Staying Active Through Our Later Years

The simple act of walking is something we all take for granted, but when mobility decreases risk of injury and hospitalization increase. Once we become sedentary it is even more difficult to jump start motivation, so as of late there is a movement forming to encourage adults in their later years to get active and to stay active.

There was a study done in the US that focused on two groups of seniors in their 70s and 80s- one group of social exercisers, and the other group taking educational classes on successful aging. The journal of the American Medical Association found that participants in the former group were less likely to become disabled. While the difference in health outcomes between these two group was a small percentage, walking twice weekly and doing simple exercises at home is a small intervention.

Have a look at the NPR article on this subject here: When Older People Walk Now, They Stay Independent Later.

With a growing number of people (13 million in the US, according to the article above) who are not able to complete a quarter-mile walk at all, it is important that these easily attainable benefits are well known. As the article explains, this will also help to reduce medical intervention and keep seniors living a more independent, healthy lifestyle.

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Broadway Wellness is a  friendly and community focused integrated healthcare clinic helping people meet their healthcare needs through Vancouver Massage Therapy,  Vancouver Chiropractic Care, and Vancouver Naturopathic Medicine.