Why Should Seniors Include Walking in Daily Routine?

seniors walking together

Walking offers many advantages for the elderly. It costs nothing. No fantastic equipment is needed. It can be done alone or with friends, indoor or outdoor, and most of us do it since we were kids. The big advantage of walking is, however, that it can play an important role in the life of an older adult.

The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend that persons over 65 be given at least five days a week 30-60 minutes of moderate aerobic practice. So, doctors recommend in senior living in OKC a quick walk, which takes approximately 100 steps a minute. Walking is advantageous for people of all ages, but this list of advantages of walking is particularly important to the elderly.

Bone Loss Prevention

Loss of bone mass can cause bones to break more quickly and easily. Seniors at risk of osteoporosis should walk to try to keep their bone mass old. According to one study, hip fractures, which are common in seniors, were reduced by 40% by only 30 days a day.

Helps in Brain Activities

Older adults who regularly exercise are less likely to lose their memory of age, including Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

Helps Heart

Cardiac disease is America's primary cause of death. However, fast age walking can reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

Controls Weight

Losing weight is hard. This is because most exercise plans are challenging to follow for very long. This makes walking a big weight loss exercise. A walking program for seniors may not lead to rapid changes but, given that the slow-but consistent calorie burn is easier to stick with than many other forms of exercise, it is likely to result in permanent weight loss. This weight loss is essential because a senior can reduce the risk of serious obesity conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

Blood Circulation

When you age, problems with circulation occur. This can lead to cardiac illness, hypertension and several other health problems. Walking has enhanced circulation and offers the following advantages:

  • Lower blood pressure

  • Less risk to cardiovascular diseases.

senior sleeping

Better Sleep

Seniors or anyone who has problems sleeping through the night will discover that walking can greatly improve sleep. Studies have shown that people aged 50 to 73 who walked for one hour found their insomnia to be greatly relieved.

Better Balance and Stability

Elderly people experience slips and falls. This is often due to a lack of hip strength and a loss of balance overall. The hips, abdomen and many other muscles are involved in the walking process, ensuring that a person remains balanced. Walking reduces slips and falls, helping to improve stability and balance. That is why in our senior living in OKC we try to make seniors follow a walk session.

Increased Lifespan

For older adults who want to live happy, long and healthy lives, it has been demonstrated that walking reduces the risk of death. A study of people who regularly workout in their 50s and 60s showed that they were 35% less likely than their counterparts to die over an 8-year period.

Final Decision

For seniors and people of all ages, a walk of only 30 minutes a day is recommended. You can have a quick walk to a happier, healthier life until you are old. It's very important to keep active as you get older. The maintenance of your muscle weight and flexibility will keep you healthy and self-sufficient. The need for a walker or other type of walking aid will also be reduced significantly.

In Heritage Assisted Living, you can expect your parents to walk daily. For other queries about our senior living in OKC follow our website.