The Costco Connection

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© DM Y TRO ZINKEV YCH / SHU T TERS TOCK
by HEATHER LARSON

study released by the University of Michigan Medical School in 2017

reported that regular exercise spurs
healthy aging and helps with chronic
disease management. Older adults can profit
from aerobic exercise, strength and resistance
training, stretching and balance work, the
study said.

Lauren Lobert, a physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist in Brighton, Michigan, talks about even more benefits for seniors who get regular exercise. Bone density improves, which helps prevent fractures; balance gets better, making falls less likely; strength increases, and you become more flexible, she says.

If walking, running or working out at a gym has lost its appeal as you age, there is still a kaleidoscope of other enjoyable ways to get moving.

Team up

“I recommend joining a team, as it allows you to meet new friends and work toward a common goal,” says Lobert, a Costco member.

Margaret Beuter, a 63-year-old Costco member in Iowa City, Iowa, remains active by shooting hoops in Granny Basketball (for women age 50 or older). She’s played forward and guard for the past eight years in this league and currently starts for the Cedar Rapids Sizzlers.

“The rules say no running or jumping [except for free throws], but it’s still a good workout,” says Beuter. “Nobody wants to get hurt, and the extent of injuries we normally see are broken fingernails.”

Exercise your brain and body

When it comes to concentration,
juggling ranks very high. Steve Schrader,

82, currently practices 90 minutes a day and hopes to perform in front of audiences soon.

“I used to participate in sports and enjoy walking. Then I had a pacemaker installed and developed lower back problems, and couldn’t do either,” he says.

“Juggling has increased my energy [and]
activity level, and improved my resilience.”
A variation on kettle balls, Indian club
swinging consists of bowling-pin-shaped
wooden clubs of varying sizes and weights
that are swung in certain patterns as part
of a strength exercise program. Club swing-
ing helps with flexibility, joint mobility
and hand-eye coordination. The size and
weight of the clubs vary, but the ones used
most often for fitness are 16 inches long
and weigh 1 to 3 pounds.

Other pursuits seniors can engage in include belly dancing, playing pickleball and using the equipment at senior playgrounds, which offer low-impact exercise equipment designed to promote flexibility, balance and coordination.

Whatever your endeavor, just remember to keep moving.

Costco member Heather Larson writes about health, business and lifestyle.

A
Mood mover

In addition to the positive physical effects when you choose to get active, your mood changes for the better.

Exercise is a natural
and very effective
treatment for anxiety,
depression and stress
through the release
of endorphins. It also
boosts dopamine,
norepinephrine and
serotonin levels, which
help with focus and
attention.—HL