At 27, when I was pregnant for the first time, I was working as a physical therapist with infants and young children and my entire world perspective was one of disabilities at birth. In my 40’s, with 3 children and 3 step-children – all except 1 being a teenager – I was working with young adults with traumatic brain injury. All I knew was that drinking, drugs and driving result in injuries too overwhelming to describe here.
And then I moved into the world of geriatrics and I have begun to realize that if other stages I was looking at through my physical therapist’s eyes were out of my control, this might be a stage I could do something about. And there is still time, this is my future. This is your future. We will likely all reach a place in our lives when we are providing care of some type to a senior. Our parents, our grandparents, a neighbor, a member of our church; with 10,000 to 11,000 people reaching 65 every day and with so many living beyond 80, we will know and love a senior who needs our assistance. As a senior, as someone approaching the age of seniority, or as a senior care provider staying fit is vital.
Gravity is mean to the aging. We shrink, we curve over and forward, and our decreased muscle mass struggles to keep us up. But I believe the secret to counteract gravity is extension. Randy, my husband believes the secret is stretching your hamstrings.
Either way, and probably in combination, we have to move.
Start at the beginning of the day. Everyday. Before getting out of bed is a great time to begin to warm up our muscles and increase circulation. This will help to lubricate our tendons which attach our muscles to the bones. As we age these tendons lose water content, making us stiffer and less able to tolerate stress.
The following exercises will help to decrease stiffness and increase joint mobility before we even get out of bed:
- Stretch out long and tighten all of your muscles, relax, tighten, relax.
- Windshield wiper your feet 10 times
- Bend your knees and with your feet on the bed, gently draw your belly button towards the bed, still breathing. Lift your buttocks hold for 3, lower. Repeat 10 times.
- Drop your knees gently to one side and then the other. Look in the opposite direction.
- Roll to your side and rise to sitting at the edge of the bed.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades down and back. Hold for 3. Your breastbone should tilt up when you do this. Repeat 30 times
- If your ears are forward of your shoulders, tuck your chin but do not tilt your head, bringing your ears over your shoulders. Hold, relax, hold relax.
Senior care service providers–Now get up and get your coffee. And no, we did not stretch your hamstrings. We will add that next time.