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Community Corner

Getting Better with Age in New Hyde Park

Senior and elderly fitness programs in the area help to make life easier in the long run.

Getting up from the couch, climbing a flight of stairs, hopping in and out of the car -- all of these are simple, everyday tasks that barely need a thought when we're in our prime. But as we age and the body naturally starts to weaken, even the most basic of activities inevitably become more challenging.

As these physical limitations increase over the senior and elderly years, it is likely for one to begin dodging active movement altogether for fear of injury. But for older adults, routine exercise is a vital contribution to gaining back and maintaining the strength, endurance, and flexibility that are generally lost with age.

“Exercise is especially important for this population even more so than an even younger population,” says Physical Therapist and Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults, John Dragan. “There isn’t a body system that can’t benefit from appropriate exercise, regardless of age or condition.”

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Dragan is the co-owner of AgeWell Physical Therapy and Wellness, an outpatient physical and occupational therapy clinic in Lake Success that specializes in geriatrics. AgeWell offers individualized fitness programs for patients mostly in the seventies and eighties age range who are looking to improve their physical abilities and remain fit after recovering from ailments.

There are several reasons for the physical decline that we experience as we reach the senior and elderly years--many of which are simply out of our control.

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“Some contributing factors are unavoidable changes our bodies undergo as a normal consequence of aging,” Dragan says, who goes on to cite a loss of lean muscle mass and muscle strength, and less elastic tendons, muscles and ligaments. “However,” he notes, “a sedentary lifestyle is an even larger factor in why seniors tend to lose strength and function.”

Fortunately, this is something that can be fixed. The choice to incorporate moderate daily activity into one’s schedule has been proven to enhance the physical performance of older individuals, even helping to turn back the clock a bit.

“Routine exercise has been shown in study after study to reverse much of the loss we experience as a result of both normal tissue changes associated with aging, and with the physical decline we experience as a result of having a stationary lifestyle,” said Dragan.

According to Dragan, some of the best types of exercises for mature adults are strength and endurance training. Resistance activities help to build strong muscles, making everyday physical requirements such as chores and hobbies easier. A particular focus on the hips and knees is important to promote a steady fluidity when rising from a seated position.

Slowly bringing up heart rate with endurance activity, “should be something the individual enjoys,” said Dragan, “it may be power walking, bicycling…or something as simple as marching in place in front of your favorite television show.”

With most clubs being geared towards a younger crowd, mature adults may feel alienated. The AgeWell fitness program differs from a typical gym setting in that its facilities are specifically equipped to meet the needs of its geriatric clientele.

All AgeWell patients are regularly tested in order to properly examine their fitness level. Reports measure improvement over time and determine a personalized exercise plan based on strengths and weaknesses found in the four areas of strength, endurance, flexibility and balance. Dragan suggests that all mature adults interested in starting an exercise program should first consult a physical therapist to be properly evaluated.

As a patient who has returned to AgeWell several times with different ailments, Edna Kaplan verifies, “It is a terrific place for restoring your health.”

For younger seniors, there is the Senior Fit class at LA Fitness on Marcus Avenue. The easy-to-follow workout includes positioning exercises and light weight resistance training to focus on areas that are most important to maintain with age.

Fitness Director, Jeneanne Louis, describes the Senior Fit sessions held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings as, “set up to improve fitness, strength and flexibility.”

Louis stresses that exercise in the golden years is important for keeping the heart strong and muscles strengthened as you become less flexible. While the popular class is made up of all different age groups including those nursing injuries, she explains that the majority of older people who take the class have been working out all their lives.

“People have been coming here for years and fitness has been a part of their life for many years,” said Louis. Speaking of the feedback that she receives from seniors who keep exercise as part of their daily routine, “mentally, physically and emotionally, they feel so much better every day.”

Age Well Physical Therapy and Wellness:

1999 Marcus Avenue, Lake Success

(516) 488-8808

LA Fitness:

1111 Marcus Avenue, Lake Success

(516) 355-2302           

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