themselves. The trick is to create fitness programs that accommodate them.

Assisted living wellness is more than implementing safety features and helping with daily tasks. Physical health is just as vital. Read on to learn more about elder exercise programs and their importance.

The Importance of Assisted Living Fitness Programs

You may assume there's a difference between the time younger and older adults should exercise. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there isn't.

Seniors should schedule 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous to moderate exercise weekly. We'll discuss the difference between "vigorous" and "moderate", but first, let's cover the advantages of senior exercise programs.

Here is a list of what physical activity and exercise can do for older adults. Immediate effects include:

• Improved sleep quality
• Reduced anxiety
• Reduced blood pressure

The long-term benefits include:

• Helps protect brain health
  • Exercise can improve memory
  • Protects brain function
  • Stimulates brain cell growth
• Improves heart health
  • Can lower the risk of Type 2 Diabetes
  • Reduces the risk of heart disease
  • Lowers the chance of a stroke
• Helps balance and coordination

Some people may have chronic conditions that prevent them from doing certain exercises or limit the amount of physical activity they can do. Some seniors may need tailored fitness plans to accommodate them.

Vigorous vs. Moderate: What's the Difference?

So we've mentioned "vigorous" and "moderate" a few times, but what's the difference? Why does it matter which you choose for what amount of time? Vigorous physical activity is more intense and creates hard, fast breathing.

Moderate exercise will slightly increase your heart rate. Specifically, your heart rate is 50% to 60% higher than at rest. It'll feel like a bit of a challenge, but these exercises aren't overly difficult.

Meanwhile, vigorous exercise requires more exertion. Your heart rate is 70% to 80% higher than at rest. Seniors should consider sticking to low-impact exercises.

Low-impact exercise creates minimal stress on joints and bones. These physical activities often use smooth, controlled movements and avoid jarring impacts.

Good Exercises for Seniors

We'll split senior fitness activities into different categories: vigorous and moderate. Workouts that increase mobility often fall into either group. The first vigorous exercise we'll discuss is swimming.

Swimming is a good aerobic workout that's easy on the joints, making it ideal for people with arthritis and osteoporosis. Swimming is as vigorous as you make it.

Light swimming, or swimming at a sedate pace, is the moderate version of this aquatic activity. Like its more vigorous counterpart, it's easy on the joints and helps the heart.

Water aerobics strengthens muscles, which helps mobility improvement for seniors. Water aerobics especially increases motor control in smaller muscle groups, such as the hands and feet.

Chair squats are a vigorous activity that strengthens muscles. Older adults can use them to develop their core, thigh, and buttocks muscles, all of which help people balance.

Squats are a compound exercise -- which means they work multiple muscles simultaneously. They work the entire upper and lower body.

Fitness programs incorporating squats can do wonders to improve a senior's strength and mobility. This workout can enhance a senior's range of motion.

Seniors may also consider adding wall push-ups to their tailored fitness plans. Wall push-ups, another example of a compound exercise, are a modified version of their traditional counterparts done against a wall.

This bodyweight exercise challenges the upper body's muscles like the:

• Chest
• Shoulders
• Triceps
• Back

Walking is an excellent moderate exercise. It's low impact, which means it's easy on the joints and is a low-effort way to stay mobile. Cycling is a great way to strengthen leg muscles and maintain cardiovascular health.

Yoga vs. Pilates

Yoga is another low-impact way to stay healthy. The various forms promote balance and proprioception.

Proprioception enables you to sense your body's position and movement, which is part of balance and mobility.

Pilates is another helpful series of exercises. It differs from yoga because it builds core strength and muscle control via concise and controlled activity. Yoga is more suited for increasing flexibility and mindfulness.

Yoga utilizes flowing postures you hold for several moments. However, both yoga and Pilates can help improve movement in older adults. What you choose should depend on your personal needs and preferences.

Can You Workout Too Much?

Working out improves assisted living wellness, but there can be too much of a good thing. Seniors can overexercise, leading to weakened immune systems and increased injury.

Overexercising can compromise the body's ability to heal and fend off illness. Overindulging in elderly exercise programs can result in bone fractures and breaks.

Working out should be done in moderation. Ironically, muscle loss can make it harder to balance, leading to bone injuries. It generally takes longer for seniors to recover from more vigorous exercises.

Exercise can exacerbate preexisting conditions, especially cardiovascular problems. There's the matter of repetitive trauma or overuse injuries.

Stress fractures and tendonitis commonly occur from repetitive working out. A stress fracture is a hairline crack that manifests over time.

Tendonitis is when the tendons, fibers connecting muscles to bone, become inflamed. Signs of tendonitis include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Tenderness
• Creaking and popping noises when moving joints

Seniors should consult with their doctors to determine what exercises they can add to their tailored fitness plans. People with underlying conditions should especially seek medical advice before creating workout plans.

Getting the Most From Assisted Living Wellness

Fitness programs are very helpful to seniors in assisted living. Elderly exercise programs help improve memory and mobility, and they can even aid with socializing.

LakeHouse Manitowoc hosts daily exercise classes to keep residents in good health and spirits. We also offer various other activities like book clubs, bingo, art classes, and church services.

We're pet-friendly, too! Contact us to schedule a tour, and don't forget to ask about our veterans' program.