Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Seniors Who Exercise Most Suffer Least Physical Decline But Still Fall
Short of Guidelines
More muscle-strengthening exercises should be encouraged
among older adults in retirement communities – See Exercise Guidelines
for Seniors below
June
11, 2014 – Seniors age 65 and older living in retirement communities who
reported the most exercise had less physical decline than those who did
less. This is another in a steady stream of research confirming the health
benefits of exercise for senior citizens although research also shows most
in this older age group remain inactive and fail to meet the recommended
physical activity guidelines.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Elderly Find Moderate Physical Activity a Winning
Way to Avoid Mobility Problems
Study of over 1600 men and women age 70 to 89 lasted
over two and a half years. See video in bottom of story.
May 27, 2014 - A study described as the largest and
longest randomized trial of physical activity in elderly men and women
at risk of disability has found that structured physical activity of
moderate intensity is more effective than a health education program
with just physical stretching in reducing the risk of disability.
Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Elderly Men with High Blood Pressure Lower Death
Risk with Just Moderate Exercise
Fittest of the senior men were half as likely to die
as the least fit; fitness has positive impact on health regardless of
age or chronic illness.
May 13, 2014 - Elderly men – age 70 and older -
with high blood pressure can lower their risk of death with even
moderate levels of
fitness, according to new research in the American Heart
Association’s journal Hypertension.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
It Just Takes Light Activity Daily
to Help Older Adults Avoid Disability
Researchers claim to be first to find
health, aging benefits of light activities
By Erin White
April 30, 2014 - Pushing a shopping
cart or a vacuum doesn’t take a lot of effort, but enough of this sort
of light physical activity every day can help older people with or at
risk of knee arthritis avoid developing disabilities as they age,
according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Senior Citizens Boost Mental Abilities with Exercise
Even in Old Age, Two Studies Say
Women over 70 increased size of learning area of
brain, second finds window to successfully fight dementia with exercise
lasts into old age
April 10, 2014 - It’s a good day for senior
citizens worried about dementia and diminishing mental abilities. Two
studies out today offer real hope. One says that regular exercise can
help senior women boost the size of the brain area used for memory and
learning. The other found that exercise after middle age seems to slow
dementia in old age and is most effective for those who are overweight.
The key point being it may never be too late to boost your mental
ability by exercising.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
New Formula for Peak Heart Rate During Exercise
Developed for Older Men, Women
Everybody's peak heart rate declines with age, but
decline is more gradual in women
March 27, 2014 – A study of more than 25,000 stress
tests by older people convinced researchers that the current formula for
determining a person’s peak exercise heart rate had to be changed. It
was used by doctors for decades to diagnose heart conditions but the
study says it was flawed because it failed to recognize differences
between men and women, particularly as they age.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Physical Activity Reduces Breast Cancer Risk at Any
Age Says Study of Four Million Women
Age, nor size, nor geographical location alters the
benefits of physical exercise
March 20, 2014 – A new study leaves little doubt
that physical exercise – at least one hour per day - reduces the risk of
breast cancer for women of any age or size, regardless of where they
live. The researchers reviewed all the studies – 37 – published from
1987 to 2013 that included four million women. Those with the highest
level of physical activity reduced the risk by 12 percent.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Exercise for Seniors Becoming New Frontier in
Battle Against Cognitive Decline
Wake Forest study to show whether high- or
low-intensity exercising, or both, can help people with early cognition
problems
By
Les
Gura, Wake Forest Baptist HealthWire
March 19, 2014 - Marcus Dobson, 60, first recognized the
cognitive decline brought on by Parkinson's disease when he realized he
no longer wanted to play with his grandchildren or even be in the same
room with them. Bunny Fontrier, 63, wasn't having any cognition problems, but
after caring for her mother with dementia she thought she should look at
herself, too.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Masters Track Event Features Record-Setters with Ages Over One Hundred
Boston event sees records falling as
seniors extend their athletic abilities; 100-year old
McPhie and lazz great Shaheed also headline indoor champs
March 15, 2014 – It has
been a record smashing track – the 2014 Masters Indoor Track & Field
Championships – in Boston this weekend that has seen top performances by
men and women, some even older than 100.
