As you age, there is no reason you cannot continue to participate in many of the activities you enjoy. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle that promotes overall well-being can help add years to your life while decreasing stress and improving physical wellness. As one of New York State’s first and largest group insurance administrators, this article focuses on how New Yorkers can promote longevity and wellness in their later years.
Exercise That Promotes Longevity and Wellness
The National Institute on Aging places exercises in four different categories:
- Endurance
- Strength
- Balance
- Flexibility
Endurance
Recommended activities that promote endurance include:
- Brisk walking or jogging
- Yard work (mowing, raking)
- Dancing
- Swimming
- Biking
- Climbing stairs or hills
- Playing tennis or basketball
Strength
Exercises that help build muscle include:
- Lifting weights
- Carrying groceries
- Gripping a tennis ball
- Overhead arm curl
- Arm curls
- Wall push-ups
- Lifting your body weight
- Using a resistance band
Balance
Vital in helping prevent falls, balance exercises include:
- Tai Chi, a “moving meditation” that involves shifting the body slowly, gently, and precisely, while breathing deeply.
- Standing on one foot.
- The heel-to-toe walk.
- The balance walk.
- Standing from a seated position.
Flexibility
Flexibility exercises are centered around stretching. These activities typically focus on:
- Back stretches
- Inner thigh stretches
- Ankle stretches
- Back-of-the-leg stretches
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Program
Overview
Many health promotion and prevention services for older New Yorkers are held locally at dining sites, senior centers and other community locations. Some of these services are also available for people receiving home-delivered meals.
Types of Services may Include:
- Physical fitness programs;
- Routine health screening for conditions such as hypertension, glaucoma, cholesterol, cancer, vision, hearing, diabetes, and bone density;
- Home injury control services;
- Nutrition screening, nutritional counseling, and educational services;
- Mental health screening services;
- Medication management screening and education; and
- Information and education about Medicare preventive care benefits including flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Health promotion and prevention program participants often say that they feel better and have fewer problems with their condition later on. Examples of health promotion and prevention services include:
- Falls prevention;
- Physical activity;
- Alcohol and substance abuse reduction;
- Smoking cessation;
- Weight loss and control;
- Stress management; and
- Improved nutrition.
Who is Eligible?
You are eligible if you are 60 years old or older. Your spouse and other family members may be eligible to attend the health programs and use the health services, too.
Is There a Cost?
Generally there is no cost for the services. Some places offer the opportunity to make a suggested voluntary contribution for one or more health services.
Contact your local Office for the Aging or NY Connects.
