Researchers placed 107 men and women who were obese and age 65 and older into one of four groups for a year: one that dieted; one that did cardio, resistance, flexibility and balance exercises three times a week; one that did both; and a control group that neither dieted nor exercised.

Almost across the board, the seniors in the diet and exercise group fared better than the diet group, exercise group or control group alone. Physical performance improved by 21% in the combination group, by 15% in the exercise group and by 12% in the weight loss group. The study subjects were tested on tasks such as walking, putting on and removing a coat, standing up from a chair and climbing a flight of stairs.

Participants also had their peak oxygen consumption (a measure of a person’s physical fitness) calculated during a treadmill walk. Those in the diet and exercise group improved 17% from the start of the study, while the diet group improved 10% and the exercise group improved 8%.

Quality of life scores also improved most in the combination group–15%, compared with 14% in the diet group and 10% in the exercise group. The diet and exercise group also showed the most progress in strength, gait and balance.

Body weight decreased 10% in the diet group, 9% in the diet and exercise group, but did not decline in the exercise or control groups.

There was a slight down side to the interventions–researchers noted that most participants showed small decreases in lean body mass and bone mineral density. Bone mineral density measured at the hip decreased by 1.1% in the diet and exercise group and 2.6% in the diet-only group, but increased 1.5% in the exercise group. However, no substantial differences were seen in the participants in bone mineral density in the entire body or at the lumbar spine. The combination group lost 3% of its lean body mass, and the diet group lost 5%.

More than one million 20 minute sessions of Dakim BrainFitness have been completed by more than thousands of seniors said the company in a statement.

The award-winning program, which has been clinically tested and shown to improve memory has been installed in more than 450 senior living communities nationwide since its introduction in 2006.

“The key to brain exercise for seniors is twofold: rigorously cross-training the brain in multiple cognitive domains and making the activities enjoyable enough to do on the consistent basis that has been shown to achieve results,” said Dan Michel, CEO and Founder of Dakim. “We developed Dakim BrainFitness with those objectives in mind, and the fact that we have just seen our 1 millionth session completed demonstrates that we succeeded in building a program with true staying power for users.”

The program uses a TV game show like presentation as well as self-adjustment for different ability levels – along with rising concern over the epidemic of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. More than 20 years of medical research has concluded that consistent mental stimulation that exercises different portions of the brain can dramatically reduce the risk of dementia.

In senior living environments, the Dakim system is supplied on a special touch screen computer that requires no mouse, keyboard or computer knowledge. It is the #1 memory care program in the senior living industry because of that ease of use, limited need for staff involvement and often-humorous multimedia activities with cultural references harkening back to seniors’ youth said the company.

Dakim BrainFitness is also available as PC and Mac compatible software for home use and for health care professionals including neurologists, geriatric psychiatrists, speech pathologists and occupational therapists.

1. Stretch: Lie on your back on the sofa, and slowly bring one knee up to your chest, pulling it in with your arms as far as feels comfortable. Hold for 10 seconds, then slowly release. (You should be able to keep your head turned comfortably toward the television as you do this.) Repeat with the other leg, alternating two times. Next, stand up, hold arms out to the sides and slowly move them in big circles. Repeat eight times; then reverse the direction of the circles. 

2. Strengthen: Stand and slowly raise one foot a few inches in front of you, then trace the letters of the alphabet with that foot (hold the sofa arm if you need support). Repeat with the other foot. Next, lie flat on the floor. Tense your thigh muscles and abdominals, and lift one leg about 6 inches off the ground, then lower. Repeat four to six times, then, switch legs.
3. Sweat: During commercial breaks, march around the room, lifting your knees as you step. After about a minute and a half, stop and march in place, stepping side to side occasionally.
 

For the neck:

• Look straight ahead.

• Tilt head gently sideways toward shoulder.

• Hold 3 seconds.

• Repeat to other side.

For the shoulders:

• Stand at the bottom of stairs with your hand on the banister and slide your hand up and down the banister.

• Move to other side of the stairs and repeat with the other arm.

For the arms:

• Hold arms at sides, palms forward and elbows straight.

• Raise arms out to sides and up as if clapping hands above your head.

• Lower arms slowly and repeat.

For the full text of the interview, click here .

From May 1, 2005, through July 31, 2008, a total of 246 women 65 years or older who were living independently in the area of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, were recruited and randomly assigned 1:1 to an 18-month exercise program (exercise group) or to a wellness program (control group). The exercise intervention consisted of a multipurpose exercise program emphasizing exercise intensity, whereas the control intervention emphasized well-being with a low-intensity, low-frequency program. Study endpoints included BMD, the number of falls, Framingham-based 10-year CHD risk, and direct healthcare costs.

Among 227 women who completed the 18-month study, there were significant effects of exercise for BMD of the lumbar spine (mean percentage of change in BMD from baseline to follow-up for the exercise group and fall rate per person for 18 months) .

In both subgroups, there was a significantly effect on 10-year CHD risk, but this was not significantly different between the groups. During the 18-month intervention, direct healthcare costs per participant were not significantly different between the groups. 

Spource: medscape.com

Ankle Exercise for Seniors

Aa easy seated ankle exercise is the circle. Lift one leg slightly and rotate your ankle in a full circle five times, then reverse and rotate it in the opposite direction five times. Switch and repeat with the other ankle.

I always start my stretches with the exercise. If you are new to working out, this is a must to start off your routine!

Half Squats

Slowly bend your knees slightly, then straighten. Keep your feet flat on the floor. If you have knee pain, avoid doing this exercise or bend more shallowly.
 
Heel Lifts

Slowly rise up to your tiptoes, and then lower your heels back to the floor.
 
Toe Lifts

Keeping your heels on the floor, lift your toes off the floor. Hold them up for a count of 3; then lower them back to the floor. (Don’t allow your hips to go backward when you do this exercise; keep them as straight as possible.) 

Snack on walnuts, pecans or other tree nuts to get a boost to your immune system.They are loaded with vitamin E, which can help ward off viruses and reduce your chances of developing the flu.

Pomegranates, cranberries, blackberries and cherries are loaded with antioxidants that can also fight off the flu.

More foods to come this week. Try adding in a new veggie or fruit to your diet today!

Starting an exercise program is just the first step. Here are some tips for sticking with a new routine or reinvigorating a tired workout:

• Set some goals. It’s always a good idea to begin or modify a workout program with a goal in mind. If your primary goal is to reduce stress in your life and recharge your batteries, your specific goals might include committing to walking during your lunch hour three times a week or, if needed, finding a baby sitter to watch your children so that you can slip away to attend a spinning class.

• Find a friend. Knowing that someone is waiting for you to show up at the gym or the park can be a powerful incentive. Working out with a friend, co-worker or family member often brings a new level of motivation to your workouts.

• Change up your routine. If you’ve always been a competitive runner, take a look at other less competitive options that may help with stress reduction, such as Pilates classes or yoga. As an added bonus, these kinder, gentler workouts may enhance your running while also decreasing your stress.