Read
more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Large Waist Indicates Shorter Life for Men and
Women; Even if Body Mass Index Okay
March 14, 2014 - Having a big belly has
consequences beyond trouble squeezing into your pants. It’s detrimental
to your health, even if you have a healthy body mass index (BMI), a new
international collaborative study led by a Mayo Clinic researcher found.
Men and women with large waist circumferences were more likely to die
younger.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Longer Life Ahead for Senior Citizens Who Build
Muscle
Clinicians need to focus on ways to improve body
composition, rather than on BMI alone, when counseling older adults on
preventative health
March 14, 2014 – There seems to be no end to the
conflict among those who research senior citizens between deciding if
seniors should be thin or a little on the heavy side to achieve a longer
life. The latest opinion from UCLA researchers says the more muscle mass
older Americans have, the likely they are to die prematurely. They add
to the growing evidence that overall body composition is a better
predictor of longevity that using the body mass index (BMI) measurement.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
How You Rate Your Physical Fitness in Middle Age an
Indicator of Dementia Risk
Rating yourself in poor physical condition at about
50 increases dementia risk by four
Feb. 26, 2014 - How would you rate your own
physical fitness? Is it good, satisfactory or maybe even poor?
Surprisingly, your answer may reveal your future risk of developing
dementia.
Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Older Muscle Stem Cells Rejuvenated
to Function Like Younger Cells, May Help Elderly Repair Muscle
Stanford researchers pinpoint why
normal aging is accompanied by a diminished ability to regain strength
and mobility after muscle injury
By
Krista Conger
Feb.
17, 2014 - Researchers at the
Stanford University School of Medicine have pinpointed why normal
aging is accompanied by a diminished ability to regain strength and
mobility after muscle injury: Over time, stem cells within muscle
tissues dedicated to repairing damage become less able to generate new
muscle fibers and struggle to self-renew.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Physically Active Men Live Longer After Cancer,
Cardiovascular Disease; Reduce Heart Failure
Most active older cancer survivors 38% less likely to
die of cancer; 49% less likely to die of cardiovascular disease
Jan. 23, 2014 – Two new studies have found physical
activity is very beneficial for older men. The results of one reports exercise
it significantly extends the lives of senior cancer and cardiovascular
disease survivors, and the other concludes it reduces heart failure
risk.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Men Who Walk Fast Appear to Have Lower Risk of
Prostate Cancer Mortality
Physically fit men have better outcomes due to more
regularly shaped blood vessels
Jan. 20, 2014 - Men who walked at a fast pace prior
to a prostate cancer diagnosis had more regularly shaped blood vessels
in their prostate tumors compared with men who walked slowly, providing
a potential explanation for why exercise is linked to improved outcomes
for men with prostate cancer, according to results presented here at the
AACR-Prostate Cancer
Foundation Conference on Advances in Prostate Cancer Research,
held Jan. 18–21.
Read more...
Aging News & Information
New Evidence That Walking Speed of Senior Citizens
is Predictor of How Long They Will Live
New study finds happy seniors more likely to maintain
better physical function
Jan. 21, 2014 – A large study of people 60 and
older has found that those who enjoy life are more likely to maintain
better physical function in their daily activities and a faster walking
speed as they age. Previous work by the researchers found these happy
seniors were also most likely to survive for another eight years. This
supports which supports another study suggesting walking speed is a good
predictor of longevity.
Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Surgery Best Option for Herniated Disks; Age-Related
Wear and Tear Usual Cause
Eight-year study shows better long-term outcomes with
surgery rather than non-invasive-treatment
Dec. 30, 2013 - For patients with herniated disks
in the lower (lumbar) spine, surgery leads to greater long-term
improvement in pain, functioning, and disability compared to nonsurgical
treatment, concludes an eight year follow-up study in
Spine. Herniated
disks are usually a result of aging but are more common among middle-age
people than senior citizens due to activity levels of younger people.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Elderly Women Spend Two-Thirds of Time in Unhealthy
Sedentary Behavior
Increasing age and body mass index just make matters
worse
Dec. 17, 2013 - Health experts see sedentary
behavior – when the effort does not raise the energy required above your
resting level – as a risk factor for poor health. New research on
thousands of senior women finds they spend about two-thirds of their
waking hours in such dangerous behavior.
Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Link Between Obesity and Cancer for Older People
Confirmed by Radiographic Imaging
Radiographic imaging exposes relationship between
obesity and cancer in aging population; women with more overall fat
mass, more visceral fat had a higher risk of cancer; fat puts older men
at risk even with healthy BMI
Dec. 4, 2013 - The negative impact of fat on
long-term health, particularly of older people, has been confirmed by
the first use direct radiographic imaging of adipose (fatty) tissue
rather than estimates like body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference.
The study focused on the relationship between obesity and cancer risk in
aging populations.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Obesity, Large Waist Linked to Hearing Loss for
Women; Physical Activity Lowers Risk
Study raises questions about hearing loss being
associated only with aging
Nov. 25, 2013 – If women need another reason to
maintain a smaller waist and a lower body mass index (BMI), new research
has it for them. A study from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) finds
that a higher BMI and larger waist circumference are each associated
with higher risk of hearing loss, but, a higher level of physical
activity is associated with lower risk of hearing loss in women.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Older Men Lower Stroke Risk by Walking Daily at Any
Pace
Older men who walked at least one to two hours each
day at any pace had a reduced risk of stroke
Nov. 14, 2013 — Older men who walked at least one
to two hours each day compared to less than half an hour per day had a
reduced risk of stroke, in a large
population-based study reported in the American Heart Association
journal Stroke.
Read more...
Aging News & Information
Boomers, Seniors Vastly Improve Memory, Brain
Function, Physical Fitness with Aerobic Exercise
New brain imaging techniques allowed researchers to
detect brain changes earlier
Nov. 12, 2013 - A new study conducted by
researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at
Dallas found that engaging in a physical exercise regimen helps healthy
aging adults improve their memory, brain health and physical fitness.
This finding is significant considering that among adults 50 and older,
"staying mentally sharp" outranks social security and physical health as
the top priority and concern in the United States.
Read more...
Aging News & Information
Critical Roles for Exercise and Diet in Aging,
Depression Found in New Research
As humans live longer, experiences, choices
throughout life actively impact the brain and these choices also affect
aging and quality of life - what to do
Nov. 11, 2013 - New studies released today
underscore the potential impact of healthy lifestyle choices in treating
depression, the effects of aging, and learning and point to ways to
improve your lifestyle. The research focused on
the effects of mind/body awareness, exercise, and diet, and was
presented at Neuroscience 2013, the annual meeting of the Society for
Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain
science and health.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Exercise Program in Senior Centers Helps Reduce Pain
and Improve Mobility
Hospital for Special Surgery study shows program
helps reduce arthritis pain for Asian seniors; Arthritis Foundation
Exercise Program used
Nov.
5, 2013 - Experts say it's never too late to reap the
benefits of exercise, and a program offered in New York City senior
centers is improving quality of life for many Asian senior citizens. Offered by Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in
senior centers in New York City, the program has helped decrease pain, improve
mobility and enhance the overall health of many participants, according
to a study by HSS.
Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Risk of Colorectal Cancer Goes Up in Men Who Sit a
Lot, Get Little Exercise
Even meeting daily exercise recommendations cannot
overcome lengthy sedentary behavior – "active couch potato paradigm"
Oct. 30, 2013 - Men who spend the most time engaged
in sedentary behaviors – a lot of sitting and little exercise - are at
greatest risk for recurrence of colorectal adenomas, benign tumors that
are known precursors of colorectal cancers, according to results
presented here at the 12th Annual AACR International Conference on
Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, held Oct. 27-30.
Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Overweight Men Much Less Likely to Survive Diagnosis
of Prostate Cancer
Men who died from prostate cancer were 50% more
likely to be overweight or obese at diagnosis
Oct. 30, 2013 - Men who are overweight or obese
when they are diagnosed with prostate cancer are more likely to die from
the disease than men who are of healthy weight, according to a new
study. In patients with more aggressive forms of prostate cancer, the
researchers also found an even stronger correlation between obesity and
mortality.
Read more...
