Seniors on the Vanguard of Preventative Health Trends

The move toward preventative health care is growing. More and more people are focusing on maintaining or even improving their good health rather than simply waiting and reacting to the symptoms and conditions of poor health when they occur. New digital technologies, increased awareness of ancient exercise methodologies, and advanced knowledge of nutrition supplementation are all “trending” as ways in which people are aiming to stay healthy now. And, interestingly, seniors are embracing them all!

It’s All in the Wrist

Ever notice that smart device strapped to the wrist of your trendy coworker or neighbor? It could be doing more than just telling the time and transmitting email. Today there are a wide variety of high-tech, consumer “wrist-wearables” that are able to monitor the wearer’s vital health signs, including heart rate, assorted fitness metrics and other indicators of overall health.  According to analyst firm Forrester, total sales of such devices in the U.S are expected to double to over $9 billion by 2022. Now, here’s the really interesting news. Seniors buy nearly 20 percent of all wearable tech sold today—and that’s expected to increase as the number of seniors grows.

Strike a Pose

If you thought “downward dog” was a command you taught your puppy and “fish pose” was something you proudly did for a snapshot after you caught that prize marlin, you may not be hip to one of the most popular and fastest growing health and fitness trends in the U.S., yoga. That’s right; for more and more Americans, this 5000-year-old physical and mental practice with roots in ancient India is no longer just a women’s workout-wear fashion trend. Between 2012 and 2016 the number of people in the U.S. doing yoga grew by a whopping 50 percent, with an estimated total of 55 million practitioners by 2020. As a low impact way to increase balance and flexibility and boost muscle strength and tone, it’s no wonder that the number of baby boomers and seniors adopting yoga has more than tripled since 2012.

Food for Thought

Consider this: The broad category of nutraceuticals, which includes dietary supplements such as capsuled herbs and botanicals, has grown to be a $150 billion market worldwide. And which demographic group is using these products the most? You guessed it. The percentage of those aged 65 years and older using nutraceuticals is higher than any other age group—and has doubled in recent years. Seniors are learning more and more about the effects of specific micronutrients and how they can affect and protect against various health issues associated with aging. That’s particularly important considering that at least 80 percent of older Americans live with at least one chronic disease and 50 percent have at least two.

Healthy Senior Living at Blakehurst

So, with a growing number of seniors taking a variety of steps to preserve and enhance their wellness, we here at Blakehurst retirement community in Towson, MD are doing everything we can to assist residents in their preventative health efforts. It all starts with our highly trained Health Care Navigator, who works personally with residents to help anticipate and identify any health and wellness needs they may have and guide them to preventative wellness services such as fitness and exercise activities. Blakehurst features a state-of-the-art fitness center and certified fitness training managed by instructors from the National Institute for Fitness and Sports. The Navigator can also assist residents with making healthy dietary choices. Those choices are supported by our Executive Chef who designs our menu plans to promote optimum senior nutrition.

Providing a Health Care Navigator for each of our residents is just one part of our HealthyLife® Services, a comprehensive program that’s designed to create opportunities in four essential life enrichment categories: fitness, nutrition, active life and well-being. The ultimate goal of this holistic approach to wellness is to support residents in living a vibrant and engaged lifestyle.

If you would like to learn more about how Blakehurst promotes and supports the health and wellness of residents, call us at 410-870-7817.