Age Well with WIHA

Staying Healthy as You Age

A Guide to Exercise for Older Adults

A recent article shares tips on how older adults can stay healthy and live longer through exercise. Here are the key points explained in simple terms:

Why Exercise Matters

Staying active helps you stay strong, prevent diseases, and enjoy life more as you age. Exercise keeps your heart healthy, your muscles strong, and your mind sharp. It also helps you move better and lowers the risk of falls.

What Kind of Exercises Should You Do?

1. Aerobic Exercise:
   • This includes activities like walking, swimming, or biking.
   • It makes your heart and lungs stronger.
   • Aim for at least 150 minutes each week (about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week).
2. Strength Training:
   • These are exercises that build muscle, like lifting weights or using resistance bands.
   • They help you stay strong and prevent muscle loss.
   • Try to do this 2 or more times per week.
3. Balance and Flexibility Exercises:
   • Activities like yoga or tai chi improve balance and flexibility.
   • These help you avoid falls and move more easily.
   • Do them several times a week.

Tips for Getting Started

• Start Slow: If you’re new to exercise, begin with short sessions and gradually increase the time and intensity.
• Make It Fun: Choose activities you enjoy, like dancing or gardening.
• Get Help: Ask your doctor or a fitness trainer for advice on what exercises are safe for you.

Overcoming Challenges

• If you feel unmotivated, join a group or find a workout buddy. Exercising with others can make it more enjoyable.
• If you have health issues, talk to your doctor about exercises that work for you.
• If time is a problem, try breaking up exercise into 10-minute chunks throughout the day.

What Are the Benefits?

• Better Health: Exercise can lower your chances of getting diseases like diabetes, heart problems, and even some cancers.
• Improved Mood: Physical activity helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
• More Independence: Staying active keeps you strong and able to do daily tasks on your own.

How to Keep Going

• Make a schedule and stick to it.
• Celebrate your progress—every little bit helps!
• Remember, it’s never too late to start exercising!

By staying active, you can enjoy a longer, healthier, and happier life. For more details, check out the full article on this topic.

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Recipes for Connection

Laughing with family or friends, talking about your day, or giving thanks are often at the center of sharing delicious meals together. A common theme? Connection! As we’re gathered together around a table for an evening meal or preparing food in the kitchen it allows us to spend time with people we care about as we fill our stomachs and nourish our social health.

At one time or another, we’ve probably all felt lonely or isolated. This can be temporary, due to changes in working status or relationships or can be felt more long-term. The United States Surgeon General recently released “Recipes for Connection“, a guide to spark ideas for gathering around food. Oftentimes we connect over a meal, while baking cookies, or passing down family recipes. “Recipes for Connection” includes real-life examples of connecting around food and strengthening bonds and feelings of belonging and togetherness.

We encourage you to use and share this guide to strengthen and spark connections, give thanks, expand your circle and host celebrations beyond the holidays.

Both loneliness (the gap between your desired levels of social contact and actual social contact) and social isolation (the number of contacts you have)are associated with serious health impacts including a 29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and a 50% increased risk of dementia as well as a significant increased risk for depression and anxiety. Take time to build your connections. You may start small but challenge yourself and see the difference it makes. Use the “Recipes for Connection” guide to get started.

To learn more tips to stay connected, visit ConnectWI.org.

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Falls Prevention for Caregivers

Did you know that caregivers are at an increased risk of falling? According to studies, the physical and emotional demands of caregiving can lead to fatigue, stress, and even neglect of personal safety, all of which contribute to a higher likelihood of falls.

WIHA and Falls Free® Wisconsin have teamed up to develop resources specific to caregivers to help reduce your risk of falls! Visit the Falls Free Wisconsin website to download resources on Balance & Strength, Sight, Hearing Loss, Home Safety, Medications, and Safe Footwear – all specific to caregivers.

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Find a Workshop

Take charge of your health by taking a WIHA workshop. We offer in-person and virtual (online or by phone) programs that give you the tools to age well. Getting started is easy – simply click the link below.

In this Issue

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How to Live a Longer, Healthier Life

Check out this 2-minute video from the director of the National Institute on Aging to learn what current research says we can do to live a longer, healthier life.

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