More than two-thirds of older adults don't engage in regular physical activity. Many people 90 and older who have become physically frail from inactivity can more than double their strength through simple exercises in a fairly short time. For some, that can mean the difference between being able to get up from a chair by themselves or having to remain seated until someone is available to help them get up. In one study, some people 80 and older were able to progress from using walkers to using canes after doing simple muscle-building exercises for just 10 weeks.
Exercise is like a savings account.
The more you put in, the more you're going to get out of it. The notion that exercise is good for you is something everyone just always seems to have known. Somehow, though, older adults have been left out of the picture - until recently. They also have very much to lose if they become physically inactive - some degree of health and ability, for example. Exercise isn't just for older adults in the younger age range, who live independently and are able to go on brisk jogs, although this book is very much for them, too.