How Many Steps Should Seniors Walk to Be Healthier?

Walking is fantastic exercise for people of all ages, including seniors. But there is a lot of confusion about how much walking is the absolute right target amount. Turns out, there may not be a specific answer at all. In many cases, it’s much more important that seniors walk at all than they walk a specific amount. Senior home care providers can offer aging adults the support they need to walk more and to stay healthy.

Is 10,000 Steps the Right Amount?

There are a lot of people who say that the right number of steps to hit for good health is 10,000 steps per day. But that number is a lot more arbitrary than people realize. It started out as a marketing concept based on the name of a Japanese pedometer. Unfortunately, there was never any research that supported 10,000 steps being the healthiest goal to aim for throughout life. In reality, scientists at Harvard Medical School say the benefits max out at 7,500 steps. This means that seniors can get benefits no matter how many steps they decide to aim for as a daily goal.

Walking and Seniors

Walking has very little learning curve, especially for seniors who have good mobility still. Walking is amazing for cardiovascular health and it can support weight management if seniors are looking for something to help them do so. Because walking is a weight-bearing exercise, it also helps to strengthen bones and joints, helping prevent or slow down osteoporosis. There are mental and emotional benefits, too. Walking can boost mood, help seniors sleep better, and improve focus.

Getting Enough Physical Activity

According to the Centers for Disease Control, seniors do need to get physical activity. The recommendations include strength activities, balance activities, and at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity. That sounds like a lot, but it breaks down to 30 minutes of movement over five days each week. Walking is something that can definitely fit that recommendation and it’s easy for seniors to start. As with any new exercise, though, seniors should talk to their doctors to get specific recommendations for their unique situations.

Tips for Getting More Steps

Walking more or simply increasing daily step counts might be easier than seniors think, especially if they have home care providers to help them. Taking quick walking breaks throughout the day that are as short as five or ten minutes long can give seniors a big jump in their daily steps. Standing up once an hour and walking for a few minutes can offer similar results. Taking a walk with a friend or with elder care providers is an easy way to get socialization and physical activity at the same time.

Seniors Should Go Slowly and Follow Medical Advice

It isn’t a great idea for anyone to try to get 7,000 steps right away. Seniors in particular should always take new physical activity slowly and let their bodies adjust as they ramp up their activity levels. If they haven’t talked to their doctors yet, they should so so before they try increasing their step count significantly.

Seniors can get a lot of benefits from simply walking around a little more. Senior home care providers can work with aging adults to develop routines that support being more physically active and walking regularly.

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior home care in Greenwich Village, NY, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts at Home – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Westchester, Queens, Rockland today. 646-480-6266