Exercise and the Elderly: Use It or Lose It

If you count going out to the mailbox, feeding the cat, or searching for the television remote as part of your exercise regimen, chances are your mobility may be compromised as you age. 

Older people who do not exercise risk losing the ability to walk and climb stairs. Studies have shown that walking for as little as 30 minutes three times a week can make the difference between a free-wheeling life and a wheelchair. The good news is that it is never too late to start exercising. Getting active, regardless of your age, can dramatically improve your health and can help ease mobility issues that often arise in later years. 

So, get out to the mailbox, feed the cat, and find that television remote – but then go for a walk. Think of it as conditioning your body for the golden years.

Source: American Cancer Society Because We Care Newsletter, January 2006