Overcoming Common Barriers To Exercise And Fitness Among The Older Adult Senior Population

Image of an older adult/senior couple exercising together.

Throughout the years, studies and research have consistently shown that regular planned and structured exercise together with an active lifestyle are crucial factors in ensuring good health, well-being and longevity among our seniors and older adults.

For many of us, as we age over the years, not only can exercise help us to maintain a high degree of physical functionality, mobility and independence, it can also boost our energy levels, facilitates restful sleep, and even assists in the management and control of any existing or current medical conditions that we may have.

What's more, physical exercise has even been proven to be able to reverse many medical symptoms and conditions associated with aging!

However, despite all the above proven benefits of physical exercise, too many seniors and older adults among our midst are still NOT incorporating sufficient regular exercise into their daily routines.

In fact, many are simply too sedentary and passive for their own good!

Upon closer scrutiny, certain barriers do seem to exist that hinder and prevent our mature adult population from becoming more physically active.

The following are some of the most common barriers to exercise and fitness among the elderly, and what we can do to overcome these obstacles:

Barrier Number 1: "I'm Too Old To Start Exercising"

The truth is one is NEVER ever too old nor is it ever too late to start exercising. Whatever age we begin, we can still reap the tremendous benefits and goodness of exercise! In fact, exercise has been proven to be extremely useful in helping seniors to build functional strength, boost stamina, improve overall mobility, balance, coordination etc - regardless what age exercise is started! If you are contemplating starting exercise for the very first time, do remember to seek medical clearance, go easy on yourself, err on the side of caution, and choose age-appropriate or age-specific exercise routines as far as possible.

Barrier Number 2: "I've No Idea How To Begin"

Lack of exercise knowledge can indeed be an obstacle for many older adults and seniors in our midst. Fortunately, nowadays, there's plenty of avenues and resources that seniors can turn-to in order to pick up knowledge on how to exercise safely and effectively. From government organizations to community groups, from scientific news/media sources to even professional fitness coaches specializing in older adult/senior fitness programs, the elderly do in fact have more than enough choices to pick from as to how they could start learning more about fitness and exercise.

Barrier Number 3: "I've Too Many Health Problems/Medical Conditions"

As mentioned earlier, exercise has indeed been shown to be very helpful in managing and reducing the symptoms of many types of medical conditions: from arthritis to diabetes, from hypertension to heart disease, from Alzheimer's Disease to even various types of cancer. In fact, in many developed nations today, exercise is increasingly being used as a form of "complementary medicine" for many of the above conditions and diseases. Furthermore, studies have also proven that exercise can help drastically reduce the number of doctor visits and cut down the reliance on medications/drugs in many chronic diseases. Hence, instead of viewing medical conditions as barriers to exercise, seniors and older adults should really see them as precisely the very reason why they should be STARTING an exercise program as soon as possible! What's important to keep in mind though is to always seek your doctor's advice and consent prior to commencing an exercise program, and to keep the maxim "Start Low and Go Slow" in mind. And as far as possible, seek professional guidance and help from certified special population (medical) fitness professionals who will be able to prescribe the appropriate and correct fitness program for your specific health/medical issue.

Barrier Number 4: "I'm Afraid Of Hurting Myself"

Fear of injuries, accidents and physical traumas are indeed valid concerns for many older adults and seniors when they begin exercising. In reality, exercise - if done correctly and in accordance to proper training protocols - is not only safe and effective, but can actually help to REDUCE one's risk of incurring injuries in daily life! Research has also shown that functional decline caused by lack of exercise and regular physical activity is actually the root cause of most injuries and accidents among the elderly - NOT exercise itself! In fact, proper exercise programming that incorporates elements of functional strength/resistance training, coordination work and balance drills are extremely helpful in injury-proofing our bodies as we age during the course of our lifetime.

Barrier Number 5: " I Lack Motivation"

Lack of motivation to start an exercise program is also a very real problem among many of our seniors and older folks. Some may be socially isolated, others may be struggling with the death of a spouse, yet others may be dealing with a physical disability, a mental health issue or a medical crisis of one form or another. Whatever it is, the resultant effect is usually devastating to the emotions - and hence the motivation - of an older individual to stay active and mobile. To overcome this, our mature population can consider seeking help and support from relevant government bodies, care centers for the aged, or even senior community groups. Other feasible options also include: joining neighborhood senior fitness classes and exercise groups - for added companionship, camaraderie and social support; or even engaging the services of a professionally-certified senior/older adult fitness specialist for one-to-one customized workouts, personalized wellness programs and even individualized lifestyle/nutritional counseling. Whatever it is, don't be afraid to reach out for help. Dare to take the initiative and the first step to create greater purpose, accountability and responsibility to your very own well-being and quality of life.

In Conclusion

Regardless of the various barriers and challenges that seniors and older adults may face when it comes to exercising, implementing an active lifestyle and having regular physical workouts are simply too CRITICAL to be simply ignored and neglected.

With the help and support of health care providers and certified exercise/fitness professionals within the community, together with a strong dose of personal conviction and self-determination, our seniors and older adults can and do have the capacity to eliminate and overcome these stumbling blocks and obstacles on their way to a better, longer and healthier life.

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