Aging is inevitable, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be painful. While preventative care cannot prevent all issues, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, or bone fractures, it can lessen the risk of common age-related illnesses, including heart disease and cancer.
Athletes must consider how their needs will change as they age and plan for the future, ensuring a healthy life into their golden years. This includes everything from how they eat to where they live, all of which contribute to a positive aging experience.
Move to a Senior Living Community
The University of Chicago recently found that individuals living in a specialized senior living community enjoyed better health outcomes than those in nursing homes or the typical home setting. Benefits included fewer emergency room visits, lower risk of serious bone fractures, and fewer hospital admissions for chronic health conditions like diabetes or heart disease. This is partly due to the fact that these communities encourage healthy living, such as through walkable neighborhoods and access to gyms.
These Chicago elders were also protected from another danger of aging: elder abuse. A leading Chicago nursing home sexual abuse lawyer noted that a quarter of nursing homes in the city have reported at least one sexual assault. Trauma like sexual abuse can make it difficult to focus on preserving your health, robbing you of happiness in your golden years.
Senior citizens from the University of Chicago study were more protected from this institutionalized abuse because, as the study notes, they experienced decreased vulnerability. Whether you’re in Chicago or elsewhere, a senior living community can help you maintain your fitness and dignity for longer. Consider where you’ll live in your older years and how the right environment can help you stay in shape.
Work With a Physical Therapist
Most serious athletes are highly familiar with trainers and coaches, but they may think that physical therapy is only for injury recovery. In fact, physical therapists can help athletes at all stages of life, helping them develop modified training regimens that reflect their changing needs.
With a physical therapist’s help, you can preserve flexibility, improve mobility, and prevent unnecessary stress on your joints and muscles. They can also provide helpful tips for stretching before a training session and ensure that you perform new exercises correctly, reducing the risk of injury. Most importantly, a physical therapist can help you recover from any minor injuries before they lead to bigger issues.
Strength Train for Stronger Bones
Athletes who primarily focus on cardio need to incorporate different exercises into their routine, including strength training, to create a more well-rounded training regimen.
Bone density is a strong predictor of health in older adults. Brittle bones increase the risk of fractures, which can shorten your lifespan while requiring long recovery times. Thankfully, strength training over 50 can improve bone density and enhance mobility, making it easier to carry out activities of daily living.
Bodyweight strength training is low-impact and can be performed anywhere, eliminating the need for an expensive gym membership or home gym. It can also reduce joint stress while improving flexibility. Yoga, thanks to its focus on bodyweight training and flexibility, can be the perfect option for a good warmup before more intensive fitness.
Focus on Low-Impact Options
Even with optimum health, aging can damage joints and ligaments. This is especially true for women, as hormonal changes during menopause can lead to joint inflammation and pain.
Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to stay active without risking serious injury. Swimming and other water exercises are much gentler on the body while still providing an excellent workout so that you can continue to strive toward optimum fitness.
A more low-impact exercise regimen does not mean you need to give up all your favorite activities, even if they need to be modified. For example, Nordic walking can be a great option for runners who want to reduce joint pain. This type of jogging uses two specialized poles that help take some of your weight without eliminating the cardiovascular benefits of running. This form of training even provides an upper-body workout, engaging more muscles so that you get more done.
Adjust to the Environment
Falls may be painful for a young or middle-aged adult, but they can be deadly for a senior citizen. In fact, falls are one of the top mortality risks for those aged 60 and older. As such, older athletes must modify their fitness plans to better reflect their changing needs.
One change is for runners, who may run outside throughout the year. This may be extremely dangerous for a senior citizen, especially in colder climates like Chicago or Minneapolis. Moreover, the percussive impact of hard pavement can wreak havoc on your joints, meaning that it may be time to switch to more low-impact options like a gazelle machine.
Older adults are also at a greater risk of heat stroke, so running in the heat may no longer be an option. Climate-controlled gyms, along with plenty of hydration, are better choices for intensive exercise.
Everyone, no matter their age, needs to preserve their health, but this looks different depending on your stage of life. Choosing a community that encourages a healthy lifestyle, working with professionals, and reducing injury risk will all ensure that you remain vibrant and fit throughout your older years.