Features for Senior Citizens
Older Adults Using the Internet are More Likely to
Engage in Cancer Prevention Behavior
One exception: no association between internet use
and participation in breast cancer screening
Oct. 22, 2013 - Congratulations to you readers of
SeniorJournal.com. A new study finds that men and women who use the
internet – that is you – are more likely to participate in screening for
colorectal cancer, participate in physical activities, eat healthily,
and smoke less, compared with those who do not use the internet.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Study
Supports Idea that Seniors Can Meet Their Weekly Exercise Needs in Small
Pieces
Total amount of exercise important, not frequency,
research shows; supports recommendation by CDC for seniors on getting proper
exercise weekly
June
20, 2013 – Senior citizens need at least 150 minutes (2 hours and a half) a
week of
moderate-intensity aerobic activity,
like a brisk walk. There is new research out today that may encourage more
seniors to make the effort. The study from Queen’s University says it make
no difference if a senior does this in one big effort of in a series of
smaller efforts during the week.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Statins Block Benefits of Exercise in Study of Obese
Adults at University of Missouri
If patients start exercising and taking simvastatin
at same time, it seems the statins block the ability of exercise to improve
their fitness levels
By Kate McIntyre
May 16, 2013 – Statins, the most widely prescribed
drugs worldwide, are often suggested to lower cholesterol and prevent
heart disease in individuals with obesity, diabetes and metabolic
syndrome, which is a combination of medical disorders including excess
body fat and/or high levels of blood pressure, blood sugar and/or
cholesterol. However, University of Missouri researchers found that
simvastatin, a generic type of statin previously sold under the brand
name “Zocor,” hindered the positive effects of exercise for obese and
overweight adults.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Exercise Fails to Help Depressed Elderly in London
Care Homes
Popular with residents but it had no effect on
depression or general quality of life
May 2, 2013 – Exercise often seems to be an
automatic recommendation for anything that ails a senior citizen. New
research indicates, however, that this common solution for better mental
and physical health has met its match in trying to help elderly living
in nursing homes and assisted living facilities escape from depression.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Knee Brace Proven to Significantly Reduce Pain of
Kneecap Osteoarthritis
Enormous potential for treating common joint
condition effectively; providing a simple and cheap alternative to
painkillers
April 19, 2013 - A lightweight knee brace can
dramatically improve the function and reduce the pain associated with
osteoarthritis the affects the kneecap, says a study released today by
researchers at The University of Manchester that was funded by
Arthritis Research UK.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Walking Slowly Associated with Poor Health in Senior
Citizens but It May Be Due to Fat Thighs
Study finds older adults who gained the most thigh
fat and lost the most thigh muscle were at greatest risk of a meaningful
decline in walking speed
Feb. 19, 2013 – Previous studies have shown that
walking speed declines with age and the slower senior citizens walk the
less time they have to live. A new study suggests, however, that
prevention of age-related declines in walking speed isn't just about
preserving muscle mass, it's also about preventing fat gain – in the
thighs. Read
more...
Aging News & Information
Nutritional Factors to Preserve Muscle Mass,
Strength and Performance in Senior Citizens
Review by International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF)
Nutrition Working Group examines role of nutrition in sarcopenia,
with focus on protein, vitamins D and B, and acid-based diet.
Jan. 18, 2013 - Sarcopenia - the
decrease in the amount and quality of muscle
- is a common consequence of aging, and poses a
significant risk factor for disability in older adults. Falling,
which can lead to fractures and other injuries for seniors, is often caused by
poor muscle strength resulting from sarcopena.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Mental Abilities in Older People
Retained and Even Improved by Aerobic Exercise
Task switching, selective
attention, working memory and more benefit from aerobic exercise
Dec. 13, 2012 – New research has
found that older people can retain and even improve certain mental
abilities through aerobic exercise, including mental tasks associated
with driving. Particular aspects of cognitive function such as task
switching, selective attention and working memory among others, all
appear to benefit from aerobic exercise.
Read more...
Aging News & Information
Unique Joint Replacement Promo Features Olympic
Coach, Others Writing Letters to Younger Selves
Legendary Coach Mike Krzyzewski teams with author
Ellyn Spragins to release "Had I Known Then," A collection of letters
from former joint pain sufferers to their younger selves
Dec. 7, 2012 – In a unique way to encourage those
with joint pain to consider joint replacement, an orthopedics company
has published an online booklet that features a U.S. Olympics coach and
several others who regret not having their painful joints replaced
earlier. Senior citizens and baby boomers, the most likely to have
debilitating osteoarthritis, often delay hip or knee replacement surgery
for years due to fear, misinformation or a lack of awareness about
treatment options.
