Cantissimo Senior Living Blog

Posture refers to how we position our bodies when sitting, standing, or laying down. Your overall health relies on good posture. It keeps your bones aligned with the rest of your body, and the tension in your muscles, ligaments, and tendons adequately spread. It even improves your blood flow.

Maintaining a good posture means that you hold your body in the best position possible to place minimal stress on your back and spine. Since our spines begin to change as we age, good posture becomes even more critical for older adults. Have you ever heard that as we age, we get shorter? Well, this is, in fact, true. The cushions between our bones start to break down and thin over time, plus the cartilage and tissues connecting our spines lose their elasticity and are not as thick. But, having good posture can help with this.

Falling is the number one reason for broken bones and injuries among older adults. The high number of falls means that learning how to be more aware of good posture is needed to improve balance and decrease falling chances. Good posture is also an osteoporosis preventative. It lowers heart attack and stroke risk, makes you feel happier, helps sustain memory recall, and helps with digestive issues.

Below are the ten tips we highly recommend for older adults to improve their posture.

Many consider spinning, a version of indoor stationary bicycling, to be an excellent activity for older adults. Physical activity is essential at any age, and spinning provides an exercise that is safe, low-impact, and easy on the joints. It improves movement, heart health, and helps prevent fall-related injuries. So, is a spin class right for you? Here are several reasons you should consider trying it out:

The trends and fads of the wellness and fitness industry keep changing. However, one thing that will always remain a staple will be the importance of low-impact exercises. Low-impact exercises make it possible to stay active, improve mobility, and build strength without putting unnecessary stress on the joints. Thus, low-impact exercises among the most highly recommended physical activity options for aging adults.

If you are looking for ways to stay safe and healthy, here are ten of the best low-impact exercises for you:

Upon crossing the bridge into retirement, you will get the opportunity to enjoy what many consider to be the best days of your life. Unfortunately, many suffer from lower energy levels upon entering the age of retirement. Without that desired energy, enjoying your retirement to the fullest will be a challenge. There are numerous methods available for you to boost your energy at any age. Let's take a look at some of the most prominent techniques to jump-start and sustain that energy long into retirement!

According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), every 1 in 4 people above 65 falls each year. An elderly individual gets treatments in the hospital's emergency room every 11 seconds. Every 19 seconds, there is a death of an older adult due to a fall.

Falls are among the leading causes of fatal injuries and trauma-related emergency admissions in hospitals among the elderly population. Falls result in over 2.8 million injuries treated in hospitals annually, including more than 800,000 in emergency departments and over 27,000 deaths.

There are several ways to prevent falls, such as getting enough sleep, staying physically active, and taking muscle relaxant medications or strengthening supplements. Exercising helps prevent falls because it improves your balance, strengthens your muscles, and increases flexibility. Here are the ten best exercises to improve balance and prevent falls!

Regular stretching offers a vast number of health benefits to older adults. Tight and stiff muscles can lead to poor posture. For instance, tight muscles in your chest, spine, and hips can cause poor posture and balance. Stretching exercises can improve pectoralis, hamstring, and upper trapezius muscles to improve posture.

Stretching improves flexibility and range of motion in your joints, leading to enhanced performance in physical activities for seniors. Back pain, especially lumbar spine pain, is a common health condition in older adults. Poor posture in the cervical spine (upper back) can lead to discomfort and pain in the lumbar spine (lower back). The condition is often due to tight hamstrings and hip flexors. Regular stretching can alleviate discomfort, inflammation, and pain in your back.

Additionally, stretching exercises can prevent muscle soreness and reduce the risk of injuries. In today's article, we will talk about five of the best stretching exercises for older adults. Read on!

Losing weight is a big task in itself, but for many, it can be even more challenging to keep the weight off afterward. Someone who has successfully lost a significant amount of weight often falls back into bad habits and ends up gaining all the weight once again. It takes impressive dedication, discipline, and motivation to keep the weight off. Read the following tips to help keep off the weight you've worked so hard to lose!

I was renting a clinic space in a pilates studio several years back when I heard one of the teachers remark, "Stabilize, then Mobilize... Stabilize then Mobilize".

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 33% of the global population, including seniors, suffer from musculoskeletal conditions. One in two older adults in the US lives with painful disorders related to muscles. The prevalence of musculoskeletal problems in the country is the same as chronic respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.

The loss of physical independence and mobility is a devastating experience for older adults. Some of the common disorders include fractures, osteoporosis, infections, osteoarthritis microcrystal disorders, and tumors.

Although older adults undergo conservative treatments, such as pain medications, antidepressants, and analgesics to treat these problems, research highlights that stretching exercises offer adverse-free and long-term benefits to older adults. In today's article, we will talk about the importance and benefits of stretching for the elderly.

With the arrival of COVID-19 and the efforts to socially distance, it has never been more important to stay in shape at home. Throughout much of the pandemic, gyms have been closed, and people are more reliant than ever on exercising at home and outdoors. This is particularly true for older adults. Strength training helps to maintain healthy bone structures, improve mobility, and prevent falls. In this article, we share seven of the best strength exercises that can be done at home with little to no exercise equipment.