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How a Lack of Physical Fitness Could Hurt the Elderly

August 21, 2014

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It should go without saying that regular exercise is important. But sometimes people forget how vital it is for senior citizens too. Even those in the senior care industry can fall into the trap of thinking that seniors have earned themselves years of sitting in front of the TV.  While there’s some merit to this we can’t emphasize enough that the elderly need to exercise too.  In order to make sure the elderly stay physically fit, some seek the services of a St. Louis home care provider that specializes in senior care and knows how a lack of physical fitness could hurt the elderly. For one thing, exercise helps to fight a sedentary lifestyle. This is one of the reasons many individuals want home healthcare for their parents: to help keep them active. While this helps, so does a regular fitness regimen. According to the AARP, 40% of those between the ages of 45 and 64 live sedentary lifestyles. After 64, that number hits 60%. That’s downright dangerous. Sedentary lifestyles only lead to more problems. But for senior citizens who live alone, being sedentary is a quick path toward depression, which can easily affect their life expectancy. Again, everyone knows exercise is good for you. Amongst other things, it helps fight off all kinds of disease. Why, then, would it be ok for senior citizens not to partake? No one faces the risk of disease more than this demographic. Fortunately, it’s never too late to start and even those who already face health issues can see benefits from working out (people who may suffer from a handicap or some other physical challenge can still find ways to exercise). Nowadays, too, it’s easy to find senior exercise programs. These programs are great for a number of reasons. First, they feature exercises that are perfect for the elderly. Low impact exercises for seniors are important because they don’t run the risk of hurting their joints. Exercise programs for seniors also give the elderly a reason to leave their house, get around people their own age and even make new friends. As we mentioned with a sedentary lifestyle, sitting at home all day is unhealthy, especially for seniors. If you need home healthcare services in St. Louis, MO, call a quality service provider.  On your initial call bring up the need for assistance with physical fitness. For all the reasons above, it is essential that exercise be a part of every senior's life.