Millions of the Baby Boom generation are now in their 70s. It should come as no surprise that many adult children of boomers are starting to worry about their aging parent’s health, and that senior fitness is now a priority.
That concern is justified. According to the National Institute on Aging, a quarter of all seniors over the age of 65 will experience falls. As many as 3 million seniors end up in the ER each year from fall related injuries. One in five falls result in fractures like broken hips or head injuries.
Falling is more than just an emotion-charged experience for the kids of aging Boomers. There’s also a huge cost associated with senior falls. From lost time at work caring for an injured parent to the many healthcare related expenses, the financial impact can be challenging, and for some it can be devastating.
At ElderFIT, it’s something we’ve witnessed firsthand. As many as 50% of our senior fitness inquiries come from children who are interested in finding a fitness trainer to help their parents deal with ongoing physical and medical challenges.
The good news is that if Baby Boomers start a senior fitness program emphasizing strength and functional mobility training, they will greatly improve their overall health and wellness. The result of being in better physical (and emotional) shape longer in life is now referred to as ‘Longevity’ by many researchers in the health and fitness world.
There’s no better time than today to take action to improve one’s chances for healthspan. The problem, however, is that many aging Americans are NOT in very good shape, nor are they extremely motivated to start.
It will truly be the actions of the adult children of Baby Boomers that can prompt their aging parents to work out, modify their diet to eat more healthy foods, and make smarter, healthier decisions.
At ElderFIT, we make it easy to remove the barriers parents place in the way of getting fit. Many seniors are anxious at the thought of going to a sweaty gym surrounded by younger members with bulging muscles and tank tops. Others are battling debilitating health conditions making it difficult to visit the gym.
The beauty of ElderFIT is that it’s filled with trainers who are not only close in proximity to the seniors they train, but they will come to their homes to make exercising a breeze. Most seniors don’t actually need the fitness equipment found in gyms. Instead, trainers can use bands, light free weights, and a good old fashioned gravity to give seniors the workout they need.
We encourage the children of Boomers to become the ‘outside force’ in their parents’ lives. Sometimes it takes a gentle but firm nudge to get our parents to make the right choices.
That’s exactly what our co-founder did for his Dad five years ago, and it made all the difference in the world.ElderFIT allows you to find, pick and even pay for a trainer to come to help your parents with an effective fitness program. Check out our selection of senior fitness trainers in the Austin and Georgetown area today.
