Suggestions for Promoting Physical Health in Late Life

While often presented in a very strict and rigorous manner, perhaps the most encouraging aspect of all the exercise recommendations offered is that each can be integrated into the aging adult’s life quite easily as noted below.

• Calcium and vitamin D intake can be improved by making a conscious effort to include 2 to 3 servings of non-fat milk, yogurt or cheese in one’s diet. Regardless of personal preferences or taste, there are numerous high calcium, high vitamin D foods available.
• Aerobic activity involving large muscle groups can be accumulated throughout the day by using the stairs more frequently at work or taking a brisk walk with a group of co-workers during one’s lunch hour 2 to 3 times a week.
• Resistance training can easily be done 2 to 3 times each week in the comfort and privacy of one’s home utilizing common household items such as canned food items or filled milk containers.
• A wide variety of flexibility exercises can be done at one’s desk throughout the course of the day. Not only does this serve the purpose of developing and maintaining flexibility, but this may also help to relieve the day-to-day stress of the work environment.
• Additionally, many communities offer exercise programs for little or no fee, with classes often being taught by an exercise professional at convenient times throughout the day. Further, many companies, appreciating the importance of regular physical activity, now offer programs to their employees knowing that doing so improves productivity, reduces sick time, and improves overall morale of the workforce. For those companies that do not yet offer these types of programs, many employees have taken the lead and organized such things as walking groups, yoga groups, and even Tai Chi groups at work.

While on the surface including regular physical activity into our daily routine seems like just another item on our "to do" list, the reality is that the aging adult benefits both in the present and, more importantly, in the years to come.

CATALOG  SEARCH CE WHAT'S NEW ABOUT CE  VIEW CART LOG BACK IN WELCOME CE ARCHIVES CE HOME

NursingWorld | Bookstore | NursingMall | Get CE updates via e-mail copyright 2001, 2002, 2003 American Nurses Association Privacy Statement