Staying healthy and sharp as you get older will contribute to living a longer, more fulfilling life. While many of the habits that keep you healthier in your earlier decades will continue to serve you well as you get older, seniors need to be careful with high-impact exercises and should be aware of different risks.
Eat Right
The AARP actually suggests eating like you have diabetes — don’t eat after 7 p.m.; get rid of the bottom bun when eating hamburgers or other sandwiches; keep nuts in your bag or glove compartment so you have something healthy to snack; use mashed avocado in place of mayonnaise on sandwiches and use whole wheat bread; and replace noodles with quinoa or barley. Talk to your doctor about the number of calories you should be eating daily.
Find the Right Exercises
As long as you’re able to do it, brisk walking remains a great way to burn calories, get your heart rate up and keep your muscles and joints active. It’s not the only exercise that’s low impact and good for seniors, though.
“Any activities that make your every day life easier are going to help you,” says personal trainer Janie Triantis with Chesapeake Health and Fitness in Deale. “Yoga is great for balance and flexibility, you cant go wrong with walking for cardio and just lifting some light weights three days a week is great for muscle conditioning. I advise all older adults to find a trainer at first, to make sure you are doing things correctly and to really get a program that is personalized to you and your goals. I see a lot of clients who are dealing with arthritis – you shouldn’t be doing any exercises that hurt you. We can find activities that are easier to do – and are fun, too.”
AARP suggests tai chi — a form of martial arts that combines slow, graceful movements and meditation that has been connected to a variety of health and fitness benefits. The biggest of those benefits is the exercise’s ability to improve balance and prevent falls. A 2015 study also found tai chi can help seniors avoid osteoarthritis.
“There have been so many medical studies on the benefits of tai chi, that we really refer to it as medication in motion,” says Billy Greer of Jing Ying Institute in Arnold. “A recent study found that tai chi was actually more effective in fall prevention than most modern medically-designed programs.”
Tai chi, as with all exercise, can help reduce stress as well as give you more energy for the rest of your activities. It is effective for building bone density, controlling arthritis, lowering blood pressure and blood sugar, improving strength and flexibility, too.
“Tai chi is all about movement – moving correctly, using your body properly. If all the benefits of this exercise were available in a pill, it would be the wonder drug of the century,” says Greer.
Keep your Brain Sharp
Slowing memory is a normal effect of age. According to Healthbeat, a publication of Harvard Medical School, using the brain is critical to keep your memory sharp. Use all of your senses; repeat or write down information you want to retain; continue learning, either through classes, books, online programs, going to museums or joining a book club; or make a mnemonic device to help you remember things.
“Retirement is the perfect time to rediscover the library,” says Robyn Truslow of the Calvert Library. “A commitment to lifelong learning is one of only two prongs in our mission. The second prong is about opportunities for connection to one another; exactly what retirement should be about. Whether you visit for edification or entertainment, the library has something for you.”
Libraries in Calvert offer monthly brain games, crafting groups, mahjongg sessions and book discussion nights (or days). Truslow also encourages retirees to check out SAGE – Seasoned Adults Growing Educationally, a partnership of county organizations who post upcoming events on a common Facebook page.
Work With Your Doctor
As you age, your risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia increases, as does the risk for cancer, arthritis and many other conditions. Talk to your doctor about changes in your body or symptoms related to depression or other mental conditions.
“As you get to retirement age, plan for what that will be like in 10 or 20 years. A decline in walking and balance may mean that living in a one-story home may be safer for you,” says Dr. Wayne Bierbaum of Bay Community Health, formerly Owensville Primary Care.
“Some people find retirement empty, leading to alcohol abuse and depression. Avoid that pitfall by planning to be engaged physically, socially and mentally,” says Bierbaum. “Being engaged in these manners helps your mind stay sharp and your physical self stay healthy. Have routine doctor evaluations as Medicare allows an initial and yearly visit to go over testing and wellness. Keep an up-to-date medication list with you at all times and include medical allergies. Learn what a healthy diet is and try to follow it fairly closely. If you love your work and are still good at it, you do not have to retire — but there are a lot of experiences to be had and places to visit that are best done while you are able.”
