As you get older
As you get older
Growing old actively!
Retirement can bring time for leisure, travel opportunities and interests to the older person. This is the chance to take up those sports and activities that you never had time for whilst working and bringing up your family, e.g. golf, gardening, badminton, fitness classes etc..
The body, however, has changed. It has lost some of its elasticity and ability to adapt. It has also experienced injuries and postural stress during those years, often resulting in repetitive strain injuries, stiffness and degenerative changes.
Quality of life is especially important for this age group when there are increasing concerns about loss of independence and mobility.
The onset of health issues such as high blood pressure, digestive and circulatory disorders and arthritis have all begun to have a noticeable effect on the body’s energy and ability to perform.
Many grandparents also help working parents by caring for their grandchildren – a pleasure for many but also a strain on the older body.
Keep active to stay strong
You actually need to be more active than you might think - older muscles and bones need constant stimulation to keep them healthy and strong, and you need to eat quality food with plenty of protein (meat, fish, eggs, cheese, beans and oats) with lots of vegetables (mostly cooked for easy digestion) and fruit to supply extra vitamins and minerals.
Osteopathy for older people
Osteopathy can also help greatly as you get older.
An osteopath will take a full case history so they can understand how the body has been affected so far.
Then, after a full examination and assessment, the osteopath will be able to offer treatment and advice to help improve mobility, circulation and immune function, and reduce joint stiffness so that the older person can enjoy a full and active life in retirement.
The treatment is gentle and aims to maintain health and prevent further injury.
Dietary advice may also be given to help maintain healthy bones and joints.
Remember:
- Gentle stretching daily to maintain tissue elasticity and joint mobility
- Walk as much as possible to keep circulation healthy and maintain muscle tone
- The use of trainers or similar footwear may be more support than especially traditional women's shoes and can help to reduce wear and tear to the knee and hip joints, and can also help reduce back pain when walking on hard pavements.
- A daily rest – to recover energy for the rest of the day’s activities