By Dr. Kathleen Sullivan–
Eleanor Roosevelt is quoted as saying, “Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.” Getting older is a privilege not afforded to many throughout history or even today. We are fortunate to live in a time and place where so many in our community are living longer, with greater health and access to care. Achievements in medical care and the embracing of models of care other than the allopathic model offer each of us the chance to age more healthfully than those who came before us.
We also have greater access to information about how we can control many of our health outcomes. One example is physical activity. Engaging in physical activity decreases our risk for death from all forms of cardiovascular disease, various forms of cancer, metabolic syndrome, and Type 2 diabetes. That is, perhaps, common knowledge for many; what is not common knowledge is the need and benefit of engaging in performance-based exercises as we age.
Performance-based exercise is generally thought of for professional and amateur athletes. According to the National Council on Strength and Fitness, however, older adults benefit from, and should engage in, performance-based exercise. This exercise group, as opposed to exercises that promote fitness, can prolong good health, independence, and mobility, and prevent falls.
Performance-related exercises build power, agility, speed, balance, and coordination. Getting up from a chair, for instance, is a power move involving large muscle groups and one of our largest joints, our hips. The ability to move one’s body through space successfully relies on a unique set of abilities that are enhanced when we engage in performance-based exercise. Balance, for instance, is our ability to manage force or forces that act to disrupt our body’s stability and is key to older adults managing activities of daily living (ADLs)—from getting up from a chair or bed to bathing safely. Muscular strength and proprioceptors, our body’s kinetic awareness of where it is in space, play a vital role in balance, and performance-based exercises can improve our balance at any age.
ADLs are used to evaluate people at all stages of life, but are particularly important as we age because our ability to perform them is linked to our ability to remain independent. Are we able to self-transfer—get up from a bed or chair? Can we use the bathroom or do we need assistance? Can we feed, bathe, and dress ourselves, and are we mobile? Can we walk or use our wheelchair or power chair to move within our apartment or home?
Improving our power, speed, agility, and coordination is something we can work on at all stages of life. Ageism has many of us believing that we can no longer build muscle or power after a certain age. That assumption is flatly wrong. We can build our strength and performance ability no matter our age and no matter our current ability—you must start where you are and build from there.
All of us experience muscle loss, which is called sarcopenia. This normal part of aging starts at around age 30 for most people. For others with chronic conditions that reduce mobility, it can start earlier. The body, however, is exceedingly adaptable. No matter your age, you can always grow muscle and improve your physical ability, with very few exceptions.
Not long ago, an article in The New York Times focused on older adults who were working with personal trainers and lifting weights as a way to rebuild their strength and power. Weight lifting, plyometrics, and high-intensity training are all adaptable exercise programs that help improve our performance metrics. Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins, who recently passed away at age 108, started her track and field career at age 100. She holds many records in the 100-meter sprint. Julia is a reminder to me and I hope you that we can take charge of our lives and health no matter our age. Here’s to seeing you at the gym, on the track, or swimming in the bay!
Gerontologist Kathleen M. Sullivan, Ph.D., is the former executive director of Openhouse.
Dr. Marcy Adelman oversees the Aging in Community column. For her summary of current LGBT senior challenges and opportunities, please go to: http://sfbaytimes.com/challenges-and-opportunties/
Aging in Community
Published on November 7, 2024
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