If you set a resolution for yourself in the beginning of the year to exercise more, ideally you’re continuing to stick with it! Adding extra physical activity to your everyday activities is one resolution we ought to all be implementing. There are many benefits of exercise for seniors, and for those who take a variety of medications for different health conditions, this is particularly true.
Research is revealing that, incredibly, physician-approved senior workout routines can be as beneficial as typically-prescribed medicines in preventing or treating many of the leading causes of death. In one study, researchers compared and contrasted the benefits of exercise vs. medication. The findings consistently demonstrated that both medications and exercise shared nearly the same results in lowering deaths in individuals who had previously been identified as having a number of common and severe health problems, like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
For example, the study found that participants with heart disease who exercised but did not use commonly-prescribed medicines, like angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, statins, or antiplatelet drugs, had an equivalent risk of dying from — or surviving — cardiovascular disease as individuals who were taking those medications.
Researchers also highlighted how infrequently medical professionals “prescribe” exercising as an effective medical treatment. Huseyin Naci, a graduate student at the London School of Economics and Political Science, along with Dr. John Ioannidis, director of the Stanford Prevention Research Center in the Stanford University School of Medicine, worked jointly on the study, determining that, according to Naci, “We are not suggesting that anyone stop taking their medications. But maybe people could think long and hard about their lifestyles and talk to their doctors about whether exercise could and should be incorporated into their care.”
At Compassionate Care Home Health Services, we love helping seniors stay as active as they possibly can, while enjoying the best possible quality of life. As the most respected provider of home health care in Saginaw, MI and surrounding areas, we are happy to supply transportation and accompaniment to exercise classes as well as companionship to encourage, motivate, and make fitness enjoyable. We also provide many other home care services that are specifically personalized to meet each individual’s unique physical fitness and health goals.
Contact us at 877.308.1212 to learn more about how we can help improve the overall health and wellness for a senior you love! Whether you need just a couple of hours of support each week, full-time, 24-hour care, or anything in between, a perfectly matched caregiver can provide the ideal amount of care to help a senior you love thrive in the comfort of home.