More Random Fave Fives

Accent's by Vickie Winans - OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

Located at 28801 Southfield Road in Lathrup Village (just north of Detroit).  This is the blingiest bling store around!  The fares reflect Vickie's living-out-loud personality.  The moment you walk through the doors you're wow'd by the sparkling one of a kind trinkets, baubles and bangles.  Oh, did I mention that the price is affordable on even modest budgets?  If you live in Metro Detroit, but have never visited you're living beneath your bling-privilege!  Run, don't walk there!

I'm a pearls kind of a girl so whenever I come across a beautiful piece of jewelry that is bejeweled with pearls...I'm all in.

Tell me, what type of jewelry are you into?  Where do you buy yours?

I LOVE my branch of the Y!  Not only do I have a full membership, but I enrolled my mom, daughter and grandchildren.  I try to get there at least once a week.  As you can see, I use the stationary bike, I also do the treadmill, the (very light) free weights and one of the weight machines.  I'm working my way up to the eliptical.  I got on that bad-boy twice and thought I would have a heart attack - FOR REAL!  So I waved the white flag for now, but as the Governator once said...."I'll be back!"  

The gym and weights are a necessity but my favorite form of exercise are the aquatics.  At various intervals I've been enrolled in water pilates, water aerobics, aquatic therapy and I'm currently taking deep water fitness once per week - my favorite!  If you've never done water exercises, I highly recommend it.  Regardless of whether you're exercising in swallow or in deep water, it's a great way to get fit.  Much easier on the joints and you'd best believe you get in a serious cardio workout.

I'm curious, are you currently on any time of fitness regime?  If so, please share.

Saxophonist Randy Scott

Since I can't provide a justifiable description of this phenomenal artist, I'll simply offer the info from Randy's discography: The 2007 release, Breathe features a new level of production for Randy, and collaboration with renowned artists such as guitarist Tim Bowman, and pianist/singer Frank McComb. Breathe showcases the best of Randy's songwriting, producing and performing talents with styles ranging from up-beat adult contemporary to traditional free-flowing jazz. My favorite song is Hope in Darkness from his Breathe album.


What's your favorite music genre?  Who are some of your favorite artists?

The Game on BET

THE GAME is now part of the BET lineup. The sitcom stars Tia Mowry (“Sister, Sister”) as Melanie Barnett, who is thrust into the world of professional football when her boyfriend becomes a wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers. The series follows Melanie as she struggles with the ups and downs of having a "famous" other half and a new group of friends - the other players' wives.

THE GAME also stars Coby Bell (“Third Watch”), Pooch Hall (“Miracle's Boys”), Hosea Chanchez (“For Your Love”), Brittany Daniel (“White Chicks”) and Wendy Raquel Robinson (“The Steve Harvey Show”). 

Watching the Game is one of my (few) guilty pleasures; along with The Biggest loser, the Young and the Restless and the Bold and Beautiful.  I was entertained when it was on previously, Tia Mowry's character Melanie was sweet, naive and cute...this season the medical school graduate is a tsunami of controversy.  Baby Mama Drama, Football Wives...Comedy?  Well it's started out classified as a sitcom, but so ar the new season offers more nail biting cliffhangers than laughter.




Are you a fan of "The Game?"  If so, share you take on the characters.  What other shows do you like to watch?

**Yum Delish** Dipped Fruit and Chocolate Treats!!
313-288-8133

My daughter and son-in-law gave Rick and I some of Yum Delish's tasty treats for our 25th wedding anniversary!  Yummmmy!!!!!!!


Savory sweet treats, particularly those of a chocolate kind, have always been a passion for the owner of Yum Delish, Detroit native, Monike L. Welch. Frustrated with the high prices and low quality of store bought chocolate covered strawberries, Welch did her research and created her own secret recipe. Once she made her first batch for one of her event planning clients…that passion for gourmet desserts became her purpose. Now after exponential growth based primarily on the word of mouth of satisfied customers, Monike prides herself on providing a high quality product for affordable prices. Yum Delish is now the place to go for gourmet dipped fruit and sweet treats. When you pamper yourself or a loved one by purchasing Yum Delish Products, prepare your pallets for a decadent experience!




Are you a chocoholic or is another tasty treat your guilty pleasure?

