Fitness for Seniors

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Aging gracefully: fitness program for seniors is both life enhancing and extending.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate there will be 70 million seniors by the year 2030. Recognizing this trend, fitness centers are adding more programs for this population.

Additionally, more older Americans are realizing the value of fitness for seniors (e.g., enhanced functionality as well as heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and osteoporosis prevention) and enjoying enhanced social relationships in the process. The Cooper Fitness Center has adapted its program for older adults to include more relationship-building activities while focusing on keeping seniors active.

Cooper Classics, the center's program for people age 55 and older, was created over a decade ago to provide the growing senior population a more diverse and fun senior exercise program. "As our members aged, we knew they would not be happy sitting on the sidelines, watching younger members take part in fun, energetic classes," says Heather Henderson, the Cooper Fitness Center's mature market director.

"We also needed to adapt our classes to focus fitness for seniors more on core stability and functionality--two important aspects of fitness for seniors, protecting older populations against falls that may cause hip fractures and other detrimental injuries." Added or changed Classics classes include tai chi, core matters, line dancing and Pilates.

When Joe Weaver, now age 89, joined the Cooper Fitness Center in

1979 his goal was to improve his quality of life. Meeting new friends was just an added benefit." I knew the importance of exercising to maintain a high level of functionality as I aged. What I never expected was that this group of fellow Classics would become my support when my wife passed away," he explains. A true believer that someone is never too old to learn a new skill, Weaver enjoyed the Classics tai chi classes so much, he commandeered a similar class at his assisted living complex and now instructs it once a week.

In addition to offering exciting fitness programming, Cooper Classics provides transportation to the Cooper Fitness Center by a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas-sponsored van; two monthly outings to museums, restaurants and other cultural sites; birthday parties as well as screenings and lectures on nutrition, exercise and other health concerns for aging adults.

The Cooper Fitness Center is one of eight divisions of The Cooper Aerobics Center, founded in 1970 by Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D., M.P.H. With 3,800 members, the fitness center includes a healthy restaurant, an outdoor walking/jogging trail, strength training and cardiovascular equipment, exercise classes, personal training, basketball, boxing, Pilates, tennis and swimming. For more information, call (972) 233-4832 or visit www.cooperaerobics.com/fitness.

Quick Facts About Aging

The United States is on the brink of a longevity revolution. By 2030, the number of older Americans will have more than doubled to 70 million or one in five Americans. (1)

Functionality

Two approaches define functional disability levels. The first is the ability to perform essential daily tasks, such as eating or bathing, known as Activities of Daily Living (ADL). The second, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), represents the ability to perform more complex tasks, such as cooking or cleaning.

* Among noninstitutionalized individuals age 70 and older, 8.7 percent were unable to perform at least one ADL. In the same population, 19.1 percent were unable to perform at least one IADL

* Among those age 85 and older, 21.6 percent were unable to perform one ADL and 38.4 percent were unable to do at least one IADL. (2)

Illnesses and Afflictions

* Only 38.7 percent of older adults say they're in excellent or very good health. (3)

* Arthritis is the most commonly reported chronic condition among older Americans, with the majority of cases occurring in the 70 age group. (2)

* Ten million Americans have osteoporosis--8 million of them are women. One in two women and one in eight men, over age 50, will have an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lives. (4)

* Osteoporosis is the cause of 1.5 million fractures each year. (4)

* Hip fractures are the most serious fall-related injuries. In 2000, the number of yearly hip fractures was expected to reach 300,000 and by 2040, the number should reach 500,000. By age 90, one in three women will have sustained a hip fracture. (2)

* Between 1988 and 1994, over 50 percent of people age 65 and older had low bone density. (2)

Mortality

* The leading cause of death for adults age 65 and older is heart disease. (3)

* Among adults age 65 and older, the leading causes of death in 1998 were heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, pneumonia and influenza as well as diabetes. (2)

* Falls are the leading cause of injury death among people age 65 years and older. (2)

Sources:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/aging/(12 June 2003).

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC Fact Book 2000/2001, 2 March 2001, www.cdc.gov/maso/factbook/main.htm (12 June 2003).
3. National Center for Health Statistics,www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/elderly.htm (12 June 2003).

4. National Institute on Aging, www.nia.govlhealthlagepageslosteo.htm (12 June 2003).

Reprinted by kind permission of The Cooper Aerobics Center.

