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It’s never too late to start getting fit!

Posted by Karen Morton No Comments

Written by Karen Morton, Founder and Medical Director of Dr Morton’s – the medical helpline

Written 7 June 2020

One of my very favourite patients has asked me to publish this article and I am delighted to do so.

In 2018, aged 61, I parted ways with the company I had been working for and started going to our local gym in West Sussex, determined to exercise my way out of the downward spiral affecting me. It did help, in more ways than just mood enhancement.

I saw some very fit 70-90 year old men and women there, working with Jordan Burns, a talented young trainer who encouraged, cajoled and teased them into doing more than they thought they could, in some cases dramatically improving their fitness.

Even before the pandemic locked us away, I knew that the NHS was facing difficulties, with an avalanche of unfit over-60s becoming the fastest growing demographic. Falls already cost the NHS over £2.3 billion a year, and diabetes around £14 billion, not including the resulting human cost of pain, and additional care from family members. But what could be done to improve older adult fitness, balance and flexibility?

Our local gym is a ten-minute drive from our village. It’s not possible for many older adults, especially those who no longer drive, to get there. And most wouldn’t even consider going to a gym. Whether it’s true or not, gyms, for many people, are not enticing. They are perceived as noisy, smelly, and filled with intimidating people who are overly focused on their bodies and dress in strange clothing(!). Many communities have a village or church hall with Pilates, yoga, Tai Chi, Zumba and other excellent exercise offerings – but these don’t suit most older adults. High intensity exercise wouldn’t be safe, and many cannot easily get down to or up from the floor.

Loneliness is also a problem for some older adults, and this can have a serious impact on health.

According to Age UK, more than two million people in England over the age of 75 live alone, and more than a million older people say they go for over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member. To address these issues, Jordan and I came up with a simple fitness and social programme for older adults that could be delivered in any community in the country, in a venue familiar to and convenient for older adults, by local personal trainers. At the end of the sessions, participants would have a social break, with free coffee and tea. And so FIT FOR GOOD was created and the first sessions held in Pulborough, West Sussex, in August 2019. By March 2020, we were ready to expand, with a session starting in Billingshurst and others under consideration. That was all put on hold with the lockdown – but having built strong relationships with our participants, we were determined to help. Improving balance, flexibility, strength and general fitness are more important now than ever, when a fall requiring hospitalisation exposes people to the dreaded virus.

So FIT FOR GOOD went online with trainers Jordan, Mira and Rob each providing one video a week, available from 11am on Mondays (Rob), Wednesdays (Jordan) and Fridays (Mira). To help those with limited mobility or who are recovering from injury, Mira provides a seated fitness session available from 11am every Thursday. All sessions are provided completely free of charge. We are being funded entirely by donations until we are able to hold physical sessions again.

Each session starts with a mobility warm up for the major joints and muscles groups, followed by a varying combination of cardiovascular work for heart health; strength work for improved bone density, joint and tissue health; functional movements for improving daily life; balance work for improving stability; and core work for building a strong trunk. Each session ends with a gentle cool down and age appropriate stretch. The sessions can be done in any clothing which is comfortable and doesn’t restrict movement. No equipment is needed, although light or moderate weights – which can be jars, tins or small bottles of water – will make the sessions more challenging.

The response has been very encouraging – some people are now doing all three sessions each week and are likely to end up in better shape than before the lockdown! If you think these sessions could help you, or a family member or friend, please do feel free to pass on the link

And when we are all finally allowed out of isolation, we will be working to establish FIT FOR GOOD sessions in community centres, parish halls and other community spaces around the country, to encourage every older adult to improve their strength, mobility, balance and general fitness – and to have more enjoyment in life.

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