Comfort Home Care

Maryland & Washington, D.C. In-Home Care Agency

Serving Montgomery County, Prince George's County and Washington, D.C.
301-984-1401
Schedule a Free Consultation
  • Home
  • In-Home Care Services
    • Alzheimer’s / Dementia
    • Assisted Living Facility Care
    • End-of-life Care
    • Fall Prevention
    • In-Facility Care—Partner with Us
    • Parkinson’s Disease
    • Respite In-Home Care
    • Senior In-Home Care
    • Sick/Injured Recovery Care
    • Special Needs Care
    • The Six Activities of Daily Living
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Home Care FAQs
    • When Do You Need an Aide?
    • 17 Signs That Your Loved One Needs At-Home Care
    • Free Guides
  • About
    • About Us
    • The Comfort Home Care Difference
    • Reviews
  • Careers
  • Areas Served
    • Barnesville
    • Bethesda
    • Brookeville
    • Chevy Chase
    • Gaithersburg
    • Garrett Park
    • Germantown
    • Glen Echo
    • Kensington
    • Laytonsville
    • Poolesville
    • Potomac
    • Rockville
    • Silver Spring
    • Somerset
    • Takoma Park
    • Washington, D.C.
    • Washington Grove
    • Hyattsville
    • College Park
    • Beltsville
    • Greenbelt
    • Laurel
    • Takoma Park
    • University Park
  • Contact Us
    • Send a Referral
    • Schedule Free Consultation

Exercise For Older Adults

Staying fit and active is critical to maintaining a healthy lifestyle for everyone. The benefits of exercise are widely publicized, and people may understand the need for fitness, but not grasp the full weight of it – especially for an aging adult. This article highlights the benefits of exercise for older adults, as well as the types of exercises and their importance to overall health. Though there are many things an individual can do to maintain overall wellness, we will focus here strictly on physical fitness and exercise.

The first thing is that people function at varying levels of physical competence, regardless of their age. A 90 year old woman might be perfectly capable of maintaining a regular swimming program but a 79 year old man might have trouble keeping up with a basic walking regimen. The more challenges a person has, the more important it is to be flexible on exercise routines, regardless of the individual’s actual age.

As we age our bones thin, joints tighten, and muscles atrophy. Without intervention, the human body will naturally break down as it gets older. We have the ability to minimize, if not turn back, physical decline through various forms of fitness and wellness practices.

3 Reasons Why Exercise For Older Adults Is Important

  1. Prevent or delay disease – the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health indicates that inactive people are twice as likely to develop heart disease as those who are more active. In addition to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and arthritis improved or reduced through regular and sufficient exercise.
  2. Stress, mood, and outlook – regular exercise helps manage stress releasing hormones in the brain. We literally feel better when we move our bodies, which has a positive impact on our emotions and physical health.
  3. Exercise makes your brain healthy- Recent studies indicate that exercise may actually be more important to brain function than brain activities, such as puzzles or reading.

There are three types of exercise that help older adults stay healthy:

  • Endurance activities, such as walking, bike riding, or swimming, improve heart and circulatory functions, as well as the muscles involved in the activity. If a person does nothing else, integrating a basic walking or stationary bike program will bring significant benefits to their overall health.
  • Strengthening exercises, such as weights or exercise bands build muscle tissue and improves joint function, increasing the ability to maintain physical functioning.
  • Flexibility and balance through stretching and yoga. This is critical to an aging population where the loss of muscle elasticity and equilibrium can increase the risk of falls and injury.

Maintaining a fit and active lifestyle for the entirety of a person’s life is not only a good idea, it is crucial to her or his quality of life. Though there may be some safety concerns, healthy and appropriate exercise plans are available for seniors at almost any physical fitness level.

Couples Care: Keeping Relationships Whole

Couples Care: Keeping Relationships Whole
One guide you might find helpful:

Selecting an in-home caregiver? Learn why couples care is an affordable solution for families.

In-Home Care Providers: Agency Vs. Independent Contractors

Agency Vs. Independent In-home Care Provider
One guide you might find helpful:

Selecting an in-home caregiver? Learn the basics about Agency Vs. Independent Contractors In-Home Care Providers.

Need Help Selecting an In-Home Caregiver?

how to pick an in-home care provider
One guide you might find helpful:

Selecting an in-home caregiver? Learn the basics before you choose!

Is it Time for In-Home Care

Is it Time for In-Home Care
One guide you might find helpful:

Need a to know when to use In-Home Care? Read our guide "Is it Time for In-Home Care"!

A Family Guide for In-Home Dementia Care

Family Guide for In-Home Dementia Care
One guide you might find helpful:

Need a guide for In-home dementia care? Read our family guide for In-home dementia care!

Coming Home From Rehab. Now what?

Coming Home From Rehab. Now what?
One guide you might find helpful:

Need to know what to do after coming home from rehab? Read our guide "Coming Home From Rehab. Now what?"!

The Changing Care Needs of Parkinson’s Disease Patients

The Changing Care Needs of Parkinson’s Disease Patients
One guide you might find helpful:

Need to know about the changing care needs of parkinson's disease ? Read our guide "The Changing Care Needs of Parkinson’s Disease Patients"!

Understanding Strokes and Recovery

Understanding Strokes and Recovery
One guide you might find helpful:

Need to know about the warning signs of strokes? Read our guide "Understanding Strokes and Recovery"!

Categories: Homecare News, Senior Lifestyle

Join Our Mailing List

Have A Question?

Name*
Patient Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Get A Free Consultation

301-984-7681

Get Our Free Guide on “How Do I Pick an In-Home Care Provider?”

Learns the ins and outs on how to pick a caregiver who will give you the best service for your loved one.

Click Here!

FacebookLinkedIn
121 Congressional Lane, Suite 201 Rockville, MD 20852
4000 Albemarle St., NW, Suite LL15 Washington, D.C., 20016
301-984-1401 | Fax: 301-984-1402

© Copyright 2016-2023 Comfort Home Care
All Rights Reserved