According to a recent article from McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, seniors who receive an additional 48 minutes of exercise per week can significantly boost their physical function and reduce their risk of immobility.
A Tufts University study gauged the impact of physical activity on seniors over 70 who had low physical function and engaged in less than 20 minutes of physical activity each week. After assigning these seniors to exercise programs, researchers noticed improvements in gait speed, mobility and physical performance after just 48 minutes of activity per week.
These encouraging results show that even small increases in physical activity can make a big impact on seniors’ overall health – a perspective The Kenwood by Senior Star encourages among its residents. To ensure there’s never a shortage of opportunities for residents to incorporate physical activity into their individually unique lifestyles, The Kenwood offers an array of fitness programs, including:
- Morning Stretch (Mondays at 11 a.m.) features gentle stretching with seated options and balancing with a chair.
- Dance Class (Mondays at 1 p.m.) is a fun way for residents to sharpen their dance skills while meeting new friends.
- Kenwood Aquatics Class (Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10 a.m.) is led by a certified instructor in The Kenwood’s heated indoor pool.
- Take a Seat Strength Training (Tuesdays at 9:25 a.m.; Thursdays at 11:15 a.m.) focuses on overall body strength, but doesn’t require residents to stand.
- Zumba Gold (Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.) infuses seated exercise with a Latin beat.
- Tai Chi for Balance and Strength (Fridays at 1:30 p.m.) combines simple stretching, breathing and focusing techniques to improve flexibility, balance and circulation.