Exercise For Older Adults

On September 29th my oldest client turned 99.  Not only is she my oldest being 99 but she is also the client who has been with me the longest.  She is amazing, always comes to exercise, and always gives 100%.  While the CDC reports that about 80% of Americans don't get the recommended amount of exercise it is even less for older adults and less than that for old older adults.  The number of older adults in 2016 was about 48 million and by 2050 I believe the number is expected to double.  With that in mind only a small percentage live in retirement communities so a large number are remaining in their own homes or living with family members.  They will not have access to a facility wellness center or gym. Some may visit a senior center such as Kronkosky Center in Boerne where exercise classes or equipment are available.  In many cases if they live alone or with family members they might find it harder to stand up and down, complete daily activities, and move around with ease. Simply getting in and out of bed can become a challenge.  Exercise might help.  In fact, in most cases it does.  I have seen many older adults improve with exercise.  One exercise I do with older clients is chair stands.  On a number of occasions when I introduced this exercise I got " a look".  With a little encouragement all of them have been able to do it and they find that it gets easier with practice.  One of my favorite tools in training is a ball.  With my chair classes I use an air ball (no resistance).  I find them at Walmart or HEB on the end caps of the store aisles.  They are intended for child's play and they are playful but also bring purpose to our class.  We can toss them, bounce them, lift them, kick them and do all sorts of leg exercises with a simple air ball.  It is the simplest, cheapest toy and provides a fun way to increase strength. If you have an older adult that needs exercise and you have trouble coming up with something for them to do try tossing a ball and see what happens.  Not everyone can afford a personal trainer. Few can.  It doesn't mean that exercise has to be tossed out the window.