New Addition to My Bucket List

I am in love with water!  I've been a swimmer since high school.  My favorite form of exercise is various forms of water aerobics, calisthenics, even water pilates.  A couple of years ago I experienced my first oceanic adventure by going snorkeling in the Atlantic Ocean off the beaches of Fort Lauderdale. 


 I have to admit that once I actually got a glimpse of the fish, sea turtles and sting rays I got a little bit nervous. But in just a short while I felt quite at home - maybe too at home because when took a look above the water I found myself much farther from the boat than I'd planned on.  Nevertheless the experience was exhilarating and I promised myself to return and to stay longer the next time.


It's not wonder then, that when I came across this phenomenon, I felt compelled to add visiting it to my list of things to do before the final chapter of the book I call my life.  The article below describes this fascinating underwater art museum which also serves as the artist's contribution to supporting the eco-system.


More than 400 of the permanent sculptures have been installed in recent months in the National Marine Park of Cancún, Isla Mujeres, and Punta Nizuc (map of the region) as part of a major artwork called "The Silent Evolution." The installation is the first endeavor of a new underwater museum called MUSA, or Museo Subacuático de Arte.

Created by Mexico-based British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, the Caribbean installation is intended to eventually cover more than 4,520 square feet (420 square meters), which would make it "one of the largest and most ambitious underwater attractions in the world," according to a museum statement.

(See "New Artificial Reefs 'Grow' From Mideast Peace Deal.")

In doing so, Taylor hopes the reefs, which are already stressed by marine pollution, warming waters, and overfishing, can catch a break from the approximately 750,000 tourists who visit local reefs each year.

"That puts a lot of pressure on the existing reefs," Taylor told National Geographic News. "So part of this project is to actually discharge those people away from the natural reefs and bring them to an area of artificial reefs."

—With reporting by Fritz Faerber

Published January 5, 2011


Also see my blog entitled Life Begins at 50 - Dive In!

Caregiving, One of the Toughest Jobs You'll Ever Love

7:20 a.m.  January 13, 1996 - 


A ringing telephone awakened my husband and I. My grandmother's steady but noticeably concerned voice on the other end of the telephone line was the clarion call announcing that the plans I'd made for my life would change forever. 

My mom had moved in with my grandparents to assist my grandmother with caring for my grandfather, who had dementia.  She had only been able to enjoy her retirement from a stressful job as a first line supervisor at General Motors for a couple of years when my granddad's mental health began to deteriorate.  A dutiful daughter, she took on the responsibility of overseeing all of their medical care, driving them to outings, and paying their bills.  She also shared housekeeping and gardening chores with my grandmother. It got to a point where Grandpa needed to be bathed, dressed, fed, he had a catheter and was completely incontinent.  Without complaining, Mom shared that  responsibility with Nana for several years.

Unfortunately, years of caring for others and neglecting her own health took a terrible toll on my mom, and at age 64 she suffered a stroke.  The caregiver now needed to be cared for - permanently.

At the time I was raising my two girls, one a high school senior, the other just about to enter middle school; but my husband, the girls and I pitched in to help as often as possible as well.  At least once a week I'd go over to bathe Grandpa and take Nana to church and out for shopping excursions.

When Mom had the stroke, I had been working as a Legal Assistant/Law Librarian in the corporate legal department of Henry Ford Health System.  I had only been working there for about 18 months after finally earning a college degree in Legal Administration.  Prior to that I had worked at Health Alliance Plan, a subsidiary of HFHS in various positions for years ending my tenure there as a Legal Secretary in the Corporate Legal Affairs Department.  Career wise, I was finally on my way up the proverbial corporate ladder, or so I thought.

When I received my Grandmother's phone call, my husband and I rushed over to my grandparents' house.  Nana had been so traumatized that it didn't occur to her to send for an ambulance, but instead called a neighbor over and she didn't think about calling EMS either - the only thing they could think to do was to call me!  Mom had lost precious time which could have made a world of difference in how much damage the stroke would cause.

Now she was the one who needed to be looked after - and so did my grandparents. Mom was hospitalized, then spent several weeks in a rehabilitation facility so my husband and I were all over the place trying to keep all the balls in the air while both of us worked full time jobs.  Mind you our daughter was a high school senior when all this took place and we still had the traditional senior activities and preparation for going off to college to deal with.

For the first twelve years of our marriage, Rick and I shared the good fortune of having all four of our parents and both sets of my grandparents living. During our engagement we had a heart to heart conversation about our future lives together which included how we would handle things if any of our elders ever got to a point where they could not care for themselves.  We vowed to each other that we would do everything humanly and safely possible to keep our elders at home, as opposed to living in a nursing home if the time ever came. When my mom had the stroke, it was time for us to honor that vow.

After meeting with her medical discharge team we learned that when Mom came home from the rehabilitation facility, she would need a visiting nurse, occupational and physical therapy at home and of course someone to help with her custodial needs. Rick and I came to the conclusion that it just wouldn't be feasible for me to continue working.  Thus, my corporate career ended abruptly.

You might have noticed that I never mentioned anything about aunts or uncles to help with my grandparents, or siblings to help me with my mom's care - that's because there are none.  Mom and I are both only children.  However, I'm blessed to have the most patient and helpful husband and daughters you could ask for.  I  also have a cousin who is around my mom's age who has helped me from time to time since the beginning of all of this.  Cousin Nancy is amazing.  One day I will have to write a post about her alone.

Once we got Mom home and settled, we all worked together to adjust to our new lifestyle which included keeping tabs on my grandparents as well.  Grandpa passed away a little less than 2 years after Mom's stroke.  My grandmother kept her house and all of her belongings in place but moved in with us.  For the first few years we'd drop her off at her house in the morning and bring her back in the evening so that she could interact with her neighbors, do a little housework or  tend to her garden so that she would have some semblance of privacy and independence.  She was also a great help to me with Mom for years. Like Cousin Nancy, she was the most upbeat, energetic person I've ever met.  It must be in their genes. (Guess I didn't inherit that gene.)

The way that my family has cared for my mom and maternal grandparents is somewhat unique and is certainly not for everyone.  I do however advise anyone who has living parents or grandparents to have a series of discussions to decide what to do in the event their health requires that someone else be responsible for their care.  It's also important that we acknowledge our own mortality and begin to make our own "What IF" plans then share them with your children and other affected family members.  Loving, cohesive families sometimes split apart when a sudden illness occurs. Each household and family must carefully weigh the options as they know them.  Understand that circumstances change, life changes - sometimes the information you receive from one phone call will change the course of your entire life.


Nana lived with us until the Lord called her from labor to reward in 2005.  She was 90 years young.

Enjoying the Detroit Riverfront with my mom and granddiva

Who is a caregiver?

You're a caregiver if you give basic care to a person who has a chronic medical condition. A chronic condition is an illness that doesn't go away.

Some types of basic care are helping with bathing, dressing and feeding. Helping with household chores like cleaning, cooking and shopping is also basic care. Many people with chronic medical conditions like cancer, stroke, multiple sclerosis or dementia (Alzheimer's disease) need extra help.

If you're a caregiver, you might be doing these things for another person:

• Lifting
• Turning them in bed
• Bathing
• Hugging them
• Dressing
• Feeding them
• Making them smile or laugh
• Cooking
• Shopping
• Crying with them
• Paying their bills
• Running errands
• Sharing memories
• Giving medicine

How can I tell if caregiving is putting too much stress on me?

You may be feeling sad or blue. You may be crying more often than before. You may not have the energy level you used to have. You may feel like you don't have any time to yourself. You may not be seeing friends or relatives as often as you used to. You may have trouble sleeping, or you may not feel like getting out of bed in the morning. You may have trouble eating or you may be eating too much. You may notice you've lost interest in your hobbies or the things you used to do with friends or family. You may become angry with the person you are caring for or angry at other people or situations. You may ask yourself "why me?"

You may not get any thanks from the person you are caring for. This may add to your feelings of frustration.

Why is caring for someone with dementia (Alzheimer's disease) so hard?

The person you're caring for may not know you any more. That person may be too ill to talk or follow simple plans. This may make it hard for you to think of that person the same way.

The person you're caring for may have behavior problems, like yelling, hitting and wandering away from home. This behavior may make you feel angry at times.

What should I do if I'm feeling overwhelmed and have some of the signs mentioned above?

These feelings are not wrong or strange. Caregiving can be very stressful. Because being a caregiver is so hard, some doctors think of caregivers as "hidden patients." If you don't take care of yourself and stay well, you won't be able to help anyone else. Talk with your family doctor and discuss your feelings. Stay in touch with your friends and family members. Ask them for help in giving care. You're not a failure because you ask for help.

Look for help in your community. Start by asking your church or synagogue if they have services or volunteers who can help you. You also can ask for help from the organizations listed below.

Where can I find out about community services that can give me help or information?

Eldercare Locator  Telephone: 1-800-677-1116 This is a nationwide service for finding area agencies on aging. These agencies can help you find services such as adult day care, home aids and social workers in your area. National Administration of Aging Telephone: 1-202-619-7501 Web address:http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov American Association of Retired Persons Telephone: 1-800-424-3410 They have a free caregiver resource kit  (ask for No. D15267). National Family Caregivers Association Telephone: 1-800-896-3650  Web address: http://www.nfcacares.org

Children of Aging Parents  Telephone: 1-215-945-6900  Web address: http://www.careguide.cgi/caps/capshome.htm The Well Spouse Foundation  Telephone: 1-800-838-0879  Web address: http://www.wellspouse.org CareGuide.com  Web address: http://www.careguide.net This Web site is a personal resource for caregivers. Caregiving Online  Web address: http://www.caregiving.com This Web site offers online support through a newsletter. Caregiverzone.com  Web address: http://www.caregiverzone.com This Web site offers information for family caregivers, seniors and others.

Is there a resource just for caregivers of people with dementia (Alzheimer's disease)?

Alzheimer's Association
Telephone: 1-800-272-3900
Web address: http://www.alz.org

---

This handout provides a general overview on this topic and may not apply to everyone. To find out if this handout applies to you and to get more information on this subject, talk to your family doctor.

Visit familydoctor.org for information on this and many other health-related topics.

Copyright © 2000 by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Permission is granted to print and photocopy this material for nonprofit educational uses. Written permission is required for all other uses, including electronic uses.

My Random Friday Fave Five

Here is a random list of five of my favorite things/places/people.  They're not in any particular order of importance nor are they necessarily related in any way.  Like I said, the list is random.

1.  Mr. Cleans Magic Eraser - It works so well on counter and stove tops.  Also great for porcelein.

2.  Carol's Daughter Almond Cookie scented bath and body products. Leaves your skin silky smooth and the scent lingers long after you first bathe in or apply it.  I generally use it during warm months - no particular reason.

3. Bath and Body Works 3 Wick Candles - Oh the fragrances!  I often light one in my living room early in the morning when go in for morning devotion and leave it burning until about 5 or so in the evening.  The aroma fills the whole 1st AND 2nd level of my home.  I'm especially fond of their aromatherapy scents: Stress Relief (Eucalyptus Spearmint - especially helps when I'm writing) and Sleep Camomile/Lavendar. They just introduced some new scents - I brought home three of their 1.6 oz 1 wick candles to see if I'd like them....Calypso Sun, Caribbean Escape and Sea Side Escape. Gasp!!!!!!!!!! I-LOVE-THEM-ALL-I-WISH-I'D-BOUGHT-THE-14oz-Size! No biggie though, I'll just clip a coupon and go back next week.

4. TMobile Cellular Service - My family has been with T-Mobile for the past 3 years and in my book they have the BEST customer service on earth.  Every organization that has a human being answering their phones should take c.s. lessons from TMobile!  On the rare occasion that I have an issue they can't resolve, I still don't end up angry and ready to choke the life out of the person on the other end.  I'd rate the cellular devices they offer 3-4 out of 5, but what their devices lack their superior customer service more than makes up for!

5.  My buddygirl Sandra Epps.  Sandy is a lupus survivor-turned advocate.  Her's is quite a story to tell but just to give you a snapshot, she nearly died on two occasions and was wheelchair bound.  God's grace, her zeal for life and take-no-prisoners-determination literally brought her back from the brinks of death. She is artistic and adores children - hence her business, Sandy's Land Entertainment.   She is so inspirational, innovative, always upbeat and positive... just plain kind.  Love her, love her, love her.  Also check her out on Facebook.

DraeTown - City Of Gold ft. Lawson

Exercise

5 Myths about Exercise and "Older" Adults

Myth 1: There’s no point to exercising. I’m going to get old anyway.

Fact: Exercise and strength training helps you look and feel younger and stay active longer. Regular physical activity lowers your risk for a variety of conditions, including Alzheimer’s and dementia, heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.

Myth 2: Elderly people shouldn’t exercise. They should save their strength and rest.

Fact: Research shows that a sedentary lifestyle is unhealthy for the elderly. Period. Inactivity often causes seniors to lose the ability to do things on their own and can lead to more hospitalizations, doctor visits, and use of medicines for illnesses.

Myth 3: Exercise puts me at risk of falling down.

Fact: Regular exercise, by building strength and stamina, prevents loss of bone mass and improves balance, actually reducing your risk of falling.

Myth 4: It’s too late. I’m already too old, to start exercising

Fact: You’re never too old to exercise! If you’ve never exercised before, or it’s been a while, start with light walking and other gentle activities.

Myth 5: I’m disabled. I can’t exercise sitting down.

Fact: Chair-bound people face special challenges but can lift light weights, stretch, and do chair aerobics to increase range of motion, improve muscle tone, and promote cardiovascular health.

The whole-body benefits of exercise for seniors

As you age, regular exercise is more important than ever to your body and mind.

Physical health benefits of senior exercise and fitness

• Exercise helps seniors maintain or lose weight. As metabolism naturally slows with age, maintaining a healthy weight is a challenge. Exercise helps increase metabolism and builds muscle mass, helping to burn more calories. When your body reaches a healthy weight, overall wellness improves.
• Exercise reduces the impact of illness and chronic disease. Among the many benefits of exercise for seniors include improved immune function, better heart health and blood pressure, better bone density, and better digestive functioning. Seniors who exercise also have a lowered risk of several chronic conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, and colon cancer.
• Exercise enhances mobility, flexibility, and balance in seniors. Exercise improves your strength, flexibility and posture, which in turn will help with balance, coordination, and reducing the risk of falls. Strength training also helps alleviate the symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis.

Mental health benefits of senior exercise and fitness

• Exercise improves your sleep. Poor sleep is not an automatic consequence of aging and quality sleep is important for your overall health. Exercise often improves sleep, helping you fall asleep more quickly and sleep more deeply.
• Exercise boosts mood and self-confidence. Endorphins produced by exercise can actually help you feel better and reduce feelings of sadness or depression. Being active and feeling strong naturally helps you feel more self confident and sure of yourself.
• Exercise is good for the brain. Exercise benefits regular brain functions and can help keep the brain active, which can prevent memory loss, cognitive decline, and dementia. Exercise may even help slow the progression of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Senior exercise and fitness: Tips for getting started safely

Are you ready to begin an exercise program? Congratulations! Committing to a routine of physical activity is one of the healthiest decisions you can make. Before you get moving, consider how best to be safe.

• Get medical clearance from your doctor before starting an exercise program, especially if you have a preexisting condition. Ask if there are any activities you should avoid.
• Consider health concerns. Keep in mind how your ongoing health problems affect your workouts. For example, diabetics may need to adjust the timing of medication and meal plans when setting an exercise schedule. Above all, if something feels wrong, such as sharp pain or unusual shortness of breath, simply stop. You may need to scale back or try another activity.
• Start slow. If you haven’t been active in a while, it can be harmful to go “all out.” Instead, build up your exercise program little by little. Try spacing workouts in ten-minute increments twice a day. Or try just one class each week.  Prevent crash-and-burn fatigue by warming up, cooling down, and keeping water handy.
• Recognize problems. Exercise should never hurt or make you feel lousy. Stop exercising immediately and call your doctor if you feel dizzy or short of breath, develop chest pain or pressure, break out in a cold sweat, or experience pain. Also stop if a joint is red, swollen, or tender to touch. 

Senior fitness and exercise: Tips for building a balanced exercise plan

Staying active is not a science. Just remember that mixing different types of exercise helps both reduce monotony and improve your overall health. Here is an overview of the four building blocks of senior fitness and how they can help your body.

