Growing old doesn’t have to mean relinquishing freedom
July 13, 2011
No one likes to admit that they’re growing old, and as the Baby Boomers begin to reach the golden age of retirement, they want to remain active and purposeful.
“There are people who are in their 80s who say ‘I’m not old enough to go to the senior center’ because old is 10 years older than what they are, regardless of whether they’re 70 or 80,” Kathy Sporre, the director of the Fergus Falls Senior Citizens Program, told The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. “Senior just says ‘old,’ and they don’t like it.”
Regular exercise can help seniors retain their independence as well as reducing arthritic pain, depression and the risk of developing heart problems, according to the National Institute on Aging. One in three people over the age of 65 falls each year, and exercise can lower the risk.
Older adults may want to consider using medical alert systems, which contact personal emergency response teams to get help if a senior is injured and no one else is around, to help them remain independent longer.
The Fergus Falls Senior Center in Minnesota offers a workout area for older adults to exercise, which can help them retain mobility and keep them healthy, according to the news source.
