Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - October 01, 2008, Winnipeg, Manitoba C m y k Page b6 b 6 Winnipeg free press wednesday october 1, 2008 Winnipeg repress. Com wow. Seabridge bathing. Com Call 204 282 5520 seabridge bathing Manitoba locally owned and operated reduce the risk of slipping or falling Bathe in Comfort relax and enjoy enjoy walk in bathing special feature by Liz Katynski o october is seniors month and from oct. 6 to 12, older Manitoban Are encouraged to explore ways to be Active and be healthy during Active aging week. Active aging week is presented by the Active living coalition for older adults in Manitoba Alcoa. This coalition of 53 Community organization encourages seniors to choose an Active lifestyle. Physical fitness is important for Many reasons says or. Bert Taylor a Board member of Alcoa Manitoba and a sports Medicine and aging expert at the pan am clinic in Winnipeg. It leads to people feeling better and improved health. After the age of 65, fit people can enhance their Quality of life significantly even taking 10 physiological years off their chronological age. Taylor says that a 65 year old who exercises could have the physiology of a 55 year old who does not. People Over 65 have various medical problems and their Quality of life can decrease. Exercise enhances Quality of life says Taylor. People Over 80 have six times As Many Hospital and doctor visits As the rest of the population. Their systems Start to fail. Exercise can help to slow that Down. Taylor defines fitness As being Able to carry out physical activity without a Large increase in the heart rate and blood pressure. For older adults that Means being Able to carry out daily tasks without undue stress on the to dyes systems heart and circulatory muscular nervous and sensory. Exercise should cover three primary areas endurance which Means enhancing the heart and circulation and Muscles weight training for strength and endurance and flexibility. Good nutrition is also essential. One of the reasons seniors become frail can be related to poor nutrition says Taylor adding that older people May not eat As much As they used to or should. Reasons for poor nutrition could include a Lack of finances not wanting to bother to make full meal often Only for themselves or misinformation about what their body needs. A Good nutritional resource is Canadas food guide of which theress a seniors edition or better yet see a dietician or nutritionist. While Many seniors Are not overweight poor diet can mean a High percentage of body fat. Seniors can also find inspiration in Canadas physical activity guide for seniors which is available at family doctors offices and through health Canada at no charge. Mall walking is a great Way to get moving in All kinds of weather. Places like the wellness Institute Myca health clubs and Community organizations offer exercise programs for seniors. The Canadian Centre for activity and aging offers accreditation to trainers wishing to teach seniors. Older people appreciate the Opportunity to exercise in a social Milieu with others of their age and ability says Taylor. The number one exercise program is walking. Seniors also love to pump Iron that is lift weights which has been shown to be highly beneficial for All age groups including seniors. Tai Chi is wonderful for flexibility. All individuals Over 50 should see their physician for a stress test prior to starting an exercise program. A stress test measures the heart rate and blood pressure under stressful conditions which get progressively harder As they ride a Bike or walk on a Treadmill. If you can do that you move ahead. People have to be cautious and look at their health history. Many seniors have Type 2 diabetes osteoporosis minor heart problems or arthritis. Exercising at a facility that is ready for you keeps an Eye on you and knows your history and the appropriate procedures to follow is a Good thing. Everyone should be Active to the Best of their ability says Taylor. We dont want people to become Couch potatoes make the Best of what you have got. Get Active at your own level with people. Older adults Are invited to Stop by the wellness Institute on oct. 7, from 9 30 a. To 3 p. M., to take in free education sessions on self management of health exercise for fun and fitness and healthy eating. As the old saying goes its Tough to get old. But you dont have to do it alone. By 2025, its predicted that 25 per cent of canadians will be Over 65. Manitoba currently has among the highest per capita senior populations in Canada at 14 per cent. As Many people retire from their careers they dont need to retire from life. As they age activity and a sense of social connection is As important As Ever. Without the Structure of the work Day to ensure they get up get dressed and go to work at the tasks of the Day it can be easy to become less Active watch More television and stay Home More. Without the kids to care for and perhaps the loss of a husband or wife Many seniors find themselves alone and not sure what to do with themselves. With increased health concerns seniors can feel afraid to be Active due to their limitations. If they dont have transportation or Money is tight they might not be Able to become part of an activity group or get out to a recreation facility. To emerge from this sense of isolation its important to reach out to resources within the Community to keep socially connected. As we All grow older our lives change and we need support says the honourable John Harvard honorary Patron of Active aging week and Manitoba ass lieutenant governor. The most important thing is to continue to get physical and mental exercise. I think Active living supports All activities. Become engaged. Play cards take a hike see a movie read a Book. Many opportunities Are available for the elders in our communities. Even with his Busy schedule Harvard makes time for exercise. He has wrestled with his weight since his teens and knows it is not easy to keep a commitment to nutrition and exercise when his Job includes a lot of social occasions featuring lots of sitting and eating. Exercise is 80 per cent psychology. You have to get in the right Frame of mind says Harvard who schedules a workout daily at the Winnipeg Winter club where he uses an exercise Bike and elliptical machine and has recently added strength training. I am 70. It would be easy to find some excuse not to be Active As you get older. Seniors May not have so wide a Circle of friends or family. They May have bad Knees bad backs they often feel pain that Young people dont feel. When you Are Young you