The 1st building block of senior fitness: Cardio endurance exercise 

• What is it: Uses large muscle groups in rhythmic motions over a period of time. This type of exercise increases your body’s ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues and to remove waste over sustained periods of time. Cardio workouts get your heart pumping and you may even feel a little short of breath.
• Why it’s good for seniors: Helps lessen fatigue and shortness of breath. Promotes independence by improving endurance for daily activities such as walking, house cleaning, and errands. Cardio includes walking, stair climbing, swimming, hiking, cycling, rowing, tennis, and dancing.

The 2nd building block of senior fitness: Strength training

• What is it: Builds up muscle with repetitive motion using weight or external resistance from body weight, machines, or elastic bands.
• Why it’s good for seniors: Helps elderly people prevent loss of bone mass, builds muscle, and improves balance—both important in staying active and preventing risk of falling. Building up strength will help seniors stay independent and make day-to-day activities easier such as opening a jar, getting in and out of a car, and lifting objects.

The 3rd building block of senior fitness: Flexibility

• What is it: Challenges the joint’s ability to move freely through a full range of motion (ROM). Can be done through static stretches (stationary), and ballistic stretches (moving or bouncing) to keep muscles and joints supple so they are less prone to injury.
• Why it’s good for seniors: Helps body stay limber and increases range of movement for ordinary physical activities such as looking behind you while driving, tying shoes, shampooing your hair, and playing with grandchildren.

The 4th building block of senior fitness: Balance

• What is it: Maintains standing and stability under a variety of conditions including static (stationary) and dynamic (moving) balance.
• Why it’s good for seniors: Improves balance, posture, and quality of walking. Also reduces risk of falling and fear of falls. Try yoga, Tai Chi, and posture exercises to gain confidence with balance.

Types of activities that are beneficial to seniors:

• Walking. Walking is a perfect way to start exercising. It requires no special equipment, aside from a pair of comfortable walking shoes, and can be done anywhere.
• Senior sports or fitness classes. Keeps motivation alive while also providing a source of fun, stress relief, and a place to meet friends.
• Water aerobics and water sports. Working out in water is wonderful for seniors because water reduces stress and strain on the body's joints.
• Yoga. Combines a series of poses with breathing. Moving through the poses works on strength, flexibility and balance. Yoga can be adapted to any level.
• Tai Chi and Qi Gong. Martial arts-inspired systems of movement that increase balance and strength. Classes for seniors are often available at your local YMCA or community center.

Senior fitness and exercise: Tips for frail or chair-bound seniors

If you are chair-bound, movement matters even more, and fitness is entirely achievable. Chair-bound seniors can reap the benefits of exercise with strength training, flexibility, and even some endurance movements. If being chair-bound has prevented you from trying exercise in the past, take heart knowing that when you become more physically active, the results will amaze you. Like any exercise program, a chair-bound fitness routine takes a little creativity and personalization. Ready for a new you? Check out the following tips.

Chair-bound Fitness: So much is possible!

• Strength: Use free weights (otherwise known as “dumbbells”) to do repetitive sets of lifting. Don’t have weights? Use anything that is weighted and fits in your hand, like soup cans.
• Resistance: Resistance bands are like giant rubber bands designed to give your muscles a good workout when stretched and pulled.  Resistance bands can be attached to furniture, a doorknob, or even your chair.  Use these for pull-downs, shoulder rotations, and arm and leg-extensions.
• Flexibility: By practicing mindful breathing and slowly stretching, bending, and twisting, you can limber up and improve your range of motion. Some of these exercises can also be done lying down! Ask your doctor or search online for chair-yoga possibilities.
• Endurance: Check out pool-therapy programs designed for wheelchair bound seniors. Also, wheelchair-training machines make arm-bicycling and rowing possible. If you lack access to special machines or pools, repetitive movements (like rapid leg lifts or sitting pushups) work just as well to raise your heart rate. Your doctor will have more ideas.

Talk to your doctor or physical therapist for about chair bound exercise programs. The Internet is a valuable resource for more fitness ideas.

Senior fitness and exercise: Tips for getting more active—and liking it

If you dread working out, it’s time for a mental makeover. Consider physical activity part of a lifestyle instead of a bothersome task to check off your “to do” list. There are plenty of ways for seniors to make exercise a pleasurable part of everyday life—here are just a few.

