For the past 24 years, National Senior Health and Fitness Day has been encouraging older Americans throughout the country to engage in fun physical activities and consider how they can become healthier and maintain good health during their golden years. This year, the holiday falls on May 26. In honor of this holiday, we would like to share some health and fitness tips with our older readers:

Good Exercises For The Elderly

For older adults, low-energy exercises are best. There are several options available, and many can be done either in groups, solo or with a friend or two. A few examples of good exercises for the elderly include:

• Stretching – Stretching is an important part of any workout, but can also serve as its own exercise. This is fairly easy and can be done by seniors of most fitness levels, but should be done with supervision.
• Walking – For seniors who are still walking on their own, a nice long walk is a slightly more challenging exercise. Even short walks can be incredibly beneficial for senior health, so non-wheelchair-bound seniors of various fitness levels can usually participate.
• Dancing – If you loved to dance when you were younger, chances are you do just as much in your older years. Dancing to classic songs from the good old days helps mix nostalgia and exercise and is always a hit in nursing homes.
• Balloon Volleyball – This is a game that most seniors can enjoy, even those bound in wheelchairs. Simply set up like a regular volleyball game, with two lines of players facing each other and a net in the middle. This exercise helps get the heart pumping and is always a fun social activity.
• Yoga – Yoga has both physical and mental health benefits and is a great way for seniors to stay fit. Studies have found that practicing yoga can help improve flexibility, joint health, and breathing – along with reducing blood pressure and anxiety.

If you haven’t been regularly exercising but want to start, it would be wise to check with your doctor first – especially if you have any type of health condition.

Maintaining A Good Diet

Perhaps even more important than exercise, maintaining a good diet is one of the most important aspects of maintaining health as a senior.

Perhaps even more important than exercise, maintaining a good diet is one of the most important aspects of maintaining health as a senior.

• Lean protein (chicken, seafood, beans, eggs, etc.)
• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains (such as brown rice or whole wheat pasta – much healthier than white rice and white pasta)
• Low-fat dairy (milk, yogurt, etc.)

It’s also much healthier to eat whole foods, rather than pre-packaged and processed ones. Additionally, it’s important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

Following these general diet guidelines and getting some form of regular exercise will do wonders for improving and maintaining health in older adults.

Staying Healthy In A Nursing Home

When choosing a nursing home, we’re all looking for somewhere that our older loved ones can spend their last years in a healthy, social, and happy way. It’s important to pay attention to the level of care, cleanliness of the facilities, and the type of diet provided for residents.

If you have an older relative in a nursing home, make sure to communicate with them about what life is like there. Part of maintaining health in a nursing home is being in a facility with caring, attentive staff members. Unfortunately, sometimes nursing home employees can harm the health of their guests by negligence or even outright abuse.

But you can make sure your elderly loved one stays healthy while in assisted care in a few ways:

• Take your time and find a nursing home with clean facilities, competent staff, and healthy food options.
• If your loved one is physically able, encourage them to get some form of exercise.
• Stay up to date on your loved one’s diet.