Read more, see
video...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Even Older People Can Slow Alzheimer’s, Other
Dementia with Active Lifestyle
Data kept for 20 years;
lifestyle factors included recreational sports, gardening, yard work,
bicycling, dancing and riding exercise cycle
Nov. 27, 2012 - Previous studies have indicated
that exercise may slow the progression of dementia and Alzheimer’s
disease. A study presented today, however, focused on senior citizens –
average age 78 – and concluded an active lifestyle helps preserve gray
matter in the brains of older adults and could reduce the burden of
dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Read
more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Free Bus Passes Appear to Open Door to Health
Benefits for Older People
Researchers point to other studies that also show
seniors more likely to be physically active if using the buses
Sept. 20, 2012 – A novel way to encourage older
people to be more physically active is to provide them with free bus
passes, say the authors of a study published today in the American
Journal of Public Health.
Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Fitness at Middle Age Leads to Lower Risk of Chronic Disease in Senior Years
Even study participants who died had fewer chronic ailments to the end
Aug. 27, 2012 - A new study declares that fitness in middle age points to less chronic health problems in later life.
And, even those who died in old age, seemed to have less of these chronic ailments right up to the end. The study involved both senior men and
women, older than 65, who were Medicare patients. Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Six in 10 Adults Now Get Physically Active by Walking; Seniors
Gain Less Than Others
Less than half get enough physical activity to improve their health
Aug.
8, 2012 - Sixty-two percent of adults say they walked for at least once for 10 minutes or more in the previous week in 2010, compared to 56
percent in 2005. The good news is senior citizens - those 65 and older - increased their walking. The bad news, it is less than other age
groups, according to a new Vital Signs report from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Group Yoga Helps Stroke Victims Improve Function, Balance
Helps patients long after stroke; cost effective; may help them be more active; oldest over 90
July 27, 2012 – Group yoga can improve motor function and balance in stroke survivors, even if they don't begin yoga
until six months or more after the stroke and no longer receive rehabilitative care, according to new research in the American Heart
Association journal Stroke. One patient was in his 90s. Read more...
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements
Older Women Lose Weight Best with Journal, No Skipped Meals, Lunch In
Findings show with simple tools postmenopausal women –at greater risk for weight gain – can lose weight successfully
July 13, 2012 - Older women who want to lose weight should faithfully keep a food journal, and avoid skipping meals and
eating in restaurants – especially at lunch – suggests new research from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The most important of these,
the researchers report, is the food journal. Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Breast Cancer Risk Reduced by Mild Physical Activity if Weight Maintained
Reduced risk for older women who exercise after menopause is particularly encouraging
June 25, 2012 - Physical activity – either mild or intense, and before or after menopause – may reduce breast cancer risk,
but substantial weight gain may negate these benefits, according to a new analysis by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers.
Read more...
Tai Chi Enlarges Brains, Improves Memory, Thinking in Elderly Chinese
First trial showing lesser aerobic exercise, with stimulating discussion increased brain volume, improved results
on memory, thinking tests
June 19, 2012 - Scientists from the University of South Florida in Tampa and Fudan University in Shanghai found increases
in brain volume and improvements on tests of memory and thinking in Chinese seniors who practiced Tai Chi three times a week, reports an
article published today in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. Read more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Centenarians Match Boomers in Daily Exercise; Favorites are Walking, Muscle Building
100 year olds eat and sleep better than baby boomers; consider social connections a key to
quality life
June 12, 2012 - Most centenarians say they exercise almost every day. Walking is their
favorite physical activity but exercises to build muscle is almost as popular among those 100 years old and older, reports the
UnitedHealthcare’s seventh annual 100@100 survey. This year baby boomers were also surveyed for comparison and there were surprises.