COPYRIGHT Aerobics and Fitness Association of America - COPYRIGHT Gale Group

Studies have shown that starting a regular exercise program can greatly benefit the health and quality of the life of seniors

of all ages and fitness levels. Many older adults, however, are either afraid to start exercising or are unsure how to begin. To get most out of a fitness program, seniors need to incorporate four types of exercises, according to the authors of Fitness Over Fifty: An Exercise Guide From the National Institute on Aging (Hatherleigh Press, $15.95). (Before starting an exercise program, remember to consult your physician.)

Endurance Exercises increase breathing and heart rate. They improve the health of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Having more endurance not only keeps seniors healthier; it can also improve stamina for the tasks they need to live and do things on their own--climbing stairs and grocery shopping, for example. Endurance exercises also may delay or prevent many diseases associated with aging, such as diabetes, colon cancer, heart disease, stroke, and others, and reduce overall death and hospitalization rates. Example: Walking briskly.

Strength Fitness Exercises build muscles, but they do more than make seniors stronger. They give them more strength to do things on their own. Even very small increases in muscle can make big differences in ability, especially in frail people. Strength exercises also increase metabolism, helping to keep weight and blood sugar in check. That's important because obesity and diabetes are major health problems for older adults. Studies suggest that strength exercises also may help prevent osteoporosis. Example: Biceps curls.

Balance Fitness Exercises help prevent a common problem in older adults: falls. Falling is a major cause of broken hips and other injuries that often lead to disability and loss of independence. Some balance exercises build up the leg muscles; others require you to do simple exercises, many of which can be done anywhere. Example: Briefly standing on one leg, then the other, while waiting in line at the grocery store.

Flexibility Fitness Exercises help keep the body limber by stretching muscles and the tissues that hold the body's structures in place. Physical therapists and other health professionals recommend certain stretching exercises to help patients recover from injuries and to prevent injuries from happening in the first place. Flexibility also may play a part in preventing falls. Example: Place hands together in a praying position. Slowly raise elbows until arms are parallel to the ground. This stretches your wrist muscles. Dr. Frederic Flach, the editor-in-chief of Hatherleigh Press and publisher of Fitness Over Fifty, has remained a prolific author and practicing physician into his 70s. "Following the four pillars of exercise outlined in this book has kept me active and fit, even as I get older," he said. "That's a gift I wanted to pass on to other seniors." COPYRIGHT The Townsend Letter Group & Gale Group

Grandpa Gets Fit

Health clubs aren't just for guys with six-pack abs, and twenty something Jennifer Aniston wannabes. Americans 55 and older are the fastest growing member group at health clubs and fitness centers, according to a recently published study. Over half (55 percent) of the 33 million current club members are adults 40 and older. And many want to get fit for reasons that extend beyond the aesthetic.

A fitness survey of 1,200 adult Americans nationwide, was conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide for the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), a Boston-based nonprofit trade association. Findings were released in July. The study's purpose was to test whether Americans have a different perception of fitness today than they did 10 or 15 years ago, when the emphasis was on achieving a hard body look, according to Bill Howland, IHRSA director of research. "Within the health club industry, we suspected that Americans today are less interested in the pursuit of some ideal body image and more interested in the health or emotional benefits derived from exercise," he says. Of the adults surveyed, 9 percent were health club members and 18 percent were current members or had been members in the past five years.

The fitness survey results confirmed their suspicions. Although still struggling to fit more physical activity into their lives, people realize that exercise has improved their well-being, says Howland. Those who exercise regularly cite important physical and psychological payoffs. A majority say exercise has a positive effect on stress levels (54 percent) and "feeling good about oneself" (60 percent).

Findings from the fitness study, which divides Americans into six categories as defined by their attitudes toward exercise, show that the largest club member groups view exercise as a way to enhance overall well-being. Just over half of all health club members are either "Balanced Holistics" (30 percent) who exercise to "get emotionally centered" as much as to stay physically fit or "Conscientious Preventors" (22 percent) who exercise regularly to prevent health problems or alleviate or control medical conditions. Most Balanced Holistics are female (58 percent) and married (69 percent) with a median age of 40. Conscientious Preventors skew slightly older toward a median age of 55. They also tend to be female (60 percent) and married (63 percent).

