Our Ask An Angel correspondent is Arlene Petersen, Life Care Navigation Specialist in the area of senior home care.
Q. During the summer and fall, I try to get out for a walk daily if I can. The winter poses a challenge and I am wondering how to implement a workout in my home to keep me in shape over the months when I am stuck indoors.
A. Good for you that you are keeping active and forming a plan to continue to remain active even in the winter months. So many of us go into rest mode when the winter approaches and this can cause us to lose the ground we have worked so hard to gain. The health benefits of daily exercise are widely known, but seniors facing health and mobility issues may feel working out is beyond their abilities. There is a workout that helps seniors of all ages and mobility levels. It’s called Resistance Training. It’s also called strength training. Resistance training can include using resistance bands, lifting weights or objects around your home, or using exercise equipment. Pushing up and down from a chair, opening and closing a door, lifting a can of soup or a 1-pound weight are all types of resistance exercises that any of us can easily do at home. Resistance training offers many benefits, including improved strength, balance, coordination and posture, better bone density, plus lower risks of heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and other chronic illnesses, as well as improved cognitive function and mood. Check with your doctor before starting any type of exercise program and then start slowly. Ten minutes a day is a realistic starting point. Your doctor may have a recommendation for a program or a physical therapist to get you started and once you have your routine down, you can continue on your own. Keep working toward your goal and come springtime, you’ll be ready for your outdoor routine again.
Have a question for our angel correspondent? You can send our angel an email to apetersen@visitingangels.com or send your question via mail to Ask An Angel, 65 Woodbury St., South Elgin, IL 60177.
