Our appreciation to Doug H. for the video.
“So many older people, they just sit around all day long and they don't get any exercise. Their muscles atrophy, and they lose their strength, their energy and vitality by inactivity.”
Jack LaLanne The Godfather of modern fitness.
Photo credit Britannica
"If you allow yourself, you can become stronger in the very places which have been broken"
Jane Fonda
Photo credit Unsplash
Nellie is 94. She spent her days sitting watching television or knitting. She never exercised even though her doctor had provided a simple program to maintain her strength. She felt her energy level slipping each day but wasn't motivated to change.
The University of Washington in Seattle, where I had been stationed with the FBI, offered a program she couldn't refuse.
"The UW center is a pioneer of prevention research and is the only federally funded center devoted to promoting health in men and women aged 65 and over. Established by the Centers for Disease Control in 1986, it is a collaborative program of the UW School of Public Health and Community Medicine and Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound."
The evaluation is dated but their proven success for citizens 65 and older is not.
"Today, clad in a pink sweat suit, cuff-like weights hanging from her ankles, Nellie joins her fellow neighbors/fitness partners in the community room for strengthening exercises.
“It’s time for your hip flexors,” calls Cress brightly, exchanging smiles with the half-dozen women as she raises her leg up and down. “These are the ones that help you make it up the stairs.”
With slow determination, the rest of the group follows Cress’ lead—steadying their balance by clutching onto school chairs and exchanging encouragement, giggles and grunts. Like Nellie, other participants have been pleasantly surprised with the program, noting they “don’t wobble as much,” “have more energy” and “feel like a new person.”
This newfound zest for life is spreading. Thousands of Seattle-area residents are reaping benefits from research projects and partnerships with senior centers, housing authority buildings and health-care management. At the center of this movement is the University of Washington Northwest Prevention Effectiveness Center, a collaborative center guided by the mission of “keeping older adults healthy and independent.”
Photo credit to the University of Washington
https://magazine.washington.edu/feature/uw-research-aims-to-keep-seniors-fit-and-active/
There are many ways to build more activity into your daily life and improve your health. Here are some suggestions you may want to consider:
Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
Walk to a neighbor’s house to chat instead of using the phone.
Organize your housework so you can use more energy.
Get off the bus a block early and walk home.
Mow your lawn.
Sweep your walks and patio.
Park at the far end of the parking lot.
Walk to the store.
Take your dog for a walk or offer to walk a friend’s dog.
Enroll in a dance class.
Move around your house as you open your mail or watch television instead of sitting in your easy chair.
Source: UW Northwest Prevention Effectiveness Center
Great video! Not only motivational but sweet as well. I have always hated exercise. It must be because no one in our family ever did it even though some of them played sports in school. The concept of health never entered our vocabulary.
This will get me going I hope. A gym doesn't work for me so I will get an exercise video and give it a go. The times I have done it in the past I have felt so much better that it would have seemed natural to continue but something always came up to botch that enthusiasm.
No more. I refuse to grow old and sit on a couch!
Thanks.