Staying active and healthy as we age may involve choosing the right gym or fitness facility. Older adults often have additional needs because of health issues and physical limitations. Take time to evaluate a gym before joining to see if it can provide the best environment for your aging needs.

Consider the answers to these questions when making your decision:

§         Does the facility have non-slip flooring?
§         Are all areas accessible to wheelchairs?
§         Are the locker rooms clean and accessible? (Gyms are communal places, and aging adults with compromised immune systems are more susceptible to germs and infections.)
§         Does the facility offer a free orientation class to get familiar with your surroundings?
§         Do staff members have CPR and first aid training?

Read more in our FREE checklist…Finding an Age-Friendly Fitness Facility

At times, we need individual training and motivation as we exercise. If you’re aging and/or have a chronic condition, be mindful of the qualifications of any personal trainers with whom you work. Referrals are a great way to find the right trainer for you. Ask for recommendations from friends, family, or your doctor. Age-friendly personal trainers should be aware of your physical limitations and the challenges of an aging body.

Suggestions for evaluating the right age-friendly personal trainer for you:

§         Does the trainer have a personal training certification?

§         Has the trainer worked with people with medical conditions such as arthritis, back pain, diabetes, etc?  Trainers with experience in your medical condition can adapt or create exercises that are safe but effective.

§         Has the trainer worked with other clients my age?

§         Will the trainer give you references from past clients?

§         If I exercise with a trainer at my home, does he or she have liability insurance?

Click below for additional questions that can be useful when looking for an age-friendly personal trainer.

Finding an Age-Friendly Personal Trainer

If you look for most Alabamians on a fall Saturday, they will be in a college stadium or gathered around a TV watching football. In other words, football is king. The college football season is on the horizon, along with all the stadium and comfort food that comes along with it. This unhealthy food adds insult to injury when you’re not active. Inactivity can be especially hurtful for an aging body.

Stay active and healthy in the fall and beyond by following these 10 tips.

1)  Get a checkup from your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen.

2)  Think about your personality, and choose a program or type of exercise that you will enjoy. Do you enjoy exercise with others or going solo? Will you exercise in the morning or later in the day? Are you an indoor or outdoor person?

3)  Don’t overdo it! Before beginning, map out a normal day. Count how many hours you have not been active. Plan when you can fit some short times of brisk walking into your day.

4)  Make specific goals and make them a priority. Make short term goals like taking 10 minute walks in the morning and evening. Set a long term goal that is achieved by staying focused on your short-term goals.

5)  Write a list of benefits you expect from exercising. Make them about things you can control, rather than about an outcome such as losing 30 pounds in a month. Continue your list, and see how long it becomes.

6)  If joining a gym, find out if the staff is qualified to work with older adults. Get a complete picture by talking with older adults who are currently participating.

7)  Find different ways to keep moving. Clean your home, do yard work, or march in place while on the phone.

8)  Encourage support from friends and family by telling them about your new activity goals.

9)  Keep your health status and ability in mind when joining classes. If you have an arthritis condition, read information about appropriate exercises from the Arthritis Foundation.

10) Make exercise a daily part of your life. Don’t give up!

Coming Up: Finding an Age-Friendly Personal Trainer

Hurricane season in the United States falls between June 1 and November 30. Do you have an emergency readiness plan for your elderly friends and family? With dangerous and destructive hurricanes possible, having a plan is a priority. If you’re lucky, you’ll never have to use it but you’ll be ready if you do.

Step 1 – Community Basics

Begin by learning what risks affect your community. Community emergency plans should be easy to find. Search online or ask someone at the library, city hall, or local fire department. Be able to answer these questions:

• If there is an evacuation order, what is the recommended route from where you live? If you don’t drive, how will you find transportation?
• If local phone service is down, who is your out-of-area emergency contact?
• Do your neighbors know if you have any special needs?

Step 2 – Emergency Supplies

Supplies are split into two categories – “stay at home” supplies and “evacuation” supplies. If you are forced to remain at home during a hurricane, have enough supplies for a week or more. Supplies for an evacuation should be pre-packed, useful, and contain many of the same supplies you’d use if staying in your home.

“Stay at home” items:

“Evacuation” items:

Note: This does not serve as a complete listing. Modify these lists as necessary.

Step 3 – Plan for Your Needs

Having a plan for an emergency that takes your special needs into account is essential.

• If using an electric wheelchair or scooter, keep your old model around for emergency use.
• If you need electricity for medical devices like home dialysis, find out your options for temporary emergency power.
• For seniors living in a retirement or assisted living facility, learn what is expected of you from the facility. How can you stay informed and follow their emergency plan?
• Check out Red Cross and FEMA for additional advice on meeting special needs and preparing for a disaster.

As we are experiencing the heat of August and continuing the dog days of summer, older adults have to be especially careful of the heat. Sudden changes in temperature and chronic conditions affect the defenses of the elderly. Certain medications can also impair the body’s ability to regulate its temperature.

Heat stroke is a type of hypothermia where body temperatures rise to 106^oF or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. It can cause death or permanent organ damage. Symptoms include an extremely high body temperature, no sweating, rapid and strong pulse, dizziness, nausea, and a throbbing headache.

Heat exhaustion is milder but no less dangerous. It develops after several days of exposure to high temperatures and lack of fluids. Symptoms include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, fainting, fast but weak pulse, and fast, shallow breathing.

5 Ways to Protect Elderly Relatives and Neighbors

• Visit older adults at risk at least twice a day, and watch them for signs of heat stroke or heat exhaustion.
• Encourage them to increase their fluid intake by drinking fluids, regardless of their activity level.
  • Note: If their doctor generally limits the amount of fluid they drink, ask their doctor how much they should drink while the weather is hot.
• Keep them from engaging in strenuous activities.
• Use a spray bottle or personal fan to promote sweating and evaporation.
• Take them to air-conditioned locations if they have transportation problems. (Options include a shopping mall or a public library)