A senior couple sitting and doing a workout with dumbbells

In a 2021 review of 16 studies, researchers found that just 30 to 60 minutes per week of muscle-strengthening or “resistance” exercise increased life expectancy by 10-17%.  These activities range from calisthenics, to Pilates or yoga and can even include carrying the groceries or your grandchild!  Eating protein can also help strengthen your muscles.  Women 50 and older need at least 25 grams of protein per day (30 grams for men).  Studies have shown that seniors combining this style of eating with resistance exercise, their bodies responded like they were in their 20’s.

 

 

Carmel, CA Seniors Should Exercise More To Ward Off Heart Disease

Senior couples doing cardio exercises on the yoga mat

At Family inHome Caregiving, we stress that seniors should get the proper amount of exercise, plenty of social interaction, and eat a healthy diet.  Many of our clients are in their 90’s and some even over 100 and most have led very healthy lives which resulted in their longevity.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week.  Just over 20 minutes of brisk walking each day can get you there.  “But changing it up could have more benefits,” Jordan Metzl, M.D., a sports medicine specialist at New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery, told AARP The Magazine (April/May 2022 Issue, page 35).  “Doing a variety of activities, particularly as you get older, will challenge your body, lead to greater fitness and help you avoid injuries.  He advises swapping in alternatives, such as weight training, swimming or biking, and yoga.

Pebble Beach, CA Seniors Need A Solid Exercise Routine

At Family inHome Caregiving we emphasize to our clients the importance of a healthy diet, the proper amount of social interaction—difficult during the pandemic—and the right amount of exercise.  Most seniors put walking into their routine but experts say they need to add strength training.  As you age, loss of muscle strength and power leads to declining activity, increased frailty and functional dependence, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.  Resistance training is an easy way to add strength training to a daily regimen.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that seniors participate in activities at least two weeks that strengthen muscles along with a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking.

 

Pacific Grove, CA New Hope For Seniors With COPD

An old woman smoking a cigarette

Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be extremely difficult.  A new medical device called Zephyr, which is working miracles in some people.  The tiny lung valve needs to be  implanted in the lungs via a bronchoscope.  The one-way valve blocks air from invading the damaged part of the lungs, where it can get trapped and hinder breathing.  “The instant I woke up from anesthesia, I felt the difference,” said one woman who had the device implanted.  Cardio Pulmonary Associates on Garden Road in Monterey would have more information on the non-surgical device which 20K people have already been treated with.

https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/lung-disease-breakthrough.html

Carmel, CA Seniors Need A Solid Exercise Routine

At Family inHome Caregiving we emphasize to our clients the importance of a healthy diet, the proper amount of social interaction—difficult during the pandemic—and the right amount of exercise.  Most seniors put walking into their routine but experts say they need to add strength training.  As you age, loss of muscle strength and power leads to declining activity, increased frailty and functional dependence, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.  Resistance training is an easy way to add strength training to a daily regimen.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that seniors participate in activities at least two weeks that strengthen muscles along with a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking.