The Oasis

Stretching helps ease joint pain and muscle aches and also improves mobility, flexibility, coordination, and circulation. On top of the physical benefits, it also reduces stress and boosts mood. Chair exercises like stretching are perfect for seniors because they can be adapted for physical limitations, minimize the risk of injury due to falls, and still give health benefits. The only equipment needed is a sturdy, non-slip chair. The Sit and Stand classes on Tuesday/ Thursday at 11:00 am and the Yoga Stretch class on Wednesday at 10:30 am use a variety of stretches.

Gaining flexibility takes time. Go slowly, and listen to your body. One stretch doesn’t fit everyone, but there are many variations. For example, if you can’t sit on the floor to stretch your thighs, try a standing thigh exercise. As you improve flexibility, you’ll be able to reach farther with the same stretch—or try different stretches for the same muscle.

Other tips to keep in mind:

• Warm up by walking in place for five minutes. This will prepare your heart, muscles, and joints for activity.
• Never force a stretch. Don’t bounce or jerk to get deeper into a stretch. Smooth, gentle movements are safer.
• Don’t lock your joints. Your arms and legs can be straight while stretching, but they shouldn’t be stiff. If it’s more comfortable, bend your elbows and knees slightly.
• Keep breathing. Like your movements, your breath should be slow and steady. Hold your stretch for 30-45 seconds.
• Aim to stretch every day. Try it for 10 to 15 minutes a day, at least three days a week. Stretch each muscle group three to five times each session.

Ultimately, flexibility is about enjoying your life. By increasing your range of motion, you’ll be less prone to injury while exercising, traveling, or playing with your grandkids. You’ll feel less stiff and more comfortable going about everyday activities like walking, lifting, bending, and even driving. You’ll improve your posture, circulation, and balance while relieving pain and stress.

Don’t let the busy-ness of the holidays steal the progress you have made this year in your strengthening exercise program. With special parties and a full schedule of events, remember to schedule some time for the Oasis or your favorite exercise class. Bring your family with you to the warm pool. Take walks with the kids around the lake or show them all the wonderful decorations around the halls of Kirby Pines. Christmas can be hectic and overwhelming, but a good walk outside can bring some peace and quiet, solitude and retrospect. Take the time to unwrap the gift of comfort and joy as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus.

Come join us for a Christmas Stroll through the beautifully decorated halls of Kirby, on Wednesday, December 19. This “Walk with Ease” Class Reunion will meet in the PAC at 1:30 to do our warm-up and stretches, walk for about 30 minutes and then gather back in the PAC for some Christmas treats. Invite your friends to join in on this fun event.

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Walk Across America

Make your 2019 New Year’s resolution to include signing up for the Walk Across America Program that the Oasis will be offering in January. Participants may begin registering January 2, 2019. The program will run from January 14 through March 11 and will last 8 weeks. We will keep track of how many miles each participant walks, or completes on the Nu-Step or treadmill on their schedule. You may want to use a pedometer, your FitBit or your smart phone Pedometer App to record your steps. Everyone’s mileage will be kept up individually and as a group total to see how far we can walk; pointing out interesting landmarks along the way. Last year, 45 participants walked Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, California and helped accumulate over 2694 miles. This year we will follow The Great River Road along the mighty Mississippi River from Itasca, Minnesota, through Memphis, to New Orleans, Louisiana. If we have enough participants, we could make it all the way almost 3000 miles. We’ll have helpful tips each week, awards and surprises for everyone, as well as the reward of beginning and continuing a great exercise habit of walking for strength and endurance. We will have weekly door prizes and a Grand Prize of Dinner for Two at the Exquisite Cuisine for the most miles recorded.

When I ask, “Would you like to Exercise today?”, occasionally I hear a negative answer: “I used to exercise but now I can’t.“ That may mean I can’t run a mile anymore or swim laps or play tennis or 18 holes of golf. But everyone can exercise in some way. Many exercises can be done sitting in a chair or standing beside a sturdy chair or kitchen counter or even laying on the bed. To get started, all it takes is a “CAN DO“ attitude.

An article, Obtaining a “Can Do” Attitude By Celeste Stewart from lifescript.com reports: “A “can do” attitude is a conviction that shows the world that whatever needs to be done, can and will get done. Unfortunately, many people have a tendency to focus on what can’t be done rather than what can be done.
Developing a “can do” attitude requires shifting focus from “I can’t” to “I can.” Pay attention to what you are saying and hearing. How much of that is negative? How can you reword it to make it positive? If someone is complaining all the time, try to shift the conversation.

Take responsibility. When facing an obstacle, are you quick to blame other people or circumstances? Instead of placing blame, take responsibility for the challenge and work to overcome it.

Take action and follow through. Procrastination will bog you down so don’t fall into the trap of putting off your tasks. Set your mind to doing something and then do it. Keep going until you reach your goals. If you must take it a small step at a time, that’s fine – as long as you are taking those steps.
Take the positive direction. Surround yourself with other positive people. Energy, both positive and negative, is infectious. Aligning yourself with other can-doers will bring out the best in you.

Adopting a “can do” attitude can change your life. With the right attitude, your health can improve. Whatever your goal is, applying the “can do” spirit will help you reach it. No one says it’s going to be easy. In fact, it takes determination, confidence, and initiative. In addition, this new attitude requires a whole new way of thinking. This positive approach will pay off as you become more self-confident and accomplish your goals.

Joining one of our many exercise classes offered will put you into company with many “CAN-DOERS” who encourage each other to do what they can to get stronger and stay fit. Start small and work up gradually. If you have been out of the exercise habit for a while, start with 15 minutes of easy to moderate exercise and add 5 minutes a week to your schedule. After a month you will be up to 30 minutes which is the recommendation of CDC. 30 minutes – 5 days per week add up to 150 minutes of exercise which has been recommended by The Arthritis Foundation. Yoga stretch and Tai Chi are two classes that are good for beginners (they can be done seated if necessary.) Walking our hallways is always a good place to start. Mary Hand will be glad to help you in the Oasis and encourage you in whatever exercise plan you want to begin.

Remember the scripture, “I CAN DO all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13. And don’t forget the children’s book The Little Engine That Could who told himself, “I think I CAN…I think I CAN…I think I CAN……”

So get that “CAN DO” Attitude and get your exercise program started. Take the challenge and see what you CAN DO.

Everybody knows exercise may improve your physic and health, but did you know that 15 minutes may save your emotional well-being.

“Exercise is one of the easiest and most effective ways of improving both your physical and mental health. A little regular exercise can ease depression and anxiety, boost energy and mood, and relieve stress. But you don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits. No matter your age or fitness level, there are lots of enjoyable ways to use physical activity to help you feel better, look better, and enjoy life more.”

When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain and trigger a positive feeling in the body, Kirby Pines presently offers a variety of opportunities for exercises that have proven to relieve stress and improve emotional health. These are just a few:

Tai Chi: Tai chi is an exercise that was derived from Chinese martial arts and focuses on being fully in touch with the present. It is sometimes called “meditation in motion” and is an excellent way to leave the worries of the day behind. Tai Chi is offered here on Monday afternoon at 2:00 in the Large Card Room.

Walking: one of the most popular forms of exercise requires very little in the way of equipment and can fit into any schedule. At Kirby Pines, we have more than a mile of beautifully landscaped walking trails and miles of inside walking. A Walk with Ease class is well underway and will be offered again in the spring.

Dancing: While many people do not think of dancing when considering stress relieving exercises, it does, in fact, give you a physical workout while improving agility and coordination. The social aspect of dancing helps in improving mental and emotional well-being while learning new steps exercises the brain as well. Check into our line dancing group that meets Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday afternoons in the PAC.

Water Aerobics: If you have issues that prohibit some other forms of exercise, water aerobics may be just the thing you need. Chest deep water takes 90% of your weight off your joints. Usually practiced with a group with similar physical needs, this stress-relieving activity has both social and meditative aspects that will calm the nerves.

Yoga Stretch: Balance and mobility are two key benefits for yoga. A series of deep breaths and time for meditation help participants feel restored and relaxed by the end of class. Our class here at Kirby includes standing and seated positions. No floor or mat poses are involved. Each pose is chosen with safety and beneficial stretching in mind to increase your mobility. Next time you “don’t feel like it,” remember that a walk or exercise class may be just what the doctor ordered to help you feel better about yourself.

Get energized, control weight, improve balance, strengthen muscles, soothe nerves, reduce pain and improve health are just a few of the reasons to add exercise into your regular routine.

Each session of exercise stimulates some form of change in every body system including reducing the negative effects of arthritis and protection from symptoms of other chronic diseases. The CDC recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate level exercise like brisk walking to benefit your health and help prevent disease. Dr. Zhen Yan, professor of medicine reports that his research shows exercise can prevent and even reverse the damage of Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease as well as arthritis. Exercise improves circulation and removes cellular waste; essentially “Exercise takes out the trash.” Exercise reduces levels of proteins in the blood that cause inflammation that result in painful swollen joints, improving function and reducing pain.

Exercise actually does produce more energy by increasing the cells that create energy at the individual cell level, improving circulation and empowering brain and muscle cells. So on those days when you feel so-o-o tired, walking, yoga, and water aerobics are gentle to moderate exercises that can boost your energy level.

Exercise improves balance by improving communication between joints and brain. Tai Chi‘s slow controlled movements promote “motor learning” improving smooth and precise motions. Strengthening core muscles helps improve balance.

Aerobic exercise (vigorous walking and water aerobics) strengthens the heart muscle and keeps the circulation flowing through healthier veins and arteries. Better circulation means better oxygen flow to cells in the brain, organs, and muscles. Stronger muscle cells help the heart to pump more powerfully and more efficiently. Keeping arteries and veins more elastic will prevent arterial stiffening and lower the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Weight-bearing exercise (walking and strength training) keeps joints healthy: In other words, the muscle acts as a natural brace. Strengthening core muscles helps support the back, reducing back pain. Stronger muscles absorb the normal jarring of weight-bearing exercise by nourishing and thickening the cartilage inside the joints.

Rhythmic exercises (line dancing and walking) soothe the nerves while producing natural hormones called endorphins that give a happy feeling which helps relieve depression, anxiety, and chronic pain.

Prove it for yourself. Join one of the many exercise classes or use the equipment in the Oasis available here at Kirby Pines. It is worth the bother.

Get Ready to Walk with Ease

Walk with Ease Class is coming back. Register now for the class, we will limit the class size to 15. This is what the class can do for you: Improved balance, strength, and endurance. If you have been out of the exercise habit and desire to get back, and you can walk 10 minutes, or if you are looking for an enjoyable way to exercise, this class may be for you. Register with Lavada in the activities office or Mary in the Oasis. Our first class begins Tuesday, September 11 in the Arts & Crafts room, and runs for 9 weeks.

Approximately one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss, and nearly half of those older than 75 has difficulty hearing. But some people may not want to admit they have trouble hearing. Older people who can’t hear well may become depressed or may withdraw from others to avoid feeling frustrated or embarrassed about not understanding what is being said. Sometimes older people are mistakenly thought to be confused, unresponsive, or uncooperative because they don’t hear well. Hearing loss comes in many forms. It can range from a mild loss, in which a person misses certain high-pitched sounds, such as the voices of women and children, to a total loss of hearing.

There are two general categories of hearing loss:

1. Sensorineural Hearing Loss occurs when there is damage to the inner ear or the auditory nerve. This type of hearing loss is usually permanent.
2. Conductive Hearing Loss occurs when sound waves cannot reach the inner ear. The cause may be earwax buildup, fluid, or a punctured eardrum. Medical treatment or surgery can usually restore conductive hearing loss.

One type of hearing loss, called presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, comes on gradually as a person ages. It seems to run in families and may occur because of changes in the inner ear and auditory nerve. Having presbycusis may make it hard for a person to tolerate loud sounds or to hear what others are saying. Age-related hearing loss most often occurs in both ears, affecting them equally. Because the loss is gradual, someone with presbycusis may not realize that he or she has lost some of his or her ability to hear.

Tinnitus, also common in older people, is typically described as ringing in the ears, but it also can sound like roaring, clicking, hissing, or buzzing. It can come and go. It might be heard in one or both ears, and it may be loud or soft. Tinnitus can accompany any type of hearing loss and can be a sign of other health problems, such as high blood pressure or allergies, or a side effect of medications. Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease. Something as simple as a piece of earwax blocking the ear canal can cause tinnitus, but it can also be the result of a number of health conditions.

If you notice signs of hearing loss, talk to your doctor. If you have trouble hearing, you should:

• Let people know you have a hearing problem.
• Ask people to face you and to speak more slowly and clearly. Also, ask them to speak louder without shouting.
• Pay attention to what is being said and to facial expressions or gestures.
• Let the person talking know if you do not understand what he or she said.
• Ask the person speaking to reword a sentence and try again.

Do you routinely follow an exercise program? — Great! If not, you may want to start. Some of the benefits of regularly exercising include:

Delaying or preventing the onset of disabilities or diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and osteoporosis.

Reducing pain from arthritis.

Helping with anxiety and depression through better sleep and feelings of well-being.

Reducing the risk of falls, the most common cause of nonfatal injuries in adults over age 65.

Getting Started:

Choose an activity that you’ll enjoy and can do regularly and gives the most benefit.

Take into consideration your interests, health, and physical limitations, as well as the ease of accessing the activity. Kirby Pines offers a wide range of classes and a variety of equipment in the Oasis. Schedule time for your new activities: 30 minutes for 5 days quickly add up to the recommended 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly. Incorporate four different types of activities into an exercise regimen, as they provide different health benefits:

Endurance Activities increase the heart rate and breathing. Including walking, jogging or dancing, they help improve the cardiovascular system. Try the NuStep or Bike in the Oasis.

Strength Exercise such as weight training can help build up muscles and reduce age-related muscle loss. The Oasis is fully equipped to build muscle strength.

Stretching Exercises help keep the body flexible and able to move easily. Tai chi and Yoga stretch can make a difference.

Balance Exercises help improve balance, reducing the risk of falls. Water aerobics and the Sit and Stand classes practice balance moves each class.

As each person has different health issues and medications, checking in with a health care provider before beginning is key to preventing injuries.

If you have any questions about the classes we offer or using the equipment, check with Mary Hand in the Oasis.