| Activation programs |
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To remain independent and active in society is an important priority for many elderly people. In order to maintain the independence, regular light exercise is very important. Regular exercise will improve mobility, and thus the ability to keep visiting family and friends. It also diminishes the risk of functional impairments. Research has shown that a lack of exercise leads to changes in the muscoskeletal system, the cardiovasculair system, and the brain. Physical fitness, and physical activity, had a clear positive impact on cognitive abilities as well and may even delay the onset of Alzheimer's. However, elderly people exercise much less than the average person. In the Netherlands, only 52% of people aged 65+ reach the Dutch health norm of 30 minutes of light exercise per day-- such as walking to the shop or climbing up the stairs in your house. Of those people aged 65+ who assess themselves as being in "poor health", only 21% reaches the norm. In many countries, preventive care is available for people living independently or in some form of assisted living. A daily light exercise regime should be part of such a preventive program. In the Netherlands, SilverFit has built fitness area's that focus exclusively on elderly patients. Besides the SilverFit, these also contain a threadmill, hometrainers, and other exercise equipment fitted with computer games. These virtual fitness area's exert a strong pull on people to come and regularly train. In this way, people can work on maintaining their independence while having fun! |