Assisted living communities are a wonderful place. They keep people safe while providing them with a good quality of life. The only downside is that everything is done for the residents, causing them to physically slow down. This may be killing older adults in these communities, here is the danger of slowing down.
The Danger of Slowing Down
There are more than 735,000 older adults in assisted living across the country. Again, communities provide a wonderful lifestyle: meals and housekeeping are included. Stairs are replaced by ramps for those with difficulties. Many times all a person has to do is ask for something and is given it.
That’s part of the problem. Many residents basic functions are declining. Their bodies start to get harder and harder to move because they aren’t exercising enough.
A research team at Northwestern University looked into the amount of walking that residents do and it was only 1,680 steps a day. For the general population it should be 10,000 a day, and those with disabilities or chronic illness should take 6,500 to 8,500 steps a day.
The residents are barely moving in the grand scheme of things. Bigger amounts of steps are tied with better memory, better quality of life, better heart function, and more, so it’s important to balance care with assistance and challenges.
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