Why is staying active important even in retirement?

Without physical activity, people can experience a range of health problems, including reduced muscle mass, strength, and physical endurance, reduced coordination and balance, and reduced joint flexibility and mobility. This is especially true in older adults over 65. 

Exercise in older people has been proven to help prevent diseases like heart disease and diabetes. It can improve mental health by producing endorphins, the feel-good hormone, which acts as stress relief. If older people join a walking group, a class at a gym, or even a gardening club, they can turn their exercise into a fun social activity and help combat loneliness. Exercise even has a positive effect on cognitive function, helping to lower the risk of dementia.  

The benefits of staying active in retirement

Staying active and having fun is incredibly important for seniors, especially once they hit retirement age. Sport not only provides physical benefits such as a decreased risk of certain diseases like heart disease and a way of keeping fit, it provides a way for seniors to stay connected with friends and their community. There are so many ways seniors can keep happy and healthy – here are just a few to get you started.  

Sports for active seniors to enjoy

There are a range of sports that active seniors can enjoy – everything from swimming, to tennis, to chess.  

Swimming

Swimming is an excellent choice for older adults, especially those with injuries, pain, or arthritis. The buoyancy of the water reduces the impact on the joints, making swimming one of the few sports people with these conditions can enjoy without pain.  

Yoga

Yoga can be practiced at home, alone, or in a group with other seniors. Some seniors form yoga groups and work out in parks, or at gyms. With yoga, seniors can stay active without the strain that is associated with high-intensity workouts that focus on cardio or strength training. As a low impact exercise, yoga helps to build joint flexibility and lower the risk of injury. This becomes increasingly important as a person ages.  

Tennis 

Tennis can be a high impact exercise, so the way it’s played needs to change and evolve so that active seniors can participate. They may not be able to sprint as fast or smash the ball as hard as they once could, but it’s still incredibly effective as exercise for seniors. Tennis helps activate the brain and keeps the mind engaged. It also is hugely beneficial for the heart, coordination, balance, and flexibility.  

Lawn Bowling

Lawn bowls offers a relaxed pace and a comparatively light physical workout, which makes it perfect for older adults. It can also help improve coordination, fitness levels, and increase confidence in people who may have lost faith in what they can physically do in their later years. Lawn bowls also offer people competition in teams, which helps to create a sense of community connectiveness and support.  

Chess

While not exactly a sport, chess can be a fun activity for older adults looking to keep their minds active, while having fun and relaxing with friends and other members of the community. Playing chess can improve cognitive function, memory, and analytical skills, and has even been shown to decrease anxiety and depression. One study conducted in the US has found that seniors who played chess are 55% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s.  

Billiards

Billiards offers a wide range of benefits for seniors, keeping them physically, mentally, and socially active in retirement. It promotes flexibility, balance, and coordination through movements like bending, stretching, and reaching. It strengthens muscles in the arms, shoulders, and legs, contributing to overall fitness. Mentally, it sharpens strategic thinking, problem-solving, and concentration. Billiards also provides a social outlet, fostering connections and camaraderie through playing with friends or joining leagues. Seniors can enjoy the triple benefits of physical activity, mental stimulation, and social engagement, leading to a vibrant retirement.

Golf

Golf, a sport beloved by many, serves as an excellent activity for seniors to stay active and engaged long after retirement. This leisurely yet challenging game offers a myriad of health benefits, such as improving cardiovascular fitness, enhancing balance and coordination, and increasing overall strength. With its gentle pace and low-impact nature, golf provides a suitable option for seniors of varying fitness levels to participate and enjoy the outdoors. Moreover, the social aspect of golf fosters camaraderie and friendship, allowing seniors to build connections with like-minded individuals while engaging in a mentally stimulating game. By embracing golf as a regular hobby, seniors can maintain an active and fulfilling lifestyle that contributes to their physical well-being and social enrichment.

Finding a community that supports your active lifestyle

Whether your interests lie more with very low-impact sports like billiards or ones that get you moving like a good stroll on the golf course, participation in senior sports will keep you socially, mentally and physically active and see you enjoy a better quality of life overall.  Living in a community that provides opportunities to engage in senior activities that meet your level of fitness and interests is vitally important to your long-term wellbeing. 

Check out all that Ingenia Federation has to offer! 

Ingenia Federation invites you to discover a world of opportunities where staying active and having fun in retirement becomes a way of life. With their three premier senior living communities located in Glenroy, Werribee, and Albion & Sunshine, Ingenia Federation offers the perfect setting for seniors to embrace an active and vibrant lifestyle. From billiards and swimming pools to fully-equipped gyms, bowling greens, and sprawling parklands for jogging, the amenities provided cater to every aspect of an active senior lifestyle. By joining the Ingenia Federation community, you’ll have access to a wealth of activities and opportunities to stay fit, socialise, and enjoy your retirement to the fullest. So, why wait? Take the leap and explore all that Ingenia Federation has to offer at their Glenroy, Werribee, or Albion & Sunshine locations. It’s time to embrace a lifestyle where staying active, having fun, and thriving in retirement go hand in hand