Tafta Sports Day 2023
9 top sports for seniors – how to exercise safely
Remaining active into your 70s and 80s brings a multitude of benefits. Apart from being good for your heart, regular exercise helps maintain muscle strength and flexibility, increases mobility, and reduces the likelihood of falls and other injuries.
Elders who remain fit and active are also less likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, as exercise is a well-known mood booster. In fact, an active lifestyle may even help delay the onset of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Active ageing
As leaders in elder care, Tafta is a firm advocate of active ageing. Our annual interhouse sports day for seniors is a popular event, filled with friendly rivalry and intense competition.
Obviously, we don’t expect older people to take to the rugby field (unless they are willing and able to). But there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in sports that are ideal for elders. Here are nine of the best:
1. Walking
Number one on our list, walking is easy to do and requires no special equipment, other than a comfortable pair of shoes. You can literally step outside your front door and start exercising.
Walking is a great way to remain active, build strength, maintain balance and improve your cardiovascular health. Start slowly and build up until you can walk comfortably for 30-45 minutes.
Early morning is the best time for walking, but if you are going to be out for a while, be sure to apply sunscreen, wear a hat and carry bottled water to stay hydrated. Walking outdoors also helps to get in the Vitamin D dosage.
Oldfield Wellness Centre Aqua Aerobics.
2. Swimming
Swimming is one of the best sports for older people, and with our sunny, South African climate, it’s the ideal way to keep your cool while you exercise.
Older people who struggle to maintain their balance, or are unable to walk owing to arthritis and other conditions, will find swimming a painless way to exercise muscles in the arms, legs and torso.
Swimming laps provides excellent cardiovascular exercise. Unlike jogging or aerobics, there is little chance of injury or joint strain because the natural buoyancy of water supports body weight.
Joining an aquasize class is fun, as well as providing a safe workout. You can walk, jog, jump and do arm raises in the pool, using the resistance of the water to work those muscles!
3. Dancing
Dancing not only provides a great workout, it has a social element that does wonders for your mood and general wellbeing. Anything from ballroom dancing to modern disco will boost your heart rate, energy levels and help with balance.
Line-dancing is popular with people of all ages and abilities. Learning the steps, and following the instructor means your brain gets a workout too.
Call one of our wellness centres near you to find out about social dance sessions.
4. Pilates and yoga
These forms of exercise combine gentle movement aimed at strengthening muscles and improving flexibility, without the high impact of aerobics. Chair pilates is especially beneficial to older people. With your body weight supported, you can exercise safely without risking joint strain or a fall.
You are encouraged to go at your own pace, rather than “pushing” yourself to complete a certain number of repetitions. Movements are slow and controlled, with the aim of improving balance and developing core strength.
Both pilates and yoga focus on breathing, alignment and concentration. Yoga also has a meditative aspect that can help reduce stress and anxiety, leading to mental wellbeing along with physical health.
5. Table tennis
Playing table tennis helps increase fitness, agility, flexibility, leg, arm and core strength. Although aerobic in nature, the game is played in a relative small space, which makes it ideal for elders who may no longer have the stamina to cover longer distances.
Some people experience a deterioration in hand-eye coordination as they get older, which can be greatly improved by playing table tennis. Because it’s fast-paced, the sport also helps sharpen your mind, as it requires fast reactions and the ability to make quick decisions.
Interestingly, table tennis has been found to be beneficial to elders in the early stages of cognitive decline, and is now being used as a treatment for Dementia and Parkinson’s.
At John Conradie House/Langeler Towers, we have an enthusiastic table tennis group who are always happy to welcome new players.
Table Tennis at John Conradie House
6. Cycling
Cycling is an excellent form of exercise for elders, offering a wide range of health benefits. It provides a low-impact cardiovascular workout that is easy on the joints, making it an ideal activity for those with arthritis or other joint issues.
If you are new to the sport, you may prefer to start with a stationery exercise bike to build leg strength. However, this doesn’t offer the same benefits of improving balance, or getting you out into the fresh air on a bicycle.
7. Lawn bowls (indoor carpet bowls)
Bowls is often associated with older sportsmen and women, but don’t be fooled. Although the low-impact nature of the game makes it ideal for elders, it’s a challenging game that provides a good workout both physically and mentally. Nowadays, a growing number of younger people have taken to the game, including school children.
Because it’s normally played outdoors, bowls offers seniors a healthy dose of Vitamin D along with their exercise. It’s also fairly slow-paced and social, offering all the benefits of companionship and opportunities to make new friends.
8. Golf
Playing golf provides a wide variety of benefits. It exercises both arms and legs – especially if you walk the course instead of using a golf cart – and is good for improving balance, as well as providing opportunities to socialise and make friends.
However, the cost may make golf ineligible for elders on a budget. Apart from needing to invest in a set of golf clubs and a bag, you have to pay club membership fees and/or green fees, which can be around R450 for 9 holes or R750 for 18 holes.
Croquet at Primrose Wellness Centre
9. Croquet
Not as popular as other sports, croquet nevertheless provides an excellent opportunity to get outdoors, socialise and have fun, while providing a gentle workout.
Playing croquet can improve hand-eye coordination, flexibility, and balance. While it’s not physically demanding, it does require problem-solving, making it a good way to give your brain a bit of a workout too.
Can you add to this list? Please leave your suggestion in the comments section below.
