One of the pillars of good overall health is exercise. Given that exercise is a sure way for our older loved ones to stay fit and healthy, it is vital to encourage them to work out regularly.
Your loved one can integrate Pilates into their schedule at Seasons Retirement, a reputed retirement home in Canada to help older adults stay in good shape. We also encourage our residents to engage in other wholesome activities such as exercises, meditation, yoga, etc.
Pilates, to be specific, is a set of workout activities that offer fantastic health benefits to older adults. From improving their physical health to keeping them mentally sharp, this exercise is a valuable and fun activity for your parents or grandparents to do.
In this article, we’ll look at the origin of Pilates and what the exercise entails. Also, we’ll be discussing the health benefits of pilates for seniors.
Joseph H. Pilates formed Pilates in the early twentieth century. Before this workout routine was named after the German physical trainer, it used to be known as ‘Contrology.’
Pilates is a group of exercises that focuses on the body’s core while also working on the entire body. These exercises help align the body structure by rectifying muscular unevenness and improving movement patterns.
Pilates has over 600 forms of workouts, which people can perform on a specialized apparatus or mat.
Pilates focuses on your breath and aims for minor and deeper body muscles and tissues. It also supports your joints by providing an equal proportion of stamina, mobility, and strength.
This group of exercises can be carried out by people of all ages, genders, and abilities, and it offers a wide variety of health benefits to everyone. That said, pilates for older adults will be the primary focus of this piece.
Pilates offers several health advantages to older adults. It focuses on older people’s strength, balance, and flexibility, thereby improving their physical health.
Below are seven significant benefits of pilates for seniors:
If your loved one wants to improve their bone strength, engaging in Pilates may be the best way to start. An experimental study has found that Pilates may increase bone density, especially among women who have reached menopause.
Density is an essential quality of the bone. And given that the body relies on the bones for support, low density could affect that function. So, it is necessary to maintain an adequate bone density, and Pilates will help your older one achieve that.
To improve bone density, your loved one can perform Pilates workouts on equipment such as a Reformer or Tower, as it has been proven more effective for enhancing bone robustness than Pilates on a mat.
As mentioned earlier, Pilates helps keep the body structure perfectly aligned, correcting the imbalances of the muscles and bones. This helps to keep the joints and entire body in good shape.
Also, this physical activity helps to improve the tone and strength of your loved one’s muscles, thereby ensuring that they can move properly and have an excellent body posture.
Excellent balance and gait are evidence of good physical health, and Pilates helps your loved ones to achieve both qualities. This exercise improves body balance by working on the core muscles, giving your loved one reasonable control over their joints.
As a result, your older one’s risk of falling is reduced, and they can move freely without the fear of tripping over.
Reduced fall risks mean older adults can safely go about their daily activities. So, Pilates plays a role in injury prevention for your parents and grandparents. Moreover, it provides their bodies with enough balance, strength, and stamina to engage in their favourite hobbies without fear of sustaining injuries.
Additionally, Pilates makes your loved one more aware of their body, which will enhance proprioception – the subconscious ability to sense the position and movement of the body. This, in turn, reduces the risk of injuries. Chair pilates for seniors is beneficial for heightening proprioceptive senses.
Since Pilates is a group of mind-body workouts, it plays a part in the mental health of individuals. As it focuses on your loved one’s breathing, Pilates impacts their mindfulness, bringing a sense of calm and peace of mind.
Pilates can boost your older one’s mood, ensuring their energy levels are high. One particular research showed that Pilates offered more psychosocial advantages for older adults than several other types of workouts.
Yoga is another mindfulness activity that offers several health benefits to older adults that your loved ones can have some fun engaging in.
Pilates doesn’t only make your loved one’s physical health better, but it also positively impacts their brain function. Regularly engaging in Pilates can significantly enhance the memory health of your parents or grandparents.
Pilates increases blood circulation in the brain, which develops new nerve cells and pathways for brain functions like reasoning, memory, and learning.
Like every other form of exercise, Pilates enhances the immune system, preventing the development of several health conditions. For example, older adults can prevent osteoporosis by performing standing pilates for seniors.
Furthermore, Pilates has been shown to slow or completely stop the progression of some illnesses like diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Having read through the health benefits explained in this article, you should understand why pilates for seniors is an excellent exercise for your parents and grandparents.
To follow standard practice, your loved one should seek their doctor’s advice on if Pilates workouts are suitable for them. Meanwhile, at Seasons Retirement communities, we have measures to ensure our residents engage in safe workout routines to avoid falls and injuries and enjoy a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle.