Getting Fit for Life: 5 Reasons to Adopt an Exercise Regimen

seniors exercising

Fitness is a crucial part of aging. We all know that exercise improves health, enhances mood and allows for greater independence for an extended amount of time. Fortunately, health and wellness are high on many older adults’ lists of priorities!

“Older adults truly want to experience everything that life has to offer,” says Cathy DiSomma, Wellness Director at Kendal on Hudson, the only true Lifecare community in Westchester County. “They don’t want anything to stand in the way, let alone poor health! They see poor health as being preventable and they take action to ensure they can enjoy the benefits of the retirement they’ve worked so hard for.”

The Benefits of an Exercise Regimen

If you are considering starting an exercise routine to either improve your health or to simply maintain it, consider the wide range of benefits it can have for you – they are truly endless.

  1. Combat health conditions and diseases. According to the Mayo Clinic, daily exercise can help to quell some fears of health issues. The article states that exercise helps to boost good cholesterol while decreasing unhealthy triglycerides, which can help to decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases and manage or prevent strokes, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, many types of cancer, arthritis and falls.
  2. Improve mood and increase energy. When older adults are active, chemicals are boosted in the brain that allow you to feel happier, less anxious and more confident! How’s that for putting some spring in your step?
  3. Promote better sleep. Exercise, according to the Mayo Clinic, can help you to fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. Just be careful to not exercise too close to bedtime or else it can keep you awake.
  4. Control weight. Exercise can prevent excess weight gain, maintain weight or help you to lose weight. The more active you are, the more calories you will burn. Be consistent in your routine to reap the biggest reward!
  5. Help you live longer. According to Harvard Health Publishing, a good exercise regimen can help you to live longer, stating that the more fit you are, the longer you are likely to live.

Enhance Your Health at Kendal® on Hudson 

We know just how important health is, so we provide an array of opportunities for residents to create the fitness regimen that works for them!

  • Use our amenities. Life at our community includes a professionally staffed fitness center, state-of-the-art exercise equipment, an indoor heated swimming pool and more. Here, you can find treadmills, upper and lower body machines, stationary bicycles and so much more.
  • Try a class. We offer a variety of classes to meet your needs and preferences. Try some tai chi. Test out a yoga class. Improve your balance with stretching and balancing classes. The choice is yours.
  • Get a personalized plan. We can help you meet your goals with a personal health and wellness plan. Simply schedule an appointment with our fitness director, receive a thorough assessment and get your own personalized exercise prescription.
  • Take advantage of the therapy center. We have our own outpatient physical therapy center on site with views overlooking the Hudson River.

Although it’s true that a good exercise regimen can help to enhance wellness, it’s also true that there’s more to it than that. In fact, wellness also means socializing, learning and engaging in everyday life. This is why we provide a wide array of programming, educational opportunities and more aside from our wonderful fitness options. For more information or to learn more about how Kendal® on Hudson can enhance your health, contact us today to learn more at 914-922-1000.

Together, Transforming the Experience of Aging.®

Founded on Quaker principles and guided by our values and practices, Kendal on Hudson provides a vibrant, active and social senior lifestyle on our 25-acre campus next to the historic Hudson River. As the only Lifecare community in Westchester County, we offer four levels of service for our residents: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Support and Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Services.

Kendal on Hudson is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization led by a volunteer Board of Directors. Kendal on Hudson is an affiliate of The Kendal Corporation, a system of communities and services for older people based in Kennett Square, PA. We support diversity, inclusiveness, and independence and support the values and practices of Kendal by remaining focused on healthy aging. Located in Sleepy Hollow, New York, just 35 miles from New York City, we offer a vibrant lifestyle, cultural programs, continued learning and health care for life.

For more information, please call 914-922-1000.