How Many Physical Activities Do Older People Need?

Medical Video: Seated Exercises for Older Adults

After getting older (65 years and above), most people reduce daily physical activity. Either because stamina has been greatly reduced, has certain health conditions, or because there is no chance. In fact, the elderly (elderly) actually have to move a lot and move physically every day. Over the age of 64, the elderly are more vulnerable to various health problems. With physical activity, you can prevent health problems as well as keep your body in top condition, even though you have entered old age. Then, how much needs for physical activity for the elderly? Check out the full information below.

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The importance of physical activity for the elderly

Just like taking supplements, vitamins, or eating healthy foods and drinks, physical activity is also able to prevent various diseases and decrease the function of the body that lurks the elderly. Those of you who have certain diseases such as diabetes or stroke can also avoid a decline in health conditions. The following are risks that can be avoided with sufficient physical activity.

1. Train your body balance

Older people are more vulnerable to losing balance and falling. This can result in fractures or even a stroke. Physical activity can be one way to train your body balance. Your muscles and coordination system will work better, and your reflexes will also increase.

2. Prevent disease

Active elderly people show a lower level of risk of being attacked by diseases such as osteoporosis, hypertension, stroke, coronary heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, and colon cancer. In addition, physical activity can also improve various bodily functions such as breathing, blood circulation, and endurance.

3. Maintain mental acuity

Increasing age, the elderly usually experience a decline in cognitive function. Starting from memory, sharpness of mind, until the ability to manage emotions can be disrupted. Especially if you always work all day before taking retirement. The brain that is not sharpened every day will decrease its function faster. Physical activity is a way to sharpen a healthy brain. When you move and move physically, the nerves of the brain will work and build healthy new cells to replace cells that have been damaged or dead.

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Physical activity needed by the elderly

Physical activity for the elderly should be adjusted to the conditions and physical abilities of each. You can also consult a doctor to find out the limits that are safe for the body. However, in general the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that each elderly person meet the following physical needs.

At least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of heavy intensity physical activity for a week
Every physical activity, make sure the duration lasts for at least 10 minutes
If you are familiar with these minimum recommendations, get used to moderate physical activity for 300 minutes or heavy physical activity for 150 minutes a week
Elderly people who have body coordination problems should do balance exercises at least 3 times a week
Muscle training should be done at least 2 times a week

Choice of physical activity for the elderly

Moderate intensity physical activities include walking distance, relaxing biking, cleaning the house, climbing stairs, or gardening (hoeing, planting, pulling weeds, etc.). Meanwhile, physical activity for elderly people of heavy intensity includes yoga, tai chi, swimming, jogging, walk fast over long distances, cycle on hilly tracks, carry small children aged 3 years and above, and play badminton.

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To determine which physical activity for the elderly is most suitable for your health condition, you should discuss it first with your doctor. If you are not encouraged to exercise heavily, you can meet your physical needs by routinely doing moderate physical activity every day for at least half an hour a day. To keep your balance trained, you can take gymnastics, tai chi, or yoga. While to train the muscles can actually be done with any activity that uses certain muscles, for example the hand muscles are trained by gardening every day.

If you have certain limitations in physical activity, move according to your abilities. Also make sure you are not really alone on physical activity or exercise so that assistance can be provided as soon as possible if at any time needed.