When trying to decide if an activity you perform should be considered as physical activity, there are a few factors you should consider:

1. How intense is the activity?
   1. Does it make you breathe harder?
   2. Does your heart rate rise for an extended period of time?
2. Are you using multiple muscle groups to perform the activity?
   1. Using larger muscle groups (legs, chest or back muscles) will induce a greater physiological response to the activity.
3. Do these activities keep you in shape?
   1. Does performing these daily tasks allow you to perform OTHER tasks as well?
   2. Does performing these daily tasks allow you to perform these other tasks efficiently?
   3. If you stopped performing these daily tasks, would you expect to see a decline in your physical abilities?

Activities of Daily Living or ADL’s, such as walking to and from the café for lunch or dinner, gardening, or simply stretching when you wake in the morning, are an extremely productive aspect to everyday life. Performing these activities each day can help keep you able-bodied, and is an essential aspect to physical fitness as well. Remember, activities of daily living are just ONE part of physical fitness. These activities should be paired with regular exercise to maximize the potential of continued and improved strength and physical well-being in order to be able to perform your ADL’s easier and to live life to the fullest.

Brian Harris

Fitness and Wellness Coordinator

Cindy Senk leads a fitness class at Seabury.

1. Participating in proper exercise on a regular basis helps to break the chronic pain cycle. This cycle begins when movement of a body part leads to pain, in turn leading to a tendency to stop moving the affected joint. Muscle spasms can occur, which often leads to further stiffness and pain. Doing proper exercises designed for people with arthritis will improve joint flexibility & mobility, which will help break the cycle.
2. Regular exercise will build and/or maintain muscular strength, leading to increased participation in recreational activities and activities of daily living (ADL).
3. Regular exercise helps with balance & coordination in order to maintain good posture.
4. Exercise helps with weight control. Maintenance of a healthy weight is very important in managing arthritic symptoms.
5. Exercise builds endurance & stamina which leads to one having more energy.

So Take Control of your Arthritis. Take a walk or a hike on a trail, swim some laps, or enjoy a bike ride. Start moving and then keep moving. The benefits are endless!

Cindy Senk

FWC Supervisor

Arthritis Foundation instructor/trainer

Attending a group exercise class can have a great effect on those who do not exercise regularly.  There are so many different types of classes. Zumba and dance classes are a great way for people to exercise in a fun, energetic atmosphere. Strength classes are great for those who want to strength train, but don’t know which exercises would be the best, therefore getting qualified instruction in a group setting, which is often more cost effective, rather than hiring a personal trainer. 

Motivation is often given as a main reason people do not exercise. Group classes are a perfect way for friends to encourage and support each other to exercise. Even if you start by going to a class alone, you will meet plenty of people and develop friendships and in turn, help keep each other motivated. So if you feel like you’d like to start exercising, yet don’t know where to begin, the Seabury Fitness and Wellness Center has a multitude of group exercise classes that would be a great jumping off point.

Matt McGowan HFS-ACSM

Seabury Fitness and Wellness Specialist

Group Exercise class at the Seabury pool

One of the best ways to get regular, aerobic activity is by swimming or participating in water-based exercise programs, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Water-based programs may help seniors improve their personal health by decreasing the risk of chronic diseases, improving mental health and may also decrease their risk of death by more than half of that of an inactive person. Along with the added health benefits, people generally enjoy water-based exercise programs more so than exercising on land and are able to exercise longer in the water, due to the decreased exertion and reduced stress on joints and limbs

According to the CDC report, for people with arthritis – one of the most common chronic ailments – water-based exercise improves the use of affected joints without worsening symptoms. It also decreases pain and is more effective in improving function of affected joints than more traditional exercise programs.

Another benefit of water-based exercise is lowered blood pressure. A study performed by the University of Texas at Austin, studied adults with stage 1 hypertension not on medication. The study compared two groups; (group 1) in a water-based exercise program, and (group 2) in a relaxation/meditation exercise program for twelve weeks. At the study completion, group 1 showed a 7 percent decrease in systolic blood pressure, along with their arteries becoming more elastic and responsive to changes in blood pressure, while the relaxation/meditation group showed no statistically significant improvements. Researchers also noted that since swimming minimizes weight-bearing stress and is unlikely to lead to overheating, swimming is an ideal exercise for older adults, whether they have high blood pressure or not.

Refferences

http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/health_benefits_water_exercise.html Nualnim, Nantinee. “Effects of Swimming Training on Blood Pressure and Vascular Function in Adults 50 Years of Age.” American Journal of Cardiology 109.7 (2012): 1005-010. Print.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that older individuals walk for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days per week. One should walk at a moderate intensity to increase breathing and heart rate. The 30 minutes can also be broken up throughout the day, into three 10 minute sessions, or two 15 minutes sessions.

