Many people over the age of 65 spend, on average, up to 10 hours a day sitting down. If they are retired or living alone, it may be hard sometimes to find the motivation to get up and go out, and much easier to stay in watching the TV. Obviously this can lead to health problems, if the body isn’t being used as often as it should, general movement is going to get trickier as time goes by. Below are some reasons of why you should be making sure that older people that you know in your community are getting enough exercise and staying active.

Falling will be less of a risk – many older people are particularly vulnerable to falls; a third of over 65 year olds fall each year. Frequent gentle exercise will help to prevent this by keeping the body active.

Not staying active will mean you can’t do as much – as obvious as it sounds, it’s true. Simple tasks like walking to the town or going on a day out may be much more difficult for older people if they are not used to moving around a lot every day. Don’t let poor health put a downer on special days out.

Movement keeps your brain active – Physical exercise also helps to keep the brain active and engaged, studies have shown that physical exercise can reduce chances of getting brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

You’re less likely to suffer from serious illnesses too – there’s lots of evidence that people who are active have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type two diabetes, some cancers and depression.

Exercise doesn’t have to be boring or difficult – why not try something fun? Like a local aerobics class? or Tai Chi? As long as it’s an activity that raises the heart rate, you’re on the right track. There’s also sports, try your local leisure centre or gym and see what classes they offer. This is also a great opportunity to meet other people and socialise whilst exercising too.