Read more, link to video interview...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Senior Wii Bowlers Head to LA Thursday for California Championship
Bowling by waving a remote control at a television screen is catching on with senior citizens across the country with many
participating in National Senior League - see great video by Erickson Sports at bottom
April 25, 2012 – Thursday is a big day in the booming world of Wii bowling. Teams from across the state will be
representing their senior community in the National Senior League’s California State Championship. The Wii remotes will be swinging at Vintage
Westwood Horizons, 947 Tiverton Ave., Los Angeles. Read more, See Video...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
L.A. Wellness Club Uses Microsoft's Kinect and HealthVault to Enhance Seniors’ Well-Being
Microsoft Corp., the LA Department of Aging, Partners in Care Foundation and
St. Barnabas Senior Services today unveiled an innovative fitness program for senior citizens called the Exergamers Wellness Club, which
combines technology with exercise, overall health monitoring and evidence-based health education from Partners in Care
April 4, 2012 —Orlando Estrada, 77, experienced so much pain and loss of balance after his two knee-replacement surgeries
that he needed a wheelchair to get around. Taking the bus was an ordeal, and he got so little exercise that his blood pressure was heading
toward the danger zone. Read more...
- If you’re an older adult who hasn’t been active in recent years, one of the easiest ways to ease back
into activity is walking – the most basic exercise there is, yet, highly touted by the American Heart Association and other health experts. It
can be done by almost everyone, almost anywhere, and it can have a major positive impact on your health and happiness.
Read more...
Walking Helps Senior Citizens Alleviate Fatigue after Cancer
Operation
New study reveals how a regular walking regimen helped pancreatic cancer patients overcome fatigue; major problem for almost
all cancer survivors
April
2, 2012 Researchers have affirmed that pancreatic cancer patients can literally take a step-by-step approach to combat fatigue. A study published
in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons reports that patients who underwent an operation as part of their
cancer treatment and then started a regular walking regimen experienced less fatigue than cancer survivors who did not do the walking program.
Read more...
Keeping Fit into the "Golden Years" Involves Four Main Areas of Focus
Expert offers tips to help senior citizens live longer healthier lives – see video
By Dr. Judith Black, Highmark Inc
March
12, 2012 - Americans are living longer and are in better physical condition than their predecessors because today's senior citizens are more
aware of the need to remain physically active into their "Golden Years. Read more, see
video...
Seniors With Medical, Psychological Stress Should Consider Yoga, Study Says
Yoga considered by many a tremendous tool for combating the concerns of an aging society, see video
|
 Video
about seniors and yoga |
March 6, 2012 - Senior citizens - the age group most often dealing with stress-related psychological and medical
conditions – may want to see if yoga offers relief. A new study says it is effective in treating patients with depression, anxiety, high blood
pressure and cardiac disease. Read more, see video...
Walking Clubs Offer Senior Citizens a Simple, Free Way to Better
Health, Fitness
American Heart Association adds another national program to promote walking as most effective physical activity
Jan. 17, 2012 - Regular walking, a favorite exercise for senior citizens, is one of the most effective forms of physical
activity that delivers substantial health benefits and improves heart health, says the American Heart Association. The latest addition to
their tools for persuading people to exercise or Walking Clubs, which are quickly being formed in communities across the U.S.
Read more...
Brief, High-Intensity Workouts Appear to Help Diabetics Lower Blood Sugar
Improved blood sugar levels even though they did not lose weight during short two-week study - see video
Dec. 12, 2011 - Brief high intensity workouts - as little as six sessions over two weeks - rapidly lower blood sugar
levels in type 2 diabetics, offering a potential fix for patients who struggle to meet exercise guidelines, according to researchers at
McMaster University in Canada. Read more...
Physical Fitness Trumps Body Weight in Reducing Death Risks for Older Men
Good news for seniors, middle-aged men who are physically active, but do not lose weight – less worry about
BMI being a little high if physically fit
Dec. 10, 2011 - If you maintain or improve your fitness level - even if your body weight has not changed or increased -
you can reduce your risk of death, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. This study
was only of men but the researchers say it is likely to apply to women, too.
Read more...
Older Runners Increasing Fast, Remaining Fast Runners as They Age
Efficiency of using oxygen no different for seniors than younger runners
Nov. 29, 2011 - Runners over the age of 60 are the fastest-growing group in the sport. A new study from the University of
New Hampshire suggests that their running can remain fast as they age, too. Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Study Finds Heart Failure Patients Benefit from Leg Muscle Exercise
By warming up properly, patients can improve the oxygenation, performance of their leg muscles, which is beneficial in
promoting beneficial exercise
Oct.
