Wilmington NC Rehabilitation is the Key to Staying Injury-Free for Seniors

Regular exercise and a focus on physical fitness play important roles in any health strategy, but as we age, exercise takes on a whole new level of importance. In Davis Community’s Wilmington NC rehabilitation pavilion, our exercise plans include essential activities that can help seniors avoid certain types of injuries while helping them to enjoy a greater quality of life.

Why Seniors Need to Exercise

The older we get, the more our body will experience a number of physical and anatomical changes. During the aging process, the body takes on increased fat mass while losing muscle mass. Aging adults also experience decreases in bone density, appetite, hormone levels, flexibility and cardiovascular health.

Regular exercise helps to counteract these natural changes by helping aging adults retain or improve their strength, flexibility, coordination and overall health. Along with eating a healthy diet, exercise is the number one factor in injury prevention for people of all ages.

The Benefits of Exercise for Seniors

As we age, the risk of injury increases and quite often, a simple fall can result in broken bones and/or a lengthy hospital stay. Exercising helps reduce this risk by increasing a one’s strength, endurance and balance. Other benefits of exercising regularly include:

• • Increased cardiovascular health (including reduced blood pressure and heart rate).
  • Increased motor functions and coordination.
  • Increased bone density.
  • Increased mental clarity and cognition.
  • Better quality of sleep.
  • A stronger immune system.
  • Greater resistance to illnesses.
  • Reduced pain and stiffness.

How Much Exercise Does a Senior Need?

According to the American College of Sports medicine and the American Heart Association, seniors should try to get at least 150 minutes of regular exercise a week in order to achieve optimum health benefits. Of course, if a senior has not been physically active for a period of time, then he or she should start out slowly and gradually build up to the recommended level of exercise in order to avoid injury.

Our Wilmington NC rehabilitation center has a five-step fitness plan for seniors looking to optimize their health and quality of life. Our senior-specific exercise plans follow this proven guideline:

1. Warm up
2. Resistance training
3. Endurance training
4. Balance training
5. Flexibility training
6. Cool down

Enjoy a Healthier Quality of Life at Davis’ Wilmington NC Rehabilitation Pavilion

At the Davis Community nursing homes in Wilmington NC, rehabilitation and daily exercise play key roles in helping our members enjoy a truly outstanding quality of life. The combination of regular exercise with our selection of meals that are specifically designed to meet senior nutritional needs helps our members enjoy active and healthy lives so they can enjoy everything life has to offer.

For more information about our nursing homes in Wilmington, NC, or our rehabilitation pavilion, please give us a call at 910-566-1200 today.