INSPO Fitness Journal July 2017

ExerciseNZ
chief executive
Richard Beddie.
EXERCISE THE
GOLDEN TICKET
for elderly independence
The golden years can be the most enjoyable years of people’s
lives and New Zealand exercise experts say regular exercise is
a golden ticket for those who strive for elderly independence.
More than 300,000 Kiwis are aged
75 years plus and figures from the
2013 census showed 31 percent of
people aged 75-84 years still lived in a private
dwelling.
Not surprisingly, the percentage of people
suffering from arthritis and chronic pain
increases with age – arthritis affecting more
than half of people over the age of 75.
Exercise New Zealand (ExerciseNZ) chief
executive Richard Beddie says Kiwis who
strive to experience a good quality of life and
maintain their independence as they grow
older are at a huge advantage if they keep
physically active and view exercise as a form
of medicine to prevent and treat injuries or
illnesses.
“Physical activity can play a significant
role in ageing well and is essential in helping
older Kiwis to be resilient, overcome potential
health obstacles and take control of their
lives,” says Richard.
“Arthritis is a challenging illness and
suffering from chronic pain makes it hard
for people of any age to stay motivated to
exercise. Research shows that being less sedentary
and exercising can improve pain tolerance,
reduce fatigue and boost the mood.
“Having good balance helps prevent
falls that can cause debilitating injuries and
being physically strong makes activities such
as climbing stairs, gardening, cleaning and
grocery shopping a realistic option for the
elderly.
“Exercise is increasingly being accepted
as a viable preventative and treatment tool
within the health sector, especially to promote
healthy ageing or for those living with
long-term conditions,” he says.
Wellington’s All Active personal trainer
Rachel Marks has worked with clients as
old as 84 and says many people think their
physical fitness declines with age but it is the
reduction of activity more than the ageing
process that causes this decline.
“As you get older the body’s ability to
heal wounds and injuries decreases, but with
regular exercise it is possible to speed up the
healing process by up to 25 percent. Flexibility
training can also decrease the need for
hip and knee replacements and combining
exercise with healthy eating can reduce tooth
loss and risk of heart disease,” says Rachel.
The Government’s healthy ageing strategy
outlines physical and mental resilience as
a key action to improve the health outcomes
and independence of older people and ExerciseNZ
supports this goal.
“New Zealand’s exercise industry is
assisting within the health sector and directly
with elderly clients by developing suitable
physical activity programmes. We want to
ensure elderly people have easy access to
professional advice that ultimately improves
their long-term quality of life,” says Richard.
ExerciseNZ recommends the use of
registered exercise professionals to be most
successful in adopting and maintaining
exercise regimes. NZ Register of Exercise
Professionals (REPs): www.reps.org.nz
32 INSPO – FITNESS JOURNAL JULY 2017