Fitness

Last month’s blog post, “At the Heart of a Senior’s Health is Good Nutrition”, focused on why healthy eating is so important to a senior’s quality of life and how even slight dietary changes can decrease the risk of certain diseases. Well, the same is true for staying active. According to the Weight Control Information Center, regular physical activity may help prevent or delay the onset of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and colon cancer. It can also increase a senior’s energy and boost their mood. As a person ages, the metabolism naturally slows down making maintaining a healthy weight a challenge. Proper nutrition combined with exercises that increase the metabolism and build muscle mass will help to burn more calories. Perhaps you’ve heard this from your doctor, loved one or from a personal trainer at one of our senior housing campuses, but you don’t know where to begin. You’re not alone. Many seniors feel discouraged by ongoing health problems and pain or concerns about balance or falls. The truth is, no matter your age or physical condition, you can benefit from exercise. The key is to develop a plan that gets your body moving and builds upon the hurdles you overcome and successes you achieve.

Developing a Fitness Plan
Before you make any changes in physical activity, consult a medical professional. They can provide guidance on maximum heart rate, warning signs of distress and even the timing of medications and meals around your exercise schedule. Saint Therese in Minnesota offers fitness services through Wellness Centers in both our New Hope and Oxbow Lake senior care centers. The licensed physical therapists, therapist assistants and exercise physiologists in our long-term care facilities can help you develop and maintain an exercise program for your condition and goals.

Incorporate cardio and strength training exercises to build endurance for everyday activities such as walking, stair climbing and house cleaning. Saint Therese offers state-of-the-art fitness equipment in our Wellness Centers to help build muscle with repetitive motion and external resistance methods which prevents the loss of bone mass. Consider taking a group exercise class. It’s easier to maintain a fitness plan with support.

Falls are the leading cause of death from injury among people 65 and over (according to www.ihlcaregiver.com) and many falls are preventable with balance training. Practices such as yoga and tai chi are posture exercises that increase confidence with balance. For a more “high tech” approach to gaining balance, try the NeuroCom EquiTest assessment and rehabilitation system, available in the Saint Therese Balance Clinic. This system uses the same technology used to measure equilibrium in NASA shuttle crews.

If aching joints or injury is preventing you from starting a fitness routine, consider water therapy. Water aerobics or even slow, repetitive movements in water builds muscle without breaking down joints and tissue. Opening soon, a warm water pool at Saint Therese at Oxbow Lake in Brooklyn Park, MN.

Many seniors turn to massage to relieve aches and pains but passage can actually be part of your workout. Massage therapy can reduce pain around joints and muscles, making it easier to use full range of motion during exercises. The Mayo Clinic reports that massage therapy can actually improve circulation which is especially important if you have diabetes which reduces blood flow to the tissues of your lower legs and feet. The personal trainers at our Saint Therese of New Hope senior apartments, assisted living and nursing care campus offer pain relief solutions such as moist heat and relaxation therapy.

If the thought of “working out” takes you back to the days of tight spandex and body crunching exercises of the 1980s, think again. Think about activities that you enjoy and incorporate them into your day. Some examples are:

• Take pictures of nature while on one of the community's many walking paths.
• Walk around the mall and window shop.
• If you used to love tennis but now find it too intense, try pickleball or badmitten.
• Watch a favorite television show or read a book while walking on the treadmill or riding a stationary bicycle.

At Saint Therese, our seniors enjoy life because of inspirational services we offer such as unique exercise programs which help them achieve their optimal health and well-being and to live life to the fullest at any age. 

At the Heart of a Senior’s Health is Good Nutrition

In our world of fast food, large portions and rich desserts, eating healthy can be difficult. Even for seniors living in communities with prepared meals and a variety of dining options, eating healthy can be a challenge. Studies show that a healthy diet in your later years may reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and certain cancers (http://my.americanheart.org/professional/StatementsGuidelines/ByTopic/TopicsD-H/DietNutrition_UCM_320704_Article.jsp)

If your goal is to maintain a high quality of life for as long as possible, good nutrition keeps muscles, bones, organs and other body parts strong. Eating vitamin-rich food boosts immunity and fights toxins which cause chronic illnesses. Consuming fewer calories keeps weight in check, which helps to prevent diabetes and high blood pressure. For individuals who wish to decrease their risk of Alzheimer’s disease, selecting brightly colored fruit, leafy vegetables, fish and nuts packed with omega-3 fatty acids, provides key nutrients for brain function. Wholesome meals give seniors more energy, faster recovery times and better management of chronic health problems.

But proper nutrition doesn’t have to be about dieting and sacrifice. For seniors living independently, like those in the senior apartments at Saint Therese of New Hope and Saint Therese at Oxbow Lake, preparing one’s own meals can be a way to maintain proper health and nutrition. When planning meals, grocery shopping and cooking, thoughtful selections help achieve better health. The following are a few tips to keep in mind while grocery shopping:

• Fruits and Vegetables: Select deeply colored items– such as spinach, carrots, peaches and berries which tend to be higher in vitamins and minerals. For more fiber, look for beans, peas, oranges and bananas. When fresh foods aren't available, choose frozen or canned vegetables and fruits in water instead of juice or syrup.
• Dairy: Use egg whites or egg substitutes instead of egg yolks. Don’t buy a lot of butter, cream and ice cream. Save those for special occasions and, even then, limit how much you eat. These foods have more saturated fat than whole milk.
• Meat: Eat one serving of grilled or baked fish at least twice a week. Choose cuts of red meat and pork labeled “loin” and “round”; they usually contain less fat. Select leaner light cuts of poultry and try the skinless version.
• Grains: Look for labels that say “whole-grain” rather than “whole wheat”. Check for store-baked goods that are made with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oils, skim or reduced-fat milk and egg whites — or make your own.
• Oils: Choose canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil and sunflower oil which are lower in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol. Use nonstick vegetable spray when cooking.

Good nutrition as an older adult can also be enhanced by eating with friends. That is why the chefs and dietitians at Saint Therese work to prepare nutritious options for those seniors who wish to enjoy prepared meals in our dining rooms, whether they’re in assisted living, an independent apartment or transitional care unit.

Saint Therese makes an effort to educate our seniors about why certain meal choices are healthy by noting carbohydrate amounts and lower calorie options on our dining menus. We have a registered dietitian on staff, Jennifer Tallant, who has worked in the nutrition services department on the transitional care unit at Saint Therese of New Hope for the past six years. One of the things she likes most about working at Saint Therese is having the opportunity to make a positive impact on people’s lives by striving to provide the best nutritional care possible. For example, click here to learn Jennifer’s tips on making many of your favorite recipes healthier by using lower-fat or no-fat ingredients. These substitutions can help you cut down on saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol, while noticing little, if any, difference in taste. Click here to see a heart healthy recipe for Grilled Chicken with Strawberry and Pineapple Salsa that Jennifer recommends.

Lycopene, an important antioxidant, is found in high concentrations of cooked and canned tomato products. Lycopene fights free radicals that can interfere with normal cell growth and activity. These free radicals may potentially lead to cancer, heart disease and premature aging. For a great source of lycopene, Mary Ryan, Dining Services Manager at Saint Therese at Oxbow Lake in Brooklyn Park recommends this Easy Marinara Sauce recipe. Tomatoes are also high in vitamin C and contain high amounts of potassium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin A and vitamin B. As a source of fiber, one medium tomato will equal one slice of whole wheat bread with only 35 calories.

Health and nutrition advice has changed and even been contradictory over the years. However, you’ll never go wrong with Mary Ryan’s tip, “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.”