Maintaining a healthy lifestyle  

By Sherri Sparks, Owner/Founder, Elderly Care Concierge. When I was younger, I found that maintaining a healthy lifestyle waned significantly as work, family and home responsibilities became a priority. Exercise all but went out the door.  As I entered my 50’s, I committed to a regular fitness program that would be key to enjoying middle age and my future golden years.

Exercise has countless benefits for those of all ages, including creating a healthier heart, building stronger bones and improving flexibility. For seniors, there are additional benefits including reducing the risk of chronic diseases, lowering the likelihood of injury, and even improving one’s mood.

Northwest Primary Care of Portland, Ore., has highlighted 10 key health benefits to seniors participating in regular fitness activities and upholding an active lifestyle.

• Improving Senior Health
• Managing Body Weight
• Increases Bone Health and Strength
• Promotes Heart & Cardiovascular Health
• Builds Positive Mental Health
• Building Strength Prevents Falls
• Promotes Sleep
• Aerobic Exercise Reduces Hypertension
• Exercise Improves Social Wellness
• Working Out Keeps You Focused and Gives You More Energy

You can get more detail on these benefits by clicking here.

Sports and fitness are also a vital part of the U.S. Veterans Administration’s member programing focused on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  Physical activity and friendly competition engage the mind as well as the body, and recreation therapy fills a special need in the lives of older patients at VA health centers across the country. VA research and clinical experience verify that physical activity is particularly important to the health, recovery, and overall quality of life for older people.

The National Veterans Golden Age Games encourage VA patients over the age of 55 to make physical activity a central part of their lives, and support VA’s comprehensive recreation and rehabilitation therapy programs. It is a national showcase for the preventive and therapeutic value of sports, fitness and recreation for all older Americans.

Founded in 1985, the National Veterans Golden Age Games is the premier senior adaptive rehabilitation program in the United States, and the only national multi-event sports and recreational seniors’ competition program designed to improve the quality of life for all older Veterans, including those with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. The National Veterans Golden Age Games (NVGAG) are one of the most progressive and adaptive rehabilitative senior sports programs in the world. The Games serve as a qualifying event for competition in the National Senior Games in a number of competitive events. Click here to learn more about the National Veterans Golden Age Games.

Table tennis, pickleball, powerwalking and track & field are a few of the over 20 events to be held during this year’s games.  Two Elderly Care Concierge associates are participating in the Golden Age Games this July, Randy Hall and Cynthia Connor (pictured at left).  Randy has participated in the games since 2015.

”Training and competing in the games has helped to change my lifestyle to a healthier one.  I eat better, sleep better and maintain a regular exercise program.,” Hall says.

Look for updates on Elderly Care Concierge’s Facebook and Linked In posts during the week of July 18-23 as we track how Randy and Cynthia at the games.

To learn more about Elderly Care Concierge services, click here.