As I write this blog, I'm just settling back at my desk after a lovely visit to a local retirement community. (To bring you up to speed, I'm working on a feature for our September issue on retirement homes.) But this place doesn't resemble your “typical” enclave for retired folk — or what used to be typical, as these places — I'm finding — are packed with modern amenities that, according to the executive director, spur many 20-somethings to inquire about move-in options. (Sorry, young'uns, but you've got to be at least 62 to hang your hat here.) Besides looking as executive-classy as it does hipster-trendy, of its many cool features, the one that really struck me was this: The fitness offerings are plentiful and top notch.
In all honesty, though, as I delve deeper into the topic of senior living, I'm learning that wellness options — both for the mind and for the body — are something that residents and potential residents not only want … these days, they also require them.
Whether it's taking a spin on a recumbent bike, working out with free weights, hoofing it on a treadmill or participating in yoga or tai chi, today's seniors are seeking fun and effective ways to stay fit, active and healthy. And why shouldn't they? With human beings living longer today than at any other time in history, life certainly doesn't stop when we reach a “certain age.”
I've been writing for Fort Worth, Texas magazine for nearly a decade, and over those years, I’ve penned more pieces than I can count. But a feature story I did this spring on Alzheimer's received more buzz than just about any article I’ve ever written. People of all ages connected with it because the disease directly and indirectly affects pretty much everyone on the planet. Although there’s no known cause and no cure (yet, although that will change sooner than later if our brilliant research buddies at UNT Health Science Center have anything to do with it), research reveals quite convincingly that exercise can help decelerate the effects of Alzheimer’s and age-related dementias.
Coupled with the fact that, for many people today, our “golden years” mark a new and exciting stage of life, that exercise is a patent part of it makes total sense.
Once you start exercising, it can (and should) be a lifelong habit. But even if you've never so much as lifted a dumbbell or attempted a downward dog (let alone figured out what in the world that even means), just remember: It's never too late to start.