31, 2011 - Doctors should not only treat the heart muscle in chronic heart failure patients, but also their leg muscles through exercise, say
researchers in a major new study of the disease that primarily hits senior citizens.
Read more...
Sex and Romance for Senior Citizens
Older Men With Higher Testosterone Levels Lose Less Muscle,
Strength As They Age
Testosterone may help senior men preserve muscle and delay frailty; men lose more muscle and strength than women as they age
Oct.
27, 2011 - A recent study of men 65 and older finds elderly men with higher levels of testosterone lost less lean muscle mass, especially if they
were losing weight. In these men, higher testosterone levels were also resulted in less loss of lower body strength. Loss of muscle mass and
strength contribute to frailty and are associated with falls, mobility limitations and fractures.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Stretching Program or with Yoga Relieves Chronic Back Pain; Self-Help Book Fails
Suggests yoga's benefits largely due to physical benefits of stretching and strengthening the muscles - not its mental
components
Oct. 24, 2011 - It’s hardly surprising that yoga and stretching classes were more effective than handing folks a book on
self-care for patients with chronic low back pain. What may surprise many is that stretching and yoga produced about the same results in
reducing symptoms and improving function. But, the progress with yoga is probably from stretching, not the mental exercise.
Read more...
Boomers and Their Senior Parents Are Targets of New
Go4Life Fitness Effort
Public-private effort
led by NIH focuses on fitness for older adults - only 25% of senior citizens engage in regular physical activity
Oct. 20, 2011 - Being physically active is vital to maintaining health and independence as we age, and a new federal campaign
for people 50 and older will help them to get active and keep going. Introduced today by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Go4Life
campaign encourages sedentary older adults to reap health benefits by making physical activity part of their daily lives. Only 25 percent of
people aged 65-74 say they engage in regular physical activity. Read more...
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors
My Aching Knees Seemed to Be Cured by Omega-3, New Study Says It May Be True
UK researchers find omega-3 fatty acids slow down osteoarthritis, at least in guinea pigs; I think it worked for me!
By Tucker Sutherland, editor, SeniorJournal.com
Oct. 17, 2011 – As an active
– well very active – tennis player for many years, when I turned 70 I was worried my playing days might end due to my aching knees. I never
took the court without wearing the latest in knee protection devices. Then, shortly after I increased my daily regimen of fish oil pills, the
knee pain disappeared. I was convinced my joints were now better “oiled.” New research says there may be something to this.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Aerobic Exercise Important Therapy for Preventing, Slowing
Down Dementia
Mayo Clinic: ‘very compelling argument for exercise as a disease-modifying strategy to prevent dementia and mild
cognitive impairment’
Sept. 7, 2011 - Any exercise that gets the heart pumping may reduce the risk of dementia and slow the condition's
progression once it starts, reported a Mayo Clinic study published this month in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
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Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements
Dieting Beats Exercise for Diabetes Prevention in Older Women, Combo Is Best
Strengthening exercise appears to have greater benefits for insulin resistance than aerobic exercise
By Carl Sherman, Health Behavior News Service
Sept. 2, 2011 - Lifestyle changes that include dieting to lose weight and exercise can help prevent type 2 diabetes, but
researchers were uncertain which element contributes more. A new study suggests that, in postmenopausal women at least, dietary weight loss
alone is effective while exercise alone is not effective, and both together are best of all.
Read more, see video
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Older Adults Should Keep on Exercising: Benefits Accumulate as People Age
During 53-year study, grip strength, standing balance, chair rise times used as indicators of strength, physical
performance
Aug. 25, 2011 – Adults are encouraged to exercise at any age, even if they have not exercised in the past. A new study,
however, puts emphasis on those who have exercised in younger years to keep on doing it, because the benefits of physical activity accumulate
over a lifetime. Read more...
