How Swimming Can Help Seniors

How Swimming Can Help Seniors

It’s summer! Who wouldn’t want to be lounging by the pool all day? During this season, many families find themselves spending the day splashing in the water and soaking up some rays. This activity is great for the eldery too! Spending time in and around the pool has many benefits for the aging.

How Swimming Can Help Seniors

  1. Low-Impact Exercise

Being in the water is one way to exercise with low-impact and not bearing any weight. There is no pressure on critical parts of your body therefore, it can reduce pressure in strained areas. Swimming can relieve pain and it’s just plain fun!

  1. Improves Flexibility and Range of Motion

By reducing the ordinary strain on joints, swimmers are able to move their limbs and joints through the full range of motion more easily in the water. Using the full range of motion regularly helps to keep joints supple and improves flexibility.

  1. Improves Stability

Because swimming can work so many of the major muscle groups, it helps build endurance in the body. Building strength and endurance is a great way to improve posture and stability. This reduces the risk of falling.

  1. Promotes Cardio-vascular Health

Swimming for just 30 minutes a day, can vastly reduce the risk of coronary as well as type 2 diabetes. Regular aerobic exercise, such as swimming, reduces blood pressure and helps to raise good cholesterol levels

  1. Improves Sleep

It is a proven fact that physical activity leads to better sleep. Because swimming is a demanding exercise that burns a lot of calories and works all the major muscle groups, older adults will feel physically tired after a swim.

  1. Encourages Socialization

The pool is usually a place to meet other people. Senior swimming programs or group water exercise classes provide opportunities for seniors to socialize and meet new people.

Swimming can have many benefits for those who are older. Orchard at Athens is a luxury senior living community in Athens that offers a multitude of physical activities for our residents. Please contact us to get more information about our activity programs.