The Effects of Exercise on Physical Function and Quality of Life in Older Affluent Communities

Exercise benefits both your physical and mental wellbeing, with research showing seniors who regularly engage in physical activity enjoy an improved quality of life. Just 30 minutes of activity such as walking around your neighborhood or attending group fitness classes can have profoundly positive effects on overall health.

Few studies have examined the efficacy of exercise programs designed specifically to benefit frail older adults living in residential care who often face multiple diseases and functional dependence.

1. Strengthens Muscles and Bones

Exercise strengthens muscles and protects them against muscle atrophy as we age, but it also strengthens bones, lowers fracture risk, and enhances balance.

Strength depends both on muscle mass and architecture, both of which improve through exercise. Furthermore, bone density increases through weight bearing activities (walking, jogging, jumping) as well as muscle strengthening exercises like lifting weights, using resistance bands or practicing Thai Chi.

However, it’s essential that you start slowly and build up to your target activity level gradually. Overtraining can cause soreness and damage joints and other parts of the body; so before beginning an exercise program it would be wise to consult a doctor or trainer first.

2. Helps Prevent Chronic Disease

People living with long-term conditions like heart disease, diabetes and back or joint issues can benefit from physical activity; however, they must ensure their fitness routine is safe and appropriate for them.

Regular physical activity improves cardiovascular, lung and muscle strength while decreasing body fat percentage and speeding metabolism. Furthermore, regular activity also helps strengthen balance and flexibility as well as provide improved balance and agility.

Working out will not turn back time, but it can slow the aging process on a cellular level – this includes increasing mitochondrial function in skeletal muscles (which declines with age).

Adults are advised to engage in 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or both. If you’re new to physical activity, consult with a GP before beginning; a general practitioner (GP) can suggest safe exercises tailored specifically to meet your needs and fitness level.

3. Helps Prevent Osteoarthritis

Exercise can be one of the most efficient and safest gerotherapeutic approaches for maintaining strength, preventing falls, improving balance and coordination and relieving pain. Exercise also keeps people active at home, work and socially; therefore preventing functional independence.

Osteoarthritis — or wear-and-tear arthritis — occurs when the smooth cartilage that cushions joints becomes rough and frayed over time, eventually becoming nonexistent, leading to painful joint grinding between bones, leading to stiffness and pain in affected areas.

Exercise stimulates the production of fluid that lubricates joints, keeping them flexible and agile. Callahan notes that exercise stimulates this fluid production to relieve symptoms associated with osteoarthritis (OA) while slowing its progression; aim for 150 minutes or more of moderate aerobic exercise each week such as walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming or using an elliptical machine as part of your program.

4. Reduces Anxiety and Depression

Studies show that exercise can significantly decrease anxiety levels and make people feel calmer, even one session being as effective at fighting anxiety as some medications.

No matter what form of exercise you do – from yoga to jogging to high-intensity interval training – exercise will benefit. Some experts even advocate making physical activity the primary approach in treating anxiety and depression, rather than adding talk therapy (sometimes known as psychotherapy) or medications as additional solutions.

Those new to exercise should begin slowly and gradually increase their endurance. Exercising with other people makes exercising more fun and increases its likelihood that they’ll continue. Social aspects of exercise are especially helpful for people suffering from depression or anxiety who often lose interest in things they once enjoyed doing.

5. Helps with Flexibility

Flexibility exercises are essential to maintaining range of motion and avoiding stiffness in muscles as we age, thereby decreasing back pain. By including flexibility exercises into your routine, they will help keep you moving freely without restriction or rigidity preventing tight muscles that lead to backache or other related ailments from emerging.

Flexibility exercises increase blood flow to your joints, keeping them lubricated and decreasing your risk of injury. They’re also great at improving balance – potentially helping you fall less often!

Strength training and cardiovascular exercise can have significant health benefits for older adults; however, flexibility training shouldn’t be forgotten either. By including this form of physical activity into your routine regularly, the long-term impact can be significant on both physical health and quality of life. Always consult your physician prior to embarking on any new workout program to develop one suited to your specific needs and abilities.