think you Are invincible. I am anything but an olympian but i feel great. Active aging is important to maintain mobility and Independence says Karin Whalen health education coordinator at the wellness Institute and an Alcoa Board member. Its never too late to Start. People will see a variety of changes and experience an increased sense of Well being. She encourages older adults to do an activity they enjoy so they will stick with it. The Alcoa website at wow. Alcomb. Org has a list of activities offered by organizations such As the wellness Institute and other free events in Manitoba. Call your local seniors Centre to see what they offer. Alcoa offers a peer led exercise program and peer leaders who can speak to a number of topics says Whalen. With one in three canadians living with a chronic disease the wellness institutes get better together program get is a free six week program taught by people living with chronic disease for people living with chronic disease. The instructors share their challenges such As living with pain and physical limitations As Well As dealing with medications doctors Low Energy Levels the challenges of committing to exercise and nutrition and More. Sessions Are offered at the wellness Institute and throughout the province at various Sites such As seniors residences and centres. Active aging week october 6 to 12, 2008 by Liz Katynski the majority of Falls happen in the House and outside during inclement weather but As people age the fear of falling at any time in any place can become overwhelming. There Are a number of reasons Why older adults fall. Standing up too quickly can cause Syncope which is fainting due to inadequate distribution of blood to the brain. Older Bones Are often More Brittle due to osteoporosis so theress a fear of breaking them. People May believe themselves to be frail. Low leg strength is also a major cause especially at the ankle and knee joints before rising to their feet older adults Are cautioned to sit for 15 to 20 seconds before they stand up. Also increasing ankle and knee strength and flexibility can help according to or. Bert Taylor. Taylor remembers an enthusiastic older lady who literally tossed her Walker aside to walk unassisted Down the Hall of her residence after strength training built up her Muscles and her Confidence. The primary fear is that they Are frail so strengthening them and convincing them they Are not so weak helps says Taylor adding that older people who feel inadequate can grow isolated lonely and depressed. Dementia goes hand in hand with depression says Taylor. In an Active social Milieu depression can decrease. Active living seems to slow the progression of dementia and other illnesses. Betty Ross knows what it is like to fear falling to fall and to get Back into the swing of things. She also realizes the importance of social and physical activity As Well As keeping a positive attitude about life. The 74 year old Melita resident is one of Alcoa Manitoba ass senior Volunteer speakers who talks to others about fall prevention and the importance of exercise. She is serious about both topics. I have had a couple of Falls this year says Ross. I still keep going. I try to go out every Day. Its a state of mind. You need to have something to look Forward to or you get lonely if you stay in your room. You cant prevent Falls absolutely but you can become More aware of your surroundings and take control of your life to the Best of your ability. Be More cautious but dont let fear Stop you from going out. Ross was diagnosed with arthritis 20 years ago and at the time doctors told her she would be in a wheelchair within 10 years. They also told her to take it easy. Well i am not in a wheelchair and i dont just sit she says. But that is what they told you to do at that time. Not any More. As a resident of the Melita seniors Lodge Ross notes the enthusiasm of her elders those in their 80s and up. She admires their positive Outlook and dedication to Active living. For example one woman at 100, continues to walk each Day despite her decreased hearing and eyesight. An 88 year old leads residents in group exercises twice a week. A 95 year old keeps a Lovely Flower Garden. Many people have smaller problems and they feel they Are so awful. I Learned to live with mine or i have any kind of a life says Ross. I still play piano love the computer. I have a pretty Well rounded life. I am pretty Lucky. Ross assures seniors that Many people have some fear of falling so she encourages them to know their body. See the doctor As the Little things crop up she says. If you have tripped or fallen maybe you need medication. Have a Good relationship with a doctor. If you need a Cane Walker or assistance to get around use it. Dont be ashamed of that. Many people dont want others to see them with a Cane so they leave it in the car. Be smart be responsible for yourself. Dont be afraid to ask for help. Make it easier for yourself says Ross. If it is icy outside postpone an Outing or hold onto someones Arm As you walk. A fall can be a Shock. It happens unexpectedly. Its embarrassing. You can be injured she says. At 70, it. Gov. John Harvard admits the fear of falling also crosses his mind. He is mindful of where railings Are located in stairways and cautious outside in icy weather. In her fall prevention talk Ross demonstrates How to get up from a fall and How to be aware of your environment in order to prevent falling. For example avoiding throw rugs wearing proper footwear ensuring adequate lighting holding onto the railing on stairs letting someone help you with a car door and walking with a Friend can All help. And of course she says keep Active. Fitness is the Best thing. I feel sluggish if i dont walk a bit. Your whole system works better when you get some exercise. Its really important to do what you can. Exercise your body and exercise your mind. Do it with others. People care for each other and everyone wants to live Well. I am Happy to be involved. Its made my life better. In the end Ross notes the residents in her Block who live actively also live Well. You just have to do the Best you can she says. Staying Active staying healthy As you get older or. Bert Taylor says physical fitness can drop 10 years off your body. Photos by Darcy Finley / Winnipeg free press seniors using the fitness machines at the wellness Institute in Winnipeg. Wow. Alcomb. Org overcoming isolation supplied photo Manitoba ass lieutenant governor the honourable John Harvard is Patron of Active aging week. Fear of falling can be worked on b6 oct 1 Active aging. Ind b6 9/ 30/ 08 4 51 32 pm ;