Fit, Active and Healthy Seniors: Make your whole day matter

June is Seniors Month in Ontario and is a time to recognize and celebrate older adults who shaped the province into what it is today.

This year the theme for Seniors Month is ‘Fit, Active and Healthy Seniors’, highlighting the importance of supporting aging Ontarians through wellness, social connection and education.

According to Stephanie Greenfield (MScN/PHC-NP) at Maitland Valley Family Health Team (MVFHT), encouraging seniors to engage in physical activity is a powerful strategy for reducing the risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

“Despite these incredible benefits, many elderly individuals face challenges that make it difficult to maintain consistent exercise routines,” said Greenfield.

Regular exercise not only improves mental health but also delays the onset of dementia, reduces the risk of falls, and enhances overall quality of life.

Greenfield stresses that inspiring the older population to embrace exercise is essential, but seniors in the community need programs and support to be consistent and safe.

“Sustaining physical activity often requires strong support and supervision,” Greenfield added.

“Additionally, organized programs can be costly and often do not cater to the unique needs of seniors. Together, as a community, we must empower our seniors to stay fit and healthy, allowing them to enjoy life and live independently at home for longer.”

Aging is an inevitable part of life, but the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults (65+ years) can help seniors stay strong, mentally fit and independent.

According to the guidelines, there are three core recommendations to keep in mind: Sleep well, reduce sedentary time, and move more, including moderate to vigorous physical activity.

According to Amanda Beddow (BHK), Health Promoter, Certified Tobacco Educator at Maitland Valley Family Health Team, decreasing sedentary time and getting active is important as exercise helps slow the body’s loss of muscle mass.

“The loss of muscle mass can impact posture and balance, which can lead to an increased risk of falls as well as make other activities of daily living more difficult, such as getting dressed,” explained Beddow.

“If you’re looking for a way to start being more physically active, start walking.”

The MVFHT has a walking program open to everyone or check out the Free Community Track Time at the YMCA.

According to health professionals, seniors should participate in a range of physical activities – weight bearing, non-weight bearing, sport and recreation – in a variety of environments and contexts. Sedentary behaviours should be limited, while healthy sleep hygiene should be practiced.

These guidelines offer clear direction on what a healthy 24 hours looks like for adults aged 65 years and older. They don’t just focus on a single movement behaviour but instead look at how these are all integrated together.

Following these guidelines can provide a multitude of health benefits. This includes a lower risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, several cancers, anxiety, depression, dementia, weight gain, adverse blood lipid profile, falls and fall-related injuries.

Being active every day can also help seniors improve their bone health, cognitive health, quality of life and physical function.

Exercise has a long list of benefits, especially if you are achieving the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week.

Rebecca Wright (RN, BScN), Care Navigator and Cardiac Rehab Nurse at MVFHT stresses that exercise can help strengthen the heart muscle, lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol and blood glucose levels, assist with weight management and increase bone strength.

“Routine exercise is also a preventative measure for diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke,” said Wright.

“The benefits of exercise are wide and vast and should be incorporated into your daily routine to help improve your overall health and well-being.”

Wright explains that exercise can also improve sleep quality, reduce stress levels, and help boost endorphins and serotonin, which can improve mood.

According to the guidelines, a healthy 24 hours includes performing a variety of types and intensities of physical activity, getting seven to eight hours of good-quality sleep on a regular basis with consistent bed and wake-up times, and limiting sedentary time to eight hours or less.

Replacing sedentary behaviour with additional physical activity and trading light physical activity for more moderate to vigorous physical activity, while preserving sufficient sleep, can provide greater health benefits.

Progressing towards any of these targets will result in health benefits.

In addition to the need of prioritizing physical fitness, many seniors can experience social isolation. This can take a toll on their emotional well-being, and access to community support and programs is essential to help seniors live with dignity and purpose.

One thing Cassidy Nicholson-Bjerg, Registered Psychotherapist with the MVFHT shares with her clients is that emotions love themselves, they feed on repetition and want us to keep feeling more of them.

“For many seniors, feeling lonely can quickly spiral into feeling isolated, withdrawn, and fuel depressive symptoms,” said Nicholson-Bjerg.

“However, local community programs can help individuals break this cycle. Though taking the first step may be hard, these programs can spark connection, give a meaningful reason to get out of the house and remind us that we are not alone.”

For more information about the Maitland Valley Family Health Team (MVFHT) and its programs or services, visit www.mvfht.ca