Aerobic Exercise Beats Resistance Training at Burning Belly Fat
Duke study involved adults up to age 70; what really counts is how much exercise you do
Aug. 25, 2011 – A study of overweight adults up to age 70 has found that aerobic exercise is your best bet when it comes
to losing that dreaded belly fat, a new study finds. Good news for senior citizens, who sometimes find resistance training too difficult.
Read more...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Senior Citizens Increase Risk of Cognitive Decline with Too Much Salt, Too Little Exercise
Believed to be first study linking benefits of a low sodium diet to brain health in healthy older adults
Aug. 22, 2011 – Senior citizens who lead sedentary lifestyles and consume a lot of sodium in their diet may be putting
themselves at risk for more than just heart disease. A new reports says it appears to also be detrimental to your mental health.
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Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Senior Citizens Prove They Can Learn to Stick with Exercise Routine
Seniors with two executive function skills –multitasking and the ability control distractions – built self-confidence, did
best
Aug. 16, 2011 –
An expert at helping people exercise has taken on the challenge of helping senior citizens stick with their exercise routines and says his
technique of building self-confidence was at least partially successful with this group.
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Exercise May Help Prevent Brain Damage Caused by Alzheimer's Disease
Could help develop approach for early intervention in preventing brain damage; allows brain chemicals to prevent
inflammation
Aug.15, 2011 – Regular exercise could help prevent brain damage associated with Alzheimer's and other
neurodegenerative diseases, according to research published this month in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Senior Citizens Risk Pulmonary Embolism with Knee Replacement Surgery
Study finds 80+ elderly and those with three other common senior problems most at risk in hip, knee surgery
July 27, 2011 – Senior citizens - those 80 and over in particular - may not be the best candidates for knee replacement
surgery according to new research that found pulmonary embolism, an often fatal condition, was most common after replacement surgery in those
over 79 and those who had three other health problems common to the elderly. Read
more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Late-Life Cognitive Decline Slowed in Elderly Women by Minimal Exercise
Two studies support growing evidence that habitual physical activity slows age-related changes in cognition and risk of
dementia
July 19, 2011 – Senior citizen women see their late-life cognitive decline slow down as they engage in regular minimal
exercise. Two studies published as “Online First” by by Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, clearly point
to new hope in a method of slowing age-related mental decline. In one study, the women had vascular or coronary risks.
Read more...
AARP Launches Fat-to-Fit Weight Loss
Program Online for Third Year
Guidance from fitness expert Carole
Carson – she lost 60 pounds at age 60
May 17, 2011 - Today marks the
start of AARP’s third annual “Fat-to-Fit Summer Weight Loss Challenge,”
an online program challenging and supporting people to make positive,
permanent life changes to improve their health. It includes eight weeks
of guidance from fitness expert and author, Carole Carson, who lost more
than 60 pounds at age 60.
Read more...
Patients with Chronic Heart Failure Discover New
Quality of Life with Tai Chi Exercise
Those with chronic systolic heart failure have
been historically considered too frail to exercise - see link to video
in caption about founder
March 25, 2011 - Tai chi
exercise, long popular with senior citizens, appears to offer
improved quality of life, better mood and the ability to exercise
effectively in patients with chronic heart failure, according to a
report in the April 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of
the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read
more, see video....
Senior Citizens Can Be Older and Stronger
with Progressive Resistance Training
Researchers at the University of Michigan say older
adults don’t have to accept strength and muscle loss as they age - watch
video
April 4, 2011 - Getting older
doesn’t mean giving up muscle strength. Not only can adults fight the
battle of strength and muscle loss that comes with age, but the Golden
Years can be a time to get stronger, say experts at the University of
Michigan Health System. Read
more, see video
Sex and Romance for Senior Citizens
Occasional Sexual Activity or Physical Exercise Can
Be Killers
Study sees short-term increase in risk of heart
attack, cardiac death- watch video
March 23, 2011 - When it comes to sex and exercise,
you better do it on a regular basis and this may be especially important
for senior citizens. New research says both activities can trigger a
short-term increased risk of heart attack and sudden cardiac death. But,
the risk is low for those who maintain regular physical activity.
Read
more, watch video...
Working with engineers at U. of Rhode Island she
has patented the Activity Analyzer
Large study of older Americans says prediction most
accurate for those 75 and older; works for men and women - watch video
Nursing Home Abuse?
