Physical activity helps maintain the independence of older people. In the context of an aging population, a campaign encourages seniors to abandon their sedentary habits and to be active, even in small doses.
The “Active your way” campaign, launched by the Capsana organization in partnership with the FADOQ Network and the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services, offers ideas for physical activities and activities on the jemactive.ca website. benefits associated with it.
Regardless of age, anyone who starts being active will gain immediate benefits, says neuropsychologist Louis Bherer, director of the EPIC Center and full professor in the department of medicine at the University of Montreal.
It is nuanced that you have to listen to your physical abilities and not set untenable goals, but it is not age that will limit gains, it is a sedentary lifestyle and lack of activity. physical. “You have to distinguish the two. You can do too little physical activity or a lot of physical activity, but still be very sedentary if you spend several hours sitting. We need to break the sedentary lifestyle as much as possible,” argues Dr Bherer.
Physical activity reduces the risk of loss of autonomy in several ways. “The main factors that will cause people to lose independence are neurocognitive disorders, but it is also mobility disorders such as falls, difficulty getting around and going about their daily activities. everyday life,” explains the neuropsychologist.
By being physically active, seniors maintain better walking speed and better balance, which reduces the risk of falls, which are common and dangerous for them. It also helps with neurocognitive disorders.
“All the elements that will reduce the independence of an elderly person can be postponed until later, and we gain a lot in the quality of life. Obviously, we often think of more serious neurocognitive cases, dementia or falls, but before that, before these big events happen, there is a loss of quality of life and a loss of well-being which is important and physical activity helps counter this,” explains Dr Bherer.
Immediate benefits
Even for people who haven’t been active for a very long time, getting back into shape brings benefits quickly, particularly in terms of sleep. “They will quickly get back to sleep if they had sleep problems and they will also feel more energetic,” he says.
One of the often underestimated benefits, according to Dr. Bherer, is in relation to psychological and cognitive health. “Being physically active is good for reducing anxiety, depressive symptoms and is good for stimulating the brain. It gives a feeling of awakening quickly.
People report to us that they have more sustained attention and feel better mentally,” he reports.
In his studies, after just a few months, benefits were noted in attention, concentration and memory. “And in the long term, we know that it reduces the risk of developing neurocognitive disorders such as dementia,” he adds.
To benefit as much as possible from physical activity, it is preferable to exercise at moderate intensity, that is to say as soon as you feel a little short of breath. However, even lower-intensity activities help slow the cognitive decline associated with aging. For example, a non-vigorous walk of 15 minutes per day will have cognitive benefits, says Dr. Bherer.
“We still recommend up to 150 minutes of moderate physical activity (per week) to also have benefits on cardiorespiratory health,” he specifies.
Varying the exercises is also important. Having sessions that are more demanding for the muscles, others for balance and posture, such as walking or gardening, will strengthen the maintenance of autonomy among seniors.
To keep yourself motivated, Dr. Bherer recommends finding an activity you enjoy and doing it in a group since our teammates will train you on days when you are less motivated.
He also reminds us that physical activity is not the only thing that older people should focus on for a healthy lifestyle. Sleeping well, eating a balanced diet, being careful with alcohol, having social interactions and cognitive stimulation are all aspects that will contribute to well-being.