For more information, contact Margo Faiman at (617) 951-0055. COPYRIGHT Copyright by Media Central Inc., A PRIMEDIA Company. All rights reserved. & Gale Group

Ten easy steps for a fitness programs using a chair.

One morning my attitude about exercise classes changed forever. Scheduled to teach a new class, I walked into the room with my usual confidence, until I spotted the group sitting in chairs. "Didn't they tell you?," they asked. "We're a chair class."

My mind began to churn frantically. "Of course I knew this was a chair class," I responded with a grin, while wondering, "What is a chair class?" I pulled my chair over and began the class. Ever grateful for my 25 years of teaching experience, I carefully created an hour-long exercise program utilizing a chair. My chair class eventually became so popular I wrote a book, Get Fit While You Sit, detailing the exercises.

Chair classes are not only dedicated to purely fitness exercise, if you want to go a little bit beyond fitness only try chair yoga, a very popular method to get physically and mentally fit.

Chair classes attract clientele who normally resist traditional exercise programs. If you are considering adding a chair class to your program, these 10 tips can help you get started.

1. Chair classes are not geared toward a specific group. Many people find this type of exercise perfect for their needs--seniors, people with disabilities (e.g., muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis and limitation injuries), pregnant women requiring low-impact exercise and previously sedentary individuals who need to gradually progress to a more challenging program. These groups find chair exercises suit their need for additional support and balance, while providing an opportunity to stay active.

2. Almost all traditional exercises can be converted to use the support of a chair. For example, you may have a portion of your class doing a traditional exercise, such as an ab crunch, while others need to do the same exercise seated. Since not everyone requires the support of a chair, those who are able to do traditional exercises should be encouraged to do so. As with a traditional class, a chair class should provide a good workout by encouraging extra repetitions and more difficulty for capable participants. However, even an easy exercise can be effective, so difficulty is not always the key to a good workout.

3. Like traditional classes, a chair class should provide a full-body workout--unless it's specific in nature, such as a legs or abs class. Begin with a warm-up, starting at the head and moving down to the toes or vice versa. A progressive order allows your students to easily follow what comes next. Include stretching, strengthening, toning and an aerobic session. The last few minutes should be a relaxing cool-down (e.g., deep breathing exercises and meditative relaxation of each body part). Participants should leave feeling they had a great workout.

4. Chairs should be sturdy, yet allow freedom of movement. A big, comfy chair with arms is not appropriate because it will obstruct movements and not allow proper posture to be maintained. The chair should not fold, nor have protruding parts that hamper movement. If you are teaching a large class, an easily stackable or portable chair is best. Walls also provide a sturdy spot for wall push-ups and leg lifts--the chair need not be the only means of support.

5. Choose music appropriate for your class members Music is a great way to provide a rhythmic beat for your exercises, so everyone is on the same count. It also increases energy and distracts from an exercise's repetitiveness. Wisely chosen music incites people to exercise harder, longer and enjoy their workout. For example, if you are teaching a group of retirees, don't put on the latest rap song. Play music they enjoy. Although you may think not using the heavy pounding beat of an up-tempo, current top 10 hit would compromise the movements, you'll find big band music has great rhythm and brings smiles to your seniors.

Change the music's tempo depending on the exercise. Play something soothing during a warm-up or cool-down. If you are doing aerobics, select a piece with appropriate tempo. Since music can make or break your class, choose wisely.

6. Walking is a great aerobic activity. Even in a small space, walking is an easy activity. Those with balance problems may use the support of their chairs to walk in place. Most will find circling the room provides an opportunity to walk and talk. Incorporate "walking games" for added challenge. For example, include alternating side chasses or walk forward then backward. Arm movements, such as swinging or clapping, add a dance element to the workout.

7. Use light weights to build strength. Maintaining upper-body strength is important for individuals with limited abilities. Therefore, I encourage exercises that use one- to three-pound weights. These exercises strengthen arms and chest muscles and can be done while sitting in a chair. Remind participants to be cautious when using weights. If not used properly, even light weights can cause injury.

8. Exercises that rotate joints are important. Flexing the feet and fingers, rotating the ankles, moving the wrists up and down as well as extension and flexion of the knees and elbows help lubricate the joints. These are great exercises for those with arthritis or who sit at a desk for long periods of time. Move those joints!

9. Consistency is key to exercise. Any program, no matter what level, will be effective if done consistently. This could be every day or once a week. Whatever the schedule, repetition creates results. Although some may attend the class to progress to another program, for others, this may be the only exercise they get. Make it enjoyable and provide enough repetition so participants can do it on their own, yet offer enough variety so they don't lose interest.

10. Experiment with some of your favorite exercises to make them chair-worthy. I do sit ups, push-ups, isometric presses, back stretches, toe raises--all with the aid of a chair or wall. I include deep breathing, weights and walking. The exercises should be something everyone can do. If they can't, modify and give them something they can do. Simplicity really works. Charlene Torkelson, author of Get Fit While You Sit, is a dance and fitness instructor with over 25 years of experience. She lives in Golden Valley, Minnesota, with her husband and three children. COPYRIGHT Aerobics and Fitness Association of America & Gale Group

Popular sports among seniors - Fitness & Exercise
American Fitness
After analyzing the Superstudy[TM] on the participation of seniors in sports (age 55 and older), the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) has determined the most popular sports for seniors based on frequent participation.

1. Recreational Walking

2. Fitness Walking

3. Treadmill Exercise

4. Stretching

5. Golf

6. Recreational Vehicle Camping

7. Free Weights: Hand Weights

8. Freshwater Fishing

9. Weight/Resistance Machines

10. Recreational Swimming

11. Bowling

12. Stationary Cycling: Upright Bike (Regular)

13. Calisthenics

14. Day Hiking

15. Free Weights: Dumbbells

COPYRIGHT Aerobics and Fitness Association of America & Gale Group

Designing for the gay seniors group.

A cabaret for aging drag queens probably is not on the list of features for most seniors fitness oriented projects, but it will be part of RainbowVision Santa Fe, an assisted and independent living community in New Mexico scheduled to open in April 2006. RainbowVision Santa Fe is being marketed as a welcoming, safe, and accepting environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) seniors and, as such, is offering design touches this population will appreciate.

The cabaret, explains Interior Design Principal-in-Charge Len Cotsovolos of Las Vegas-based LC.Design Services, connects to a full-service fitness salon and spa, in which drag queens can prep for their performances. He's quick to point out that the salon offers more than "just a room with two hair stations"; a full range of services--including manicures and pedicures--will be offered in a luxurious and well-appointed environment. Perhaps more importantly, suggests Cotsovolos, the cabaret offers a safe environment for transgender people to be themselves--whether or not they are performers--and offers an entertainment venue for the other senior residents where their culture can be celebrated.

Another area designed to meet the needs of the LGBT seniors population is the fitness center. "The gay population is historically known for being health conscious, so we will have an intensive fitness center," explains Cotsovolos, noting that its features will include a juice bar, a yoga studio, a full circuit of workout equipment, a full-service locker room with dry and wet grooming, walk-in showers, a full-service spa, massage rooms, and a guest sanctuary. Regarding the latter, Cotsovolos describes the concept this way: "The common space/corridor outside massage rooms is an area that requires complete silence, so as to not disturb the guest undergoing a spa service within a massage room. I have designed this common space to be more or less a meditative or Zen area, where the ambient sounds of a water feature, soothing color palette, overstuffed furnishings, and controlled light levels will enable the guests to relax and focus on their spa experience. The sanctuary is that quiet meditative zone of the spa, where guests await their treatment and have a moment or two of reflection and transcendence."

In describing the features of RainbowVision Santa Fe, Cotsovolos is adamant that this is a community not for just LGBT elders: "I want to be clear that features are not designed 'specifically' for the LGBT population, but rather designed to be recognized and appreciated by them. This community is neither exclusionary nor prejudiced of the mainstream population. It is a community for everyone--including gays. Everyone is welcomed here." With that in mind, RainbowVision Santa Fe will provide amenities all types of people enjoy. For example, common and public spaces will include:

* retail spaces

* rentable artist studios

* a full-service kitchen with room service

* an outdoor cafe

* full-service conference rooms with the latest technologic enhancements

* large rentable banquet rooms for private functions (such as weddings--straight or gay)

Residential units are designed to appeal to many tastes. Upgradeable condos and apartments will have granite countertops, stone flooring, whirlpool tubs, and high-end finishes and lighting. Rentable assisted living quarters will be fully furnished. The assisted living apartments will be full-size, Cotsovolos stresses, with living rooms, separate kitchens, two bathrooms, and two bedrooms large enough to accommodate king-size beds.

Cotsovolos relied on his experience with designing restaurants, bars, guest rooms, fitness center, spas, and other hospitality environments in creating a boutique hotel atmosphere for RainbowVision Santa Fe, his first seniors-oriented undertaking (he has been a consultant to the owner for more than a decade). For example, he designed the assisted living apartments with both a residential and a hospitality flair; he wanted to make sure that if a senior resident had a younger partner, he/she wouldn't feel as though "home" was an assisted living facility. In fact, Cotsovolos avoids using traditional seniors-living terminology when discussing the project: "We never refer to it as a retirement community because that's really not what we are focusing on doing. We're trying to design for the next section of our lives, and there should be nothing institutional about it. We think the boutique hotel approach will help us achieve that goal." Think of RainbowVision Santa Fe as not a retirement community, he says, but as a "lifestyle enhancement," a place where LGBT seniors can live in a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment.

Cotsovolos further explains how he translated hospitality concepts into a seniors fitness environment and used a "destination" concept: "What will set RainbowVision Santa Fe apart is the true sense of 'community.' Not just because the residents are mostly gay, but also because the project was designed as a 'destination' with a clear sense of place, not unlike most resorts. You go outside your front door, and you feel that you are already someplace, complete with all of the amenities most people come to expect every day, such as entertainment venues, dining venues, retail spaces, conference facilities, full-service spa and salons, health clubs, etc. I adopted the destination concept from other hospitality projects we have designed, and which we did not get a sense had been addressed previously in other retirement communities that we had researched."
LGBT seniors do experience the same frailties as their heterosexual peers, and Cotsovolos has incorporated the usual ADA specifications along with other seniors-friendly features, including:

* smaller, more intimate and personal spaces

* wider circulation paths

* larger spans of flooring and fewer transitions

* handrails to assist in moving through corridors

* guardrails and chair rails to protect walls and corners from walkers and wheelchairs

* wider table widths and bases (where necessary)

* wider restroom stalls

* brighter, clearer lighting

* dimmable lighting

* automatic door openers

* static-free carpeting

* lower transaction counters

* easier-to-reach amenities, such as close proximity of the mail room to the front lobby, the adjacency of the salon to the fitness center, massage rooms' direct access to locker rooms, the salon's location behind the performance stage, the artists' studios' location beside a conference room, and retail space located right off the main lobby

* sound-absorbing materials to alleviate background noise

* seating groups throughout to allow residents to rest as they move through spaces

Being gay himself, Cotsovolos says his heart goes into the project: "I feel like in a way I'm giving back to my brothers and sisters. It's something that's very important to me and the rest of the gay community, that we can finally retire in a place of tolerance, where we will be accepted for who we are."

RainbowVision Santa Fe will be a safe and fitness place for gay seniors, but Cotsovolos doesn't think that will translate into isolation from or by the larger community: "There is no risk of isolation within this retirement resort. There are integrated activities planned with the local community, such as organized trips to local venues, scheduled rides to the city community center, the opera, museums and galleries, local sporting events, the golf course nearby, cultural activities, festivals, fairs, and local events, all which help join the residents to the larger community. In addition, the bar, cabaret lounge, restaurant, and retail venues all will be open to the public and will welcome visitors.

It is hoped that gays from around the nation will come to visit the cabaret lounge, one of the only 'gay bars' in town, and help to make the restaurant a local hot spot and gay destination."

Time will tell if the idea of LGBT seniors communities including fitness center really takes hold. Many projects have been proposed, but few have made it as far as this one. (To read about perhaps the first independent living environment for gay and lesbian seniors, the Palms of Manasota, and some factors long-term care managers should take into consideration when serving LGBT clientele, issue of Nursing Homes/Long Term Care Management, p. 40.) Yet Cotsovolos is determined to see this project through. "Gay people historically have been trendsetters," he notes, and perhaps this project will motivate other builders and designers of seniors environments to consider ways to serve the needs of the LGBT market

For more information, visit www.rainbowvisionprop.com. To send your comments to the author and editors, e-mail edwards1005@nursinghomesmagazine.com. To order reprints in quantities of 100 or more, call (866) 377-6454.
Author DOUGLAS J. EDWARDS, ASSISTANT EDITOR, COPYRIGHT Medquest Communications & Gale Group

Fitness for Seniors