Once you hit 40, it begins. You don’t notice it at first, but women in their 40s and men in their 60s lose muscle strength at about 12 percent per decade.
That translates to as much as a pound of muscle per year which slows down our metabolic rate, makes it harder to control weight, weakens bones, and makes us unable to perform the task of daily living. Losing muscle and gaining fat also make us look older.
Why does this happen? First, it is a lack of sufficient exercise, a slowing down in the ability of muscles to synthesize protein, a decrease in hormones, and muscle marbling with more fat in the cells. All of this is compounded for women who are born with less muscle than men (22 percent of lean mass compared to 40 percent for men).
This is critical information in view of the Silver Tsunami coming our way by 2025 when it is predicted that one in four seniors will need in-home help bathing, dressing, walking, etc.
What can we do about it? Exercise, of course. According to a recent study, you can reverse two decades of typical muscle loss in just 60 days with the extra bonus of an improved appetite and self esteem. You sleep better and depression is less likely to occur.
That’s one reason why exercise is such an important part of daily life in retirement communities like Cambridge Village. Fitness coordinators direct water aerobics, exercise classes, swimming classes, and one-on-one fitness training. Residents are encouraged to walk, swim, and dance because the life they save will be their own.
Cambridge Village Resident Shirley Burgess
Cambridge Village Resident Shirley Burgess“Three times a week I work out in water aerobics and chair exercises which keep me moving.”
Shirley Burgess moved from Glens Falls, NY to Cambridge Village to be near her two daughters who live in Cary and Apex, “and I love it here,” she says, “because I don’t have to shovel snow.”
But she has (shoveled snow), and quite recently, which indicates at 80 years of age a high level of fitness. “I started exercising in my late 20s. Kickboxing was my favorite sport at the YMCA which was just around the corner from my home.”
Home was in Andover, MA, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s hometown, where Shirley attended Stowe School, named in memory of the Uncle Tom’s Cabin author. She used her degree in elementary education from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, KY, to teach kindergarten for 42 years. She laughs remembering “Every day in the classroom was another adventure.”
The Japanese martial art of kickboxing is a distant memory now. “Three times a week I work out in water aerobics and chair exercises which keep me moving” while being fully engaged in the multiple activities on the Cambridge Village daily calendar.
Cambridge Village Resident Janice Dunning
Cambridge Village Resident Janice Dunning“I really exercise to stay sane.”
Janice Dunning admits she does not like to exercise, but she walks three to five miles a day, does tai chi, and lifts weights, curling 15 to 20 pounds (two to three pounds is average for women). She also has a fulltime job caring for her husband who suffered a serious head injury two years ago.
She and her husband lived in Cary but moved to Cambridge Village in 2011 because of its onsite rehab and Holistic Wellness program and convenience to Rex Healthcare. She admits, “I really exercise to stay sane.”
Exercise also apparently helps to keep her young. Although born 65 years ago, she has the appearance of a healthy 40-year old because she is also concerned with good nutrition. “Corn syrup is poison,” she declares, “and it’s in almost everything you eat.” She also watches her cholesterol and transfats.
Born in Athens, Ga., Janice had a peripatetic childhood. “My family moved a lot so I attended 17 schools in 17 different cities.” Her major was Spanish and elementary education, but she did not teach until she returned to school for accreditation in English. She has exercised for years, and like it or not, she is a prime example of the value of working out and eating right. To be 65 and look 45 is its own reward.
Linda Barmann, Executive Director Cambridge Village
“We are continually looking for ways to make exercise fun. Incorporating music, dance and frankly, a little bit of craziness, has resulted in a resident participation rate of over 70 percent in our land and water exercise programs. After only a few months from the time they move to Cambridge Village, I have witnessed amazing transformations of residents in terms of improved physical wellness and more importantly, their mental well-being. It is very satisfying to see the positive impact our Holistic Wellness program has had on our residents.”