Choose activities and exercises you enjoy

Think about activities that you enjoy and how you can incorporate them into an exercise routine. 

• Listen to music while lifting weights
• Window shop while walking laps at the mall
• Get competitive while playing tennis
• Take photographs on a nature hike
• Meet new people at a yoga class
• Watch a favorite movie while on the treadmill
• Chat with a friend while walking, stretching, or strength training

Find easy ways to add more physical activity to your day

If you’ve caught the workout bug and you want to find more ways to be active, the following tips are for you.

• Active on the go: Always choose stairs over the elevator, park at the far end of the parking lot when arriving at appointments and meetings, walk down every isle of the grocery store while shopping, practice balancing skills while standing in line, do neck rolls while waiting at a stoplight.
• Active at home: Do a set of wall pushups while waiting for water to boil, vigorously vacuum, tend to the garden, sweep the sidewalk, rake leaves, lift weights while watching the news, try toe-raises while talking on the phone, do knee bends after sitting for a long period of time.

Focus on the benefits in your daily life

The most rewarding part of beginning a fitness routine is noticing the difference it makes in the rest of your life. Even if you begin exercising with a few simple stretches while seated or a short walk around the block, you’ll notice an improvement in how you feel as you go about your day.

• House cleaning, gardening, shopping, and errands. Want to feel less winded while vacuuming or rushing to and from appointments? Doing just 15 to 20 minutes of heart-healthy cardio each day, such as walking, biking, swimming, or water aerobics will help give you the stamina you need.
• Lifting grandchildren, carrying groceries, household chores. Building muscle mass a few times each week through weight lifting, resistance exercises, and nautilus machines will help give you more strength.
• Tying shoes, looking behind you while driving, navigating steps. Incorporating basic stretching—even while seated—to your fitness routine will make the most ordinary movements easier. Try yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, or Qi Gong to limber up. 

Exercise doesn’t have to break the bank

A senior fitness program does not depend on costly gym memberships and fancy exercise equipment. Like the best things in life, staying fit can be completely free. Work out the wallet-friendly way:

• Do neck rolls and light stretching while watching TV
• No weights? Use soup cans
• Rent exercise videos from the library

• Mow the lawn, rake leaves, and weed
• Climb stairs
• Enjoy a walk in a new park or neighborhood

Senior exercise and fitness: Tips for staying active for life

The more you exercise, the more you will reap the benefits, so it’s important to stay motivated when life’s challenges get in the way.

• Keep a log. Writing down your activities in an exercise journal not only holds you accountable, but also is a reminder of accomplishments.
• Stay inspired. Reading health magazines or watching sports shows can help remind you how great it feels to take care of your body.
• Get support. It’s easier to keep going with support. Consider taking a class or exercising with your spouse or a buddy.
• Exercise safely. Nothing derails an exercise plan like an injury. Use common sense and don’t exercise if you are ill. Wear brightly colored clothing to be visible on the roads. When the weather brings slippery conditions, walk at a mall indoors to prevent falling.

How To Cope with Change In Your Situation
Adapted from the National Institutes on Aging
You’re on vacation	Many hotels now have fitness centers. Check out the facilities where you’ll be staying, and bring along your exercise clothing or equipment (resistance band, bathing suit, or walking shoes). Get out and see the sights on foot rather than just by tour bus.
Caring for an ill spouse is taking up much of your time	Work out to an exercise video when your spouse is napping. Ask a family member or friend to come over so you can go for a walk.
Your usual exercise buddy moves away	Ask another friend to go with you on your daily walk. Ask other older adults in your area where they go for walks or what physical activity resources are available nearby. Join an exercise class at your local community center or senior center. This is a great way to meet other active people.
You move to a new community	Check out the fitness centers, parks, and recreation associations in your new neighborhood. Look for activities that match your interests and abilities. Get involved!
The flu keeps you out of action for a few weeks	Wait until you feel better and then start your activity again. Gradually build back up to your previous level of activity.
You are recovering from hip or back surgery	Talk with your doctor about specific exercises and activities you can do safely when you’re feeling better. Start slowly and gradually build up your activities as you become stronger.

The best thing about working out is that it gives you energy for more activities. When it becomes habit, you’ll never want to give it up.