Monday, August 10, 2009

Senior Living - 3 Ways to Improve Your Health and Mind

As people age, they often worry about declining health, brain functions, and mood. Senior citizens may also worry about moving into a retirement community or assisted living center. While it's an unfortunate fact that aging can mean the onset of disease and disability, there are things seniors can do to improve their physical and mental condition.

Exercising, volunteering, and staying active in different ways can vastly improve a person's health and frame of mind. Senior living doesn't have to be boring or inactive. Whether you live on your own or in a retirement community, choosing fun, fulfilling activities that fill up your time is great for maintaining or bettering your overall health.

Exercise

Exercising is an important habit to maintain throughout life to keep your body in shape and prevent the onset of heart problems, obesity, and other health problems. As people age, it's very important to maintain a regular exercise routine. Most retirement communities offer a wide range of fitness classes with different levels of exertion. You should look for fitness classes or exercise methods that involve not only cardiovascular health, but also different muscle groups. Your workout doesn't have to be extremely strenuous. If you've never exercised before, you may just start with a simple walk.

Senior living centers often have walking groups, as well as games that work the upper body. Even playing bingo offers residents range-of-motion exercises when they raise their arms in the air upon winning! Retirement communities in Florida or other warm climates also usually have swimming pools, so residents can take part in water aerobics that are easy on the joints and limbs. It doesn't matter which type of exercise you choose, as long as you do something.

Volunteer

Volunteering allows seniors to be around other younger people and give back to their community. By interacting with younger people, senior citizens can feel more youthful themselves and pass on worldly advice to children or young adults. People may choose to volunteer in a school, library, church, or charitable organization.

Senior living centers often organize volunteer opportunities for residents. Since volunteering allows people to feel useful and like they're making a difference, this can do wonders for a person's emotional and mental health.

Stay Active

Maintaining a busy schedule means less time for boredom and depression. By staying active, you better yourself emotionally and physically. Traveling to new places, attending shows, and cultivating new hobbies all stimulate the mind. Many senior living facilities have extensive recreational and social calendars with a wide array of events. Whether you enjoy arts and crafts, Bible study, or musical entertainment, you're sure to have plenty of things to do in an active retirement community.

With age, it's important to keep physical, mental, and emotional health in the best shape possible. By exercising, volunteering, and staying occupied with varied activities, senior citizens can improve their overall health and state of mind.

Christine O'Kelly is an author for Aston Gardens, a premier developer of award-winning Florida retirement communities. Aston Gardens offers luxury senior living for the active retiree.

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