With spring and warmer weather on the way, taking a walk outdoors is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise. Listed below are two great outdoor events that Seabury is helping to sponsor. For more information on either walk, click on the graphics, or contact Cindy Senk, fitness and wellness supervisor, at 860-243-6054.

Matt McGowan, Seabury Health Fitness Specialist

One benefit of massage therapy is that the activity of protein NF-kB is dampened, reducing the inflammatory response. The second benefit is a boost in production of the protein PGC-!alpha, which is crucial for muscle energy generation and adaptation to endurance exercise. 

These effects are beneficial if you exercise strenuously and feel discomfort (inflammatory response). And really, who doesn’t feel tight or strained after a strenuous workout? Put simply, massage therapy after exercising helps you to feel better and prepares your muscles for the next work out. The effects of massage after exercise have been felt, but have not been widely researched through science. If positive results come from future studies then medical insurance will be encouraged to pay for massage therapy.

 That is the really big news for clients, and of course, for taking the edge off the pain. 

Evan Williams is a licensed massage therapist who has spent 10 years practicing as a physical therapist assistant and had an earlier career in dance. She particularly enjoys treating her clients to heated stone massage sessions.

When we stand, we are using all of our muscles, from our feet through the body’s core to the upper body. When sitting, many of these muscles disengage; we tend to relax more and may develop poor posture as a result.

So what can we do?

*Try not to lose track of time. Use reminders to take standing/walking breaks – get up and move every half hour for at least 5 minutes;

*Use your cell phone and walk around while you talk, or stand at your desk if you have a land line;

*While sitting, rotate your ankles in circles, march in place, bend and extend the knee;  anything to keep your body moving;

*Stretch – squeeze the shoulder blades together, sit up nice and tall, take deep breaths;  all good ways to keep the body in motion.

So stand up and move! Here’s to your health!

Information compiled from articles from the Arthritis Foundation and AARP bulletins.

Cindy Senk.

Seabury Fitness & Wellness Supervisor.  

The main advantage of exercising with a personal trainer is the individualized attention. The entire program is based on your needs and goals. In a group setting, there are often ten to twenty others who may need instruction; therefore, the trainer’s time is dispersed amongst everyone in the class or group. During a personal training session however, the trainer’s attention is focused entirely on you.

Additional benefits include:

Knowledge: A trainer will teach you how to use exercise equipment, which exercises are right for you, which ones you should avoid, how long to do an exercise, how many repetitions; absolutely everything you’ll need to know in order to get and keep yourself physically fit. Before you start, make sure your trainer has the proper certifications and credentials. Some nationally recognized certifications are from the ACSM, NSCA, ACE and AFAA.

Accountability: It is tough to skip your exercise session when you know a trainer is waiting for you (and only you) to show up. It also provides additional motivation when you know that you will probably have to pay the trainer, whether you show up or not. Paying a trainer is one of the best ways to keep yourself accountable to attend your sessions regularly.

Motivation: Also, trainers will keep you motivated in many other ways. Their encouragement, enthusiasm and positive reinforcement are all benefits that can develop increased adherence to your fitness program.

If you’ve tried group exercise and determined that it isn’t really for you, the individual attention you receive from a personal trainer may be exactly what you need to achieve your goals. Seabury’s 2 personal trainers are ready to assist you whatever your goals may be.

Seabury Personal Trainers:

Deb Filiault

Chlake Raineau

Mr. Heath began by telling the crowd in Heritage Hall that he goes by the name Rick. A sports fan, he added that his father had taught him how to play golf, baseball and football, among other sports.

“If there was another way to have gotten this job, I would have preferred it,” he said in reference to the late John S. Mobley, Seabury’s first CEO, adding that he hadn’t known him personally. “My passion, as I understood John’s was, is golf,” he said, and then added that his hobbies included golf, working-out and reading, and told the residents that he enjoys playing golf in Scotland and has played at St. Andrews, the oldest golf course in the world.  

An Ohio native and graduate of The Ohio State University, Mr. Heath went on to outline his background, beginning with his work at the Ohio State University Hospital at just 22 years of age, and continuing his career to eventually becoming President and CEO at Gulf Coast Village Retirement Community, a not-for-profit CCRC in Cape Coral, Florida, and then serving as Director of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, Mississippi, before taking on the leadership position here at Seabury.

When a resident questioned what his vision might be for Seabury, he noted that he’s only 2 days into the position, but he said, “My vision is to take a really good place and make it better. I don’t believe in change for the sake of change.” He concluded by saying that what jumped out at him about Seabury was “… the solid and progressive, cutting edge programs in place that ensure that Seabury remains competitive in the market.”

At the end of the day, Mr. Heath met residents informally at a social reception and buffet dinner in the main dining room.

Studies have shown that individuals who practice Tai Chi have a 47% decrease in falls and 25% the hip fracture rate of those who do not, and that Tai Chi can be beneficial for retarding bone loss in weight-bearing postmenopausal women.